Floral Planning Guide

Sparks Florist® is here to make the complicated simple so you may be fully confident that your special day will be as magnificent as you have imagined. Weddings are joyous, fun, and exciting, so we created this guide to help you determine the floral designs and styles you love best and you feel will best enhance your vision. This guide will also help you determine your floral budget.  Make sure you fill out the Consultation Request form to schedule an appointment and start planning your dream wedding!  The Sparks Florist team is here for YOU, and we are more than happy to help in any way you desire, as we have since 1960! 

 

The bride's bouquet is not only a focal point, but also reflects your unique personality and serves as an important element of the your attire.  We will personalize and custom-craft your bouquet to reflect the style, color, scent, sizes and shapes you prefer.  For example, you might envision a stunning all-white bouquet, or a petite and vivacious design bursting with color, or perhaps an elegant monochromatic bouquet.  Costs can range from $95 to $500, with an average range of $185 to$225.  Plus, we can create a smaller version of your bouquet that you can toss so that you can keep your bouquet. “Toss” bouquets average typically range between $40 and $75.

 

Bridesmaid bouquets compliment your bridal bouquet, but are often smaller and are designed to match the overall theme.  Bridesmaid bouquets usually are identical with the exception of the Maid of Honor bouquet which often differs in size, color, or flower content.  You may decide to use different flowers, colors, and styles for each individual bridesmaid depending on their gowns, and you can make it fun!  Bridesmaid bouquets range from $55 to $150 and tend to average $80 to $100.

 

Corsages are usually coordinated to reflect and enhance the bridal gown and the overall theme of the wedding.  Traditional corsages are pinned to the dress, but wrist corsages reflect modern trends.  Some of the best flowers to consider for corsages include roses, orchids, and daisy pompons due to their wide range of colors and durability.  Corsage costs usually range between $35 and $55.

 

Boutonnieres typically are much smaller than corsages, and feature fewer flowers. Popular boutonniere blooms include orchids, stephanotis, and roses. An average price range is $20 to $30.

 

Many decorating options are available for you to “paint the setting” with beautiful flowers and thereby set the mood of your ceremony for your guests, including creating a focal point for your exchange of vows.  For example, will you have an arch or chuppah, altar flowers or symmetrical arrangements on stands or columns, pew bouquets along the rows of seating adjacent to the aisle, rose petals strewn along the aisle, arrangements for the guest registration table, bathrooms, and dressing areas? Most brides prefer to rent chuppahs, free-standing arches, stands and columns from us. The costs of floral decor added to them usually ranges from $350 to $1500. Matching floral arrangements usually range in cost from $150 - $750 each. Smaller accessory arrangements usually range in cost from $75 to $150. Pew bouquets often cost $25- $75 each.

 

The floral décor for your reception provides an opportunity to have some fun while reflecting the style and overall color scheme you have chosen. Reception flowers can be elaborate or quite simple, adding warmth and charm to the reception area, and making it inviting and comfortable for your guests.

Consider special arrangements for the head table in contrast to the guest tables, but all centerpieces should be designed to reflect and embellish your floral theme.  Remember to consider the height of the centerpieces. Tall and broad pieces may hinder conversation by obscuring visibility, but shorter, round pieces add a sense of festivity to the ambience. But, if you prefer tall pieces, it is best to have them seated on a tall pedestal or narrow vase at least 30” above the table, allowing unobstructed visibility underneath.  Flowers for the head table(s) often are larger and more elaborate than those on the guest tables.  Head table pieces range widely between $175 and $750 with a typical average range of $175-$300. Guest table centerpieces also range widely between $50 to $500, with most in the average range of $75-$150.

You will likely also consider flowers for the buffet table(s), bar, cocktail tables, memory table, and gift table. Like head table pieces, buffet pieces are usually large arrangements with similar costs. Bar and cocktail pieces are usually much smaller, priced between $25 and $75, and there is no reason why all accessory pieces cannot be essentially identical in size and price.

It is customary to decorate your wedding cake and cake table with flowers matching those of your bridal bouquet.  Cake flowers range in cost between $50 and $300, but most average $75, and we will custom decorate your cake prior to the reception.  Many brides also choose a small accessory piece, the same or similar to cocktail table centerpieces for the cake table.

 

The work, creativity, and services performed by our professional designers is of the highest possible quality, and because we fully focus our efforts on you and your event, we carefully schedule our initial consultation and all subsequent event activities accordingly.

 

Your initial consultation with our wedding specialist is complimentary. During the initial consultation, we will discuss your vision in sufficient detail for us to prepare a detailed proposal. At that time, and in addition to discussing your floral needs, we will discuss your needs for accessory items including special decorations, linens, lighting, ornamental plants, specialty candles, containers, and ribbons that may be available for purchase or possibly on a rental basis to help you control costs.

 

For us to provide the detailed proposal, we require a signed services contract and we will charge you a professional services retainer totaling 20% of the total charge for products and services indicated in the proposal. This retainer will be credited to the cost of your wedding if you decide to schedule and reserve our professional services, but otherwise the retainer will be 100% non-refundable. At that time, we also will schedule a meeting with you to be held 30 days prior to the event, at which time we will we make any changes you require and provide you with a revised cost in accordance to the changes you specify. Additional meetings following the final review can be scheduled in blocks of 30 minutes duration at a cost of $60.00 per 30-minute session. Final payment in full is due 30 days prior to your wedding. Installment payments are permissible prior to the time that final payment in full is due. We will order your flowers and accessories only upon receipt of final payment.

Once your flowers and accessories have been ordered, it may be impossible to make further changes or special orders, depending upon product availability from our growers and suppliers. If changes are possible, the differential costs may and likely will be higher than previously quoted or than is customary and standard for us.