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A destination wedding is a testament to your own and your partner’s sense of adventure. Why walk the same aisles or book the same venues as your already-married friends and family? There’s a world of beautiful wedding venues to choose from.
But, as you may already be experiencing, a destination wedding comes with a catch. You need to do all the organizing from afar, which means you may meet your vendors only a handful of times (if at all).
This can feel a bit daunting. But don’t let it derail your plans or be a source of stress. Once you know the questions you need to ask each vendor, planning an out-of-town ceremony is a cinch.
Right now, you’re wondering how to work with a destination wedding florist. And as a florist based in Las Vegas—a place that hosts more than 100,000 weddings every year—this is a topic I can help with.
(A big thank you to Cactus Collective Weddings for the use of the photos included in this post)
First, let’s put any fears to rest
Booking a florist in your hometown and making arrangements to have your flowers transported to your wedding location is one option. But there are perks to working with a florist based at your wedding destination.
First up, local florists know the seasons in their part of the world. They’ll know what flowers are in season at the time of your wedding. And flowers that are naturally in bloom are:
- more eco-friendly
- always going to look fabulous
- in abundance, and so generally cost less.
Knowing what flowers will look good is one thing. Knowing how to make those flowers pop at your venue is another. Florists at your wedding destination may already be familiar with the space, and so have a feel for what looks good in there (and what doesn’t), where to position the flowers, and how many arrangements are needed.
Booking a local florist also means you’re supporting a small local business. Your order could be a big deal, and may well raise their profile and expand their network. Your experience could even help other couples heading to the same destination who undoubtedly have the same questions you do.
Next, create your florist shortlist
This is your list of possible florists. Businesses that catch your attention enough for you to think, These folks could be perfect.
Open a spreadsheet or grab your wedding planning book, and make a simple list that includes:
- their name
- their location
- their contact details
- extra notes (so you can easily recall what impressed you about them).
And once you’ve got your list, it’s time to get researching and find list-worthy florists.
Do an online local search
Type your destination wedding location (or venue if you know it) and ‘wedding florist’ into your favorite search engine. If you’re unfamiliar with the area it might be helpful to pull up Google Maps to see how far away the florist is from your venue or accommodation.
Look at their portfolio
Get a feel for the florist’s style by looking at images on their website and social media accounts. Look for photos of arrangements, boutonnieres, and bouquets they’ve done for weddings and other events.
Get to know the company
Having a good working relationship with your vendors is important for any wedding. But it’s even more pertinent for destination weddings.
Get to know the florist by reading about their business. Peruse their website, and see whether their way of doing business, approach to floristry, personality, and even ethics align with yours.
Check their reviews
Checking reviews—Google, Facebook, independent trust sites, onsite testimonials—will give you some idea about whether you’d like to work with them.
Now it’s time to get busy
Put the florists in order of preference. Are there one or two that stand out more than the others? If so, these are the businesses you should contact first.
Your initial email or call should establish whether your preferred wedding florist can help or not. All you need to include in your message (or discuss on the phone) is:
- the name and address of the venue
- any ideas you already have for themes or colors
- the date and time of your wedding (so they can tell you whether they’re available)
- an idea of how much help you need with your flowers when it comes to ideas/design.
Fingers crossed your first choice is available. But if they’re not, don’t be disheartened. Ask if they can recommend another florist. Giving a referral usually means they respect and admire that florist, and the two may share similar values.
And if they can’t, just keep working through your shortlist.
Once you’ve confirmed their availability
Let’s assume they can take your booking. What should you ask next? And what details do you need to pass on to make sure you get the wedding flowers you want?
From our experience, event flower questions generally fall into one of 5 categories. And while there are lots of things you could ask, here are the questions we get asked most and are the most helpful.
Peace of mind
- Have you worked at this venue before?
- How many other weddings or events are you doing at the same time? (Or, ‘Is it a busy period for you?’)
- If the venue is new to you, can you visit it before the wedding date? (And is there a cost attached to this?)
- When will my wedding flowers be made, and how will you make sure they look amazing on the day?
- Where do you source your flowers? Do they come from sustainable, eco-friendly growers?
- What else do I need to do to secure your services and finalize my booking?
- How can we be sure I’ll like my wedding flowers?
- Do you have a contract, and how do you send it?
Look and design
- What flowers are available based on the season, my wedding theme, and my budget?
- Do you have any examples of wedding flower designs similar to what I’m looking for?
- I’m not sure what I want. Can you help with the design of my flowers? Can you provide sketches/designs of what you have in mind?
- Can I send you designs I like that we can either evolve or recreate?
- Can I request samples before the day, and how much will it cost?
- What other floral event décor can you recommend?
Budget and payment
- What payment methods do you accept?
- This is my budget. What flowers and designs can you recommend so I get maximum flower-wow?
- What are your payment terms?
- If I need to pay a deposit, when do you need to receive it by?
- When will the final balance be due?
- Is there a delivery fee?
- How do you price your flowers? (Size, seasonality, complexity, etc.)
Day-of logistics
- Can you deliver the flowers to my venue/accommodation?
- What time can I expect the bridal party flowers?
- How will you coordinate the flower set-up with the venue? (And how long will you need?)
- Can you move the flowers from the ceremony site to the reception venue? (And is there a cost for this?)
- Will you collect my flowers from the venue at the end of the day and store them?
- What’s the process for emergency situations (i.e. you can’t deliver my flowers, something breaks or is damaged in transit, there needs to be a last-minute change to the order)?
After the wedding
- What can I do with the flowers and arrangements afterwards?
- Can you help me preserve my bouquet/boutonniere?
- Can you help me safely transport my flowers back home?
Keeping in touch and making requests
You may only speak with your florist 2 or 3 times before your marriage. Depending on the complexity of your project and the time available, you may need to catch up with them more or less often.
If you’re a nervous bride or groom, let your florist know. Chances are it won’t be their first rodeo, so they may be able to share some tips and advice to put your mind at ease.
You should also ask how they’d like to keep in touch—phone, email, video chat, etc. As a small business owner, your florist may have allotted times for catching up with clients. This gives them uninterrupted time to work on current projects. And you’ll know that when they call you’ve got their full attention.
Requesting things such as design drawings, venue walkthroughs, and sample arrangements is all possible. But be mindful that each request may incur a cost to cover extra admin time and any materials needed to make your request a reality.
Finding the best destination wedding florist involves research and trust
Being far away from your wedding destination and vendors doesn’t mean taking a back seat. From looking at their portfolio to reading their reviews, and asking important questions, there are lots of ways you can be proactive and get exactly what you want. You’ll also build a rapport and relationship with your preferred florist, which can bring real peace of mind.
Thinking of coming to Vegas for your destination wedding, and want to put us on your shortlist? You’ll be in good company. We’ve worked with thousands of brides- and grooms-to-be, and created wedding flowers for ceremonies in some of Vegas’ hottest venues. We’re also the preferred vendor for award-winning wedding companies.
