The Ultimate Floral Planning Checklist

There’s only one answer and it’s definitely not A or B. And we’ve got your back. with our ultimate floral planning checklist:

Secure a budget. Before you get started, have an honest, complete conversation with your client to understand how much they are planning to spend. When crafting a proposal or committing to specific flowers, it' essential to really know what range you’re working with.

It’s also important to agree on and collect a deposit so you have cash on hand to purchase the flowers without dipping into your own funds. Establishing this early on will reduce stress and set expectations.

Consult with the host on palettes, styles, and flowers. Obviously if you are the host then you can just skip this step. Key questions include colors, types of flowers, themes, sizes, and where arrangements will be placed.

Create a moodboard to confirm you’re on the same page. Pro Tip: When you add to a shopping cart on our site, you can create a floral moodboard without making a purchase. Include colors, some general types of flowers that are within your budget, and a few sample photos of arrangement styles on the moodboard so to get a sense of the style. This visual will make it much easier to discuss and plan the arrangements.

Create a item list. People rarely think of spreadsheets when they think of floral design, but itemized lists can be a life-saver! Create lists for each of your arrangements, your including flower or foliage name, color, and number of stems.

Generate an order sheet. Use your item list to generate an order sheet to make sure you’re in budget and  purchase everything you need. You may need to round up or down the numbers of items to accommodate the bulk quantity your vendor sells the product by.

*Pro Tip: Include a 5 percent order buffer for flowers because, inevitably, some flowers will arrive a little bruised, too open, or past their prime. For more delicate stems, consider going even a little higher than 5 percent.

Place order. Insert gratuitous plug to use our website here. When you order, make sure to order in time to receive your flowers at least three days before the event, since you’ll want time to re-hydrate the flowers, remove leaves and thorns, purchase last-minute items, and still have plenty of time to focus on the best part: designing. (Early birds can place orders as far as 45 days out on our website!)

Get supplies. The basics include buckets (paint buckets work great), floral tape, flower shears, ribbon, and rubber bands. Depending on the project, you may also need floral design tape, water tubes (for installations), boutonniere pins, and other specialty items.

Plan transport. This is often the most important detail we forget about. Transporting flowers, especially larger arrangements, can be tricky. Make sure you have enough space in your vehicle and can secure everything so that your arrangements make it to the venue in one radiant piece. Bungee cords and laying out trash bags work great. You can read about a pro tip for delivering bouquets in vases HERE.

Flowers are natural and perishable. Assure your client that you’ll make every effort to meet expectations, but include a caveat in the contract that allows you to make an executive decision on what flowers and colors to use in the event an issue arises.