Looking for your wedding florist but not sure which one to go for? I’ve had a great chat with my good friend and amazingly talented wedding florist- Hannah Louise Flowers. She has a dreamy, romantic style of floristry and is she is so lovely and super creative. Check out all her advice for couples to consider when choosing their wedding florist and don’t forget to check out her website here.
Soft and romantic floral creations by Hannah Louise Flowers
Is there a specific style that you like to work in when it comes to your wedding floristry?
I would describe my style as natural and pretty, I like using lots of different flowers and foliage’s in my designs so as to give an abundance of texture. It's so satisfying when you look at a bridal bouquet and you see something different from each angle, with lots of movement and little surprises at every turn.
Can couples pick the types of flowers they have at their wedding?
Yes of course! I always ask my couples if they have any particular favourites they would like to include and if there's anything they don't like. I find a lot of my couples aren't overly knowledgeable on the different varieties of flowers (which is fine!) so I always suggest some blooms that I think would suit their theme, colours and the season. I send out a mood board with all my quotes which has photos of the flowers I recommend so they can see what they look like and see how they all work together - I find this visual really helps bring it all together and get them even more excited about their wedding planning!
Bouquet by Hannah Louise Flowers
How does your process work from start to finish?
When a couple first contacts me they usually ask for some more information about how it all works and some pricing, so I have an information sheet that I have put together which I send over. I also send a questionnaire and ask them to fill this out with some more details about what they're looking for. This helps me see whether their ideas and budget match up, plus helps me prepare some different ideas to show them to keep everything budget friendly without having to compromise on the look. I will then invite the couple to a consultation at my studio in Tiptree where we talk through their ideas, look at photos, try out vases etc and just really plan out their flowers for the day. Following this I put together their quote and a mood board with inspiration photos and some of the flowers I plan on using. Once they're booked in that's their flowers taken care of and then we will start finalising the details about six weeks before the big day. In the week leading up to the big day I will take delivery of their flowers and get to work on designing with them. On the big day, I will set up all their ceremony, tables, installations etc and deliver the bouquets/buttonholes to the bride/groom. And that's it! The whole process can take 1 year - 18 months and I always encourage the couple to follow me on social media during this time, it helps with the excitement levels!
What sets you and your business apart from the other wedding florists?
Because it's just me I offer a very personal service to my couples, nothing is too much trouble and I'm very flexible with changes to designs, colours, flowers etc. My studio has been described as a real-life Pinterest board so my couples love coming for their consultations and leaving full of ideas and excitement! Brides tell me they can always tell one of my bouquets in a photo; I've worked hard on my photography skills so that I can really showcase my flowers to their true potential. Danielle was the one who taught me how to use my camera and take lovely photos of my flowers so a massive thank you to her! She’s so talented and so comfortable to be around so you’re in good hands for your wedding!
I think my background in design has given me a keen eye for detail and knowing what works well together, my couples are very trusting and usually let me choose what flowers I want to work with because they know I'll capture their vision. Danielle was the one who taught me how to use my camera and take lovely photos of my flowers so a massive thank you to her! She’s so talented and so comfortable to be around so you’re in good hands for your wedding!
Hannah’s dreamy studio
What experience do you have in wedding floristry?
I got into floristry in 2013 when my brother got married and I helped with their wedding flowers, and I enjoyed it so much that I was enrolled in college the following week! I've always been creative and I have a degree in Graphic Design, but I've always been more hands on so floristry made so much more sense to me. I started working on my own weddings the following year and it has all grown from there. To date I have flowered over 130 weddings with weddings booked in for the next 2 years.
Do you provide additional decorative items/ services?
I have a small collection of items I hire to couples, including vases, candles, lanterns, milk churns, crates etc all of which can be viewed at my studio.
Elegant and romantic wedding bouquet by Hannah
What happens to the flowers after the wedding?
I always encourage my couples to do something with their flowers after their wedding so that they don't go to waste. A lot of my brides want to preserve their bouquets in some way so I can recommend some companies that do this. With things like the centrepieces I suggest that they let their guests take them home - if they are hiring vases or containers from me then I will try and design the flowers in such a way that they can be lifted out of the vase at the end of the night so that they can be taken home. Another nice idea is to donate them to places like care homes and some of my brides have even laid their bouquet on a loved one's grave after the wedding. There are lots of options so they can be enjoyed for longer and don't just have to be thrown away.
How important do you think it is, as a florist, to have worked at a wedding venue before?
I think it depends on what floral designs the couple would like. If it's fairly simple in terms of just table flowers and bouquets etc then I don't think it's overly important, but if there's anything that needs to be constructed on site then it's useful to be familiar with the venue so I have a better idea of layout, measurements etc. At this point I have worked at most venues within and surrounding Essex, but if it was a new venue that I'd never been to before then I will often arrange a meeting at the venue with my couple to have a walk around. If your chosen supplier hasn't worked at your venue before though it's certainly not an issue, plus us suppliers love being able to work somewhere new!
Flower details on the wedding reception tables by Hannah Louise Flowers
What should couples expect to budget for wedding flowers?
It really depends on how big a part they want flowers to play in their wedding - you can really get carried away with the flower bill ending up in the thousands! Some venues need more decoration than others, e.g. a big, plain marquee can really be dressed up whereas a gorgeous country house usually has enough character of it's own that the flowers should complement this rather than hide it. I would say my couples' average spend is between £1,500 and £2,500 though.
How far in advance should couples look to book their wedding florist?
I would say 1 year to 18 months is a good amount of time. Flower prices change daily at auction so it's often hard to predict prices 2 or more years in advance, plus I usually find couples change their minds a lot when they book things in too early! If there's a particular supplier you really want though, whether that's a florist, photographer, baker etc, then please do contact them as soon as you've booked your venue to express your interest and see what their policy is on early bookings.
What areas do you cover?
I flower weddings mainly in Essex and Suffolk, however I have also worked in London, Kent, Oxfordshire, Cambridgeshire, Hampshire and even Dorset! I'm more than happy to travel some distance to a wedding (within reason!) as long as it isn't going to affect the flowers.