Working With Florists – Tips and Advice from Guest Expert Emma Soulsby

Today, with great pleasure, I’ve handed my blog over to the floral genius – Emma Soulsby. Emma has worked with me on a number of projects (you may recognise her designs if you attended my spring SHINE training sessions).  She also works successfully with a number of my venue clients – in fact, of the images you see, both Two Temple Place and Somerley House are past clients of Kelly Chandler Consulting as well as Emma Soulsby Flowers.

Emma is going to share her tips with you on how to make the most of your relationship with professional florists, how to dress your venue for best impact and more.  Over to you Emma ….

Flowers are arguably the most important part of a wedding’s décor. They can create atmosphere, impact and a real sense of occasion.

As a luxury wedding florist, I’ve had the pleasure of working in some incredible locations and venues across the UK. It’s really worthwhile taking the time to build a successful working relationship with a handpicked selection of florists for your preferred suppliers’ list. You’re guaranteed to cross paths with us in person during set up; and well-crafted, sculptural installations can also really show off your venue as well as our blooms. Here are my top tips for getting the most out of working with my fellow florists and me.

Communication:

Get in touch early and offer an in-person venue visit at your earliest convenience. The florist will need to scope out the venue and the spaces available to begin brainstorming and moodboarding for the client. Keep channels of communication open with the florist as well as the couple throughout the planning process to make on the day set up as smooth as possible.

Flexibility:

Try not to limit the number of spaces available for the florist to work with. We like to get really creative and let our imaginations run wild. It might be that a certain corner, stairway or window sparks our inspiration for a one-of-a-kind installation in a way that you’ve never considered before.

Trust:

We appreciate how important your venue is to you, and we promise to treat it with respect, down to the last cornice or balustrade. Setup for flowering a large wedding can sometimes look a little intimidating, particularly when statement arrangements or hanging installs are involved. However, we ask that you trust us to do our job, and remain safe in the knowledge that our work won’t cause any damage and that, come takedown, we’ll leave no trace.

Time:

This is the big one.  We understand that hosting a wedding day requires a huge number of carefully timed plates to be kept spinning and that schedules are key. If I could ask one thing of any venue (particularly those working with events co-ordinators), it would be to build in more time than you think is necessary for your florist to set up. There’s nothing more stressful than running up and down ladders with armfuls of foliage on a two-hour timeslot (and yes, sadly I speak from experience.) Talk to the florist before each event and find out how many arrangements they’re planning and how much time they will realistically need.

Keeping the above pointers in mind will help you to cultivate a flourishing relationship with any florist you work with, and will assist when approaching a selection of preferred suppliers for your list.

About Emma Soulsby Flowers

A luxury London floral design studio, Emma Soulsby Flowers creates unique, abundant and artistic arrangements that express each couple’s style. Emma has a particular affinity for large-scale, high impact installations that add a real wow-factor to every space.  Recent favourites include a luscious staircase flowing with roses, a spectacular circular moon gate backdrop in autumn colours, and a sculptural, freestanding arch that really makes an entrance.

Are you a wedding venue that would like to learn how to engage and nurture your preferred supplier team?  Get in touch with me to find out more about my wedding consulting programme which will help you build a dream team that will elevate your wedding business. Click HERE.

Contact Emma: Emma Soulsby Flowers // email: emma@emmasoulsbyflowers.com

Photo Credits:

Two Temple Place  // Helen Warner

Hedsor House // Helen Warner

Somerley House  // Kitty Wheeler Shaw