Searching for the perfect way to thank your guests for their presence at your wedding? We’ve rounded up a selection of the best Etsy wedding favors that your guest will actually want to take home! From scented candles to temporary tattoos to extra virgin olive oil, choose the Etsy wedding favors that best fit your personality and wedding style!
Drinkware & Drink Accessories
Sweets & Spices
Plants & Seeds
Candles & Matches
Fun & Games
Love these Etsy wedding favors? Check out our other Etsy wedding picks!
We don’t see a lot of weeknight weddings, so we feel confident in saying that Jasmine and Bennett’s celebration at FOC Sentosa is our favorite Tuesday wedding ever! This sweet couple chose this non-traditional day for one simple reason: it’s their weekly date night. Swoon! They asked their guests to dress as they would for a date and treated them to a cozy dinner party with fantastic food, good conversation, and fun surprises. From beginning to end, it was apparent that the three most important things for Jasmine and Bennett were God, connection, and community. After beginning their morning with a private card exchange and prayer, they said “I do” in an uplifting ceremony that included heartfelt songs, emotional vows, and a stunning custom floral installation created by the bride and flowerboydotcom. To cap off their “best date night ever,” they surprised their guests with a piñata filled with candy and confetti and enjoyed a cheese cake tower in place of a traditional wedding cake. Photographer Jonathan Ong put his storytelling skills to work in capturing every brilliantly designed moment of this sweet and sentimental wedding!
In the morning before all the buzz happened, we exchanged cards and then took time out to pray together. There was a sense of peace and purpose knowing that the day was more than just the two of us, and the beginning of so much more together. Feeling that God was in the centre of it all, our lives, holding the day, there was an ease and release thereafter! Plus Kosmo, our labrador, was right there with us!
SHOP THIS LOOK
Our best advice is to keep the main thing, the main thing! It is a special day, and it can be super stressful planning it. But remember to keep growing your love with your special person! It is easy to get distracted by everyone else’s weddings, pictures and advice. Love is all there is, the beginning and the end of it.
SHOP THIS LOOK
What you will remember is how you felt, and how you made everyone feel. Build into your marriage, the wedding will be beautiful because it reflects the love you share, not the stuff you fill it up with. Also, be kind! To yourself, to each other and also your vendors, they will champion your dreams when you trust them!
The most important thing for us was honouring God and the story He has written through us. For us to pay forward the love we have to the people who have shaped and championed us through the seasons. We wanted people to walk away from the wedding feeling super loved up!
SHOP THIS LOOK
Jasmine knew she wanted no part with fairylights and crates, so we were intentional to stray away from the lures of the blackhole of wedding decor and go with a celebration that screamed us rather than “perfect”. We went with colours and patterns we found in our wardrobe and rooms: shades of light/dusty blue, midnight, sage, ecru, forest, stripes, natural textures, rose gold. Something that was easy and organic, but still somewhat celebratory!
SHOP THIS LOOK
Almost everything was DIYed! Being a florist, Jasmine headed all the florals, aided by Desmond of flowerboydotcomand an army of friends. The metal that made the 2m diameter ring hoop was from Jasmine‘s family’s steel warehouse and fabricated into a hoop by her brother’s best friend. We crafted the photo holders from coloured clay to resemble mountains and rocks. Jasmine also designed and printed all the signs, programs, escort cards, and labels for the candles.
Every guest was greeted with a vellum envelope holding a personalized card. The vellum envelope had the guest’s name inscribed on it to be used as their place card and each card had a phrase that was either a memory shared with them or our pet name for them. We wrote personal messages to each of them, and that brought a huge smile to their faces! We also made soy candles with eucalyptus, lavender, and peppermint essential oils and named them Melbourne Date Night as a nod to our trip to Melbourne where Ben proposed and to the peppermint tea we drink every night.
We had one main focal piece — the floral chandelier — under which we exchanged vows and had our first dance. We kept everything else natural to create a relaxing setting where every guest felt loved and appreciated. To lighten things up during the cocktail hour, there was a live paella station, free-flowing sangria, film cameras for guests to capture moments, and a smashing time with a pinata!
