Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

Many florists book up early during peak times (June to September), so it is advisable to try to book 6 months in advance. Also note that flowers will be more expensive around Christmas, Valentine’s Day and Mother’s Day and florists are particularly busy around these times.

Ideally you should wait until you have your bridesmaids dresses chosen as this will have a bearing on your floral palette and style.

It really helps if you bring a photo of your dress and the bridesmaids’ dresses along with a sample of the dress material. Any clippings or ideas from magazines will also provide a starting point. Let your florist know if you or any of your bridal party have allergies such as hay fever. Flowers such as calla lilies, my personal favourite – hydrangea, anthurium, eryngium and most orchids are a good choice for hay fever sufferers.

I would recommend it! Two heads are better than one. Some people bring their bridesmaids, their mother or best friend. They may remember things you won’t and they know you much better than I do and can be great to bounce ideas off! Some couples come together, but for the more superstitious, the groom may have to leave the room while dresses are being discussed!

For many brides, this is the first time they have even thought about what type of flowers appeal to them and the many different names can be a bit daunting. I am building a gallery of frequently used wedding flowers to try to de- mystery the language used by florists.

Payment can be made by cash or cheque made payable to Ailín’s Flowers. I usually request 50% payment 2 months prior to the wedding and the final payment for weddings to be made either at the last meeting, often the wedding rehearsal, the night before the wedding when you have viewed your ceremony venue, or on delivery of bridal flowers on the morning of the wedding.

Absolutely, couples living abroad and returning home for their weddings are becoming increasingly common and I have worked with many such couples. Just contact me by e-mail with your date, a photo of your dress and the bridesmaid’s colours and we can start the consultation process via phone or internet.

Look at the body of work provided by the florist. Ailín’s Flowers have built up a reputation as a customer focused, design detailed wedding florist. The reason for my success is from the word of mouth recommendations of delighted brides for whom everything was indeed perfect. The business depends on this reputation and that is the reason why so much time goes into the consultation process to ensure we have the perfect outcome, every time.

There is no order too small or too large that cannot be accommodated, from a bridal bouquet and matching buttonhole to a celebrity wedding extravaganza! The same attention to detail will be lavished on each bride.

The cost of your flowers is dependent on the type of flowers you choose, the time of year (Christmas, Valentine’s Day and Mother’s Day – the cost of flowers increases significantly), the style of bouquet and the size of the bridal party. Although there is no such thing as an “average” wedding, as a guide to a standard package please check with my Prices page, this will give you an indication of where you can make choices to suit your budget.

It is very rare for wedding floral requirements not to change throughout the lead up to a wedding – extra thank you bouquets might be needed, another buttonhole added etc. Indeed budgets might have to be tightened due to the economic climate. Most changes can be easily accommodated up to the three weeks before the wedding when the final flower order is placed with the wholesalers and Holland. I will always do my utmost to accommodate all reasonable changes right up to the wedding day.

Traditionally buttonholes are worn to the left, over the heart. Women, traditionally wear corsages on the right but more and more now wear them on the left too. For me, the left feels more comfortable. However, increasingly women are choosing to wear corsages on the wrist or on a clutch bag. I always incorporate a magnet in a corsage so that the wearer can protect her clothing.

Generally flowers are delivered as agreed with the bridal couple, i.e. –to brides house, grooms home / hotel, church, venue etc. My advice is to any bride is to appoint a responsible person to ensure that the buttonholes are not left behind at the grooms home or hotel on the morning of the wedding – it happens more than you would imagine! I manage all staging of floral arrangements personally at the church or ceremony to ensure everything is perfect on the day. Transfer of flowers to another venue can be agreed and may incur additional charges depending on distances between venues. Often the task is given to a trustworthy friend of the couple to arrange and oversee the transfer. Reliable delegation is the key to a happy wedding!

It is common practice to leave some of the flowers at the ceremony site, but it is not compulsory, for instance if you have unity candles and they are arranged in flowers, they will be removed from the ceremony and taken to the reception. Additional flowers, bay trees and a floral arch can also be removed and relocated to the reception site, reusing the arrangements saves money and adds to the reception decor. Details of this can be discussed during the consultation.