Wedding florists in Australia

What to ask a florist before you book

1. Tell your florist how the day runs, not only how it looks

   Pinterest boards help, but the shape of the day matters more: what time the ceremony is, who carries what down the aisle, whether the bouquets become centrepieces at the reception and who packs everything down at the end of the night. A good florist asks about these in the first conversation. If they only ask about the flowers, you will feel the gap on the day.

2. Fresh, faux or a mix

   We suggest fresh flowers for the bouquets and buttonholes, where the look and the scent matter most. Good-quality faux flowers work well on ceremony arches and large installations, and can often be hired rather than bought. Some florists mix fresh and faux in the one piece, and it photographs beautifully either way.

3. Choose flowers that are in season

   Out-of-season and imported flowers usually cost more. Spring (September to November) suits ranunculus, peony, sweet pea and stock. Autumn (March to May) brings dahlias, David Austin roses and hardy native stems. Summer leans towards bold dahlias, sunflowers and tropical natives, and winter works with anemones, hellebores, eucalyptus and a few dried pieces.

4. Keep to one palette and one accent colour

   Soft whites, creams and gentle greens are an easy place to start, and so are arrangements that are mostly greenery (eucalyptus, ferns and foliage with a few feature flowers). We suggest one main palette with a single accent colour rather than three colours competing, because the whole day photographs as one that way.

5. Know which pieces grow with your guest list

   The bouquets and buttonholes stay the same whatever your guest count. The centrepieces grow with the number of tables, so a longer guest list pushes that line up. Installations, such as a flower wall, a ceremony arch or a hanging piece, are one bigger spend that photographs well. Decide where you want the flowers to make the biggest impression, and let everything else support it.

6. Agree who delivers, sets up and packs down

   Florists offer different levels of service: drop-off (you place everything yourselves), delivery and set-up (the florist styles your ceremony and reception spaces) and full styling with lighting and props. We suggest having the florist set up any installation or ceremony arch. Packing down at the end of the night can be a separate line, so agree in writing who collects the vases, who takes down the arch and what happens to the flowers, before you sign.

7. Decide what happens to the flowers afterwards

   Centrepieces are lovely for guests to take home, so tell your venue and your coordinator, and they can pack them up at the end of the night. The bridal bouquet can be pressed or preserved by a specialist. You could also donate the flowers to a hospital, an aged care home or a local women's shelter, and some florists can arrange that the day after.

Common questions about wedding florists in Australia