One of my favorite aspects of planning a wedding is choosing flowers and planning the event design with and around them! With so many floral options and price points, it can be easy to overwhelm quickly in a meeting with your florist. Sommer, owner of Elegant and Classy Events, has provided us with some of her expert advice on how to tackle wedding florals and has laid out what options surround them. After reading through her wonderful tips, make sure to check out Sommer’s fantastic company at www.elegantandclassyevents.com!
Tips from a florist and event rental business owner:
When couples sit down to prepare their wedding budget they generally weigh the cost of certain items and try to determine what is most important to them for their big day. Couples can expect to invest roughly 10-20% of their wedding budget on flowers. If you think that you may want to stay on the lower end of your budget for flowers, it is best to have a smaller bridal party to help save on personal flowers such as bouquets and boutonnieres. With that being said, some couples will save money on flowers by repurposing bouquets as centerpieces. This is a great idea, but if couples choose to repurpose bouquets as centerpieces then keep in mind that some tables may be empty when guests first approach them (and for those coveted detail shot photos). Some other areas to repurpose bouquets are on bars, near a cake table or on a favor table.
When meeting with your prospective florist, be sure to bring as much information as possible to your meeting. Your florist will need to know how many attendants you have in your bridal party along with your wedding colors, favorite flowers, guest count and an estimated budget. Another great piece to bring to your meeting are inspirational images! The more images you have the better. Florist do not expect you to know every type of flower or style so having images of what you like will help them determine your style and point out some flowers that may become your favorite!
Allure Wedding Photography
When discussing flowers and decor, it is best to be honest throughout the entire process. If you do not like something then speak up. Your florist will want to bring YOUR vision to life so it is best they know what you like and don’t like!
Moving Mountains Photography
Something else to consider when designing your event with your florist is what rental items you are renting or what items are included with your venue. If your florist offers rental items it is a great idea to rent as many items from them as you can so that they are familiar with the items- this will also save money on delivery and pick-up expenses. It is important to think about what rental items are important to you and how you would like to use rental items to transform your space. A lot of times you can use rental items to make a HUGE statement and save some money on flowers.
Moving Mountains Photography
All budgets will vary with weddings, but please keep in mind to do your wedding your way and be mindful of what items are most important to you and your significant other. More than likely your wedding will be the most expensive party or event you will ever budget for, and it is important to make sure it is what you both want and not what everyone else wants.
About Elegant and Classy Events:
Elegant and Classy Events was founded in 2012 by Sommer Sholtes-Goins (pictured below) and Ethan Goins. The company began as an Event Rental Company before eventually offering planning and floral services. Elegant and Classy Events averages over 700 events a year, and the company is the preferred vendor for many venues in North and South Carolina.
Due to the success of the business and Elegant and Classy Events being such a large provider of Event Rentals, the company recently branched the rental department into a separate company in 2019. The rental company is Charlotte Event Rental Company. The Company is owned and operated by the same owners as Elegant and Classy Events.
Ken Thomas Photography