Wedding styling – timeline
While most people know when to send invitations and buy a dress for their wedding, fewer know how to plan for the look, florals, and design. Understanding wedding styling and working towards the right time frames is crucial for a successful big day. In this blog, we outline crucial time frames and guide you through what needs to be done when.
Photo Credit – Tom & Lizzie Redman Photography
18 Months Before
Almost all of your decisions will be determined by the setting of your wedding, so once you have found your venue, you’ll be in a great position to start thinking about your design and styling. Hire a floral stylist who can manage the event design to ensure consistency. Fewer suppliers are preferred to reduce stress and improve the design quality. Choose a designer who has a direct link to the venue for better understanding of the space.
It’s also a great idea to share your wedding ideas with your designer by showing them inspirational images, like your Pinterest board. A great designer will work with you to create your perfect look and feel. Be sure to provide them with as much information as possible, including your style, taste, and preferences.
12 Months Before
We suggest re-visiting your venue; you may have booked your summer wedding date in the middle of winter and therefore haven’t yet seen it in all its seasonal glory, or vice versa. This will help guide you in your choices for appropriate styling, florals, lighting, etc. You should aim to start planning your floral story a year before the event. Choose seasonal blooms and colours for better quality and price. Get creative with foliage to make designs go further. Re-use arrangements throughout the day for maximum enjoyment.
6 Months Before
As the big day approaches, its time to firm up your catering, and now is the time to consider your table styling. You will need to consider whether you and your guests will be enjoying a plated or sharing menu, and your designer will help you create something that is practical without compromising on the look. Talk to your designer about the flow of the day, as this will determine how your guests will use each space. Remember, you will have spent a lot of time thinking about your look; it now needs to create the right feeling for your guests on the day.
3 Months Before
Once you’ve chosen your cake, think about how you want to incorporate your styling into the decoration. Make sure it coordinates with your overall look, and ask your designer to talk to your cake maker about using fresh blooms from your floral story.
You also want to start thinking about florals for your bridesmaids and groomsmen. If you’ve already got this decided, check with your designer to make sure your bouquets and buttonholes work with the outfits you have chosen.
4 Weeks Before
Connect your designer with photographer and videographer beforehand. They’ll coordinate timelines to capture your perfect look. If, like the team from Penn Creative Collection, your designer is associated with the venue then everything will be taken care of.
2 Weeks Before
As you will probably be doing already, it’s worth checking the weather forecast and make sure you are comfortable with your plans for inclement weather, just in case they are needed.
Another top tip is to decide what you will do with your fresh flowers after your wedding; you may wish to gift these to guests on their departure. If you decide to have your bouquet preserved or pressed, you will need to organise this in advance.
1 Week Before
By now, all your hard work will be coming together, and your designer will be starting to receive deliveries and create your floral designs. Remember to trust the team that you have been working with over the last 18 months. You will know each other well by now, and they will be concentrating on ensuring you have the perfect day so that you can relax and enjoy yourselves.
