How many people should I invite to my wedding?

This is probably the largest issue in planning weddings today: how many people should you invite?? Not only is this the largest factor in the cost of your wedding but it also affects your entire vibe and style! To tackle this monster question, you first need to decide your budget. If you simply can’t afford to have everyone you’ve ever known attend, that saves you time trying to make decisions. The number of guests you have affects how large of a venue you need, how many people to feed, and *cough cough* how many centerpieces and bouquets you’ll want! Now if you’re one of the lucky ones where budget isn’t the issue, the next thing to decide is what you and your partner what the vibe to be.

A small wedding is more intimate. There’s less likelihood of things getting wild and you’ll probably get to be a lot more present on your day. You won’t be pulled in as many different directions trying to host and say hello to hundreds of people.

A large wedding means even more people to worry about and to organize, but it also means more people to gush over you and your love and celebrate with you. One thing to keep in mind with larger weddings is you often spend most of the reception stopping by tables and making sure to say hello to everyone. This can be really nice and heartwarming, but it can also mean missing out on enjoying some of the festivities.

A medium-sized wedding sound like it would be the best of both worlds, but the issue with this one tends to be deciding who makes the cut and who doesn’t. You have less leeway with the usual explanation “just close friends and family” that usually goes with a small wedding, so as the guest list decisions are being made you have to be a lot choosier. 

Deciding how large of a wedding you want is one of the first decisions you make as it affects most of your following wedding planning. Be sure to have open conversations with your partner and anyone else involved in the planning and payment of your big day, and together, you’ll make the right decision for you! 

With love,

Savannah Wichman 

What Info should I have before going to a Florist?

Whenever potential clients come to me and immediately apologize for not knowing much about flowers, I like to remind them that most people never have a reason to order flowers until they’re ordering for their wedding. It is completely normal to not know much about ordering wedding and event florals, that’s what we’re here for! But, to help you hit the ground running and make you feel a little more comfortable going into your Florist consultation, I’ve created a list for you. 

This is a list of things you should be thinking about or have decided before you speak to a florist:

  • Roughly what is your budget? Not only do some florists have minimums that you need to be aware of, but this also affects what floral décor you can have. For example, if you have a more modest budget, you may not be able to have a large floral centerpiece on each table.
  • Roughly what are your counts? This means how many people you plan to have in your wedding party and how many people you plan to invite to your big day. Counts affect if your florist can give you a full quote as they need to know how many bouquets, centerpieces, etc. you’re going to need. Don’t worry, these numbers don’t need to be final yet!
  • Where is your venue? If your florist has worked at that venue before or is able to research it, they may be able to give you recommendations on the best ways to apply flowers to that specific location. This can go a long way in affecting the impact of your flowers on the look of your whole day. Knowing how far the venue is for your florist will also help them more accurately calculate setup/teardown fees.
  • Where are some of the spots you know you want to have flowers or greenery? Do you envision some sort of flowers in your ceremony but aren’t sure what style? Be sure to let us know! Your florist can give you ideas of what may work best with your venue and style. In going through your floral order, they will likely also bring up other areas where flowers can be added to make sure you’ve considered them all. Pinterest is a fantastic resource for getting ideas of where flowers can go and seeing different styles, and we love when you share your inspiration with us! Just remember that some designs may be out of your budget, but always ask, your florist may just have a better idea that will fit!

After you have thought these topics through, you’re ready to start talking to florists! It’s okay if you don’t have your style and colors pinned down just yet, as long as you’ve addressed the topics above you have enough to get started. Good luck!

With love,

Savannah Wichman

When to Book a Florist

You’re engaged, congratulations!!! There is so much to do and I hope this little tidbit of information can help take a bit of stress off your shoulders! There are plenty of guides out there on timelines for wedding planning, not to mention every vendor is different in how far out they book, but, in general, here is the best time to book your Wedding Florist.

First, make sure you’ve picked a date and booked your venue. This is important since if we don’t know what our canvas looks like, we can’t tell you how best to decorate it or what it will cost to do so (at least not accurately). 

The next thing you’ll want done before reaching out to a Florist is your guest list. If you know roughly how many people you’ll be inviting, this will help estimate counts and costs. You’ll usually have some wiggle room to adjust these numbers after booking your florist, but you should definitely have a starting point. 

