We just want to start off by saying this may be the prettiest blog we've ever done! When it comes to wedding floral arrangements, we've been blessed to work with some amazing professionals in the last few years! Even though we've photographed a ton of different arrangements, styles, and color palettes, we are by no means experts when it comes to this niche of the wedding industry so we will be joined on this blog by our dear friend Kristi Mayrand from Stargazers Designs! She is responsible for the beautiful bridal bouquet on our cover image and many other arrangements to come! Like many of our articles, we like to provide information to help those currently in the planning process! Whether your here to get some visual inspiration, or to soak up the valuable information that Kristi has so graciously provided in our Q&A session below, we hope it will help you in preparing for your wedding day!
Joe: Kristi, thanks for being willing to share your knowledge with all of us! For those who don’t know you, would you mind introducing yourself and telling us a little about your experience with florals and the wedding industry?
Kristi: Hello, I am Kristi Mayrand. I am the owner of Stargazers Designs. I have been in the floral industry for almost 30 years and have owned my own business for 24 years. I specialize in wedding florals and love what I do!
Joe: With all of your experience, you must have seen a lot of trends come and go. What would you say is currently trending for florals? Is there anything timeless that remains year after year?
Kristi: Burgundy, pinks & creams have been trending for several years, but I have noticed that cocoa, cream, peach and gray are starting to trend upward. All white with greens is always a timeless look.
Joe: I want to preface this question by saying, we know every wedding, every couple, and every vision for their day is different, but for the average couple, what would you say is a good range to budget for your florals?
Kristi: This greatly depends on the type of floral chosen. On average a realistic budget is $1500 and up. This will be greatly impacted by how many attendants you have and the scale of arrangements that you want. Our average seems to run between $3000 & $5000.00
Joe: As photographers, we obviously know the positive impact that well done florals can have when it comes to your photos. Do you have any little known tips for our brides reading this when it comes to planning for their florals and the visual impact they can have?
Kristi: Florals are a way to show your personality and style. Choose colors that represent who you are as a couple. Choose colors that compliment your dress, his tux, the venue, and your story. Avoid colors that blend into your dresses or the background, you want to accent with your florals.
Joe: Do you have any strategies or recommendations for couples on a smaller budget like where they can save in some areas but still have a beautiful overall arrangement? Where would you recommend them putting most of their budget in florals if it is small?
Kristi: I suggest putting the money into the bouquets, because you can re-purpose those to vases on your reception tables. Use Pinterest as a suggestive guide for what you want. Every budget is different and suggestions can be made to use say, less expensive flowers to give you the overall look you have chosen from a premium floral picture online.
Joe: Sometimes they say too much of a good thing can be a bad thing, are you noticing any kind of trend towards smaller bouquets or more simplistic arrangements?
Kristi: No, completely opposite actually. The brides are looking for those statement pieces.
Joe: We live in a pretty busy area when it comes to weddings, how far out would you recommend a couple book their florist?
Kristi: Once you have your venue booked, I suggest looking for a florist. We book up to a year in advance.
Joe: How can the season affect the availability of certain flowers that brides would want in their arrangement? Is there a common one that you see all too often (I.e. like a bride getting married in the winter that always asks for a summer flower) ?
Kristi: Brides seem to love the look of peony and dahlia, both of which are seasonal flowers. An experienced florist will be able to recommend flowers that will give you the same overall look and design if those are not available due to the season.
Joe: Is there anything a couple can do with their florals once their wedding is over?
Kristi: We suggest if you and the family do not want all the floral from the wedding, or you are from out of town and just can't transport them, donate those to the local VA center or nursing home. We offer this as a part of our breakdown service after the wedding. Some brides dry their flowers and have them placed in a keepsake shadow box frame.
Joe: How important is it to involve your florist in the the design and color scheme set up for your wedding day?
Kristi: Your florist should always be a part in this process. Use their knowledge as an asset when choosing your flowers and designs to make sure you have the look you have envisioned.
Joe: You are amazing and we can’t thank you enough for your time! We wanted to wrap up with one more question. What advice would you give to those currently searching for a florist for their wedding day?
Kristi: Do your research, choose a florist that you connect with. Check out their websites, Facebook and Instagram. Ask your other vendors for referrals, they are wonderful. The vendors all know each other's work. Trust their opinions, we work together and know who can be depended on and the quality of their work.
Joe: Kristi, we want to thank you again for sharing your knowledge with our audience! Bonus question, how can couples contact you if they are interested in learning more about your services for their big day?
Kristi: You're very welcome, thanks for having me! We can be reached through our website, www.ashevillewed.com, email: stargazersfloral@gmail.com, or give us a call at 828-254-3621.
Special thanks to all of the amazing florists who've visually contributed to this blog!