Your Wedding Flowers Guide

Summer proposals have taken place, and we’re back into the full swing of wedding planning. But whether you’re planning for next year, 2028 or further ahead, there’s a lot of information out there and decisions to make when it comes to your wedding flowers. So I thought I’d give you a few pointers if you’re currently in the throws of planning.

I also wanted to make sure I didn’t miss anything out, so I asked my friends and my Instagram followers for their tips and what they wish they knew ahead of their own weddings - and I got a lot of responses! So lets dive in.

When to book and general timings

A lot of this depends on the size of your wedding, amongst everyone I spoke with - people with larger weddings booked far further in advance, than those with smaller weddings.

If you have a florist or floral designer you have your heart set on working with, do try and check availability as soon as you can. Especially if you have date options for your day. Certain months of the year get booked up quickly, and often only one booking can be accommodated for on those popular weekend dates.

With that being said, don’t assume your date will be booked because it’s soon. My advice is always reach out and see. Cancellations and postponements happen, so you might find yourself with a free weekend in the middle of June. It’s always worth checking.

For smaller weddings there’s generally a bit more flexibility as the set-up and prep can be done alongside other bookings, but for large install weddings where teams are needed on location, I would book as far in advance as you can to be safe.

What to ask your floral designer

Not knowing what to ask for, where to look or how to even start approaching the idea of wedding flowers came up a lot amongst the people I asked.

Looking for a floral designer can be tricky, so my advice would be to look at the overall atmosphere you want to create. Through your research, see what elements start to come up again and again and this will help you to narrow down what you like.

From here you can start to look at more specific floral designers, with a bit more of an understanding of what you want. Once you find people whose work you prefer, or perhaps you’re already ahead and have a few florists you’d like to work with - you can start reaching out.

In general the first step is asking if they’re available on your date. From this you’ll likely get an opportunity to chat either on a call or via email - so have all your information ready - date, location/venue, and where you’d ideally want flowers. We’ll also be asking you lots of questions, so don’t worry too much about figuring it all out in advance, that’s what we’re there to help you with.

A lot of florists offer packages, and it’s generally about finding which one suits your day and budget best.

We don’t work like that at Sow Society and tailor your day to you, so just keep this in mind when looking at potential suppliers.

What to expect from your floral designer

Most people said that the cost of wedding flowers was a surprise, and it is a big expense. To that I would say a few things.

The price of wedding flowers is a shock because you just see the flowers as a decoration. When in reality you’re also paying for design consultations, sourcing, prep, arranging, hiring, delivering and set-up. A lot of the costs are things you don’t see and are maybe not even really aware of.

We also all have a big misconception that flowers are cheap. You can buy them in supermarkets for £5 or £6 a bunch, but have you ever really looked at the flower types that are in these bunches? The flowers on your Pinterest mood board probably aren’t bright fuchsia and acid yellow chrysanthemums. They’re likely flowers that cost £2 - £3 per stem.

A floral designer will be sourcing your flowers based on your design consultations. Looking for something unique, high quality and most importantly - bespoke to you. Same as your chef will be sourcing your ingredients. We’re not showing up to a market and just buying what’s cheapest and what we see first hoping it goes together. There’s a lot of prep work involved. Pre-ordering, hoping crops are growing well and an order won’t get cancelled, having a back-up plan and 100 other things.

A bridal bouquet alone can be 99% focal flowers, these are the more expensive flowers and each one needs to be perfect - meaning we’re cutting out any flower that isn’t 100% right. These aren’t thrown together, they’re highly considered arrangements designed with you in mind. The size you want, the shape that looks flattering, the angles that look good in all your photos.

Same goes for the arrangements and with these, you’re likely hiring a big selection of our vases for the day. Collections of beautiful pieces we’ve collected over the years and chosen tailored to your wedding.

I would start to visualise your flowers as something a bit more. You’ve likely asked a chef or catering company to come and provide some sort of food for your day. The chef is going to think about the meals you want to serve, source the ingredients, test the food, cook the food on the day, plate the food and serve the food.

Flowers are prepared in the same way. I’m aware people aren’t eating the flowers, but rather than seeing them as a disposable decoration think about the full process, how they’re bespoke to you and lean into it.

All of these factors are why I’d always encourage my brides and my grooms to choose someone who will help them make the flowers personal. Make them into a story to tell for years to come.

As an example, for my wedding (full disclosure I didn’t do my own flowers) I wanted a florist local to our wedding destination in Cornwall. I also wanted a florist who understood the atmosphere we wanted to create for the day. I found someone who grew her own flowers in a part of Cornwall where my Nan, who had passed and couldn’t be at my wedding, had grown up. It made them even more special and something I’ll never forget.

What to do after your wedding

After your wedding the flowers are yours. This can be a slightly overwhelming prospect after your wedding and knowing what to do with them came up a lot amongst friends and other people I’d asked.

A few suggestions

Sometimes the venue you’ve used will happily take on leftover flowers to use within the premises. This goes without saying that this should always be checked, as venues have different rules when it comes to flowers.

Make bunches for your friends and family to take home. Or better yet, designate someone to do it for you if it's not something you yourself would like to take on. I’m aware this isn’t always possible in the logistics of the day, but it’s such a nice way to say goodbye to your nearest and dearest.

Save some of your flowers. Preserving your flowers is an incredible way to savour the wedding in the future. Either something as simple as a flower press, to press a few of the key flowers from the day and turn them into something later on. Or there are numerous companies that can do this for you in a more substansial way.

If you’re not heading straight off on your honeymoon then take some home. Wedding blues are no joke, so keep your home filled with them for as long as possible. My wedding bouquet travelled around with us in Cornwall on our mini-moon for a full week.

I hope this has been helpful if you are about to start planning your wedding or are already in the process.