SHOP THIS LOOK
Being huge cheese lovers, we had to have cheese on our special day. The wedding cake was made up of four wheels of cheese, one of which was our favourite Kapiti Kikorangi Blue. It was all gifted by a dear friend and embellished with figs, berries, and herbs.
Our biggest congratulations to Jasmine and Bennett, and a huge thanks to Jonathan Ong for sharing this incredibly sweet FOC Sentosa wedding with Junebug! Love the idea of a dinner party wedding? Then you’re sure to fall head-over-heels for Blake and Clayton’s modern romantic dinner party wedding at The Ravington!
Elisha and Gabe’s wedding at McCloud Guest House has the most nostalgic backyard vibes. From getting ready in the guest house and exchanging vows just a few steps outside, you feel as if you’re at a Sunday family gathering in your grandparent’s backyard. The warm, welcoming vibes continue by Elisha and Gabe bring surrounded life long friends and family, including the best man and maid of honor from elementary school. The outdoor reception space came together beautifully with long tables from Solano’s Event Rentals full of greenery and florals from Mount Shasta Florist. All of Elisha and Gabe’s sweet love and details of the day were beautifully captured by Hannah Merritt Photography.
I did most of the wedding planning, but I also had a lot of people around me that were willing to pitch in and help. I would say to future brides, ask for help especially on the wedding weekend–it can be fun if people are involved and get to be a part of the day. Gabeand I had an awesome bridal party and family that helped put up lights, set up the dance floor and chairs but we also had a volleyball net set up next to us, we were able to take breaks and enjoy the day instead of focusing all on the preparation.
Hannah and Justin were awesome. They made us feel so comfortable and got absolutely stunning shots. My favorite moment with them was right after our first look and before going into the main house to hide as all the guests arrived. My maid of honor had brought me a quesadilla and I took a couple minutes of downtime with them before everything started. It was sweet to take a brief moment of rest, they checked in on me and just sat with me – they’re the best.
My husband’s parents found the venue in McCloud. They live in Redding, about an hour south and have always loved the quaint town. They visited the McCloud Guest House after we got engaged and FaceTimed us while they were there. It was the first and only venue we visited–it was the perfect place.
Steel blue, gray, light pink, gold and textured greenery were the main colors at the wedding. I started with steel blue because I thought it would look good on all my bridesmaids and I simply loved the color. I found different color palettes with the blue on Pinterest and decided on the other colors from there. The light pink idea came from Kori at Mount Shasta Florists, I told her about what I wanted and she suggested the light pink in stock flowers and blushing bride protea–she was so right!
Gabe‘s dad did most of the DIYing. He built the arbor and awesome bar! The bar was made out of an old door and the bolts he used were from an old saw mill–it was such a cool piece.
During the ceremony, I mainly remember staring at Gabe the entire time we were at the altar and squeezing his hands, anxiously waiting for my turn to say my vows. We had debated getting married earlier but agreed we wanted more time to plan a wedding and get everyone we loved there so at that point we had been engaged over a year–I was ready.
Gabeand I both wanted everyone coming to feel welcomed and comfortable. We were so excited to get married, but mostly we wanted the wedding celebrations to be about bringing the people we love most together and enjoying everyones company.
We seriously loved all of the vendors that were part of the day. Everyone was very easy to work with and all are genuine, kind people. It made a huge difference that we enjoyed the people we were working with.
Amy and Edward headed to The Big Easy for their Hotel Mazarin wedding. They embraced the charm and romance of New Orleans and carried the city’s vibe into their wedding with jewel tone florals by Antigua Floral, one-of-a-kind , and choosing two New Orleans-centric venues for their big day. All of this came together seamlessly with Brooke Casey Weddings assisting in the planning for Amy and Edward while they dreamed up their wedding day all the way from Dubai. Erin and Geoffrey Photography’s moody style paired exceptionally well with all of the romantic details.
