Final Wedding Checklist
You should be reading this around 3 months out.
If we’re your chosen florist/stylist (excellent decision, btw!), now is the time we’re starting to confirm orders with our wholesalers and growers, put together delivery schedules, and finalise other little details for your wedding. Exciting! More info about this timeline can be found in our Welcome Pack, which you will have received upon booking with us, as well as in our Wedding Journal. We’ve also sent several emails to you over the course of the planning process with helpful tips on everything from how best to prepare for a consult and hold your bouquet to effectively and realistically managing pre-big day jitters. These are great resources to refer to from time to time, or whenever you’re wanting some extra advice.
Below we’ve popped a quick guide to a few last-minute logistics, aka What Happens Next, as we countdown the weeks until you say ‘I do’.
Quote cut-off dates
- These are listed on your proposal, under the ‘Quote Variations’ section.
- All reductions to your quote total must be advised no less than 3 months out from your wedding date. We begin staff scheduling around this time so it’s important that we know the scope of your wedding. We never want to leave ourselves – or anyone else – short!
- All changes to your quote (that do not affect the agreed total) must be finalised no less than 6 weeks out from your wedding date.
Confirming your quote details are correct
Please have a thorough read through your quote and make sure everything that you want for your wedding florals/styling is included and up to date. Anything listed under ‘Possibilities’ (in the section under the total cost) is not included in your quote.
- Have we got your ceremony and reception start times?
- Have you provided us with the name and number of a nominated go-to contact for the day?
- Do we have accommodation details for the delivery of your bouquets, buttonholes, and other personal flowers? This includes villa numbers and security gate numbers.
- If you have multiple delivery points for your personal flowers, have you let us know which flowers will be going where?
- Are you planning a ‘first look’ or anything else that means you will need these flowers earlier than expected? Typically, we deliver at least 2 hours prior to your ceremony.
- If you are picking up your flowers, have you confirmed a time with us? If someone else is collecting on your behalf, have we got their name and contact details?
- Are you happy with the colours and inspo pics on your quote? Have there been any last-minute styling changes that we should know about? This includes anything that might affect your flowers i.e., different bridesmaid dresses.
- Have you double-checked the number of buttonholes and/or corsages you will need and who they will be for? This can include the bridal party, brothers, sisters, parents, grandparents, pageboys, and MCs.
- If you are having corsages, have you confirmed whether they are to be lapel, bag, or wrist style?
- If you are having hair flowers, will your stylist be putting them in? If so, what time will they need to be delivered?
- Do we have head circumferences for any flower crowns included in your quote?
- Have you confirmed what style and colour of ribbon you would like to go around the handle of your bouquets?
- If you are organising signage through us, do we have the all the information we need? This includes style, colours, and wording.
- Do we have the correct info about your reception table sizes and numbers?
- If you are having cake flowers, have you provided us with the contact details of your cakemaker? We will let them know what time we intend on delivering and setting up.
- Have we got the contact details of any other relevant stylists/vendors so we can coordinate delivery times for your wedding if needed?
What Happens Next
Delivery Times / Delivery
About a month before your wedding, we’ll be in touch with the times we’re delivering your flowers to you and to your partner (if you are having seperate deliveries). Unless you’ve advised us prior of any other restrictions, we will deliver your personal flowers some time between 7am and two hours before your ceremony time.
This email will indicate where we’re delivering to, what time and, if you are having seperate deliveries, what is going where. Please check these details and get back to us as soon as possible if anything is incorrect.
We’re often scheduling for more than one wedding in a day, so while we do our best, changes may not be possible if we haven’t been advised previously. The earlier we know of any constraints at your end (first look time, whether you’re leaving to get your hair done etc.) the smoother this process, so don’t forget to let us know what you’re planning ASAP.
When we notify you, we’ll also notify your venue/event manager of the time we’ll be there to set up for your ceremony and/or reception, so you don’t have to worry about that side of it. We’ll also get in touch with your cake person if you have cake flowers, and any other vendors we’ve got to work around, to co-ordinate delivery times as needed.
While we do our best to avoid it, occasionally for reasons outside our control, your delivery time will change at short notice, so keep an eye out for emails from us. Again, it helps if we know of any restrictions you have, so we can keep them in mind.
Pick-Up
If you’re picking up your flowers, we’ll be in touch about a month out to confirm a time for that to happen – usually the afternoon before your wedding, depending on what day of the week that is. If you’re sending someone else to pick up your flowers, let us know who and their contact details, so we can get in touch with them if anything goes awry! Also make sure they have our address and phone number so they can call us if they need to.
