By: Michaela Mantarian
When couples inquire with me, one of the first things they say is some version of, “I should probably warn you… I don’t know anything about flowers.”
I always smile because, truly, you don’t need to.
You don’t need to know the difference between a garden rose and a standard rose. You don’t need to memorize flower names, understand what’s in season, or have every centerpiece planned before we meet. That’s not your role in this process.
Your florist consultation isn’t a test. It’s the beginning of a conversation.
After designing weddings throughout Chicago and beyond for more than a decade, I’ve learned that the most successful consultations don’t happen because a couple arrives with every answer. They happen because we create space to discover those answers together.
My job isn’t simply to recommend flowers. It’s to understand your vision, guide you through thoughtful decisions, and create a design that feels beautifully aligned with the celebration you’re planning.
If you’re wondering how to prepare for your wedding florist consultation, here are a few things that will help us make the most of our time together.
Start With the Feeling, Not the Flowers
It’s easy to think wedding flowers begin with peonies, roses, or color palettes.
In reality, they usually begin with a feeling.
Before we ever talk about specific blooms, I love hearing about how you hope your wedding will feel when your guests arrive. Maybe you want the evening to feel warm and intimate. Maybe you’re dreaming of an elegant garden party or a celebration that feels timeless and welcoming.
Those conversations tell me far more than a list of favorite flowers ever could.
Some of my favorite consultation questions have nothing to do with flowers at all:
- How do you want guests to feel when they walk into your reception?
- What part of the day are you looking forward to most?
- What moments feel most important to you?
- When you picture your wedding years from now, what do you hope you’ll remember?
Those answers become the foundation for every design decision that follows.
Beautiful flowers should always serve something bigger. They should support the atmosphere you’re creating, help tell your story, and make people feel genuinely cared for.
Gather Inspiration, But Don’t Worry About Finding “The One”
Pinterest, Instagram, and wedding blogs can be wonderful tools before your consultation.
Not because we’re trying to recreate someone else’s wedding.
Instead, they help us notice patterns.
Maybe every image you’ve saved has soft movement and organic arrangements. Maybe you’re consistently drawn to candlelit receptions, layered textures, or abundant greenery. Maybe you didn’t even realize you’ve pinned dozens of bouquets with the same color palette until they’re all together on one board.
That’s incredibly helpful.
Rather than searching for one perfect inspiration photo, spend some time collecting images that simply make you pause. Don’t overthink them. By the time we meet, we’ll start identifying what you’re naturally drawn toward and how to make that feel personal to your own wedding.
Some of my favorite designs have come from inspiration gathered across dozens of different images instead of trying to replicate just one.
Have the Basics Ready Before We Meet
You don’t need every wedding detail finalized before scheduling a florist consultation, but having a few key pieces of information allows us to have a much more productive conversation.
If possible, come prepared with:
- Your wedding date
- Ceremony and reception venues
- Estimated guest count
- Wedding party size
- Any floral pieces you already know you’ll need (bouquets, centerpieces, ceremony flowers, etc.)
- A rough timeline if one exists
Don’t worry if every number isn’t finalized yet.
Wedding planning evolves, and your floral proposal can evolve with it.
The goal isn’t perfection. It’s simply giving us enough information to begin designing intentionally.
Be Honest About Your Floral Budget
This is one of the conversations couples sometimes feel nervous to have.
I understand why.
Many people worry that sharing a budget means limiting creativity or being judged for spending too much—or too little.
In my experience, the opposite is true.
Knowing your investment allows me to steward it thoughtfully.
Instead of creating a proposal that looks beautiful on paper but isn’t realistic, we can focus our energy on the elements that matter most to you. Sometimes that means creating a breathtaking ceremony installation because photography is a top priority. Other times it means investing in guest tables because gathering around dinner is one of your favorite parts of any celebration.
Neither approach is more “right.”
They’re simply different priorities.
Some of the most beautiful weddings I’ve designed weren’t the ones with the largest floral budgets. They were the weddings where every decision reflected what mattered most to the couple.
