Professional flower designers bring a lot to the table

Hiring a florist will free up valuable time in the days before the Big Day

Manypeople consider flowers to be one of the most iconic parts of a wedding day. From traditional to modern, they set a tone and can be a bold display of a theme or color palette.

They’re also one of the most fussy parts of the day. As delicate as they are beautiful, flowers require special care. That’s why many couples decide it’s best to leave it to a professional.

“It’s time-consuming,” said Leslie Hietala, owner of Artistic Florals By Leslie in Superior. “When your flowers come in on a Thursday, and your wedding is on a Saturday, between bridal parties, grooms dinner, things like that, it takes so much of your time.”

Hietala said she has seen groups of friends come together to successfully decorate a banquet hall with flowers, but when it comes to all the bits and pieces of bouquets, boutonnieres and corsages, it can easily become a bigger job than expected.

“The flowers don’t just come all clean and ready made,” Hietala said. “I have had a couple people call me the night before and say, ‘I can’t do this, I don’t like the way they turned out.’”

She and her crew will have floral food, buckets and refrigeration on hand to properly care for fresh flowers. They’ll have mechanical pieces, such as wire and tape. And if a shipment of flowers comes that isn’t presentable, she can have her wholesaler send more. Leslie said this can become a problem for individuals who buy bulk over the internet because they might not be able to secure last-minute replacements.

Leslie suggests couples first contact a flower shop six months in advance to their wedding. Bookings can start that far in advance, and many florists will accept only one wedding a week because the time required is so great.

But if they’re stuck on these ideas, Leslie recommends couples come in for an early consultation anyway. Florists are accustomed to helping guide couples through the process. They’ll consider what will be in season at the time of the wedding, look for opportunities to save money and suggest different types of flowers that might be more available or hold up best.

Couples should expect to meet with their florist more than once. After all, there’s more to wedding flowers than that famous bridal bouquet. Well in advance, couples might want to consider their plans for bridesmaids, groomsmen and centerpieces. Maybe there will be flowers gracing the aisles, banquet hall — or even the cake.

Consultations can also help couples find their own signature style. Leslie recalled when she had four brides present her with the same bouquet picture. She designed variations of it so each bride’s bouquet was unique. She considers proportion, too, when designing her pieces. For example, using spray roses for a ring-bearer’s boutonniere. The tiny flowers are just the right size for tiny members of the wedding party.

She also suggested setting a budget (her customers often have a budget of $750 and up), considering the theme, tone and artistic vision for the event.

Leslie said current trends she is seeing are rustic, unconstructed looks with lots of greens, such as seeded eucalyptus and lily grass. But traditional looks always have a place, such as white bouquets of roses or calla lilies. D

— The Woman Today partner is listed on the other’s account. Then if an emergency arises, each spouse has access to the money. Couples who have a “yours, mine and ours” system should establish whether both partners are contributing 50-50 into the household, or what the ratio will be, if one spouse out-earns the other, or has more personal debt.

Goal setting

One of the best parts of marriage is dreaming about your shared future together. What are your goals as a couple five, 10, and even 30 years down the road?

“It’s important now that you are partnered (legally and financially) with someone else to get on the same page with life and financial goals,” Lepper said. “Look at the plans for the short term (i.e. vacation), mid-range (saving for a house or down payment on a car) and long-term (paying for a child’s education and retirement) what you want to do, and what it’ll take financially to get there.”

Remember to update your beneficiaries!

Now that you’re officially a married couple, don’t forget to update your beneficiary information. Things such as life insurance policies, bank accounts, and 401(k)s should be updated with a spouse’s name. This can help to avoid the nightmare of probate court if a spouse dies.

While merging finances can be tricky, it can also be a great time to bond with your spouse and dream about your goals for the future. With a bit of advance planning, strategic budgeting, and some good old-fashioned hard work, there will be plenty of time to enjoy your new lives together. D