In the Lead-Up
Don’t forget, final payment is due two weeks from your wedding day. You should get a reminder through our system in the weeks leading up to this.If you are hiring anything from us, a few weeks before your wedding we’ll send you an invoice for $1 through Stripe. This is your credit card bond hold and should be paid through the link in the invoice (not by direct debit). Your details are stored securely and we never see them. If you are returning your hire items, we’ll also send you a schedule so you can check everything off before it comes back to us. If we are recollecting, you won’t get a schedule, but you can request one if you’d prefer. Now is also the time to make sure we have any ribbon or vases that you are providing (at least a week before your wedding date). Once we have all your information and have sent out delivery schedules and hire item schedules, you may not hear from us again until the week of your wedding. Rest assured, everything is on track! One of the reasons we like to get your quote confirmed so far out is so that the last few weeks before your
wedding are as stress-free as possible.
On the Day
On the day, we’ll deliver your flowers to you at the agreed time. We allocate some time in our schedule to put them in water, go through care instructions with you, show you how to hold them as you walk down the aisle, and pin on any buttonholes or corsages as available. If you’ve ordered a care pack from us, we’ll provide jars for the flowers to sit in until they’re needed, and a towel for drying off stems. If not, we suggest either having some large jars/medium vases available, or a large sink (think Laundry sink) that we rest the flowers in. We can also use the bath, so long as you don’t need to! You’ll also need a towel (or two) to dry off stems so there are no drips on your dresses or suits.
If we’re doing a buttonhole delivery, it helps if the suits are available so we can pin on buttonholes. We’ll bring enough pins to get everything secure. Once we’ve delivered your flowers, we’ll head off to your venue to set up for your ceremony and/or reception. You don’t need to be there for this process, and we’ll co-ordinate it all with your venue manager.
A few things you might want to note, so you’re not stressing on the day:
- If you’re providing any styling items (lanterns/wood rounds/table runners etc.), they should be in place before we arrive, unless we’ve specified in your quote that we’ll be setting them up for you.
- If you haven’t supplied vases to us prior to your wedding, these should be at the venue for us also.
- If you’ve ordered a throwaway, this will be left on the cards/gifts table, by the bar or on the cake table. If you have a preference, please let us know ahead of time.
- If you’re providing your own basket for throw petals/petal cones, please make sure this is on-site also, otherwise we’ll leave petals/cones in a paper bag or cardboard box for you by the aisle.
- If you are adding any of your own styling after us (candles/placecards/bonbonierre), let us know so we know to be done in time for you to have someone add those for you. If you’d like us to do it, make sure you let us know well ahead and we can add this to your quote and allocate time.
- Unless a transfer is included in your quote, make sure you’ve got someone allocated to move any ceremony flowers you’re repurposing for the reception. Most venues can provide a ladder for you, but you may need scissors.
After the Day
If we are recollecting any vases/hire items, make sure everything is left at the venue for us. Your care pack jars are yours to keep. you’ve let us know if you’d like to keep the flowers when we arrive. If not, we’ll dispose of everything as a courtesy to the venue.
If you have any floral installations, some venues may require these to be removed. If we’re recollecting hire items, we will do this for you as standard. If not, you may need to do it yourself, or let us know if you’d like us to include it on your quote.
If you’re returning hire items, make sure we know what day/time we can expect you.
And the Rest…
Holding your Bouquet
While we design our bouquets to look beautiful at any angle, they do usually have a front side – you can usually tell by the ribbon, which will trail at the front. If you’re not sure, ask us when we deliver! The best way to hold a bouquet is in front of you, at around waist level, tilted ever-so-slightly forward. If you can, spend a few minutes practicing in front of a mirror before your ceremony, so you feel comfortable when you’re walking down the aisle. Some modern bouquets are designed to be held loosely at your side (sometimes upside down) or draped over your arm. If that’s the look you’re going for, let us know at the design stage so we can make sure we create with that in mind!
Pinning Buttonholes or Corsages
Buttonholes and corsages sit on the left side over the heart. For men, we recommend choosing a pinning position either on the pocket or higher on the lapel and using the clip backing to attach the buttonhole or corsage. Make sure the stem is vertical – you can use extra pins for support if needed too (it’s easiest to come from underneath the jacket and through the flower to properly secure).
If you’re pinning buttonholes onto multiple jackets, we’d recommend having one person pin them all in the same position, so they’re consistent and look perfect!
More Questions?
Weddings are stressful at the best of times, and we don’t expect you to be an expert in planning them, so we’re always happy to answer your questions. If you can’t find what you need above, or in our FAQs, please contact us! You can either email jade@jademcintoshflowers.com.au or book in for a consult/quick chat (it’s more reliable than just calling us, as we’re not always by the phone).