When to make appt with florist!?!

Is a flourist someone who specializes in flour?

I am going to meet with a florist tomorrow but I have not booked her yet. Hopefully, if she quotes low enough I can put money down to hold her!

LOL @ Emma & Aaron

The florist was the hardest part for me - finding someone that could work with my budget and didn't have a $3k minimum spend. I was engaged for 9 months and when I started trying to meet with florists around the 7 month mark they told me we had plenty of time. Essentially you'll decide on your look but can make changes up to about a month before when they have to actually order the flowers.

My florist said a few months before the wedding to finalize everything. We're planning on August.

I met with one about a year out from the wedding to get an idea of what the cost would be...and then another once over the summer (about $1K difference) so I plan on meeting with another later this month, but most that I have talked to recommend 6-9 month out to start meeting and booking

My florist came with my venue so she was basically booked when I booked my venue (10 months out). We've had a couple of meetings since booking and she did a mock up of my centerpieces for me in July but nothing will be finalized until the end of the month/early October when we have our final numbers and know for sure how many tables we have, how many grandparents will need bouts/corsages, etc. So no, it isn't TOO early to start planning or get a rough idea...but stay flexible. Your tastes and ideas could change a lot over the next several months.

Haha. According to my wedding planner's timeline, you pick your florist 5 months out . For us it is September so we are going Friday.

We're meeting with one at the beginning of next month

Thank you for the auto correct..! And thanks everyone this helps alot, Im thinking i will meet with the FLOURIST (: haha florist soon just to get my date set and run some ideas to him and her and see what they are thinking price wise!

We meet with ours in January, so that would be..... 8 months in advance. That was plenty of time for us. Do keep in mind, that the florist will want to know your dress color, bridal party color, your venue, how many people are in your bridal party, how many tables you'll have etc.

So you do need a lot of information, just make sure that you can meet with your florist again about a week before the wedding to finalize everything and make changes if need be.

I set up my florist contract a little before the one year mark. Some florist will be happy to work with you while others won't even bother because the wedding "is all the way in 2015"

Okay and yea i have all that stuff done so that will help me alot!(:

I hate that to its like.. people are on you if you plan your wedding in 6 month.. because it is not enough time. But then they are on you when you wanna plan a head.. it is like you just cant win hahah!

I'm meeting with one today actually!

Kassie, while a "traditional" time line usually suggests 6 - 9 months out, you need to look at other things. Where you wedding is in the fall, I am betting that it is a busy month where you are. I would start looking now. As an example, my venue told me I don't need to talk to a florist more than 6 months ahead of time I decided to reach out about 11 months ahead of time and I am glad I did. I was told that as my wedding weekend is busy due to Thanksgiving and other events I am the only wedding the florist was going to take that weekend. If I had waited I could have lost that florist!

My mom is a florist and she likes people to contact her around the 9 month mark to secure their date and then around the 5 month mark for their full consultation.

Yea thats what i was thinking as well.. I think its better be ahead of the game then wait to long an get struck out. Im so glad for all the great advice and now i wont feel like such a planning freak by going and booking a little under a year out! (:

It's definitely not too early to meet. It's good to get ideas and rough pricing. Once you finalize what you'll be using, then you get a final price!

I just met with my florist for the first time two and a half weeks ago, and our wedding is in November. So I definitely did not do a full year in advance (I'm sure thats fine though!). Either way, I only booked her maybe a month before that and there were a ton of florists in my area that were willing and capable of doing it on our date.

I was at the one year mark this past July and at that point my venue, caterer, dj, and florist are all booked. I booked early because i found a florist very early on in the planning and she was cheaper than i expected so i booked her early so that i could make sure i had the one i wanted. I'm a planner, i'd rather be ahead of the game on things than late on things. I"m actually planning on booking my officiant and cake baker next month, i would of waited on her till January but she's about an hour out of town and i don't want to be driving in bad winter weather. But no there's nothing wrong with meeting and getting prices, just make sure you go with a basic idea of what you want and what flowers you want. And if you find one you like for a great price, i say book em early to get that great price, because in my opinion all the popular and well priced vendors book fast.