The main DIY activity was me creating all the illustrations for our wedding invitations. I painted a custom wedding crest and a number of other watercolour illustrations which take inspiration from New Orleans culture, incorporating elements like a fleur de lis and lots of local plants including ferns, hanging Amaranthus, Spanish moss, and magnolias (the Louisiana state flower).
Since we had a destination wedding, we were planning from Dubai with a 9-hour time difference to consider, so this was not without its challenges. For us it was pretty essential to work with a New Orleans-based planner like Brooke Casey. When you can’t do any site visits or meet people in person, it was really helpful to have Brooke’s recommended venues and vendors, as well as her planning timeline to follow. If you don’t have a planner, there are loads of planning timelines available online and I think these are great for keeping track of what needs to be done each month.
Choosing the right photographer for our day was key, as photos are the thing that last long beyond the wedding. We wanted a photographer who reflected the slightly moody, romantic tone we were going for, and we made the perfect choice with Erin & Geoffrey, a husband-and-wife duo based in Lafayette. Their photos have some real drama.
Ed went for a very dapper look in a tailored vibrant blue suit and knitted tie, complemented by some quite loud, colourful socks. He also gave all his groomsmen ties and socks to wear on the day so they didn’t get sock envy. I gave Ed some custom-made cufflinks as his wedding gift, which were engraved with the monogram I designed for our invites.
Flowers were also very important, since we weren’t planning to have a lot of elaborate decoration at our wedding. The floral and candle displays that Antigua Floral designed for our wedding helped to make each of our venues look stunning. I was literally obsessed with my bouquet and was so sad to leave it behind when we left for our honeymoon. Unfortunately it just wouldn’t fit in my suitcase.
It was the first time that Ed and I, as well as the majority of our guests, were visiting New Orleans, so we wanted our venues to reflect the culture and vibe of the city and its iconic French Quarter. We loved the idea of a courtyard setting for the ceremony, and Hotel Mazarin has an intimate space filled with lush foliage, with a beautiful fountain in the centre which provided a perfect backdrop for our altar.
For our reception dinner at Antoine’s, we were drawn to the history of this famous restaurant. It has been open since 1840’s and it’s filled to the brim with all sorts of quirky bric-a-brac collected over the years. When we arrived in New Orleans ahead of the wedding and saw it for the first time, we were given a fascinating tour of the place (which is huge) by our waiter Charles, who told us so many stories about Antoine’s through the ages. He himself is a third generation Antoine’s waiter!
With so many details to manage, checklists are a God-send during the wedding planning process. Since you’ve already gotten started checking off details using our wedding decor checklist, we thought it was high time to get into the nitty-gritty of all those signs you’ll need for your wedding day. Signage may not seem all that important, but if you want to enjoy your day without stopping every ten seconds to answer questions like “When does cocktail hour start?” and “Where’s the bathroom?” then signs might just be the most important decor items in your whole wedding day! Show your guests the way with this helpful wedding sign checklist and shop each sign below!
When Jessie and Andrew were planning their Cincinnati wedding, they knew they couldn’t contain their love to just one venue. The couple’s four (yes, four!) venues included a centuries-old lagering tunnel in which they had their incredibly intimate candlelit ceremony, and then they took their “moving wedding” over to the Findlay Market by way of a winter stroll complete with warm, boozy drinks. This incredible wedding is also full of DIY moments, like typewritten menus and a totally impressive dessert spread that Jessie single-handedly baked. Hearts and Color Co. photographed every breathtaking detail of the couple’s wedding, including the surprise billboard that Andrew surprised Jessie with on the day of the wedding!
Our wedding was as much about the people there as it was about us as the bride and groom. We kept it intentionally small and intimate and as such, wanted to give our guests an experience and to make them feel honored.
Hannah (our photographer) was incredible. If the mark of a good photographer is to not even notice her for most of the day and then somehow end up with beautiful photos perfectly capturing every part of your wedding, then she nailed it. She selected locations for our first look and outdoor photos that would have never even occurred to me, and the photos turned out better than I ever could have imagined. She was incredible, our photos are so perfectly unique, and I can’t praise her highly enough.
