Chicago Wedding & Party Resource 2017 Spring / Summer

F L O W E R S & D E C O R A T I O N S

C H I C A G O W E D D I N G & P A R T Y R E S O U R C E

“Wher Wedding D eams Com T u ”

1010 Waukegan Road

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847-729-0511

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Arrange a Floral

That Will

By Cathy Cassata, CTW Features

You’ve set the date, selected a venue, maybe even booked your band. Now, it’s time to

choose flowers that will add the perfect finishing touch to your special day. Not a flower

connoisseur? Don’t fret, you’re not alone.

Flowers are new territory for many brides, and the process can be intimidating. Even if

you’ve ordered a floral arrangement or two in the past, you probably haven’t bought large

quantities like you will for your wedding. Remember, the whole process of planning your

wedding should be fun, and when it comes to flowers, there’s really no wrong way to go.

Smile your way through your flower picking endeavors with the following tips.

CONNECT WITH YOUR FLORIST

Of course every bride wants a florist who knows flowers, but also look for a florist who’s

willing to know you. Besides walking you through the process and helping you find what

you like and want, a good floral designer should really listen to you, ask you about yourself

and the groom, and most importantly show passion and enthusiasm for finding the right

flowers for you. You should leave your florist saying “That was fun. She really got what I was

looking for.”

One way to find a good fit is to look at potential florists’ websites to get a sense of their style.

Most likely the florist will add a touch of her or his style to your flowers, so be sure you

like it.

RESEARCH THOSE BLOOMS

There’s nothing like a surprising price tag to take the fun out of planning. Look into the

cost of flowers before allotting a budget. Ten percent is about what you’ll spend on flowers,

and with the national average for a wedding costing around $27,000 or $28,000, it’s likely

you’ll spend a few thousand dollars on your flowers. It’ll be more fun when you meet with

your florist if you have somewhat of an idea of what flowers you can afford so you’re not

overwhelmed with cost and options on the spot.