Petals in progress: A behind-the-scenes peek at life for your wedding florist preparing for your wedding day

I simply love the run up to your wedding day. We will have all the plans sorted out many months before, and I’ll have been daydreaming about your wedding flowers ever since your first floral proposal was born.  The vision of your flowery day lives happily in my head until it all becomes a reality.  Now the dance between creativity and practicality starts.  Organised calm is the state I like to work in, with the only chaos being a complete lack of space as everything becomes overtaken by beautiful props and then magnificent flowers. The scent of all your flowers in my little workspace never ceases to delight me. I think there is a reason us florists tend to be a healthy bunch.  

Getting started

A clear plan of each day’s activities is written out covering two weeks before your wedding.  A lot of things need ordering and different things come from different places, so it all takes a little coordination.  My lists make sure I’m on track and happy. You probably wouldn’t imagine that spreadsheets come into play when you think of romantic buckets of fresh flowers and glorious floral designs to celebrate your wedding, but yes, there is always a spreadsheet.  Flowers are sold at auction, and so the price varies right up until the minute I order.  To ensure we have absolutely the most beautiful flowers possible for your dream and our budget, I need lists of alternatives in case something is unavailable or too high a price.  Having an organised plan also makes sure I know exactly where every flower is going – super important for those fast-paced set-ups when we’re only allowed in your venue a few hours before the ceremony. 

The floral toolbox

Next to make sure that everything is as good as new for your beautiful celebration.  The structures used for arches need checking and cleaning; plinths, vases and containers polished or ordered; rolls of Velcro tape and beautiful boxes of silk ribbons and other little accessories to add charm and whimsy to your day start to arrive. I make sure we have spares of all the essentials: flower food, buckets, snips and string, moss everywhere I can store it. I also make sure I’ve contacted my flowery friends just in-case.  We all help each other whether it’s a little or a big thing that requires a helping hand. Everyone in the wedding business industry knows just how big a deal your wedding is, and as a community, we’ll never let you down.

Your incredible flowers arrive

This is as exciting as it sounds.  It’s like Christmas eve when I know your flowers are coming overnight; I go to sleep with a smile and that lovely fluttery feeling of anticipation.  They usually arrive about 5am, so I’ll have all my buckets cleaned and ready for them so they can have a cool drink as soon as possible. This is called conditioning and it’s critical.  Get this part right and we’ll have gorgeous healthy blooms that bring utter wonder and delight.  Different flowers need different lengths of time to reach perfection, so there are often two delivery days to makes sure every petal is perfectly open for you.

Designing

I start design days by choosing the most beautiful blooms for the most important arrangements.  Every stem for your bridal and bridesmaid bouquets has been hand-selected. I’m usually too full of excitement to get stuck into those straight away, so I’ll start with something a little easier that lives in water.  This is often the designs for your top table or registry table and as I’m designing, I start to imagine your perfect day, surrounded by family, friends, joy and happiness.  Next comes the table centrepieces. As the prettiness builds up in layers all around me, I’m usually feeling full of flowery magic and ready to create your beautiful bouquets.  Everything then waits patiently in water.  A second look the next day is important – I’m sure my creative brain looks over things as I sleep and I often wake up knowing exactly which extra little dancing flower or berries needs adding to make it perfect.

The morning of your wedding

Always a bright and early start and I love thinking of my couple awakening early as well and feeling that excited tingle.  This is it!  The magical day you have waited for for so long.  The scent of all the gorgeous flowers greets me as I come downstairs before the sun rises to start work. Any little detail flowers are made on the morning of your wedding – buttonholes, floral pocket squares, corsages and flower crowns.  A fully-wired bridal bouquet is also made on the morning of your wedding, which still makes me a little nervous, but these are stunning so totally worth a few florist-jitters. When everything is in boxes and vases, all wrapped up snuggly in tissue paper, we’re off.  This is where things start to get busy!

Setting up your venue

Time to make everything pretty!  I love working with all the suppliers at a wedding, everyone bustling around making sure their element is just perfect, all ready for your magical wedding day.  It’s often a dance, placing flowers and candles in exactly the right spot around gleaming cutlery and sparkling crystal, making sure every stem is perfectly placed and every napkin and menu immaculate.  Setting up the flower arch or centrepieces is usually accompanied by beautiful music being rehearsed and glorious scents of the best food being prepared in the kitchens. Everyone shares the same air of excitement and purpose. Wedding day is here!

Photography by Binky Nixon

The final ribboning of your bouquets

Adding ribbons to your bouquet and giving everything a final spritz with water is one of my favourite moments. Your bouquets will be delivered to you about two hours before your ceremony.  They will be in water, and you will have a towel, tied with pretty ribbon, of course, to dry your stems.  This is it, it’s really happening.  I wish you all the love and joy in the world and am so happy to play a tiny role in your romantic journey.

Creating flowery magic

As the wedding day unfolds, the flowery magic starts to come to life.  The scent of the petals mingles with the joy and anticipation of wedding day.  Choosing joy, following your passion, chasing dreams – this is life at the end of the rainbow.  It is such a wonderful time to saviour, seeing everything perfectly placed and ready.  I love seeing how beautiful flowers play their part in such a special day – that magical moment when you walk into your venue to see it transformed is so precious.  I hope it is everything you dreamt of and wish you both a lifetime of happiness together.