Now there’s the preparation, organising and booking of suppliers for the day. There’re so many options to choose from and that’s just with the flowers. To make sure you get the best floral advice we’ve put together some of the “not so obvious questions” you should ask your potential event florist.

Not so obvious? We at Thrive Flowers & Events have been in the Melbourne wedding & event flower industry for over 15 years and during this time have seen and heard practically everything when it comes to weddings, flowers and events. The list below is the top questions we have been asked over the years and how we can combat them for you.

1 - How many events have you done previously?

These are really good questions to ask, you want to make sure that the florist you choose is experienced and qualified.

Find out how many events per year your florist does and if they have won any independent awards

It’s also a good idea to ask what type of clients and companies they’ve previously worked with. Are they similar to yours? Are they brands you’d like to stand beside?

You are interviewing florists because you want quality and beauty for your event flowers and you need to make sure you are choosing an event flower specialist rather than a florist who does events and there IS a difference! Also don’t discount an event specialist because of concerns over cost, they should not necessarily cost you more, they should, in fact give you peace of mind and this is something that’s worth briefing your client on. Our customers are often quite surprised at our prices compared with a local florist shop.

2 - I have a budget; can you make my design work within it?

Wouldn’t it be amazing to have an unlimited styling & flower budget at your next event? Think, flower walls of Kim and Kanye size. Most clients have an idea of what they want for their flowers and also a budget. Do the ideas match the budget? This is where a true event specialist can help. If you have a budget it is a really good thing to tell your florist during your initial contact. This way they can work within it. Using the popular flowers like Peonies and David Austin roses on a smaller budget is quite challenging. But a skilled florist will be able to create the look you want using alternative flowers.

Shortly after your initial discussion, your florist should provide you with a fully itemised quote for everything on your event flower wish list. This way you can subtract (or hopefully add) items to match your budget. There should be no hidden costs with your event flowers.

3 - How many events per day do you do?

This is definitely one of those “not so obvious” ones. Your event is important and you want the best possible, but all florists need to make a living and, especially during wedding & event season, it is likely they will have more than one event per day (especially on Saturday’s). Find out if your florist already has other bookings for your date. If yes, ask them how they will fit yours in. An experienced and award winning wedding florist won’t bat an eyelid at this question and would only take on multiple bookings if they have the resources to do so.

In general (and especially at Thrive) the earlier you lock in your florist, the better result you have in terms of resources and timings for your special event. At Thrive, if you lock in your event first then every other booking we may have on the same day must fit around yours. In saying that, an experienced florist will often be able to come to the rescue with a last minute delivery; we’re here to make you look good, so if we can save your butt, we will absolutely try our hardest to do so!!

4 - Do you personally select our flowers?

This question came from a groom a few years back and has stuck in our minds ever since, it’s a great question! Your florist should personally select your event flowers when they are located in close proximity to a wholesale market or directly from the farm.

The flowers from the shop floor will just not cut it.

At Thrive Flowers, we are lucky to be close enough to the (trade only) Melbourne Wholesale Fruit Vegetable & Flower market and during wedding & event season hit it up 3 times a week to ensure we have the freshest and highest quality stock on hand for your event.

5 - Where do your flowers come from?

If ethically and locally sourced flowers are important to you then this is a good question. Because, yes, there is such a thing as Flower Miles! Flowers are shipped into Melbourne from all over the world and not all come from countries that produce them ethically or with environmentally sustainable practices.

Should you wish, an event flower specialist will be able to tell you where each piece of your design has been sourced from, as they would have selected each piece personally.

6 - How do the flower deliveries work on the day?

This is more important than you might imagine, as you want every thing to run smoothly on the day. Think AV equipment, last minute catering requirements and entertainment! With everything going on, picking up the flowers is not a job (or responsibility) that you or your team have time for.

Your quotation should include the delivery, set up and pack down charges clearly stated. If you would like to thank some of your guests or speakers, talk to your florist about the option to purchase rather than hire glassware, not only will everyone love taking flowers home, it will also mean your florist wont need to come back to collect them.

At Thrive, all our event deliveries are made using our own trained staff (and not a random courier), to ensure that your event flowers get to you the same way they left our studio.

7 - What happens to our event flowers afterwards?

That should be completely up to you. You will have paid for the flowers (maybe not the vases), so you should be able to do with them what you please. Give them away to your guests or perhaps even donate them to a local hospital. Your florist should give you options to ensure that these floral works of art are admired for more than just one day.

At Thrive, we offer a wrapping station, from just $20, complete with paper and twine, so that your guests can take them home. We can also organise on your behalf, for $100*, to collect, rearrange and deliver to our local palliative care hospital.

* Please note that the $100 is to cover the costs of collection, rearrangement, additional materials and delivery. Thrive does not make any profit from this arrangement.

8 - I have no idea what I want, can you give me some inspiration?

If your florist doesn’t have an extensive portfolio of recent work (whether it be a website gallery, Instagram, Facebook photo album, Pinterest, photo album), then walk away. You want to choose an event florist who is passionate about their work and has the proof to show you. Pinterest is a great tool for both customer and florist to share styling inspiration. If you have a Pinterest board for your client be sure to share it with your florist.

The experienced event florist will have done many events and will be able to provide you with a multitude of ideas to fit your likes, your budget and your venue and your brand. If you’re not sure what to search for, your florist should be able to guide you in the right direction based on your things like corporate colours, season, sponsorship colours, brand positioning, style etc.

We hope you’ve enjoyed some of our insight and don’t hesitate to contact us for your next event! Alyssa, Rosie & the Thrive Flowers & Events Team