Organising flowers on a large scale and working with a professional florist is a new experience for most brides. Finding the right person for the job requires a little homework. Personal recommendation is the best way to start, so ask friends, relatives and colleagues. Your wedding or reception venue may also be able to help. Alternatively, visit local florist. Ask to see a portfolio of their work and about weddings they’ve undertaken, and discuss the sort of arrangements you want. Make it clear what your budget is, and ask for a written quote.

Before making up your mind, ask yourself a few searching questions:

1. Does the florist have an impressive portfolio?
2. Do they have lots of wedding experience?
3. Do they seem professional and efficient?
4. Can you afford them? Are they receptive to your ideas?
5. And most importantly, do you like their style?

Once you have found a florist you are happy with, you can begin to make decisions about the flowers, colour scheme and number of arrangements. You may have a clear idea of what you want, but many brides feel confused by the huge range of flowers available. If you need inspiration, browse through magazines and books and show them to your florist. Don’t worry if you’re unsure about plant names – if you’ve got a picture of a flower, the florist should be able to identify it for you.

Have a good look around the florist’s shop too, and see what catches your eye. The bride’s dress and attendant’s outfits are often the starting point for flowers, so take along swatches of fabric. Your florist will also need to know what kind of wedding you’re having as flowers can evoke myriad moods and styles and must fit in with your vision of the perfect wedding.

You will then have to decide how many arrangements you want and what they’ll consist of. Bear in mind that some will be more expensive than others. Wired bouquets, headdresses and floral balls are fiddly and time-consuming to prepare, and are therefore more expensive than tied bouquets or posies.

Flowers vary in price too. Roses, tulips, lilies and carnations, for example, are available all year round and therefore offer good value for money. Other flowers, such as lily of the valley, peonies and sweet peas, are more seasonal and thus more costly if you are hoping to use them out of season. However, if you’ve set your heart on something only to find that it is out of your price range, take heart – your florist should be able to suggest substitutes that can take the place of other flowers. And remember that all flowers are beautiful, even the humblest.