Bridgetown Florist Lara Rose really is the girl in the know when it comes to botanical art and next level wedding florals, she. I have been lucky enough to work with her a few times, as her vision is absolutely incredible.

“Think about breaking the norm and wowing your guests. To get the best bang for your buck, I would really advise to focus on some big key areas that are gonna blow you and your guests away. And then keep the other areas quite minimal. So like less on the tables and more hanging above, or a larger ceremony altar and no aisle flowers.”

For me, this really did highlight the talent which we are lucky enough to be surrounded by here in WA. It was awesome to see the boundaries pushed and just what these incredible artists are capable of.

After the festival, I caught up with Lara and fired a few questions at her.

1. How do I go about finding the perfect florist for me?

Start with social media; Instagram is a great tool for researching! Find some florists whose work you visually fall in love with. Then go through their website and check that their ethics and ethos align with yours. TRUST YOUR GUT. And of course check their location too.

2. Florals are important to me. I want my wedding to be epic. What is a reasonable budget?

For a full wedding service, you can expect it to total 15-20% of your total wedding budget. Which in today’s climate is around 7.5k If you’re eloping and flowers are still super important, then you might just want one standout piece like an amazing bouquet or arbour, so obviously this would be considerably cheaper.

3. Other than a bouquet, what flowers do I need?

There are so many traditions for weddings, but these days the tradition is not to be traditional, which really means its important to put flowers where it matters to you, and I’d really think outside the box with this. Alot of men now don’t even wear the button holes and boutonnieres because they might have a really fancy jacket on. And then there’s sign flowers but these days signs look pretty cool, they don’t need flowers. Or maybe think outside the box and do a small little corner piece or a nice little meadowlands at the base.

Think about breaking the norm and wowing your guests. To get the best bang for your buck, I would really advise to focus on some big key areas that are gonna blow you and your guests away. And then keep the other areas quite minimal. So like less on the tables and more hanging above, or a larger ceremony altar and no aisle flowers.

Obviously the bridal bouquet is absolutely the most important thing. Not only does it adorn your dress and make you look beautiful, but it gives you something to do with your hands (this may seem insignificant but trust me!) That’s also why bridesmaids bouquets were invented. When you’re standing there, nervous because it’s a big deal, it’s really nice to have something to hold onto as you’re doing the crazy walk down the aisle.

Bridgetown Florist Lara Rose

Lara Rose’s Top 5 Tips

1. Trust your florist! You will get a much better result if you put your faith in them and let them do their art. Choose a florist who you really align with. That’s how you’re really going to get the magic
2. Be aware of the seasons. If you want peonies make sure you get married in November! If theres an essential flower you want, don’t choose your wedding date until you know if it’s available. People are very shocked that most flowers have a small window of opportunity, so choose your timing carefully and be seasonal wherever possible, so you’re going to get fresh and more abundant arangements.
3. Sustainability is essential and cool, so check with your florist.
4. Get a planner / coordinator. The amount of money that a coordinator or a wedding planner can save you in the overall picture because they just find you the best deals and the best vendors to work with and also create a stress free event.
5. GO WILD!!! Think outside the box!!

Lara Rose’s questions you should definitely ask your florist

1. What flowers are in season on my wedding date?

2. What can I get for my budget? It is good to be straight up and saves alot of to-ing and fro-ing

3. Where do my flowers come from?

‘Hopefully this gives you a few key points which will help you on your way to finding the perfect florist. All of the artists here were featured in Gather – An annual Western Australian Floral Exhibition, bringing people and flowers together. I wanted to showcase this as I want you to see really what these peeps are capable of. And like Lara said, think outside the box. The tradition is not to be traditional!’

If you are looking for more expert advice, check out my Interview with Sam from SO Makeup