My husband had the brilliant idea of having a “moving” wedding, where we took our guests on a literal journey, starting in the tunnel. We then provided a make-your-own boozy hot drink bar to equip each of our guests with a warm drink for a winter stroll through the oldest continually operating public market in the state (Findlay Market) which led to the restaurant we rented out for dinner. Good food was important to us, so by having our dinner directly in an incredible restaurant, we knew they were equipped to feed us some amazing food.
The experience came in the form of a literal journey, with four separate parts to the evening in four different places. And we hope that small touches like a montage of wedding photos of every married couple in attendance & hand written cards to every guest went a long way in letting them know how much we value their role in our lives.
With regard to our ceremony venue (a centuries-old lagering tunnel 20 feet underground from the market)… we’ve have both rehabbed 130+ year old homes in the same neighborhood and are the type of people that walk into a crumbling old building and see it for what it could be, not just what it is. When we first viewed the tunnel (which was discovered by chance when a friend purchased the building above it), there wasn’t even a staircase down into it. We climbed down a 30-foot pile of 100 year old debris to see it. It was musty and damp and dark but all we saw was its beauty and knew it was exactly what we wanted (and eventually a staircase was built for the ceremony, of course).
During the ceremony, the man who purchased the building(s) that sat atop the tunnel shared the history of the building, the story of finding the tunnels, and the significance of our wedding in that space. Those tunnels are foundational and no matter what happens to the building above, those tunnels will never cave, never crack, never break. The parallels to a marriage and setting the foundation with our ceremony and vows was amazing.
From the groom: The most memorable part was actually standing at the altar and looking at Jess with such a feeling of accomplishment. Not only that we made it to a place that was going to launch the rest of our lives but also to be able to look into a dark room filled with close family and friends and be able to not only see them, but hear and feel their presence in the intimacy of the tunnel space.
We had a candle lighting ceremony, but involved each of our guests, with us lighting their candles rather than our own. This was a nod to them and the significant role they play in our lives and will play in our marriage.
Processional Song: My father walked me down the aisle to a piano ensemble he wrote/composed and recorded for me, called “A Song for Jess.” It was incredibly special having him walk me down the aisle to it. Recessional Song: We exited the ceremony to Father Stretch My Hands Pt. 1 by Kanye West (really). It was custom edited by a friend so that the build up took place as we neared the end of the ceremony, then climaxed during our kiss, and repeated the instrumental part as we exited (editing out some ridiculously vulgar lyrics Grandma would certainly have not enjoyed – ha)! It was amazing and perfect and hilarious and so very us.
Our dinner and reception venues are on one side of Findlay Market, and on the other side is a 4-story building with an old blank billboard on its roof. When you look out the windows during dinner and dancing, that building is perfectly framed in the distance. And at 6am the morning before our wedding, Andrew climbed (with permission) on top of the building and in sub-zero temperatures, hand painted our initials on the billboard then ran electricity to illuminate it with flood lights [seen in the photo below]. I had no idea he was doing this, and first saw it while walking across the market that evening. It was the absolute icing on the proverbial wedding cake.
Shed all expectations of what you think a wedding is supposed to be, and imagine what your perfect day looks like. For us, that was a beautiful space with a small group of our closest family and friends, with good food and a dance party. So we took that, found some fancy outfits, threw in some very intentionally written vows, and turned it into our wedding.
Our day of coordinator is what made it all work. Trying to pull off a wedding in four separate non-traditional venues is all but impossible without someone to oversee logistics. I didn’t have to lift a finger the day of our wedding, thanks to Rachel and her team.
I purchased a vintage typewriter and hand-typed every copy of our invitations, programs, menu cards, seating chart, and food/drink labels.
I made our cakes and every dessert on our dessert bar. We had over 500 macarons, four types of chocolate bark, 6 types of chocolate dipped pretzels, and three kinds of spiced/sugared nuts. I made a macaron for our place settings and hand-stamped the name of every guest in edible ink.
Lastly, we headed upstairs from the restaurant, which is office and event space for a local foundation run by a guest at our wedding. The space is beautiful and has an incredible view overlooking the market – it was a perfect final stop on our wedding journey.
