As the busy fall wedding season winds down, many of you may have wedding flower consultation meetings and be getting ready to work on wedding flower proposals for 2025 and 2026.
In this post, I’d like to share the 6 steps I always keep in mind when guiding couples from their initial consultation to securing a deposit and signing a contract.
1. First Things First: Confirm Key Details Before Scheduling the Consultation
Budget: Ensure the couple has a budget that aligns with your services.
Availability: Confirm their wedding date is open for you.
Delivery Distance: Make sure the venue is within your delivery range.
If these elements check out, then schedule the consultation.
If the couple is unsure about their budget, mention your minimum to avoid investing time in weddings that may not be ideal. You can also mention your minimum price on your contact page of your website.
2. Prepare Materials for the Meeting
Before the meeting, ask the couple to share inspiration photos (e.g., from Pinterest), their color palette, bridesmaids’ dresses, what items they will need, or any other details. Use this information to create a board or PDF with your ideas and recommendations.
Also, bring cut flowers, vases, ribbons, or other items that could complement their wedding to showcase your vision.
3. Listen to What Your Clients Want and Observe Their Reactions
Let the couple speak more than you do – it’s their vision, and understanding their desires is key. Take detailed notes during the meeting to help create your proposal.
When sharing your ideas, pay attention to their reactions.
If you see thier excitement or joy, that’s a great sign! Keep following this direction.
If there’s any uncertainty or hesitation,, revisit these points during the meeting or in your proposal. Offering alternative ideas shows that you’re responsive to their needs and helps build trust.
4. Create an Visual Proposal
Help them picture their day by incorporating photos of their dresses or venues and flower images – don’t rely on text alone.
Offer a coulpe of options for important elements like centerpieces, brides’ bouquets or large installations, each with varying price points to give them flexibility.
If their requests exceed their budget, list everything but clearly mark certain items as optional so they can choose what to adjust or stretch their budget for.
5. Send the Proposal Within a Week
Aim to send the quote within a week of the consultation. If it takes longer, keep the couple engaged by sending a quick update or questions to show you’re still working on it.
6. Follow Up on the Proposal
After sending the proposal, follow up immediately to ensure it was received (in case it ended up in their spam folder).
They likely respond to your follow-up email to let you know whether they received it or not.
This follow-up not only confirms they’ve seen your proposal but also helps you gauge their initial response.
Positive reaction: That’s perfect! Just wait for their confirmation.
Flat or non-excited response: This can be an indicator that something isn’t quite connecting with them. By following up, you open the door for them to express any concerns or ask questions they might not have voiced during the meeting. It also gives you the chance to address any hesitations before they fully disengage. Offering additional ideas or tweaks at this stage can reignite their excitement and show that you’re invested in bringing their vision to life.
Although consultation meetings are typically complementary, I always put effort into giving couples more ideas and making them excited about their wedding day.
Hopefully, these steps help you with your upcoming consultations and lead to a 2025 filled with beautiful weddings that inspire you!
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