As a wedding photographer, I appreciate the work that other vendors put towards creating the most beautiful and elegant details for our brides and grooms. I am honored to work alongside some really incredible and talented vendors, and I love that highlighting their work is such an important part of my job.
I recently went “behind the scenes” at Sisters Floral Design Studio as they worked on florals for their upcoming weddings. They were kind enough to answer questions that most brides and grooms have when searching for a florist.
Tell me about your business and how you got started.
Emily bought a small retail flower shop that sold flowers as well as gift items. She realized that her business fit better in the niche wedding market and transformed from a retail space to a design studio for wedding and event clients. Now, in it’s 19th wedding season, Sisters Floral Design Studio focuses on creating custom designs for a variety of clients in every style.
What is your favorite part about being a florist?
The ability to be creative and design something unique for each client who comes to us.
What are some of your favorite trends?
As a design team, we really like forest, tree-like looks focusing on the outdoors, with lots of greenery and florals with texture (succulents, thistle, branches, pampas grass, berries, etc.). These elements added to more “traditional” blooms bring a fresh, organic, and enchanting look to a space.
When should a bride book her florist?
We recommend a client waits to look at florists until they have their venues booked, general color scheme in mind, a flower budget allotted, and have some visual examples of what they like or don’t like. If they are looking at May, June, September, or October dates OR a holiday weekend, they may need to start meeting with florists sooner rather than later (possibly 9 months to a year prior).
What should a bride look for in a florist?
We think that it is important for a client to trust their vendors to make decisions and suggestions to help make their special day everything they are expecting and, hopefully, exceed their expectations. We always listen to our clients’ ideas and inspirations so that we can make their vision happen. It’s also important to hire someone who has knowledge and experience in set-up and delivery and who will stay to execute everything that was discussed in meetings and emails. For example, we are full service. While some florists simply drop off flowers, we are available to pin-on and distribute personal flowers, ceremony decor, and reception centerpieces. We focus on the details to give peace of mind to our clients on their wedding day.
How much of the budget should a bride expect to allocate for her wedding?
For flowers, we suggest 10-14% of the entire wedding budget be allocated for flowers as a starting point. If flowers are very high on the priority list, then the sky is the limit.
What should a bride be aware of when selecting her theme/flowers/colors, etc?
We think clients should make these selections based on what they really want. Good vendors can offer suggestions to make these things happen within a certain season/budget/color scheme. It’s important to be flexible and not get too overwhelmed with all of the choices out there. Keep an open mind and give your florist the freedom to suggest and design around your inspirations versus trying to match a picture exactly.
Anything else you would like brides and grooms to know?
Obviously, wedding planning involves many decisions and can get a little overwhelming. Our focus as designers is to alleviate some of the stress by taking the vision for the whole day and making the flowers fit in seamlessly. Make sure the vendors you choose have your trust; in return, they will take care of you on your special day.
Thanks again to Emily and Shelly for showing me the work that goes into crafting beautiful wedding floral designs. As a photographer, I usually arrive at an already set-up wedding reception, perfect and photo-ready. Watching the process of transformation was a fascinating and fun experience.
Sisters Floral Design Studio
(314) 821-0076
822 Hanley Industrial Court
Brentwood, MO 63144