Finally, I am absolutely convinced our DJ is what made our wedding so much fun. We almost didn’t hire one at all, and then when we did, he backed out with three days to spare. DJ Bandcamp stepped in on a favor and absolutely killed it. I can’t recommend enough making an investment in the right music. It sets the stage for the party part of your night. If you want your crowd dancing and having fun, make sure the music is perfect.
Mia and Paolo, both half-Italian, used their Villa Catureglio wedding as an opportunity to show friends and family the magic of Tuscany. The venue, a stunning villa surrounded by lush gardens and courtyards, was the epitome of Tuscan elegance. The couple enlisted the help of Kate & Rose Hobbs to style the ceremony and reception with subtle accents that emphasized the location’s natural beauty. After saying “I do” in the dreamy villa garden, photographer Stefano Santucci was able to capture some of the most romantic portraits we’ve ever seen by allowing the newlyweds to simply embrace in the quiet excitement of their love.
After many appointments trying dresses in London and Australia I decided on a couture Suzanne Harward dress and custom designed veil. I loved that the brand has so much history (a pioneer in the Australian bridal industry for 40 years) and the fact that every gown is entirely handmade in Melbourne with the finest construction and the most exquisite fabrics. The dress was tailor made to suit my figure and fit me perfectly. The silhoutte was very important to me and also the texture and detailing. I went for a full matt sequin embellished silk gorgette gown with a low drape back. The epitome of old school Hollywood glamour it felt effortless and easy to wear – being able to dance in it was a must.
Given the significant distance that many guests travelled to be there, we wanted to ensure that everyone experienced the magic of Tuscany as we both know it. For us, that meant focusing on the little things and getting them right.
Walking from the main villa to the gardens and seeing all of our friends and family who had travelled so far to help us celebrate was incredibly moving. The fact that the backdrop was the hills of Tuscany, with fairy lights strewn throughout the olive trees made it even more magical than we could have wished for.
We are so pleased that we chose Stefano Santucci Studio to capture our special day. Stefano and Lucrezia’s philosophy aligns perfectly with everything that we believe in, authentic, natural and beautiful moments. We really wanted someone who would capture the true ‘us,’ not staged and posed but the real emotions and moments of the day. We cannot recommend them highly enough.
We are both half Italian and feel a very strong cultural connection to Italy. Mia studied jewellery in Florence and Paolo’s half-sister also lives there so Tuscany holds a very special place in our hearts. We heard about Villa Catureglio through friends of friends, which is in a little town called Borgo a Mozzano about 25 minutes from Lucca. We booked a weekend trip to go and stay there and instantly fell in love with the estate. Although we had been searching for a while online it was the only property we looked at and the search stopped there. It was everything we were hoping for and more, built in the 12th century up on a hill with the most spectacular views over the Garfagnana Valley. It was private and intimate yet slept 42 people onsite. It’s rustic understated elegance and Tuscan charm meant it needed little decoration or styling.
Due to the natural beauty of the property, we didn’t over complicate styling. Our wedding reflected us as a couple and our personal style. It was elegant and refined but still rustic. We drew inspiration from the property and the landscape around us which we wanted to be the main focus and added a touch of old Italian vintage glamour.
Be organised! Mia was still writing place setting cards on the morning whilst getting ready and wrote her speech ten minutes before walking out to the reception. We really should have been enjoying every moment with our bridal party. Also don’t stress over the little things that go wrong, no-one else will notice except for you. The day passes so quickly so be sure to both step back and have a few minutes of alone time with each other to really appreciate the day and take it all in.
This candelit wedding in Sedona was perfectly intimate and full of amazing organic details! Bre and Bobby’s outdoor ceremony site at L’Auberge de Sedona featured a gorgeous view of the red rocks and perfectly complemented their organic wedding vibes a natural soundtrack of rushing water. From DIY invitations to a naturally elegant tablescape, Bre’s mother, Gloria of Glorious Floral Designs, gorgeously achieved Bre and Bobby’s visions in her planning and styling of the entire wedding. Photographers Jonnie & Garrett captured every beautiful moment of this couple’s special day!
