As a wedding photographer, I get to see lots of different wedding flowers. For me, a wedding isn’t quite complete unless there are beautiful flowers. Don’t get me wrong, I’ve seen some amazing non floral weddings, but romance never goes out of fashion and flowers seem to just complete it for me.

One thing brides and grooms might not be aware of as they get to grips with planning their wedding, is that florists do much more than just make bouquets and buttonholes. They create a scene…. imagine the impossible… and execute it with style, grace and good humour. Everything from foliage  archways, lanterns, petal strewn aisles, magical indoor landscapes with trees, billowing floral swags and classic candelabras.. whatever your heart desires, they can create it.

When it comes to choosing your florist, there is a lot to think about. Research local florists by checking their website and social media and make sure their style aligns with your. And when you do meet them, having someone you like and get along with is really important. Whilst they should have lots of enthusiasm for your plans, they need to have creative flair and a strong connection with you. Don’t just pick a florist because they have a shop in the village, they are friends with the venue, or your best mate had them at their wedding. 

Try and stick with seasonal flowers – not just because of the green credentials but a sunflower in the middle of winter would look just wrong.  British locally grown flowers are more cost effective, they are plentiful and cheaper in their season than importing exotic blooms from far off countries. Your florist should be able to work with your ideas and create a plan to incorporate locally and seasonally grown flowers as much as possible. If you do opt for something like peonies in the middle of winter, just know that your budget is about to be blown!

We spoke to Lynnie At Stems Design on how to choose a florist and what to look for in a florist.

How do you interpret each clients ideas and work alongside them?  “It depends on the time of year – whether we will be working with lovely bright sunshine or candlelight.  If there tends to be a theme to a wedding, then styling around that is key.  We hope that we can bring a sense of uniqueness to each occasion. We like our clients to bring along to their consultation any ideas they have, fabric samples, colours, and then we talk through their vision for the day.  Quite often their ideas change as time goes on so there will be several meetings along the way.”

 Is fragrance important in wedding floristry and just how much should a client budget for flowers? “Fragrance is definitely important. It evokes memories and feelings and we can remember how we felt and where we were all just from a whiff of a scent.  Herbs and flowers are a great way to incorporate fragrance in a wedding. Budget wise, couples should budget as much as they possibly can.  Whether budgets are large or small, we give the same amount of care and attention to every wedding.”

When should you book a florist when planning your wedding?   “As soon as possible – florists get booked up quickly.  A consultation early on is essential so that you can get a quote and secure the date.  It used to be one of the last things that a bride sorted but more recently, flowers have become much more important to couples so we find that we get booked up very fast.”

Florists are  more than just bouquets right?  “Right.  Most florists provide a total styling service for weddings and events not just the floristry.  Our aim is to make your dream day a reality, from beginning to end.  We have years of experience combined with our passion, creativity and attention to detail”.

You can find more details about the Stems Design service at www.stemsdesign.co.uk.