Floral Planning Timeline: When to Start and What to Expect for Your Wedding
Flowers play a major role in setting the tone and atmosphere for your wedding day. From bouquets and boutonnieres to elaborate floral arches and centerpieces, the right floral designs can transform your space and bring your vision to life. However, many brides underestimate the amount of planning and preparation that goes into wedding florals. To ensure that your flowers are a stunning success, it’s essential to have a clear timeline in mind.
In this blog, we’ll walk you through a comprehensive floral planning timeline, offering expert tips and key decisions to make along the way. By breaking down the process, you’ll be able to enjoy stress-free planning and have florals that are perfectly tailored to your big day.
12+ Months Before: Dream & Research
At this stage, your wedding is likely just a daydream, but it’s a good time to start thinking about the aesthetic you want for your wedding and how flowers will play a role in it. If you haven’t yet, it’s a good idea to start gathering inspiration from Pinterest, wedding blogs, and Instagram. Think about:
- Your Wedding Theme: Are you going for something classic and timeless, whimsical, or modern and bold? Your theme will help dictate your floral choices.
- Venue & Season: Keep in mind that your venue and the time of year may influence your floral selection. For example, an outdoor summer wedding might allow for more vibrant colors and lush, seasonal flowers, while an indoor winter wedding may call for greenery or silk blooms.
- Floral Inspirations: Save images of bouquets, centerpieces, and other floral arrangements that catch your eye. These will serve as a starting point when discussing your vision with your florist.
Bonus Tip: It’s never too early to start looking for a florist. Reach out to professionals who match your style and budget to discuss general availability and ideas.
9-12 Months Before: Finalize Your Florist
By the time you’re about a year out from your wedding, it’s time to start narrowing down your florist options and making appointments to meet with potential candidates. During this stage:
- Set a Budget: Have a rough idea of how much you’re willing to spend on florals. The average wedding flower budget is around 8-10% of the total wedding cost, but this can vary based on your preferences, venue, and guest count.
- Book Your Florist: Once you’ve interviewed florists, reviewed portfolios, and confirmed their availability, make your decision and book your florist. Ideally, you want to choose a florist who understands your vision and offers a range of options that fit your budget.
- Discuss Early Ideas: Have a detailed discussion with your florist about your initial ideas. They will help you understand what is feasible based on your venue, season, and budget.
6-9 Months Before: Lock Down the Big Details
This is the time to make key decisions that will shape the overall look and feel of your floral arrangements. During this phase, you should:
- Finalize Your Vision: Work with your florist to finalize the overall floral aesthetic. This includes color schemes, types of flowers, and the style of arrangements you want (e.g., boho, minimalist, classic).
- Identify Key Floral Pieces: Discuss the most important floral elements for your wedding, including:
- Bridal bouquet
- Bridesmaid bouquets
- Boutonnieres for the groom and groomsmen
- Ceremony arrangements (arch, aisle decorations, etc.)
- Reception centerpieces and other floral accents
- Choose Seasonal Flowers: If you’re using fresh flowers, it’s crucial to understand what’s in season around your wedding date. Seasonal blooms are often more affordable and easier to source, ensuring they look their best.
Bonus Tip: Ask your florist about any backup options in case certain flowers are unavailable or out of season. Flexibility with your floral choices will save you from potential last-minute stress.
3-6 Months Before: Fine-Tune & Finalize
With the wedding getting closer, it’s time to finalize all the details to ensure everything is on track. Here’s what you should do:
- Confirm Final Guest Count: The number of guests will affect the number of tables (and thus, centerpieces) you’ll need. Share this information with your florist so they can adjust quantities accordingly.
- Review Your Contract: Double-check your floral contract to ensure that it includes everything you’ve discussed with your florist. Look for specifics about delivery, setup, and breakdown. Confirm any details about rental items (vases, arches, etc.).
- Plan Your Ceremony Layout: Decide how you want your ceremony space to look. Will you need florals for an arch, aisle markers, or a flower-covered entrance? Work with your florist to finalize placement for each arrangement.
Bonus Tip: If you plan to repurpose any florals (e.g., moving ceremony flowers to the reception), make sure to have a clear plan in place. Assign someone to help with this on the big day, or hire your florist to manage it.
1-2 Months Before: Final Touches
As the wedding day approaches, your floral plans should be nearly complete. Use this time to confirm all the final touches:
- Schedule a Final Walkthrough: If possible, schedule a walkthrough with your florist at your venue. This will help ensure that everyone is on the same page regarding setup, placement, and timing.
- Confirm Logistics: Make sure all logistical details are locked in. Confirm delivery times, who will receive the flowers, and where they will be stored until use. If you’re using fresh flowers, ensure they are kept cool and out of direct sunlight before the ceremony.
- Assign Floral Distribution: If you’re not hiring your florist to stay for the entire event, assign someone to distribute bouquets, boutonnieres, and any other personal flowers. This person should also be responsible for collecting any florals that need to be moved from the ceremony to the reception.
Wedding Day: Enjoy Your Gorgeous Florals!
The day has finally arrived! Your florals are now in the hands of your florist, who will handle the setup and ensure everything looks beautiful.
- Relax and Trust Your Florist: By this point, you’ve done all the planning and preparation, so take a step back and trust that your florist will bring your vision to life.
- Assign a Point Person: While your florist will handle setup, it’s helpful to assign a point person (wedding planner or a trusted friend) to communicate with your florist on the day of the event in case of any last-minute changes.
Final Thoughts: Floral Planning with Eternal Arches
At Eternal Arches, we understand that wedding florals are much more than just decoration—they’re an expression of your love story. Our team works with you every step of the way to ensure that your floral designs exceed your expectations, whether you’re looking for something timeless or trend-setting.
By following this timeline, you’ll have plenty of time to plan, collaborate, and create breathtaking floral designs that are unique to your wedding day. With careful preparation, your florals will be stress-free and absolutely stunning—just the way you’ve always dreamed.
Planning ahead and working closely with your florist will give you confidence and peace of mind leading up to your big day. At Eternal Arches, we’re here to support you with expert guidance and beautiful designs that bring your vision to life. Ready to start planning your wedding flowers? Let’s chat!