Checklist for Choosing Your Wedding Florals
Comprehensive Check list for Shopping for your Wedding Bouquets and Floral Decor
When you visit with your potential florists you will want to have some idea of what florals you will be needing for your wedding. What follows is a basic shopping list for your personal, ceremony and reception florals. Use this list to help you create your wedding flower budget.
Who Pays For What?
Although there are no longer any hard and fast rules on who pays for what, traditionally the brides family pays for the ceremony and reception flowers, the bridesmaids and flower girl bouquets, and the groom’s boutonniere. The groom’s family pays for the brides bouquet, the fathers, grandfathers, and groomsmen’s boutonnieres, the mother’s corsages and any rehearsal dinner flowers.
Wedding Floral Checklist
Personal Flowers
- Bridal Bouquet
- Toss Bouquet
- Maid of Honor Bouquet
- Bridesmaids Bouquets
- Flower girl Basket
- Mother’s Corsages (Groom’s and Bride’s mothers)
- Grandmother Corsages
- Hostess and any other Special Women Corsages
- Groom’s Boutonniere
- Best man’s Boutonniere
- Groomsmen Boutonnieres
- Ring Bearer’s Boutonniere
- Father’s Boutonnieres (Both Sides)
- Grandfather’s Boutonnieres
Ceremony Flowers & Decorations
- Altar Flowers
- Gazebo Flowers or any other Large Structure you Plan to Marry Under
- Rose Petals to Walk On
- Aisle Decorations – Pew Bows – Floral Arrangements
- Candelabra
- Aisle Runner
- Special Lighting
Reception Flowers and Decor
- Table Centerpieces
- Head Table Centerpieces
- Table Garlands
- Cake Table Flowers
- Food Table Arrangements
- Pool Floats
- Hanging Decor
- Special Lighting
DIY Wedding Flowers
Consider carefully this option, while it might be tempting to save a little money by making your own florals it will add to the stress of preparing for your wedding
- Flowers purchased directly are still expensive and knowing how many to purchase can be difficult
- If you are inexperienced putting bouquets together we suggest taking some classes first or watch a lot of Youtube Videos
- Make sure you realize that you will need to spend the last 24 hours before your wedding putting the bouquets together, who will help you?
- Do you have proper refrigerations? Putting bouquets in your refrigerator with fruit and vegetables in it will wilt the bouquets. You need dedicated refrigeration
- Allow at least 3 hours before the wedding to set up all the decorations and you still have to get ready. Keep in mind you can’t count on your brides maids as they will want to get ready too.
Article by Debra Hansen Header Image by Moxie Studio
