She told me:

"My wedding flowers did not come. I ordered from a reputable grower. One who had many good reviews and did everything right. Estimated my costs, I ordered in time...got all of my supplies and tools and then waited. And I waited....and waited.....and waited. It was the shipper. Also a reputable shipper. But somehow the shipper was having some issues that week. And my fresh flower order was somewhere in Ohio sitting in a non-refrigerated docking bay, dying. They sat there from Monday until Thursday when they finally began to move again. Only after I frantically called everyone I could think of; the grower, the distrubutor, the shipper, the shipping hub center. None of them could really help me. Nobody knew why the shipment wasn't moving. At first they couldn't even find it! By Thursday I knew I had to do something else. I had to hire someone. So I scraped up whatever money I had to pay for the florist and took our honeymoon money to do it. Now I had paid twice for my flowers. And you know what? The florist wasn't that much more than all the money I had already paid for supplies, and flowers. The flowers eventually came....on my wedding day...dead. By then I had hired the florist. I really wished I had just gone with her to begin with."

This bride was very fortunate that she found an available florist. Many florists are completely booked at the last minute.

With a down turnned economy I've been reading alot about "do it yourself" weddings. Makes me wonder if the DIYers really know what they are risking when they decide to save money that way.

I know there is alot of creativity out there. So much beauty captured in the hearts of women. No doubt there are many women who could create beautiful flowers for a wedding. Maybe not professional looking flowers, but quite beautiful ones none-the-less. The question becomes could they do it for their OWN wedding? Would it be possible to create these lovely arrangements, save money, remember all the details AND remain stress free enough to truly experience the joy of their wedding day.

Let's consider the some of details of creating those beautiful flower designs that will bring you joy on your special day and for years to come when you look at your photos.

Ordering:

Do you have a wholesale grower/flower company you can order from? Do you have a formula and know know exactly how many of each flower you will need? Do you know what greens to order? Filler flowers? Do you know how much loss you need to allow for? Do you understand some will come broken, damaged, spoiled and you will break some while working? How many will that be?

Shipping Costs:

Yes....that company has really great prices but when you go to check out do you know how much per box it will cost to ship? Many companies charge from $45 to $75 PER BOX for shipping your flowers in a cool container overnight or two day mail (which is necessary for live flowers). How many boxes will you need? You could spend $200-$300 on shipping alone.

Supplies:

Do you have the proper tools to work with? Floral shears? Rose thorn strippers? Floral tape both water proof (for containers) and bouquet tape? Wire? Wet foam Oasis? Do you understand the difference between wire sizes? Do you have non drip candles? Floral stands? Cake Stand?

Ribbon:

What about Ribbon? Do you know the difference between wired and non wired ribbon? Paper and fabric ribbon? Do you know what 4" or 3/8" ribbon looks like? Do you know how to make a pew bow or a corsage bow with even loops on all sides? Do you know how much ribbon you need for each and what type? Do you know how to attach a bow to a pew or chair without damaging it?

Flowers:

Do you know which flowers need to be kept cool and which need to be at room temperature to be at peak bloom? Do you know how to force open blooms? Do you know how to stop a too fast opening bloom? Do you know that roses have thorns and every single stem needs to have it's thorns removed before arranging? That can be time consuming if you aren't accustomed to the process. Do you know that lilies have pollen pods that need to be carefully removed or yellow pollen will soil wedding clothes? Do you have the time and manpower to do these tasks? Do you know how to keep rose petals hydrated until use without them becoming slimy?

Tools:

Do you have Cutters, Strippers, Wire, Shears, Needle Nose Pliers, Floral Knives, Oasis, Buckets, Ribbon, Tape, Adhesive, Vases, Baskets? Make sure you have additional sets because things have a way of getting lost in a wedding rush.

Cooler:

Do you have a way to keep your flowers cool and safe from pets, children and household traffic which could damage delicate petals?

Transportation:

Do you have a way to transport large boxes and/or buckets and bouquets of flowers?Do you have a way to transport finished arrangements?

Time:

Will you have the time to make arrangements, bouquets and corsages considering fittings, shopping, bachelorette parties, bridesmaid luncheons, rehearsal dinners, getting ready and wedding day scheduling? Remember fresh flowers are time sensitive. You cannot arrange any fresh flowers earlier than the day before your event without the risk of wilting or dying off of petals.

Stress:

Will planning, arranging, buying, shopping, delegating and organzing all these items cause you additional stress on your wedding day?

Manpower:

Do you have many people who really WILL follow through to help you before and on your wedding day? Think of past family and holiday events. How these same people in your life have behaved in the past they will do the same on your wedding day. Don't expect different behavior from them than in the past just because it is your extra special event.

With all of these ideas in mind are DIY wedding flowers really the best choice? Will it end up costing you just as much or even more to do your own flowers considering the shipping, tools, supplies and floral loss factor? Be honest with yourself and write everything down. Count all of your costs and then compare several florists. Possibly three florists. You may be surprised at what you find. Many times a good florist can help you find ways of cutting costs and giving you the wedding you always wanted without the stress and worry of having to do it yourself. Often simplifying your flower choices and expectations to one or two flowers and letting a creative professional handle the details of your order can be a beautiful thing, freeing you to enjoy your day as you should. Think of the freedom and joy that you would feel.

And don't forget the alternative of what happened to our bride at the beginning of our blog. It really was a true story. And she isn't the only one. I have heard different versions of that same story from many different brides over the years. Don't let it happen to you.

1) Decide what your budget is. A creative florist can work around your budget and should have your best interest in mind.

2) Think about 2 or 3 colors you love. Maybe you think they cannot be used together but share them with your florist. She may very well find a way to use them to compliment each other.

3) Think on a style. Have you always dreamed of a sophisticated wedding? A country wedding? A classic wedding? A festive wedding? Or some combination of those things. Put them in order of most important.

4) Do you have a theme in mind? Is the idea of a princess wedding appealing to you? What about a nature theme with butterflies and natural branches? Or a Zen or Asian feel?

5) Is there a flower that you cannot live without in your wedding? Does that need to be in your bouquet , the bridesmaid's bouquets or centerpieces?

6) Look up bouquet styles on the web: Cascade, Hand Tied, Arm Bouquet, Single Stem.

7) Bring some photos of styles of wedding flowers you have seen and love to your floral consultation.

8) Remember that magazines and web articles often show very expensive flowers in simple designs. Your florist should be able to show you how to get a similar look and feel for much better value.

9) Remember that your florist works for you. She should be available, helpful and honest about what she can and cannot do within your budget.

10) Stick to your guns! Don't allow any wedding vendor to push you into contracting for things you really cannot afford or will be in debt for later. Remember this is only one day and starting your new life stress free is far more important than having that additional item you probably won't even have time to notice at your ceremony or reception.