Lastly, you need to have created an outline of your overall budget. When you reach out to a florist, we typically put time into providing a quote that’s specific just to you. If you don’t have a budget you won’t be able to make a decision on whether or not we’re a good fit.

Once you have your date, venue, and numbers, you can always start looking into florists! However, I recommend booking your florist between 12-8 months out. Usually, a florist will have their calendar open anywhere from 14-3 months out but in general, but the 12-8 month range will mean larger likelihood your date is still available and that we can provide a more accurate quote for you. There are always going to be special cases, I’ve even taken a wedding one month before the date and it was wonderful, but try not to cut it that close! 

With love,

Savannah Wichman

Are Destination Weddings Cheaper?

The answer is, of course, it depends! Typically, however, destination weddings are going to be more expensive based on where they are. If it is a high-tourism area or somewhere that’s known for destination weddings like Italy, then many of the normal costs are going to be higher, just like getting a cocktail in the city versus in a small town would be. I’ve put together a quick pros-cons list for destination weddings.

Pros of Destination Weddings

  • Fewer people are likely able to come, therefore less cost on food and beverage.
  • More intimate.
  • More personalized, you can go anywhere!
  • The views and the destination itself!

Cons to Destination Weddings

  • Potentially higher costs for the area to include more expensive florists, caterers, venues, etc.
  • Not able to get everyone you want to attend.
  • More difficult getting your things there.
  • Sometimes dealing with a foreign language.
  • Possibly booking a venue and vendors you haven’t met, or potentially needing to pay to go out and tour before booking.

In the end, it all depends on what you want, and how you look at it!

With love,

Savannah Wichman

Mountain Mama Florals

How much do wedding flowers cost?

There are so many different factors that go into quoting wedding flowers, and there’s no one-size-fits-all calculation I can give you. However, I can give you basic estimates on your usual floral pieces in the average wedding, and this can help you calculate what to expect!

Please keep in mind, prices vary based on location, what specific flowers are being used (peonies are expensive my friends), time of year (anemones are my arch nemesis), and the individual florist. Another unfortunate thing to be aware of, especially with COVID putting so many flower farms out of business, the cost of flowers has greatly increased in the past couple of years alone. As with the price of eggs, we hope that one day we can get back to better pricing!

Bridal Bouquets – These greatly depend on the size, but you can estimate anywhere from $75-$350 for your large, glamorous bridal bouquet.

Bridesmaid Bouquets – If you want to make this more greenery than flowers, you can save some money here, but they’re still going to range between $50-$200ish.

Boutonnieres – Cheap and easy, these typically range cost between $10-$20.

Corsages – These take more work and artistry, so they’ll typically be around $20-50.

Ceremony Arch – This is usually your most expensive single item, where it depends on if you’re renting the arch versus if it’s already onsite, and how many flowers and greenery it’s going to take to create the vision. You should expect anywhere from $350-$5000.

Centerpieces – Since this is usually the item that you need the largest number of, centerpieces are typically going to be your largest cost. This again depends entirely on the style of centerpiece and number of tables you have, but you can expect for an arrangement of flowers in a vase to cost $100-$350 each.

One thing to remember is that florists have to include so many factors into their arrangement prices. The cost of each stem is typically multiplied 2-5x in order to determine the cost of the whole design. This covers not only the cost of the ingredients but also the planning time, design time, labor, overhead, and mechanics such as tape, wire, and ribbon (and so much more).

I know these numbers can be scary, but just remember that I’ve included a fairly large range in costs for most of the items. Again, your floral cost depends on many factors such as location, time of year, types of flowers, and more! So make sure you’re communicating with your florist what you’re looking for and what your budget is, and we can help you understand where to go from there!

With love,

Savannah Wichman

Mountain Mama Florals

What is a Florist’s “Minimum Spend”?

Sometimes seeing “$____ minimum” can be daunting, I completely get it, but it doesn’t have to be. A florist’s minimum is a guiding tool, it tells you the minimum amount a project (wedding) needs to cost for them to take it on, not that they’ll charge you $X amount of money no matter what you getting (can you image $3000 for only a bouquet and boutonniere??).

