Your flowers are one of the most visible, most photographed, and most emotionally significant elements of your wedding day. And yet the process of booking a wedding florist is one that most brides walk into with very little idea of what to expect.
This guide walks you through the entire process – from the first enquiry to the morning of your wedding – so that when you’re ready to reach out to a florist, you know exactly what’s coming.
Step 1: The First Enquiry
The first step is simply reaching out. Most florists – including us – work through a brief initial enquiry form or a WhatsApp message. At this stage, you don’t need to have everything figured out. You just need a date, a venue, and a rough sense of what you’re looking for.
What to include in your first message: your wedding date, your venue, your approximate guest count, and one or two words about the style or feeling you’re going for. That’s genuinely enough to start a conversation.
Don’t worry if you can’t describe exactly what you want yet. Part of what a good florist does is help you find your vision – not just execute one you’ve already finalised.
Step 2: The Vision Conversation
Before any quotes or numbers, a good florist will want to understand your vision. This is the most important part of the process and it’s worth taking seriously.
We typically ask couples to share inspiration images – from Pinterest, Instagram, or anywhere else — not because we copy them, but because images tell us things that words often can’t. A bride who says “I want something romantic” might mean something completely different to the next bride who uses the same word. Images bridge that gap immediately.
During this conversation we’ll explore your colour palette, your venue’s existing aesthetic, the overall mood you’re going for, and which elements matter most to you – whether that’s the bridal bouquet, the ceremony arch, the reception tables, or all of the above.
Come prepared with: inspiration images, your venue name and any venue photos if you have them, your wedding colours or dress details if you have them, and a rough sense of priority (what matters most to you florally).
Step 3: The Quote
After the vision conversation, your florist will put together a detailed quote covering every floral and decor element discussed.
A good quote is itemised. It should break down each element – bridal bouquet, bridesmaids’ flowers, ceremony arch, table centrepieces, and so on – so you can clearly see where your budget is being allocated and make informed decisions about where to scale up or down.
What affects the price of wedding flowers? The number of arrangements, the types of flowers chosen (some blooms cost significantly more than others), the complexity of the designs, setup and breakdown time, and the distance to your venue all factor into the final cost.
How much should you budget? This varies widely depending on your vision and guest count, but as a general guide for Gauteng weddings, most couples allocate between 8% and 15% of their total wedding budget to flowers and floral decor. If flowers are a priority for you, allocate towards the higher end.
Step 4: Booking & Securing Your Date
Once you’re happy with the quote and the vision, it’s time to secure your date. Most florists work with a booking deposit – typically 50% of the total quote — to confirm your wedding in their calendar.
Book as early as possible. Good florists in popular Gauteng wedding regions fill up quickly, particularly for peak season (September to November, and March to May). If you’ve found a florist whose work you love, don’t wait.
After booking, you’ll typically have check-in conversations leading up to the wedding as your vision evolves. Most couples make small adjustments – tweaking a colour, adding an element, adjusting quantities – as the day gets closer. A good florist will accommodate this within reason.
Step 5: The Weeks Before Your Wedding
As your wedding date approaches, your florist will confirm all final details – flower varieties, quantities, delivery and setup times, and any last logistics.
This is also when the practical side gets confirmed: what time does your venue allow florists to access for setup? Does the ceremony run into the reception space? Are there any restrictions on certain types of installations?
If you haven’t already, now is a good time to introduce your florist to your wedding coordinator or venue contact. A direct line of communication between your florist and venue on the day makes everything run more smoothly.
Step 6: The Morning of Your Wedding
On your wedding day, your florist will arrive at the venue well before guests – often several hours before the ceremony – to set up. For us, this typically means arriving at first light for larger weddings to ensure everything is in place and at its best when you and your guests arrive.
Your bridal bouquet and personal flowers will be delivered separately, usually to where you’re getting ready. This delivery is coordinated with your getting-ready schedule so your flowers are fresh and ready for photos.
You shouldn’t need to manage anything on the day. A good florist handles everything independently – setup, styling, and breakdown at the end of the evening – so that you can simply arrive, be present, and enjoy it.
A Few Things Most Brides Don’t Know to Ask
What happens to the flowers after the wedding? Ask your florist what the plan is for breakdown and whether you can take any arrangements home with you. Many couples love being able to enjoy their table flowers at home in the days after the wedding.
Can I see the flowers before the day? Some florists offer a table mock-up service where they put together a sample centrepiece for your approval before the wedding. We offer this – it’s one of our most popular add-ons and gives couples genuine peace of mind.
What if specific flowers aren’t available? Seasonal availability and market conditions mean that specific blooms can’t always be guaranteed. Ask your florist how they handle substitutions. A good florist will always substitute with something of equal or greater quality and within the same colour and style brief.
Is setup included in the quote? Always confirm this. Some florists quote for flowers only and charge separately for setup, styling, and breakdown. At Hada Events, our quotes always include full setup and breakdown unless otherwise specified.
Ready to Start the Conversation?
The most important thing is simply to reach out. You don’t need a complete vision, a finalised budget, or even a confirmed venue to have a first conversation with a florist.
If you’re getting married in Gauteng — at The Nut Farm, Stable View, The Barn at Redstone, Green Leaves, or anywhere else in the region — we’d love to hear from you.
Fill in our enquiry form or start a conversation on WhatsApp — we’ll take it from there.
