Tips From A Leading Philadelphia Floral Artist
“Floral artistry provides the pizzazz at a wedding, but many view floral planning as an afterthought, often waiting until the last minute.” That’s according to Vito Russo, the vice president and creative director for Carl Alan Floral Artistry, one of the Philadelphia region’s leading floral design firms. Russo has designed and planned flowers for thousands of weddings and has seen it all, such as the bride who completely forgot about flowers until two days before. (Don’t worry, Carl Alan quickly came to her rescue and created something beautiful for her wedding.)
To help future brides, mothers of the bride and planners, Russo offers the following list of the ten most common mistakes:
1) Many finalize a budget before truly accounting for all the components they’ll need. Often their mistake starts with per person thinking with the caterer, which tends to overlook extras like flowers, tips, clergy, etc., instead of the whole event picture.
2) Look at flowers from your guests’ point of view. For example, when seated at their table, will they be able to see and speak with guests seated on the opposite side?
3) Think about the season. Your dream flowers may not be in season, and you may want to select other types that would be more available and/or less expensive.
4) Be flexible with flowers. Trust your florist to know about the flowers and wonderful colors that are in season, look great, create your dream and are affordable.
5) Be careful about suggesting and using flowers, like lilies, with strong scents. At the tables, the scent can overpower the food.
6) Be careful about selecting fragile flowers. For example, flowers like lilacs, gardenias, lilies of the valley, and hydrangeas can wilt on a hot summer day.
7) Think of the big picture when planning your flowers. Consider your venue, so the colors and style work well with the interior, linens, chair color, etc.
8) When planning your bouquet, consider the dress you will be wearing so the bouquet will complement it, as well as the dresses the wedding party will be wearing.
9) Communicate your day-of timing with your florist, so bouquets and boutonnieres are available in time for the photos.
10) Communicate with your photographer about how meaningful the flowers are to you in order to make sure they are photographed as an important element.
About Carl Alan Floral Designs – celebrating its 100th year, Carl Alan is one of the region’s leading and most awarded floral design firms, specializing in weddings, mitzvahs, corporate decor and individual parties and events. Carl Alan is located at 1700 Market Street in Philadelphia.
