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Questions to ask your wedding florist
by Jennifer Montoya - questions by Nely Glaser
It's time to choose a wedding or event florist. Before you make a decision, be sure you've asked the right questions. The answers can often help you decipher the difference between a truly dedicated professional and everyone else. We asked Jennifer Montoya, owner of Majestic Events, a rather long list of some of the recommended questions for choosing a florist for your wedding. The questions were compiled from an article written by Nely Glaser on A Wedding Day.com. When choosing the right florist for your event, these are some of the questions you are going to want know the answers to:
- Do you charge for consultations ??
Jennifer Montoya: No, we've never charged for something so important to the process.
- Will you personally be the florist - floral designer for our wedding?
J.M.: Yes, I am personally involved in the creative aspects of your event, from design to delivery. Also, one of my long term staff members, personally trained by me, may assist from time to time.
- How long have you been accommodating weddings?
J.M.: Over 20 years
- How many wedding clients have you served?
J.M.: Approximately 1,600 since Majestic Events was created in 1987. Prior to that, I was involved in over 3,000 weddings in California, Hawaii, and other markets.
- How many weddings a year do you serve?
J.M.: Because of our specialized nature, we try to limit ourselves to 4 weddings per weekend.
- Do you have experience with weddings of our type and sized within our budget?
J.M.: We have been a part of weddings that range from intimate to majestic. Your free consultation will give us the opportunity to discuss you desires. Whether romantic, traditional, or contemporary, we'll provide suggestions that stay within your budget.
- Have you worked with our ceremony and reception facilities before?
J.M.: If it's taking place in the city of Indianapolis, we most likely have. If not, we'd be happy to make a site visit to gather more information.
- What type of design do you consider as your specialty?
J.M.: Many years of experience allows us to create a spectrum of styles, themes, and design capabilities. Our online photo gallery will give you a broad cross-section of various events that are each unique in their own way.
- Do you provide additional services such as decorating - decorations, chair covers, ribbons, balloons, etc...?
J.M.: In an effort to keep the look fresh and ever-changing, we offer an entire warehouse of centerpiece stands, assorted fabrics, tent accents, arches, columns, and trees. Based on the bride's needs and involvement in the planning process, we can either arrange for other products and services, or offer referrals.
- Do you check out the ceremony and reception facilities and evaluate them for decorations?
J.M.: Yes, based on either existing knowledge or through on-site meetings, we'll be sure to address every issue that may involve the design and delivery process.
- Will you work with our wedding cake baker should we choose to decorate the cake with flowers?
J.M.: Absolutely ! We will gladly meet with the cake decorator to provide complete communication that ensures the cake is consistent with the style and scope of the event. Because of our experience, we have probably worked with your chosen cake baker in the past.
- Can you provide us with a portfolio and references we may contact?
We suggest visiting our website for our on-line photo gallery, which contains an ever-changing array of ideas and one of the most extensive collections offered by any florist in Indianapolis. If you aren't connected to the internet, we can show you even more at the initial consultation. References are always available on request.
- What will you do if the florist - floral designer you assigned to us no longer works for you when our wedding day comes up? How would this or any other emergency be handled ?
J.M.: Since we have chosen to remain small and specialized, I am involved in every phase of planning, design, and delivery, so there is no need to be concerned. In the unlikely event that something should keep me from being personally involved in each and every aspect, I have a small staff that is highly experienced, dependable and loyal. In an emergency situation, I have no doubts about their collective ability to get the job done right in my absence.
- Do you use flowers from your inventory, or do you order flowers as needed to accomplish each project?
J.M.: We special order everything for your event from the top growers and greenhouses in the world.
- Do you use flowers from your inventory, or do you order flowers as needed to accomplish each project?
- Do you own dedicated flower storage coolers?
J.M.: Yes, we have two walk-in coolers that are cleaned and sanitized on a regular basis. They are each equipped with a back-up generator in case of power failure. We understand how important a controlled climate is to the longevity of your flowers.
- Do you own flower delivery vans?
J.M.: We have a small fleet of trucks and vans to accomodate nearly any weather, road conditions, or event size. We also have a contract with two trucking companies as additional back-up to serve events in any city. We can even offer refrigerated semi-trailers and the staff to drive them.
We'll have the rest of Jennifer's answers in the next newsletter.
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