You’ll find some florists that don’t have minimums all the way to florists with $10,000 minimums, this is simply information for you to help know if it’s even worth reaching out to this florist for a quote. HOWEVER, please keep in mind that most first-time brides and grooms do not know what their flowers are going to cost, so here’s a (very) basic guideline:

  • If you’re only getting Personal Flowers which include bouquets, boutonnieres, and maybe some corsages, unless you have a massive wedding party, you’re likely going to spend less than $1000.
  • If you want flowers for your bridal party, ceremony, and reception but don’t want extravagant, you’re likely going to spend $3000-$6000. This can be more depending on how many guests you have and what kind of floral decorations you want.
  • If you have 200 guests or more and still plan to have flowers for your bridal party, ceremony, and reception, plan to be closer to $10,000.

Again, this is all very basic, each florist is going to be a bit different and each couple, depending on what you’re looking for and where you’re having your wedding, is going to be a bit different. What matters is you’re informed and you keep an open mind, just because a florist’s minimum = your maximum budget, that doesn’t mean that’s not the perfect florist for you!

With love,

Savannah Wichman

Mountain Mama Florals

Where can I add flowers to my wedding?

Aside from the obvious bouquets, boutonnieres, and centerpieces, there are SO many different places to add a floral pop to your big day! You’re planning your big day and whether you’re looking to add one extra piece or wanting to fill your wedding with flowers, have you thought about all of these spots yet?

Before the Wedding

  • Rehearsal dinner flowers are definitely something to be considered, and these could be reused as decorations for the wedding the next day!
  • Welcome sign flowers or greenery
  • Flowers on the steps of stairs or vines along the railings

Personal Flowers

  • Bouquets
  • Boutonnieres, don’t forget fathers, grandfathers, and officiants if you want them
  • Corsages, often for mothers and grandmothers
  • Flower crowns or hair flowers, whether for the bride, bridesmaids, or flower girls
  • Floral dog collar
  • Flower girl basket

Ceremony

  • Flower sprays attached to the inside of the chairs lining the aisle
  • Arch, altar, or chuppah flowers
  • Wine barrel toppers
  • Large arrangements on the ground at the start of the aisle 
  • Dried lavender or leaves to be thrown after the “I do”

Cocktail Hour

  • Escort card table arrangement
  • Flowers or vines on the seating chart
  • An arrangement or garland on the bar
  • Cocktail table arrangements
  • Arrangements on pedestals near entrance doors
  • Flowers on a banister

Reception

  • Floral chandeliers
  • Vines climbing pillars that exist in your venue
  • Centerpieces
  • Sweetheart table décor, often this is where couples reuse flowers from their ceremony
  • Cake table flowers or flowers on the cake
  • More bar-top arrangements if the bar differs from the cocktail hour (or move them over)
  • Guestbook table flowers or greenery
  • Memorial table flowers
  • Bits of flowers or greenery on buffet tables
  • Small arrangements in the bathrooms

Wherever you want to add flowers, be sure to communicate with your florist. We will often suggest something that could be reused from earlier in your wedding or help you plan the best way to highlight a space.

With love,

Savannah Wichman

Mountain Mama Florals

How many bridesmaids should I have?

How many bridesmaids should you have? The fun thing is, there’s no right answer! Remember you can have none, 1, 5, or even 10. However, I know this can cause anxiety for some people, so here are a few tips on how to decide who should be included in this squad.

  1. The more bridesmaids you have, the more expensive it’s likely to be. Think: more bouquets, more bridesmaids gifts, and potentially more people at the head table, especially if they have a plus one.
  • You do not need to have the same number of groomsmen or bridesmaids your partner has. You can always have them walk in groups or even have 2 guys on the arms of one girl (or vice versa)!
  • When you’re standing up, about to say your vows, who do you want up there with you? Is it your sister? Brother? Best friends? Or do you want it to be just you and your partner?
  • You do not need to decide on one Maid of Honor! I’ll say it again for the people in the back, this 👏 is 👏 your 👏 wedding, do what makes you happy! Two Maids of Honor? Cool. None because you love them all equally (or trust no one to do things)? Awesome. Have one Maid of Honor and one Matron of Honor? Great. It only matters to you and your bridal party, no one else cares (I say this love).
  • Remember, we are past the times when you could only have women up there! Is your best friend male or male-presenting? Awesome! Discuss how you would both be comfortable with them dressing and make it happen!

