Finding A Florist: Part 1

My search for the perfect florist began online, as most of my searches do. I knew what I was hoping for our wedding to look like, and now it was time to find the perfect person to make it a reality.

Let's be honest, it was going to take a pretty talented person to make my inspiration photos mesh together into one streamlined idea. But, I had no doubt that person was out there, so the search began!

When I began looking at florists website there were a few things I would look for specifically:

• An emphasis on flowers, rather than other decor items. 
• The type of weddings it looked like they typically designed - indoor, outdoor, formal, casual, etc.
• Whether or not they had designed any weddings at the Piazza

First of all - an emphasis on floral design was important to me. Mainly because I just love flowers! But also because of the style of the Piazza and the items they provide. The chapel aisle is lined with candles and the package we decided on provides even more that we can use around the chapel if wanted. The Village Ballroom is decorated with glamourous crystal chandeliers above the tables as well as drapery on the walls.

Candles in the Piazza Chapel /  Photo Credit - Piazza in the Village on Facebook

Village Ballroom - Note the Chandeliers and Drapery on the Walls /
via Piazza in the Village on Facebook, Photo by Fairytale Photography

Because of the way the Piazza looks on its own, I wasn't looking so much for an event designer, as I was for a true florist to just spruce things up a bit.

Second, I wanted to find someone who had experience with a lot of different types of wedding, but specifically one like ours - indoors and somewhat formal. When I came across a website where the majority of the photos looked like this, I would just keep looking:

 Image via Branching Out Events

Pictures like this are beautiful, just not our cup of tea. Of course, a talented florist or event designer can transition and work with any style, but when the majority of the photos did not have anything in common with our venue, I kept searching. I really wanted to see examples of their work that I could relate to our own wedding.

Next, I tried to determine from the website whether or not the florist had worked on any previous weddings at the Piazza. While this was not a definite item on my list of criteria, it was a positive if I found pictures of previous work at our location.

I also wanted to bring to your attention part of the floral decoration that will have special meaning to me. I mentioned this to each of the florists I met with so I wanted to mention it here as well, and when that important day in October finally gets here, you can take notice of how it is used!

White Hydrangea via Grower's Box

Here it is - simple, yet beautiful! That's right, the object I'm using with special meaning is one of the most popular flowers used in wedding decoration. So, what is so special about it? Hydrangeas bring back many happy memories with this wonderful lady, Great-Grandmother Coach:

Personal Photo

My great-grandmother had BEAUTIFUL hydrangea bushes in her yard and I have many memories of going to visit her with my Momma Coach, and walking around outside while she showed them to us.  Not only was my great grandmother one of the sweetest ladies I've known, but she was very meticulous about many things, including her hydrangea bushes. She passed away a few years ago (at age 93!), but she was a wonderful lady, and I can't imagine not having something to remember her by on my wedding day. Although her flowers were shades of blues and pinks, I will incorporate white hydrangeas into my bouquet and some of the wedding decorations.

I know many people choose to honor their loved ones in different ways, with a paragraph in their program or a candle burning during the ceremony. However, I decided this symbol was the way I would prefer to show remembrance of my great-grandmother and happy times with her. It's subtle, and many people will not know the special meaning of these flowers, but they will hold a special place in my heart, just as she did. I also really liked the idea of incorporating such a special symbol into my bouquet, because it is an item that will be with me much of the day. Because it's so important to me that this is part of the flowers and decorations, I felt it was important to go ahead and mention to florists so they could plan to interpret it into their designs.

With these items in mind, the search began, and I began to contact the florists that I wanted to potentially meet with and discuss my ideas!

What characteristics did you look for in your florist? Did it matter to you whether or not they had designed weddings at your location before? Do any of you plan to honor loved ones who have passed, in writing or through a special symbol?