The flowers you choose for your wedding are very important, as they add a pop of colour against your white dress while also making the reception venue looking very inviting and elegant. This is why it's important to consider all the questions you should ask a florist before hiring him or her, so you know you get the flowers you'll need to make your big day memorable, and know everything involved in their services. Note a few of those important questions here, and be sure to cover them with any potential florist before you hire them.

Ask what happens to the flowers after the wedding and reception

In many cases, a florist will include the cost of vases and other accessories in their price, so that you can keep these or give them away to guests after your event. If these are not included, the florist may charge you a breakdown fee, meaning they come in at a certain time and remove the centrepieces and other such accessories. Be sure you know how this works; if they don't handle breakdown, you'll need to inform guests that they should take home the centrepieces or arrange for someone to collect them for you, or note when to expect the florist to come back to the location and collect those pieces.

Ask if they just deliver or also set up the venue

Some florists will simply deliver the flowers and not actually set up those pieces. While this can be good for saving money, it also means one more item you need to add to your task list for the day! You would need to recruit a friend or relative to receive those flowers and then also set them up in the church, synagogue, country club, hotel ballroom, or other event location. In many cases, it can be worth the added charge to have the florist manage this for you.

Ask about substitutes for your chosen flowers

You may have your heart set on certain flowers for your wedding, only to see that they're actually out of your budget range. A skilled florist will be able to show you substitutes that are more affordable; these may be locally grown flowers, so they don't need to be trucked in from out of state. Flowers that are easier to grow may also be less expensive than certain delicate blooms, so they are also less expensive. Ask about your options so you have beautiful flowers for your big day but save as much money as possible.