The Wedding Flower Planning Timeline

Hello,

If you are here, you are about to learn all the things to know about planning your wedding flowers. You may have asked -

When should I book wedding florist?

What wedding vendors should I book first?

What questions to ask wedding florist?

How far in advance should I order wedding flowers?

etc.

Well, I am here to help :)

First - when to book a florist for your wedding and how far in advance should I order wedding flowers? —

Generally 6-12 months in advance is standard for what I see as a wedding florist in Minnesota. This may be different if you’re getting married in Chicago or New York, but here in the twin cities for most weddings, your looking around 6-12 months. Have I been booked a month before a wedding before? yes… Do I recommend it? no. Generally I order flowers 2-4 weeks before the wedding day, so final numbers and orders need to be in no later than 2 weeks out so proper flowers can be ordered.

Next - What wedding vendors to book and when —

I want to say that this is my opinion based on experience, planning my own wedding, and just general knowledge of the industry. In reality, you can book whoever you want to whenever you want to - you just might have slimmer pickings and have to compromise on something if you wait too long.

Category 1 - these are your most important vendors to book first.

Venue - this is the basis of the whole wedding, and sets the date that you can then share with other vendors

Planner - HIRE THEM! They will not only help you day of, but will be a sounding board for ideas, help you come up with ideas, and refer you to vendors they trust.

Photographer - this beautiful and talented humans book up fast, so generally they are ones that you want to book right away.

Category 2 - these are the vendors you need/want for your wedding day and/or the ones you care the most about. If flowers is one of the most important things for your wedding day, then book them next, if not, you can probably wait a bit to book.

Florist

Caterer

Band/DJ

Stationery

Dessert

Rentals

Dress

Hair and Makeup

Next up - What questions to ask wedding florist?

There are a few things to come prepared with to ask your florist during a consultation.

1. What flowers do you recommend for our wedding and season?

2. Is there a travel/delivery/install fee? What will the quote look like?

3. What are the next steps if we decide to book?

4. How much time do they need for setup on the day?

5. How many events do you take in a weekend?

6. Can the ceremony flowers be repurposed at reception and are there additional fees with that?

In addition to questions, you should also have an idea of the color palette and flowers you are thinking of and what your priorities are for your wedding day flowers.

Hope this was helpful for planning your wedding and choosing a wedding florist! Just remember to have fun and enjoy this special time. It goes too fast!!

xoxo

Hannah

Olivia Beyers Photography