I would say the most important part to me personally, in planning my wedding, was making sure that I stayed true to myself and my vision. I knew what I wanted in my head from the beginning and I didn’t waver in that. I stuck to my wants and needs and everything really flowed from there. It made the decision making process so much easier and really made me the happiest I could be on the day-of.
My dress was a Martina Liana and had layers and layers of lace and silk that you could see as I moved. I never thought I would wear a fit and flare gown, but when I tried it on I knew it was right. I loved BHDN’s vintage feel and wore a cuff from them as well as medium sized dangle earrings. My girls all wore BHDN dresses and I bought them special hangers that they could use on the day of as well as after. All of the colors flowed so perfectly and the florals tied it all together, making it look so intentional and stunning.
The DIY details for my wedding were unique in that my mother is an insanely talented floral designer and event planner. She was more than happy to help me plan every detail of my dream wedding and was really gracious in helping me stick to my vision. For the wedding invitations, we found a designer on Etsy to custom design all of our paper needs including the invitations, menu cards, and programs. We (my amazing groom and father) hand printed everything on handmade paper for a more organic feel. The wedding invitations really set the tone for our event.
My wedding vibe was one of the most important parts to me. Translating my vibe to my guests was a top priority and it really decided every decision from the beginning. I knew I did not want a “traditional” theme, including a traditional church venue, a DJ, the garter toss, or a reception where everyone is at separate tables. I knew I wanted a more organic feel with a touch of classic romance. I wanted my wedding ceremony to be filled with only my closest friends and family and for my reception to feel like a large, intimate dinner party.
My mother played a huge role in my wedding, as an event coordinator and floral designer. We planned my whole wedding through countless hours and spared no detail. We knew L’Auberge de Sedona was the perfect fit for our vision with the ceremony site and it’s stunning backdrop of the Arizona red rock and the reception down on Oak Creek was the perfect “nature” experience with the rushing water in the background.
The most memorable part of the day was reading our hand written vows to each other during the ceremony. We were both so in the moment, it was like no one else was there with us. We were able to speak from our hearts and share with all of our family and friends, the reasons we love each other and our promises to be committed. I will never forget those moments for as long as I live. The insane red rock views didn’t hurt either!
The moment I met our photographers Jonnie and Garrett, it was love at first sight. They are two of the most talented people in the world and they truly made my wedding. They captured everything the way it should have been and truly translated our day into perfect photos. They flow off of each other, capturing every moment, while making you feel at ease. Anyone that is able to work with these two are incredibly lucky and I can only imagine where their love for each other and photography will take them.
The decor was organic and romantic from the candlelight and eucalyptus garland everywhere. My bouquet was wild and garden style with the most lush florals. The six Descanso tables put all in a row lead everyone to be able to see one another and enjoy their time together. I wanted all of my guests to feel like they were in nature, and create memories with each other and celebrate our perfect day, all as one.
We intentionally set every detail of the reception table from the French lace linens to the hand strewn garland reaching down all six tables. There was dozens of floral center pieces that took my breath away when I first saw them. We loved the gold rimmed chargers, glassware and flatware and felt like that really tied in the elegant portion of our vibe.
My groom and I hand picked every song that played during our wedding. We did not want an overpowering DJ, and instead intentionally thought of our guests and our tastes and chose music for every part of the event. We were so happy with how our vision turned out at the end of the night, when we were able to speak to all 44 of our friends and family and celebrate together.
My mother also hand made our guest book and created the most stunning floral arrangements for the table that swept over the two “B”s and our tray of cookie favors. My mother truly made my perfect day happen. She oversaw every single detail and made sure everything was done to the standard of perfection. She spent countless hours preparing for my wedding and I truly could not have done it without her. She really made my dreams come true.
My advice to any bride I would share, is to let the people around you help. There are many people who would love to be a part of your process, and it turns into a wonderful experience letting them do that. Don’t be afraid to let someone take the reigns in smaller areas, even your groom. Tell people what you need from them and thank them. It will save you a lot of stress, and it’s a special time to have people show you they love you through their actions.
