5 survival tips to flowering your friend’s wedding and being in the wedding party on the same day!
The dual role of floral designer and wedding party member. Every florist has to experience this!
I recently had a floral designer friend ask me about this topic and I thought I’d offer some tips to those of you who haven’t experienced this dual role of floral designer and wedding party member. It’s quite a wonderful experience because as floral designers we typically leave before the wedding ceremony starts. We do not usually get the opportunity to be a guest, let alone a member of the bridal party. So, if you get this opportunity I recommend you take it because you’ll get to experience a wedding from an entirely new perspective. You’ll learn a ton. You’ll get to hear all the guests compliment your flowers and décor first hand. And, you get to do something extremely special for someone important in your life!
It was a lovely feeling to create the bouquet for my friend's wedding and then support her as she married the love of her life. I created this beauty from cymbidium orchids, sweet peas, roses, hypericum berries, ranunculus and bay laurel greenery. She carried an heirloom rosary wrapped around the stems as her 'something old'.
Here are 5 tips to get you through being your friend’s florist and a member of the wedding party.
1. Keep it simple
The couple will certainly have some grand ideas. They may even ask you to hang thousands of twinkle lights from every inch of the venue. Don’t let the grand ideas overtake reality! It’s your job to manage her expectations and keep things simple. Make sure you explain that your time is valuable and that you’ve got a limited amount of resources to ensure the set-up is completed on time. You’ll need to move fast on the wedding day because you’ll want to partake in the bridal party fun, help your friend, and get yourself ready too!
2. Bring some backup
As you already know, it takes a village to make a beautiful wedding happen. So, be sure to recruit helpers. Your employees, family, or friends are all fair game! Welcome anyone that fits the bill for the situation and your friend’s budget. Make sure you plan what each person’s role will be before the wedding day. Be clear with your expectations and communicate with your team often. Say thank you frequently and be sure to remind your friend to do the same.
3. Be prepared
Pre-order, pre-make, and prepare as much as possible before the wedding day! Do your best to minimize the number of installations and items that need to be created on-site. A smart goal is to have all the design work done the day before. Then it’s a simple set up on the big day. Manage the time you have upfront. Plan the week out in advance and delegate big day-of tasks to your team.
You’ll want to make sure your friend gets to spend some quality time with you before it’s time to take that walk down the aisle. So, be sure to have a clear understanding of your obligations as a member of the wedding party. You’ll need to know key times like when it’s your turn for hair and makeup, the start time for pre-ceremony photos, and any other important moments your friend would like you to attend. It’ll be easier to work around these moments if you know when they’ll be happening ahead of time.
Friends of the family added an orchid bloom to every other place setting and set out the votive candles. They were lifesavers! All the guests loved these lush garden style centerpieces.
4. Know the venue and vendors
Floral design is all about preparation. I think we’re starting to see a pattern here. Right?
It’s so important to know the venue for every wedding you work on, but in this case, even more so. You want to know the detailed logistics in advance.
A few important questions you need to ask are:
When do you get access to the venue for set-up?
What time will the caterer or wedding planner set the tables?
When will the guests arrive at the venue?
What time does the venue need to lock up that night?
Communication is critical. You must contact all the vendors and make sure they understand what you need from them a week or two before the wedding. Ask them if there’s anything they need from you too. For example, does the cake baker plan to decorate the cake with flowers, or is that something you need to carve out time for on the wedding day?
Communicating your plans and preparing your schedule in conjunction with the other vendors will ensure a smooth set up. It’s important that everyone is on the same page to create a successful stress-free event for your friend.
I added cymbidium orchid blooms to the top of the cake after it was delivered by the bakery! We also repurposed the bridesmaids' bouquets around the recption in clear glass vases.
5. Pay someone else to clean up the mess
It’s going to be a long busy wedding day. You’ll be up early; you’ll be working hard and then hopefully partying hard too! So, don’t add more to your already full plate. Go ahead and hire someone who knows weddings to manage and execute the cleanup at the end of the event. Trust me. I’ve been there and truthfully I wished I wasn’t the one cleaning up the mess at midnight. Convince your friend to outsource this piece of the gig. It's worth it!
Do you have any other great tips for other floral designers who get to celebrate a friend’s wedding as both designer and bridal party member? If yes, please share in the comments below!
Until next time,
LuAnn
My husband and I enjoying the wedding reception! A rare occasion for a floral designer.