Just because intimate weddings & elopements are smaller affairs, does not mean you need to forgo the things you love. On the contrary! By opting for a smaller wedding with a more intimate guest list (or no guests at all), you can invest your budget into crafting the bespoke experience of your dreams!
If, like me, you’re a lover of blooms & gorgeous styling arrangements, why not include some as part of your wedding experience? From whimsical dreamy bouquets, to a lush & colourful floral arch for your ceremony, a beautiful tablescape or even a unique cake topper — blooms and styling elements can contribute a whole lot to making your wedding one to remember!
The best part about florals & styling is that you get to be creative and customise them to match your personalities and environment! Should you wish to keep a memento from your day, you can even dry out some of your flowers, or invest in some of your own styling elements to incorporate in your day (such as glassware, plates or decor).
Whilst getting excited about florals and styling is easy, finding the right stylist or florist for your intimate wedding or elopement can be tricky. To make your wedding planning experience all the more fun and stress-free, I’ve gone ahead and compiled a comprehensive list of amazingly talented Australian florists & stylists for you to discover, as well as rounded up common questions & tips.
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Common Intimate Wedding Florist Questions
Flowers & styling elements are a beautiful and very important component of your wedding day style. They set the tone, cement your colour palette and add drama and elegance to your overall ‘vibe’.
Your wedding day florals can also be a huge percentage of your styling budget (concept dependent of course) so naturally, you’ll likely have a few questions you wish to clear up when planning your intimate wedding.
For ease, I’ve asked all of your burning questions and compiled them below
How much should I expect to pay for wedding flowers?
Depending on the type & size of your wedding (“just us two” elopement vs an intimate wedding for 70), as well as how many pieces and floral installations you’re after, you can expect to spend anywhere from $500 to $30,000 for a professional wedding florist for your intimate wedding.
On average, couples tend to spend around $2500 for their elopement florals & styling, and $20,000 for micro weddings. Your elopement & intimate wedding is a special event, so don’t be afraid to splurge a little in this department.
How should I choose my colour scheme / flowers?
When it comes to florals & styling, the more unique and true-to-you, the better! There are absolutely no rules when it comes to your theme or chosen colours.
Also, consider flowers that have meaning to you. What flowers were always blooming in your front yard where you grew up? What about the flowers your spouse-to-be brought you on your first date? Spend some time thinking about the types of flowers that carry special significance for you and your fiancé.
It’s also worth discussing your choices with your chosen florist and stylist so as to best match your setting, as well as choose flowers that are in season.
How far in advance should I book my wedding florist / stylist?
You should consider booking your wedding florist at least one month in advance for elopements and at least 3 – 4 months in advance for intimate weddings. This will enable them to plan your floral pieces properly, as well as make the market trips in advance to purchase all the necessary materials.
Why are wedding flowers so expensive?
Wedding flowers & styling can seem like an extravagance at first, but not when you realise the amount of time and effort that goes into creating them.
First of all, your wedding florist & stylist will spend weeks (if not months) planning the arrangements, sourcing the pieces, liaising with you about your day, not to mention getting up at 3am to hit the flower markets.
Secondly, flower prices have also gone up recently due to inflation caused by covid-19, natural disasters affecting local farms, as well as other global events disrupting the supply chain.
Both of these will be taken into account in your quote.
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Tips for picking your Elopement & Intimate Wedding Florist.
Trust your florist / stylist.
Like all the pieces of the wedding puzzle, it’s a dance between executing your vision, and letting experienced professionals do their thing. At the end of the day, you will get your florist & stylist’s best work if you allow them to be creative.
So the best tip I can give you to enjoy your wedding day to the max is to choose a wedding florist & stylist that you trust, and then let them create magic for you. This will allow you to enjoy the process, without getting stressed over the little things.
If you have a non-negotiable element (a must have meaningful flower for instance), communicate this to them early on so that they can prioritise this for you.
Keep sustainability in mind.
Along with catering, florals present one of the biggest opportunities for waste on a wedding day. If minimising your environmental impact is a top priority, there are a few additional components to consider when picking your floral designer.
Opting for someone who works predominantly with locally-grown blooms is your best bet, but if that’s not possible, there are ways to mitigate additional energy consumption.
Ask how they dispose of their blooms — composting is best — and what materials they use when designing. Chicken wire and floral frogs can be reused, but floral foam is more of a one-time thing. You can also inquire about the possibility of donating the blooms after the event.
Confirm logistics.
Beyond budget, there’s also a few logistical matters to clear up. A few questions to ask include:
- How many weddings do you take on per weekend?
- Will you personally be present to oversee our event installation, or will you send someone else from your team?
- Who will be handling the clean-up?
- What are your communication preferences? What’s your turnaround time on emails?
An experienced designer will generally give you those answers ahead of time, but it’s worth discussing during your initial conversations so that everyone is on the same page.
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I hope that the above resources have helped you on your intimate wedding planning journey. Should you have any other questions about planning your micro wedding or elopement, I’m here to help. Don’t hesitate to reach out to start bringing our vision to life.