Clarity is one of the greatest gifts you can bring into a consultation because it allows us to make thoughtful decisions together.
Think About Your Priorities
Every wedding has a few moments that naturally become the heart of the celebration.
For some couples, it’s the ceremony.
For others, it’s an unforgettable reception space where guests linger long after dinner.
Some dream about carrying a bouquet they’ve imagined for years. Others care most about creating a welcoming atmosphere where family and friends immediately feel at home.
There isn’t a checklist you’re supposed to follow.
One of the most helpful things you can do before your consultation is simply ask yourselves:
“If we could only invest in a few floral moments, which ones would matter most?”
Knowing your priorities helps us allocate your floral investment in a way that feels intentional instead of overwhelming.
Expect to Talk About More Than Flowers
This surprises couples almost every time.
Yes, we’ll absolutely talk about bouquets, centerpieces, color palettes, and seasonal blooms.
But we’ll also talk about your venue.
Your photographer.
Your planner.
Lighting.
Candles.
Guest flow.
Table layouts.
Family traditions.
The overall experience you’re hoping to create.
Flowers don’t exist in isolation.
They interact with every other part of the wedding day, and that’s one of the reasons I love collaborating with planners, photographers, venues, and rental companies throughout the design process. The best celebrations happen when every vendor is working toward the same shared vision.
By the end of your consultation, you’ll likely find we’ve talked just as much about your wedding as we have about your flowers.
And that’s exactly how it should be.
One Thing Couples Never Expect
After hundreds of consultations, I’ve noticed something.
The couples who enjoy wedding planning the most aren’t usually the ones who arrived with every answer.
They’re the ones who embraced the process.
Sometimes a conversation uncovers an idea you hadn’t considered.
Sometimes you realize halfway through the consultation that your priorities have shifted.
Sometimes a venue detail changes everything in the best possible way.
Design isn’t about proving you’ve planned everything correctly before you meet your florist.
It’s about allowing someone with experience to guide you through decisions that feel thoughtful, personal, and true to your celebration.
That’s where the best ideas often begin.
What Happens After Your Consultation?
Once we’ve had the opportunity to talk through your vision, priorities, and floral investment, I’ll begin creating a custom proposal designed specifically for your wedding.
Rather than offering one-size-fits-all packages, I build each proposal around your celebration, taking into account your venue, guest experience, design style, and priorities.
From there, we’ll refine the proposal together.
As your plans become more finalized throughout the planning process, we’ll continue adjusting details, creating your floral lookbook, and ensuring every design decision supports the overall vision for your day.
The consultation isn’t the finish line.
It’s simply the beginning of a collaborative relationship that continues all the way through your wedding day.
A Final Thought
If there’s one thing I hope you take away from this, it’s this:
You don’t need to become a flower expert before meeting your florist.
You simply need to come ready to share what matters most to you.
The names of the flowers will change with the seasons. The exact mechanics behind an installation aren’t something you need to carry. Those are the details I’ll gladly take care of.
What I can’t discover without you is how you want your wedding to feel.
Because the best wedding flowers don’t simply decorate a celebration.
They welcome your guests.
They tell your story.
They create confidence instead of stress.
And long after the flowers themselves have faded, they’re remembered because of the role they played in helping everyone feel cared for.
If you’re planning a wedding in Chicago or the surrounding suburbs and are looking for a florist who values thoughtful design, hospitality, and a collaborative planning experience, I’d love to hear more about your celebration. Every wedding begins with a conversation, and I’d be honored to help you create flowers that feel as meaningful as the day itself.
And, if you need a little help getting started on how to plan for a consultation with a florist, snag my initial consultation checklist here!
Continue Planning Your Wedding
Understanding Your Floral Investment
→ How Much Do Wedding Flowers Cost in Chicago?
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→ Browse Real Weddings
Planning Your Consultation
→ How to Prepare for Your Wedding Florist Consultation Guide
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→ Inquire About Custom Wedding Flowers