I’m just giddy working on this post…not only do I get to spend some time on my very favorite topic (I’m the flower girl here at Junebug amongst a die-hard group of loyal photography junkies!), but I get to share one of my favorite designers with you too! Junebug member Nancy Liu Chin is brilliantly talented, and as an expert in the industry she has a lot of great ideas for couples as they are planning and working with a floral designer. Today she is sharing some of her beautiful designs AND tips on what you can do to ensure a successful meeting with your florist!
From Nancy Liu Chin: Perhaps it is naive of me to think that all people who are newly engaged should know how to work with a floral designer. After all, there are endless wedding planning books, articles on how to plan the perfect wedding, and plenty of blogs…yet, today, a bride asked me if it was necessary to meet with me in order to get a floral proposal. Of course, meeting a floral designer is a must unless you are planning a destination wedding and even at that, I recommend a phone interview.
So to help newly engaged couples, I’m writing this post on how to prepare for your meeting with your floral designer. I truly hope this is not only helpful for engaged couples but for all event planners, floral designers, wedding enthusiasts…and many more. I will be using the term Floral Designer in this post for simplicity. Keep in mind that I am using both these terms – florist and floral designer – to mean someone who will be creating wedding flowers. It’s interchangeable!
So, the question is, what should you prepare for when meeting with your floral designer? Follow these steps, and your floral desgn
1. Flower Knowledge – Do you need to know the names of all the flowers?
My God, I hope not! If all clients knew the name of all cut flowers, then most of the floral designers around might be out of a job. To me, it’s like asking if a patient needs to know all the medical terms before they see their doctor. It would be unproductive and a waste of one’s time. If gardening is a hobby, I can imagine that you might want to know more about how flowers are produced, cultivated, and cared for. However, for someone who is planning a wedding, there are more productive things to spend your time on.
Keep in mind, a good, knowledgeable, informed floral designer should have a portfolio with plenty of flowers for a couple to look through. I keep a “deck” of colorful cards which are coordinated by color and alphabetized so that I can “flip” through it during meetings and show clients what flower I am describing.
Here are some good examples of the type of phrases that would be helpful for you to use:
Romantic, fluffy, large head flowers like roses and peonies that evoke a garden feel.
Modern, architecturally interesting blooms that have beautiful, shapely stems. French Tulips in a single vase are very elegant to me.
Something unusual with lots of spiky tips, fussy, different. Something that wouldn’t be fun to touch but would look very different from the standard fluffy flowers.
Simple, happy flowers that make me smile, like sunflowers, daisies, mums.
Bold, dramatic flowers that work for a grand ballroom.
Bottom line: Describe characteristics of what you want the flowers to look like!
It is very helpful to create a check list of things you need. Emailing a copy to your floral designer ahead of time is wonderful. You can also bring a copy with you to the meeting. Of course, since you may not know all the flower pieces that you might need, here is my check list.
Personal Flowers:
Bridal Bouquet
Bridesmaid Bouquets
Groom’s Boutonniere
Groomsmen’s Boutonnieres
Usher(s) Flowers
Reader(s)
Officiant
Mothers and Fathers
Grandparents
Sponsors
Ring bearer, Coin bearer, other little boys who need flowers
Flower girls, Junior Bridesmaids, other little girls who need flowers
Of course many couples go to meetings thinking that they will see something in a floral designer’s portfolio and instantly love it. I wish this were the case. But it is so NOT.
I think many couples come for inspiration. That’s wonderful! However, to make your wedding flowers truly unique, come with as many ideas and examples of things you love as you can. There are so many resources filled with ideas! Some things to bring:
Tear-sheets from magazines
Tagged images you love in wedding and floral design books
Images from wedding blogs, and individual blogs from wedding professionals
Pinterest boards
Swatch samples of fabrics you are using – your dress and bridesmaid dresses
Color swatches – you can go into Home Depot and pick out some “paint” chips so that you can clearly communicate your wedding colors. I guarantee you, when a bride walks into my office and tells me her wedding color is green, I ask her, “is it moss, forest, sea, celery, pea, chartreuse, apple, lime, sage, vivid, Kate Spade, Kelly, spinach, or pepper green?”
