PERSONAL POST: WHAT TO KNOW WHEN PLANNING A WEDDING (THE VENDOR'S PERSPECTIVE) Week 4 | FLORALS BY KIMBERLY

Unfortunately, due to some schedule mishaps, week four of the blog series is coming a bit later than expected. Nonetheless, it's better late then never and we are getting some great feedback from an outstanding floral designer this week! Everyone get ready to see the beauty of
Florals by Kimberly and how she creates it!

From Kimberly Lunsford of Florals by Kimberly:
How important are your wedding flowers? They are one of the most photographed details of your big day! They will set a tone and strike the mood you want to convey. Here is a little overview of how I bring together your wedding day dreams and custom florals.

Choosing Your Florist
Once you have your date set and an idea of your budget, you should secure your florist. Many florists book only one wedding per weekend and once they are booked, that’s it! Florists are as unique as your wedding dress. I recommend meeting your florist in person. You want to feel like the florist can and will help to interpret and develop your vision for this important event. Expect to answer lots of questions! Brides often come to me with some ideas and colors, perhaps with a special theme or item. One bride had a four leaf clover in her bouquet, another needed a crown for her pooch! This interview process, along with creating the tablescapes, floral walls and hanging installations is an absolute joy for me, and hopefully for my clients and their
guests as well!

My Process
I give my couples an “assignment” at the first meeting, after the contract is signed. You are asked to provide a few key words or phrases to describe the atmosphere we are creating. The words given for the wedding you see here were “wild, romantic, warm and natural”. These key words, along with a few images and colors provided, evoked a strong overall vision to me. This vision is translated into a ‘mood board’. A mood board is a one-page visual and written representation of what I will create. At least 2 months before the wedding, we have a second in-person meeting, and I present your mood board. This ensure that we are literally ‘on the same page’, and provides an organized way to make updates and changes to the plan.

A Bit More on Budget
Budget should always be discussed up front when planning your florals. It is difficult to have custom florals for an entire wedding that is less than four figures. The industry average is 8-10% of your total wedding budget. It may be more or less, depending on what is included. Your contract should specifically review what is included. A remote delivery and set up location, or a bouquet of peonies in December, for instance-can increase your cost. Some details to consider asking: Who will provide the vases/vessels for your tablescapes? What time will your florals be delivered and set up? Who will remove your florals after your reception? I will ask some key questions and we will discuss a ‘ballpark budget’ prior to our first meeting. That makes it even easier to get to the fun part of creating your wedding dream!

For the best wedding day flowers, follow these key steps:
1) Secure your florist as early as possible
2) Determine your floral/decor budget
3) Choose a florist that can understand and describe your vision
4) Understand your contract and what is/not included
5)   Get lots of beautiful photographs!  

For more information about Florals by Kimberly, hop on over to her website here.