Ask the Florist! When Do I Need My Bouquets?

Dear Petal’s Edge,

I’m unsure of how early I should have my florist deliver my bouquets. Do I need to have them for the “first look” and the early pre-ceremony photos? I’m just wondering if they will still look nice for my ceremony if I get them 3-4 hours before the ceremony, which is when my photos are starting.

– Erika J.

Erika,

Oh, the eternal question! A tricky one indeed, since it is about balancing the freshness of your flowers with having them in your pre-ceremony photos.  Since each wedding is different, this is definitely a question that should be answered in coordination with both your florist and photographer to figure out what is best for your particular event. My first suggestion would be to talk to them and hear what their thoughts are on the subject. Since you asked us (and we know this is an issue that many couples deal with) we thought this would be a great opportunity for a chance for us to bring in a guest advisor!

We sat down with our colleague and photographer Jennifer Cody of Jen Cody Photography and asked her for her thoughts on the issue.

Jennifer’s advice is largely the same regardless of whether you are having a first look or not – don’t get them too early! We tend to agree, but it’s nice to hear it from a photographer as well. If you are not having a first look, says Jennifer, then skip it, and get the flowers at the ceremony location. It’s not worth the chance that you will leave your bouquets behind at the hotel (or where ever you are getting ready) or damage them en route to the ceremony.  She’s right! It does happen. A hotel concierge once had to buy our bride’s bouquet a taxi ride so it would make it to the church for the ceremony.  It held up the ceremony by 40 minutes!

Photo by Erika Nizborski

Photo by Erika Nizborski

For weddings that are having a “first look” (for those not in the know, this is a new tradition where the couple sees each other for the first time before the ceremony, instead of waiting until the ceremony itself), Jennifer also suggests skipping the flowers since the photos are about the couple and that moment. She says, “The bouquet doesn’t wind up in many pictures and often just gets in the way.” She also notes that she often finds that she or her assistant wind up having to babysit the bouquet to make sure that it doesn’t get bumped or bruised, and in reality, the bouquet will be in so many pictures later in the wedding. Since family and wedding party photos are generally in the hour or so before the ceremony, she suggests getting them in time for those photos.

Photo by Spence Photographics

We agree!  It’s better to get your flowers as close as possible to the ceremony start; then they will remain fresh for both the ceremony and the reception.  This is particularly important if you have any plans for using those bouquets as decor during the reception. Do consider your timeline and talk to your photographer and florist about this. You don’t want those bouquets to just wind up sitting in a corner – out of water – in a hot room (or worse, outside on a hot day) for hours because you didn’t consider when you would actually need them. Do remember those corsages and boutonnieres – being wired, they are particularly sensitive to being out of the cooler. Don’t pad the timeline thinking it will take a long time to pin them on – you will only need about 10-15 minutes for that at most.

We hope that helps!

Do you have a question about flowers or wedding planning?  Send us your question in the comment field or by email (to info@petalsedge.com, subject line “Ask the Florist”), and we’ll include it in a future round of Ask the Florist!