It is so much fun working with flowers and I constantly drool over fantastic blooms.  I even have one of my Pinterest boards dedicated specifically to florals called Flowers, Glorious Flowers! Flowers instantly brighten a room, even your mood, and I encourage you to use them wherever and whenever you can.

So, while we all pretty much have basic floral arranging down pat, what about something more elaborate? We know what we can find in our local floral shop but what if we crave something a little unique?  And what if your party needs to have many, many floral arrangements? Well, in those cases, you should turn to a florist. Working with a florist can be a really great experience and you can create something fantastic together.

Like anyone that you would work with to pull an event or party together, your florist is your partner and someone that can be a real ally in your planning. They will have an eye for colour combinations and a creativity that can make your party really stand out.  But it’s not as simple as placing an order. To get the most out of what you want, there are a few things that you should keep in mind when working with a florist to ensure a fantastic working relationship where everyone is happy.  So, let’s get started.

Know what you like

Sounds simple right? Well, it isn’t as simple as we think.  You may know that you really, really like pink, but what shades of pink? You absolutely love roses, but what type? Really thinking about the type and colours of flowers you gravitate towards, and explaining why you like them, will help your florist get a sense of who you are and what your tastes will be.  You don’t have to know the name or type of every flower that’s out there, but if your relay to your florist that you like soft pink and yellow gerberas because you find them bright and cheerful and fresh, then he or she will know of other blooms that you may not have thought of but could totally make you feel the same way.

Know what you don’t like

This is really important.  We often tell what we like, but forget to tell what is a definite no go. For example, I can’t stand lilies. I can’t really tell you why, but I just don’t like them.  So I make sure to always tell my florist that there is to be no lily of any kind in my arrangements. If you cannot deal with a certain colour or type of flower, make sure to tell your florist so that there is no disappointment.   This doesn’t make you picky or difficult; in fact, your florist will be glad that you let them know.  They want to make you happy; after all they are not in the business to have disappointed customers.

 Be clear with what you are looking for

Whenever I ordered florals for an event or corporate party, I had to be very specific with what I wanted.  I knew the spaces that I would be using, what type of tables, who the guests were…my florist did not. So, I needed to be clear with what I wanted.  It’s the same for you. You’re florist won’t know any of the other details of your party, so you’ll have to be clear with what your needs are. Giving some details will be helpful, like your colour scheme or if the party is formal or informal. If you have pictures from magazines or websites that illustrate what you’re thinking that would be ideal to share. Images often speak much louder than words and your florist will get a great sense of your direction with any pictures that you like. Plus, this little exercise will help get you focussed too. When we start pulling things together, we can visually see if the picture in our head will really work in reality or not.

Ask questions

If you don’t know, ask! The world of florals is huge and it’s not your job to know everything, it’s your florist’s job. If they talk about a certain flower and you don’t know what it is, ask to see an example. If you are unsure about having flowers with too much fragrance, ask them what you should consider. Remember, they are there to help get you the look you want, so use their knowledge to find the right blooms.

Know your budget

Things can get out of hand pretty quickly if you don’t know your budget and stick to it. The more you add, the more the price starts to increase, so give some thought beforehand as to what you are willing to spend on arrangements. Tell your florist your budget and they will be able to work within it.  It is impossible for them to deliver you a product that you want without knowing how much you realistically want to spend. I promise you, whatever your budget, your florist can create something that is beautiful.

Please be realistic

This is a tough one but it is the most important to remember. Certain flowers are in season at different times of the year in different places in the world. A tulip will be much more expensive in Winter than in the Spring, there may be a better selection of peonies in June than in November, whatever the case may be you will need to be flexible. It’s hard, trust me I know, when you have a favourite flower you want to use, or you have a tear-sheet from a magazine that has the perfect arrangement, and you can’t have it because it just isn’t possible at the time of your event.  There are hundreds of varieties of flowers and when working with a florist you can decide together how to achieve the perfect look for what you want.

At the end of the day, I think that flowers are a key component to any party or event and so super important.  Communicate and have fun with your florist and your party is going to rock!

Any other tips or suggestions? Let  me know.