Fridays in January 2009 will be reserved for a five-part series on choosing your florist. There will be great tips and ideas to help you plan well, be more efficient, and save time and money!

"The First Meeting" Part Three

Remember to take the following items to the first meeting;
1. Photos of flowers you like AND dislike
2. Budget
3. Colour &/or fabric swatch
4. Venue locations

From the first moment you arrive, take notes.
Are you received promptly and are they on time? Is the workplace tidy?
Do the staff seem friendly?

The average consultation takes from 1 - 1.5 hours. In this time, you should be able to assess if the florist is the right fit for you.
Personality and how you mesh with your florist will play an important part in your floral designs - the better you get along together, the better service you will have. Let's face it - you want all your vendors to go above and beyond in their service for you on your wedding day.

See how well the florist "gets" what you envision for your wedding flowers. Try to determine if they are creative and willing to offer suggestions to help with flower choices and budget parameters. An experienced florist will be able to ball-park some prices on the spot, and will easily pull the important information from you. Try to go into the meeting with some flexibility so the expert can offer their ideas too - you may end up with a more enhanced design than you originally thought!

When looking at the florist's portfolio, pick out the wedding flowers and assess the number of weddings this florist has previously done. Wedding day set up and delivery can be stressful - make sure they have actual wedding experience. Another good question to ask is if they have serviced your venues at other events - this may make for a smoother set up if the florist knows where the service elevators are etc.

Ask to see a copy of their contract, or better yet, take a copy home to read when you have a quiet moment. Ask for references.

Before you leave, ask when your quote will be available, and if there is a deposit required if you decide to book.

Check back next Friday for Part 4 "Reading and Comparing Quotes"