This is a day meant to celebrate you and your love, everything else should be decided with the intention of adding happiness or easing stress of the day.

With love,

Savannah Wichman

Mountain Mama Florals

Wedding Week for a Florist

So the flowers have been planned and ordered for weeks, and now it’s finally time to bring everything to fruition. Wedding week can be a little chaotic, but it always follows a similar flow.

7-5 Days Before

The earliest days of preparation are spent confirming assistants/freelancers, deliveries and pickup times for flowers and rentals, and checking in with the Wedding Planner, Bride, and Venue as needed.

5-4 Days Before:

I usually try to clean all buckets and vases from previous events as soon as that event is over, but sometimes I missed a few buckets or I’ve gotten some new vases that need to be cleaned with soap and water, and I make sure to get this done before the flowers have arrived. After that’s done, I organize all hard goods (rentals, décor, equipment, etc.) that will be coming to the venue with me.

3 Days Before:

Since I don’t own a cooler, I like to receive all of my flowers and greenery 2-3 days before the event to give them time to rehydrate before I design with them. Once they arrive, I clean and condition them and set them up in water buckets to hydrate.

2-1 Days Before

I typically spend the two days leading up to the event building all of the designs that I can pre-build, saving the most delicate, such as boutonnieres and corsages, for last.

Night Before

The night before the event is spent reconfirming all timelines, driving routes, and the order list to make sure I haven’t forgotten to make anything, and I try to pack up the van as much as possible to make the next day less stressful.

Day-Of

Wedding Day can be a long day, sometimes spent in the middle of nowhere, so I always make sure to pack plenty of water and snacks before I go back through my packing list, check and double check the Order list, and then head to the venue to set up! If it’s a wedding where I need to break things down afterwards, I’ll return near the end to do so and then bring everything back to the shop to unload before calling it a day.

A Few Days After

To wrap up the event, I send thank-you emails to the client and Wedding Planner a few days later (to give everyone a chance to decompress). I truly appreciate every client and vendor I work with that make my job a dream job!

Happy Floristing everyone!

Sincerely,

Savannah Wichman

Wedding & Event Packing List: Florist Edition

Who else has stress dreams about forgetting to bring something important to an event?? Just me? Well in order to give myself some organization (and peace of mind), I keep a handy dandy list of most of the things I could need at an event as a Florist. Whether you’re a brand-new Florist or a seasoned professional, you already have some sort of list (mentally or not) of what you bring to events, and everyone’s list is a little different. One of my favorite things to do is talk to other Florists about what some of their “must bring” items are, especially since this usually leads to horror stories of when they forgot to bring something. It happens to all of us, but hopefully this Wedding & Event Florist Packing List will help you remember something and prevent a horror story of your own:

  • Pocketed tool apron
  • Floral clippers
  • Large shears
  • Wire cutters
  • Cable cutters
  • Everyday scissors
  • Ribbon scissors
  • Floral Glue
  • Floral wire
  • Waterproof tape
  • Clear tape
  • Stem tape
  • Zip ties (different lengths)
  • Fishing line
  • Chop sticks (good for added support or impromptu stems)
  • Rubber bands
  • Floral food packets
  • Ribbon (a few different colors)
  • Water tubes
  • Tape measure
  • Trash bags
  • Gloves
  • Boutonniere pins
  • Safety pins
  • Corsage wristlet
  • Step ladder
  • Broom and Dustpan
  • Crowning Glory (flower spray)
  • Lighters
  • Batteries
  • Pens
  • Portable phone charger
  • Sealable jugs of water (to top off vases)
  • Index cards
  • Business Cards
  • Snacks
  • Water bottle (usually more than 1)

Before leaving for the wedding/event I always:

  • Double check my directions
  • Double check my order list and timeline
  • Make sure the gas tank is full

I hope this list helps and that you go into your next wedding or event feeling more prepared! From one Florist to another, Happy Floristing!

Sincerely,

Savannah Wichman