Everyone loves a wedding. Weddings are such a huge part of American culture that we don’t only like to attend them, we love to watch them on television and read about them in magazines. When it comes to celebrity and reality TV weddings, everything is over the top, especially the flowers, which set the bar extremely high for brides everywhere.

Weddings cost money. The average American wedding costs about $27,000, but can cost significantly more in some areas. When brides dream of their wedding, they are more likely to dream of the flowers than most any other aspect. Wedding flowers set the tone of a wedding. From the bride’s bouquet to the reception centerpieces, flowers are one of the parts of a wedding where the bride can have total creative control over her special day.

Choose Your Florist Wisely

Flowers are such a personal expression that florists must be prepared to find and acquire exotic specimens in order to create elaborate displays that ensures the bride’s wishes are not only met but exceeded. For some brides wedding flowers are almost as important as their dress.

With wedding flowers being so important, brides should be mindful of the process and avoid some common pitfalls to flower selection. Finding the right florist is a journey that usually begins with recommendations of friends and family, and past experience in having seen the florist’s work at other weddings.

Once a florist is chosen, brides sometimes make the mistake of not trusting them. Florists are professionals who understand that your wedding is a once in a lifetime event that you want to be absolutely perfect. It is their job to translate your vision into reality and listening to their advice is vital to achieving spectacular results.

Accept Compromise and Stick to Your Budget

A big part of trusting your florist is in accepting compromise. You might have your heart set on a particular flower for your bouquet or centerpiece that might not be available year round, or is only available at a budget breaking price. Be flexible and give your florist some room to make suggestions that may well be even more special than your original choice.

Budgeting is a great way to give your florist more creative flexibility than eliminating expensive flowers as an option. A good florist will work within your budget to create the best possible arrangements regardless of the cost of individual flowers.

While eliminating some flowers because they are too expensive may be a mistake, insisting on others can be equally troublesome. Highly fragrant flowers like hyacinths and gardenias might be your favorites, but they can cause problems for guests with allergies and can even make food less appealing. Your florist may suggest limiting these highly fragrant blooms to your bouquet so that they do not detract from the enjoyment of your guests.

Waiting for the last minute to order wedding flowers is probably the biggest mistake brides make in planning their wedding. Waiting too long to make arrangements for your arrangements may greatly limit your florists ability procure the best flowers for your big day – or worse, it may drive up your cost and add stress that is completely unnecessary.