Tucked in the US Bank tower is one of Portland's most renowned Flower Shops, Geranium Lake Flowers.  You may remember Owner, Kim Foren's creative work from the newsprint bouquet.  I visited the shop to get the scoop on what a planning bride should expect when meeting the florist, how to get the most for your money, and some strategies for working on ideas in tandem.  I had the camera in tow, also so you can see how darling it is!

Here's what Kim Foren had to share:

What to expect:

• The initial consultation is the best time to really “dream big”. Flower consultations typically take place at the beginning the budget-creating stages so really go all out and get pricing for what your ideal day would look like. From there you can always scale back depending on what is truly important to you.
  
  • An itemized bid is the best way to receive a proposal. That way if your flowers exceed what you can budget for them; you know what eliminating each piece will reduce the overall cost by.
  • Knowing the cost of each item will help you form a budget and stick to it!
• Florists are not mind-readers. Be very clear about what you like and DON’T like. It’s easy to get caught up in what you love and forget to tell us something makes you cringe.
• Be open. With so many brides on a budget these days, being open and flexible is super important. It helps us stay within your price range while still creating the overall “feel” that you’re going for. We’re known for asking our brides and clients to let us “do our thing”… trust us and it’ll pay off!

What to come with:

• Inspiration! Bring anything that you feel might articulate the overall “feel” that you envision for your wedding. This could include save-the-date-cards, your invitation, fabric swatches, images from magazines, hobbies or a theme, etc.
  
  • For example: the bride in our Timberline/Winter bouquet wanted to incorporate her and her fiancés love of reading the New York Times together. Her bouquet included tiny flowers made from pieces of the paper and was so delightful and meaningful.
• An idea of who we are and what our style is. We are artists who custom design each item. If you are looking for an exact replica of something you saw online, we can do it, but chances are it won’t come across as beautifully as a more inspired item. It’s like going to Anthroplogie and asking for an Eddie Bauer fleece. It just wouldn’t be what you were looking for.

What NOT to worry about:

• Don’t worry about a small budget. We get this all of the time! Bride’s tentatively emailing to ask for pricing because they have already assumed we’re too expensive. Try to remember – when it comes to money… it’s all relative. We’re not here to judge. We’re here to guide you as you assemble the pieces of your perfect day and we can help you within the reasonable parameters that you/your parents have set.
• Don’t worry if some of your details aren’t in place yet. If you haven’t chosen a venue, a dress, a color palette… no worries! We are experts at helping you conceptualize and organize all of those details that are buzzing in your head. If you’re feeling overwhelmed, a floral consultation may be just what you need to help narrow your choices and create a vision for moving forward.