Wedding planning can be a lengthy process, so some event planning may take place during the holidays. Combine holiday shopping and party planning with wedding shopping and vendor selection, so you and your partner can decide on the details and keep a lasting bond through the holidays and beyond.
Planning Before the Holiday Rush
The holidays are a magical yet busy time for most of us, especially florists and other wedding vendors. This doesn’t mean that you need to put your wedding planning on hold, but it does mean that you will need to be organized to make event planning during the holidays happen.
Before the holidays sneak up on you, sit down to plan and schedule. The holidays typically consist of shopping, so with proper planning, you can tackle multiple tasks like buying Christmas presents while picking out wedding accessories or even creating a wedding registry during the same outing.
Wedding planning during the holidays also extends to making a list that you can sequence into an order of importance. Once you have this list finalized, you can call and schedule meetings with venders before the holiday is upon you. Making these arrangements earlier allows you to schedule more vendor meetings and get more accomplished.
Vendors may have plans during the holidays or busy schedules consisting of parties or other events, so scheduling vendor meetups before the holiday rush will make a meeting more likely. With each meeting you have and each vendor you finalize, you will be that much closer to making your wedding dream a reality.
Meeting with Florists Through the Holidays
Christmas is a busy time for florists. Other than Valentine’s Day and Mother’s Day, Christmas is one of the busiest times we experience. This doesn’t mean we are too busy for you, but it does mean we may not be available for last-minute meetings.
Before you contact an event florist, try to envision how you want your wedding to look. Close your eyes, imagine the scene and simply breathe. You don’t have to be familiar with flowers for this visualization. This is more about colors and mood. This exercise should be one of relaxation. This should allow you to clear your mind, feel your relationship and ideally, find a way to bring that to life with flowers.
Once you have those first impressions gathered, you can then look outward for inspiration. Many people find interesting, creative ideas on sites like Pinterest and websites that are specific to wedding planning, but there is also something enjoyable about holding a magazine and flipping through the pages.
Wedding flowers can fall into several categories. There are personal flowers like bouquets, corsages and boutonnieres, which are the ones we often consider first. However, there are also ceremony flowers that decorate the aisle, entryway, chairs or altar. There are also reception flowers like centerpieces, table and bar arrangements, flowers for the cake and basically any other flowers beautifying the reception and extending the fairytale atmosphere of the wedding.
Of course, weddings are very personal, so which flowers you choose to have and where you would like them placed is up to you and your event florist. Having a list of these important details will be a good starting point for you and your wedding florist.
If you are unsure of what wedding florist you would like to use, try ordering arrangements from each florist you are unsure of. The flowers will make great holiday centerpieces and holiday décor, but you will also see what your event florist is producing. It will make your home more festive and will help you decide on your perfect wedding florist.
Frugal Flowers
One of the less enjoyable aspects of wedding planning involves working within a budget, unless you are fortunate enough to not need one. If there is a budget, let your event florist know as this will be a factor. Style, colors and other ideas you have are always appreciated, and your wedding florist can determine how to accomplish your look within the framework of your budget.
There are several ways to work within a budget without sacrificing beauty. Choosing in-season or year-round flowers is less costly. In the wide world of flowers, some flowers have lookalikes. Your wedding florist can often suggest flowers with a similar appearance that can achieve the desired look for significantly less.
Although it may seem counterintuitive, choosing larger blooms can make a statement and fit into your budget if you utilize them to their full potential. Greenery is another option as it can help add dimension and texture, which allows your event florist to expand a design while using fewer flowers.
Another way to work within a budget is to stick to a few kinds of flowers. This allows your wedding florist to buy in bulk. Flowers can also be reused simply by moving them from the ceremony to the reception areas or wherever else they can be enjoyed after the ceremony ends.
Visiting an event florist should be a comfortable exchange of ideas. Give your wedding florist a foundation, but also give him or her the freedom to expand on your vision.
Planning Parties to Test Wedding Vendors
If your holidays consist of any family gatherings, work events or parties, you can always take that opportunity to try out vendors. Instead of dealing with the hassle of shopping and cooking, why not have the party catered by a vendor you were considering using for your wedding?
Music is a great way to get a party going, and having a DJ or band play a party or get together is never a bad idea. This way, you can get a feel for the vendor and how he or she influences a crowd before you make a commitment.
A holiday party or event is also a great time to try out a florist. The presence of flowers instantly improves mood, and even science agrees.
Dr. Jeannette Haviland-Jones, Ph.D., Professor of Psychology at Rutgers, lead a ten-month study investigating flowers and how they influence feelings and found that flowers have a positive effect on emotional well-being.
According to Dr. Haviland-Jones, “Flowers bring about positive emotional feelings in those who enter a room. They make the space more welcoming and create a sharing atmosphere.”
Fresh flowers are often displayed in public areas or homes or other buildings. Essentially, flowers are meant to be enjoyed by many, so why not add flowers to the mix of a holiday event or party?
Whether you want to discuss flowers for a party, a wedding or even just ways to incorporate flowers into your life in a natural way that will lift your mood, we are always glad to meet with you to figure out what flowers work best for you. Our florists at A and Z Flowers Boutique in Astoria, NY, would love the opportunity to create your fantasy flowers.
A Planning Break May Not Be a Mistake
The holidays are a time where we expect to be busy, but this is also a time we should be spending with the people we love. It is a good idea to stay ahead of the game when it comes to planning your wedding, so you have the luxury of putting planning on hold to nurture your relationships and enjoy the holidays with family, friends and with each other.
Speaking of breaks, even though vendors often work during the holiday season, some do still take time off to spend with their families, or they may work remotely or be unavailable when they are on-site for events they have already scheduled.
Since many vendors are incredibly busy during this time of year, calling and scheduling before December, even if you are still undecided about certain things, can prevent you from playing phone tag with folks who may be unavailable once the holidays are right around the corner.
When it comes to wedding planning during the holidays, have realistic expectations. Even though we all start off saying we are never going to be demanding or disagreeable, stressful situations can arise, and the stress of planning holiday activities and a wedding simultaneously may be too much to tackle.
Do what you can, but don’t overdo it. Don’t try to be perfect or compete with any other couple or wedding. You are unique, and your wedding is a celebration of what works best for the two of you.
Weddings should be fun, but the truth is, planning a wedding can be stressful enough to test even the strongest relationships. Keep communication open and don’t allow wedding planning to consume every waking moment. The wedding is really about the two of you pledging to spend the rest of your lives together, and that sentiment alone is more beautiful than any dress, centerpiece or buffet table spread.