TO D.I.Y. or not to D.I.Y. ...That is the Question

As you are planning your wedding, you might begin to question and consider if you should or should not D.I.Y. your own florals and decor. Hopefully, after reading this article, you will have the help you need in deciding which you prefer and if you are capable of being a do-it-yourself bride or groom! When it comes down to it, the main reason you D.I.Y. is usually to save money. It's true you may be saving money—however—you are creating and taking on so much more stress and work for yourself. You are the only one who can decide what it is you do or do not need to handle or stress about on your wedding day. Below are some questions you should be asking yourself before you make your decision.
 

Question #1: Am I crafty enough to design my own flowers and decor?

Are you a very crafty guy or gal and do you think you can tackle florals and decor for your wedding? If your answer is a yes, then continue reading to ensure you are fully prepared for making the D.I.Y. decision. If your answer is no, you probably should automatically hire a florist. Even if your aunt or family member may be crafty, they may simply make what they want to make and not design what you are asking for. That’s why a florist and contract help ensure you get what you want for your wedding.

Question #2: Are you familiar with flowers? Or at least gardening?

I am not going to lie, flowers are a beautiful object to work with but so many flowers can be handled improperly and die because of their sensitivity. Are you prepared to handle this waste of time and money if you mess up?  Please know that fresh cut flowers are not like gardening. Once cut from the ground (most of the time), they need to be handled differently in order to prolong their life and ensure the product holds up and looks healthy for your event. You need to have, at least, simple floral product care and handling knowledge and skills if you are going to tackle designing your own wedding florals and decor.

Question #3: How will you store your designs and decor once they are made?

So you have D.I.Y.-ed your wedding flowers but now what? How far in advance did you design your flowers? Did you make them Monday? If so, they still have to hold up for five more days (which is a standard lifespan for many cut flowers). What is the temperature of the space where the flowers are stored? Florists specifically store flowers in a cooler and design florals Wednesday through Friday for a Saturday or Sunday event. This cooler is usually at 40 degrees. Can you store your flowers in the same way? Or at least in a chilled basement? Never let flowers get too hot, because they will get exhausted and dehydrated quickly. Also, never let flowers get any colder than 35 degrees! Once you get to 30 degrees or below, the temperature is now at or below freezing. Freezing flowers will brown and turn into frozen, brown mush. It happens, and it is so gross and smelly!
 

Question 4: How are you transporting all the florals and decor?

Most florists have a rental and delivery van or box truck, depending on the size of the wedding. Is this an extra cost you have considered to add into your budget—just to rent a van for the day or weekend? How will you package your flowers and decor into the van? Most florist pack and wrap every centerpiece lovingly. If you do not pack things properly, then you will have sliding, tipping, crashing or breaking florals and decor once you arrive to the venue!
 

Question 5: Who’s setting up for you?

If you are D.I.Y.-ing your florals and decor, how will you be setting up your florals, and how long will it take you? Will other friends, family or your bridesmaids be there to help you? How many other tasks will you have to do the day of your wedding? Do you want to be setting up your wedding decor or just enjoying your day being a bride and taking your time getting ready and just hanging out with your bridesmaids? Do you have a venue coordinator or planner? Make sure to ask (and not assume), as they can offer help or assistance to you. Make sure this is a question you ask prior to your wedding week!

Question 6: Don’t forget Tear down.

Are you letting guests take centerpieces and decor home with them, or will you be trying to clean up the venue and load up all your decor on your wedding night? Some venues may help tear down the decor and condense it into a corner of the room for you, but you should ask the venue what they will and will not do. Your venue also, may or may not let you leave your decor and come back the next day for it, depending on their schedule and policies.

All of these questions are matters of time, labor and coordination that a florist typically takes care of, depending on your agreement. So ask yourself: “Are these things I’m personally willing to do? Is it worth my time figuring out and doing, or—in the end—should I just hire a professional florist whom I’m paying because of their expertise and knowledge of what florals and decor entail?” It is always important to know and understand all the logistics for your wedding day and if you want to hire a professional or try to save some money and time D.I.Y.-ing. The decision is yours, but make sure you understand fully what you may be taking on as a D.I.Y. project before jumping into your project, so there won’t be any surprises that may affect you the day of your wedding.

*****
 

"Fleurology Designs was created from my love and passion for flowers and botanicals. My infatuation with flowers began as early as when I could walk. My family has always had a love for nature, gardening and agriculture so, naturally, I have had florals influencing my life. After 10 years of being in the floral and event industry and with support from my loved ones, Fleurology Designs was created in May of 2016. My goal is to push floral boundaries and create new and inspiring concepts. As a flower obsessor, I love to study, analyze and experiment with flowers, foliages and plants which, to me summarized, was Floral Biology. I wanted to create a word that meant Floral Biology and this is how the fruition of fleurology was created! My mission is to spread the love, joy and education of flowers and botanicals to every client or person I meet!" ~Alyssa Ferguson CF

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