Ask Nancy: Budget

Dear Nancy

My fiance and I are planning a wedding. I follow your blog religiously so that we could better estimate for our wedding reception decor and florals. We've fallen in love with a particular reception decor/idea that we were hoping you would be able to give at least a ballpark estimate on. (Nancy removed the link which was added to this email). The decor mostly in a shadow box is the ideal for our wedding reception, it's urban and chic. If we budgeted roughly $xxxxx(Nancy removed the details) for about 10 tables (like those in the link), do you think it is feasible. Also I wanted your expert opinion on how to find a cheaper and less expensive way of accomplishing this work.

Thanks!

Elizabeth

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So Elizabeth...This is my advice to you and many others.

If you have an inspiration idea. If you have a design in mind. That's a great start. After you've found something you want, go do some research and find at least 3(hopefully, not that many more) floral designers in your area to get quotes from. It's probably best to get a quote from an expert in your area then to have a floral designer like myself give you opinions because my practice is so different from others and I'm in SF.

Because, my executed advice is typically geared toward OUR clients, I can give you general tips on this and that it. However, I want to know why you haven't asked a professional in your area? You have to eventually, right? Please, all brides and clients - learn to trust and let someone in your area give you some of their ideas. I cannot tell you how much I admire other floral designers. I think as a whole, this is a highly creative bunch. Let them give you real solutions. Of course, I can say, "use cheaper vases, rent vases from your florist, use more foliage in the centerpiece, skip pew decorations....but what would this really mean to you? Not much, if someone cannot execute it.

Bottom line: Until you get a quote, a budget is just a number. It's impossible to tell if $1000 in flowers will get you the wedding of your dreams or $10000 in flowers will get you the wedding of your dreams unless you actually go get a quote in your AREA.

What a floral designer prices in San Francisco may not be the same as in Portland, Oregon?

What a high end, designer studio would charge might be different from an inexperienced newer designer?

A Tuesday affair in November might be less expensive then a Saturday event during Labor Day weekend?

There just simply are too many factors when it comes to a floral budget.

Sure, I can give you tips but what good would that be if your local professionals cannot execute. In addition, it's so hard for anyone to just say, sure, you can cut $ from your budget by doing that when all they see is an inspiration photo. There are too many components in the equation for it to be as simple as do X, Y Z.

Components include

1) Imported or local flowers

2) Seasonality and availability issues in flowers

3) Size of the floral designer studio

4) Location and Area

5) Venue location

6) Production and setup

7) Delivery

8) Containers

9) Experience of designer

10) Over head

Too many factors! And I'm sure there are many more!

So back to the topic at hand...I say, find floral designers to interview. Let them come up with tangible ideas to get you to your budget. After all, any good designer should be able to do that.

If you are having a hard time finding a designer, here's some good tips.

1) Ask friends who recently got married for advice. Ask those who had weddings that are in the style that best reflects your own. Do not ask a friend who did a grand wedding at a Five 5 ballroom, if you plan on a low key, quiet, understated afternoon brunch at your parent's house. Pick friends, even colleagues that had a wedding that best reflected what you want to do. If you are having a ballroom, black tie, evening event, look for someone that had a similar event. Ask for their recommendations.

2) Ask the venue. Many venues have a preferred list. It's not easy to get on a preferred list so ask the catering manager. Ask about the floral designer that can best do what you want. If you want glam, luxe, then ask the catering manager which designer can handle large affairs.

3) Magazines, blogs, and wedding resources. There are so many resources on line. If you want to hire top vendors. Find a magazine that supports that. For example, Grace Ormonde Wedding Style is very specific to a certain type of clientele. If you are having a large, grand affair with lots of details, much more a gala event then a typically simple wedding, then you might want to check out their Platinum list. If you like pretty, understated, vintage chic, perhaps you should go the Style Me Pretty's list. The bottom line is - there are so many resources. Utilize them.

4) Other Vendors. Ask vendors that you trust and that you have hired for recommendations.

After all, vendors see other vendors work more than anyone else. I am so serious. Other vendors can sometimes give you a heads up on who is doing a consistently great job.

Good luck Elizabeth. I'm sure your wedding will be beautiful.