40 Questions to Ask Your Wedding Florist

Most florist meetings cover style and colours, then stop. The questions that actually save you money and stress are about what’s included, what happens if something changes, and who does what on the day. Take this list to every meeting.

Availability and experience

1. Are you available on our date?
2. How many weddings do you take on the same day or weekend?
3. Have you worked at our venue before?
4. Can we see photos of full weddings you've done, not just bouquets?
5. Do you have work in a style close to ours?
6. Who will be our main contact, and who will be there on the day?

Style and flowers

1. What flowers will be in season for our date?
2. What would you suggest for our colour palette?
3. Which flowers hold up best in heat or outdoors?
4. If a flower isn't available, how do you choose a substitute?
5. Do you source locally or import?
6. Can you work with flowers we bring, such as from a family garden?
7. Will you make a sample bouquet or centrepiece before the day?
8. Do you supply vases, arches and stands, or do we rent them separately?

Budget and payments

1. What's your minimum spend?
2. What does the quote include: delivery, setup, teardown, tax, service fees?
3. How much is the deposit, and when is the balance due?
4. What happens to the price if our numbers change?
5. Is there a fee for changes after we book?
6. Where would you suggest we save?
7. Do you charge for rentals, and for damage or loss?
8. What's your cancellation, postponement and refund policy?

Logistics and the day

1. When do you deliver, and how long does setup take?
2. What time do you need access to the venue?
3. Can you move ceremony flowers to the reception?
4. Will you pin on buttonholes and corsages?
5. How will personal flowers be labelled?
6. Do you work directly with our planner or venue coordinator?
7. What happens if something breaks or wilts on the day?
8. When do you take everything down?
9. Do we need to return anything, and by when?
10. Do you need anything from the venue (water, tables, a cool room)?

After the wedding

1. Can you prepare the bouquet for preservation?
2. Do you make a separate toss bouquet?
3. Can guests take centrepieces home?
4. Do you donate leftover flowers?
5. Are you insured?
6. Can we read your contract before paying a deposit?
7. When do you need our final numbers?
8. What do you need from us, and by when?

Before you sign

Check the contract covers each of these:

• Date, start time and the addresses of every location
• An itemised list of every arrangement and how many
• Flower varieties, and the policy for substitutes
• Your colour palette in writing
• Delivery, setup and teardown times
• Rental items, and when and how they're returned
• Total price, with tax, delivery and service fees shown
• Deposit amount and every payment due date
• Cancellation, postponement and refund terms
• Insurance and liability
• The last date you can make changes
• Who to call on the day, with a phone number
• Signatures from both sides