San Francisco Inspiration

What an inspiring week at AIFD (American Institute of Floral Designers) Annual Symposium. Once a year in July our membership from all over the world gets together somewhere in the United States to share ideas, industry trends and of course FANTASTIC floral art. Since my induction into this prestigious organization in New York City in 2004, it is an inspirational highlight of my summer each year. This year we met in sunny San Francisco where the temperatures were in the cool 70's and the city gave us an incredibly diverse culture to explore. From little Italy to Chinatown, Nob Hill to Fisherman's Wharf and the historic cable cars to Union Square with its upscale shopping, San Francisco has something for everyone.

This would make a great honeymoon destination!! But over the next few posts, I want to share with you some of the outstanding design and trends for the coming year that we experiecned at AIFD Symposium! Stay tuned!!

What's in a package?

One of the first items on the list of wedding planning activities is to choose the venues for your ceremony and reception. There are many things involved in choosing a location for your reception. Do you have a vision for the look for your reception – historic building or modern hotel; adult or family oriented; outside or inside; buffet, family style or plated served dinner? The choices seem a little bit overwhelming sometimes. But it is essential that you think through all the details before signing contracts. There is nothing more disheartening than to fall in love with a venue only to find out it is too small for your guest list. Once you find a place with the look and size that you like, meet with them to talk about specifics. Do they have a caterer that you must use or can your bring in your own choice of caterer? Can you bring in your own decorations and flowers? Do they have packages that you just buy into or can you customize your wedding experience? Different venues have specialties that they provide. Use their expertise in the catering process but don’t be afraid to ask questions: Why do they do it that way? Can I change the package to make my celebration more personal to our situation?

Talk through pricing and options for food and bar and any other services that they offer. Before you sign for any packages, make sure that you are not paying for things that you don’t need. Some couples find that running contracts by their wedding planner helps save costs. A good professional wedding planner who has worked in many different venues can help you discover strengths and weaknesses before you sign any contracts. The reception venue, food and drink will take up the major portion of your wedding budget so make sure all your questions and concerns are addressed before you make a deposit. You are hiring them to work for you and make your day perfect in every way.