F L O W E R S & D E C O R A T I O N S
C H I C A G O W E D D I N G & P A R T Y R E S O U R C E
33
ability and price before establishing which
flowers you are set on using.
Although she seasonality is important,
she says it’s not as limiting as it used to be.
Instead, some brides are heading to
websites and gathering inspiration from all
over – can you say Pinterest? – and then
bringing their ideas for their wedding to
their florist.
The tricky part is really putting a dollar
value on their expectations or scaling back
the expectations to meet the dollars. It’s es-
timated that 90 percent of the brides bring
ideas gleaned from Pinterest, magazines or
websites.
Sometimes a floral designer has to “get
creative” and offer alternatives to fit a bride’s
budget or compensate for availability.
Depending on the flower and the month,
there may be alternatives. For example, pe-
onies are not always available, so the Da-
vid Austin rose is an alternative. However,
they’re not that much less expensive, but
it’s that ruffled look.
And if it’s a white hydrangea, white hy-
drangeas generally are less expensive than
the colored one, but it depends. In the
summer, they can be comparable, but some
of the deeper colors, which are getting im-
ported, are three times more.
With so many factors to consider, when
should brides start picking the flowers for
their big day?
Picking the right flowers depends on
the size and scope of the event, and the
right time to start planning depends on
the bride’s tastes, in addition to — you
guessed it — the flower’s seasonality and
availability.
Exotic tastes, some things that need to
be imported, the earlier the better. If you’re
into a fresh, kind of wild flower, local, sea-
sonal-type of arrangements, then certainly
that time gets dialed way down, but it really
varies according to the bride’s taste.
Copyright © CTW Features
With ten award-winning locations, 90 years of proven expe-
rience, and a team of top designers dedicated to special
events, Phillip's Flowers & Gifts is the smart choice for beau-
tiful wedding flowers and party decorations throughout
Chicago and suburbs. Call to schedule a free consultation.
Chicago Design Studio
312-356-7478
Westmont Design Center
630-719-5186
4-625X7-25-CW&PR.qxp 3/13/2013 9:32 PM Page 1
Robin Falk Photography
