The New Normal : Planning your wedding florals in an almost-post COVID-19 World
Kat Wilson Photograpghy
If you haven’t already heard, let me be the first one to tell you the good news! Effective May 22, 2020, gathering sizes have increased outdoors to groups as high as 50 people in Manitoba! That’s right, that means your summer wedding can continue as planned! Or as close to planned as hoped!
It is no secret that the last few months have been a whirlwind for everyone, especially those planning a wedding or a special event! I thought this would be a perfect time to go over what you can expect and what we can accommodate for that perfect intimate summer or fall wedding! Whether you’ve chosen a beautiful, peaceful cabin elopement or were able to keep your venue through all the chaos, we’ve got the perfect floral additions to add the finishing touches on your perfect day!
Behind the scenes
One blessing we have experienced through this current pandemic is the opportunity to order our flowers exclusively from local Canadian growers! Pre-COVID-19, we were able to order our product from all over the world in areas such as Holland, South America and California as well as Canada! Although everything we receive in shop is gorgeous, there is surely something extraordinary about the local roses, ranunculus, delphiniums and other favourites we have been seeing these last couple months.
Getting in touch, contact-less of course
Back in the good ol’ days, I would ask you to schedule an in-person consultation through our online scheduler! Now that things are a little different, shooting me a quick email with your details such as your contact information, budget and wedding date will allow me to send you a copy of our consultation form. This form goes over all the typical questions I would ask during a personal meeting and allows you to insert your inspiration photos! From there we can schedule a phone call or virtual meeting to go over any questions!
To accommodate your wedding floral needs and secure your date, we need to hear from you at least six weeks prior to your wedding. This will give us time to create your proposal, collect your retainer, place your order and schedule an amazing design team! If you’ve just taken a look at a calendar and are seeing your wedding date creeping up on you, reach out and we will see what we can do for you!
Keepin’ it personal
Have you decided to reschedule your reception and plan an intimate elopement style ceremony with only your closest family and friends instead? You are not alone. Just because your guest list is a little shorter than you were hoping, doesn’t mean you can’t keep the wedding florals of your dreams. No matter who is in attendance, your bridal bouquet is a statement piece you have probably been dreaming about since you were a little girl (no? just me?) and you deserve nothing less than your dream bouquet! Drieds, check. Textured greenery, check. Fun bursts of colour, triple check!
You may have an entire Pinterest board full of bouquet inspiration or you may have no idea where to start, either way we got you! Academy Florist has been in the wedding floral business for over forty years and has some of the most trusted professionals in the city on our team, @heatherpage anyone? We are bursting with creative ideas at the shop and would absolutely love the opportunity to work with you and build off of your colour palette or style! Check out some of my favourite bouquets in the Academy Florist portfolio!
Now that your bridal bouquet is taken care of, we can discuss additional personal items such as a complimentary boutonniere for your groom, florals for your bridal party or even special accents for your furry friends!
Seizing the day
Are you one of the lucky ones who were able to keep their wedding date and venue through one of the craziest periods we will probably ever experience in our lifetime? Kudos to you my friend! Now, it’s time to make the best of the situation and your good karma and turn that venue into a garden fit for a bride!
Kat Wilson Photography
We’ve discussed the personal flowers, now its time to dig deep into that floral décor! Does your venue have a beautiful mantled fireplace that is begging for an eccentric, wild garden style arrangement? Is there an arch at your outdoor ceremony space that would look magical with the right balance of florals and greenery? Were your guest table centerpieces the first thing you had saved in your phone? Real talk, we know plans have changed and your guest table count may have gone from 25 to 5 but that doesn’t mean that those 5 tables can’t be the statement pieces they were meant to be!
There is no better time than now to think outside the box. We are all in uncharted territory, why not take a chance and switch it up from the always classic loose greenery looks and explore alternatives likes baby breath clouds, dried aveno oat bud vases or colour grids for those guest tables! Consider transforming that backyard space with a fresh take on a ceremony circle or lining your aisle with funky asymmetrical arrangements.
Here’s the bottom line – no matter where you are getting married, no matter how many guests you have on your revised lists and no matter what you are wearing on your big day, flowers are always the icing on the cake and we are here to make sure that you can look back on your wedding photos and fall in love with your flowers all over again.
I hope we were able to answer a couple of your questions and ease your concerns! We cannot wait to hear from you and create a personalized experience based on your particular floral needs! Give us a call at 204.488.4822 or shoot me an email at weddings@academyflorsit.com and we’ll get you started! Have a wonderful day!
Brittany Mahood Photography, Kat Wilson Photography, Kamp Photography, Janice Wiebe Photography & Casey Nolin Photography.