Your wedding invitation
Photos of your venue
Bring all the things that you think are useful for someone who is creating your weddings flowers. And it doesn’t have to be a whole novel – a few printouts, consolidated into something concise is perfect.
Bottom line: Go to be informed, and be prepare to show and tell.
In advance of your meeting, be sure to have a list of questions that you need answered. During the meeting, many will be addressed. However if you don’t have a prepared list, you might forget a few important questions. Jot down at least a few key questions. Some things you might want to ask:
Can you suggest a few cost saving tips?
What flowers hold up the best during the month of my wedding? (This question will show if the floral designer is truly knowledge about flowers and thinks off the cuff.)
Have you worked at my venue before? If not, would you mind going to do a site visit. (This question shows that a floral designer is attentive to the details and wants to be prepared. It also reflects their experience level.)
Do you drop off the flowers or does your staff or crew do the complete setup? (This question will answer what type of day of service you will get. And if the price for such service is warranted.)
What was your favorite wedding? Do you have an example in your portfolio? What made it so special? (This question will show you what the floral designer deems tasteful, interesting to them. I love this question because only a couple brides have ever asked me this and I think this one is by far the most interesting. It shows me that a couple wants to get to know me as a designer. )
How many events do you do a week? Will my wedding be the only one that day? (This question might be important to some of you if you feel that you need your team to focus on just you for that week.)
Have you ever gotten so ill that you couldn’t complete a job? If so, what would happen to my wedding? (It’s important to know if a floral designer has contingency plans. I know that we do, so I think others should be prepared as well)
Bottom line: Whatever quality is important to you, make sure you leave that meeting feeling that you get a good sense of a floral designer’s values, creativity, knowledge, and depth.
Thank you so much for sharing your expertise and knowledge with us, Nancy! Readers, for more great advice and ideas from Nancy, be sure to visit her blog “Nancy’s Brown Bag” and follow her on Pinterest!
Do you love scrolling through gorgeous photos on Pinterest as much as we do? Then you’ll love the new project we’re introducing today: Guest Pinterest boards created by wedding experts – our members! We’ve asked our amazing, Pinterest-loving members Caroline Ghetes, Kacee Geoffroy, Isari Flower Studio + Event Design and Wedding Concepts to create their own guest boards on our Pinterest page, filled with images of what’s inspiring them right now. Each member chose to focus on something slightly different, but equally inspirational. We hope you love repinning their stunning images!
Photographer Caroline Ghetes is well-known for her captivating yet natural images, capturing the most touching, joyful and compelling moments in each wedding she photographs. Caroline’s focus for her Junebug Pinterest board was simply Wedding Photography Inspiration, pinning photos that ranged from exciting and abstract to soft and romantic. See her board here!
Photos above by: Craig McDean for Vanity Fair, Tim Walker, Signe Vilstrup, Caroline Ghetes and Jonas Peterson
As one of the world’s most celebrated full service event planning companies, South Africa’s Wedding Concepts creates distinctive events for clients all over the globe, and they used their world class expertise to pin stunning photos in their Gorgeous Wedding Table Decor board. See her board here!
Photos above by: Vividblue, Garyth Bevan, Jan-Hendrik van der Westhuizen, welovepictures and Jean-Pierre Uys
Isari Flower Studio + Event Design pinned images for a board themed Beautiful Bridesmaids’ Bouquets. Celebrated for utilizing seasonal blooms with an array of texture and color, Isari creates bridesmaids bouquets are breathtakingly artistic! See her board here!
Top Southern California hair and makeup artist Kacee Geoffroy makes each bride she works with look completely and utterly beautiful, without straying too far from their natural, everyday look. Her Hair & Makeup Inspiration board is focused on soft, feminine makeup and retro hairstyles – the perfect trend for any bride planning a wedding right now. See her board here!
Thank you to our wonderful members for sharing their of-the-moment inspirations! Happy pinning everyone!
photo by Let’s Frolic Together
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