The following checklist was compiled by Michael Gonzalez and Vanessa Polanco, co-owners of
Verde Flowers in New York City.Vendor/Venue Relationship• Ask the florist how much experience he or she has at the venue. Ideally, the florist should be able to make decisions quickly based on previous events.
• Consider vendors with which the florist has worked. Those who work together regularly can operate like a symphony -- when it is crunch time, knowing that a caterer is very quick during set-up, for instance, can allow your florist an extra 45 minutes.
• Ask the florist to match your budget with the venue. It is not always necessary to overdress the space. Floral touches in just the right places can make an impression on attendees.
• Discuss load-in and load-out scheduling, as well as additional installation and breakdown requirements, with the florist and venue.
Design Elements • Know if your attendees are primarily male or female. For example, when we create events for the Yankees, we don't typically consider peonies and roses. For more male-focused events, consider a mix of textures with harder, waxy lines. For female-focused events, soften things up.
• Think about the time of year. The season can inspire new ideas, unusual flowers, creative accessories or an unexpected color palette.
Cost Considerations• Select flowers in season. This not only will help your budget, but will also convey a more appropriate ambiance in the room.
• Break down the design into smaller, more concentrated arrangements. This can make a greater impact, based on color or shape, from a smaller budget.
• Use blooms with larger heads. This will cover more surface area and create the impression that you have purchased more.
• Consider replacing certain flowers with less expensive varieties that are similar. If you don't have the budget for blue hydrangeas from Holland, for instance, consider blue hydrangeas from South America.
• Consider using less costly linens, but in deep, rich colors that complement the floral arrangements you're using.
• Use floral accessories, branches or bear grass. These add dimension and flair at low cost, and can greatly reduce the flower volume required.
Lighting• Consider the existing lighting, and make the most of it. Most venues have pin lighting that can be used to highlight arrangements.
• Use spot lighting subtlety so that it doesn't draw too much attention.
• Be sure to visit the space in the evening and determine if additional lighting is required to adequately illuminate the arrangements.
Decorative Accents• Use a variety of candles in various heights and display vessels. Everything is always more beautiful with candles.
• Create a complete tablescape with tables, linens and chairs by using a texture, color or patterns that will offer a more rich and interesting look.