Any tips to keep my flowers looking freshest?

HYDRATE AND KEEP COOL. Flowers will be delivered in a water source and must be stored that way for as long as possible. They love cooler (but not freezing) temps the most, and to be stored out of direct sunlight if possible. Aim to keep them hydrated whenever not in use (in between wedding party photos and your ceremony for example, or set directly into vases after the ceremony to repurpose as table decor). Flowers generally last up to 30 minutes out of a water source, though R&S uses longer lasting flowers as well as specialty mechanics & tricks for bouquets & altar designs that may not be able to stay as hydrated for the duration of the event. This is especially true for example in eastern WA higher heat and wind. R&S is well versed in what types of flora do best in extreme conditions. However, we cannot control Mother Nature and temps over 85 will naturally tend to wilt flora more quickly. We like to set up as close to ceremony time as possible in these cases. All florals should look amazing for you and your guests to enjoy for your entire event!

KEEP WATER LEVELS FULL. If you notice any spillage, especially if you’re taking any centerpieces home with you for example, make sure you refill the water level so that all stems are able to drink. After a hot summer event, many flowers will drink all the water and need a refill that night or the following morning.

How far do you travel?

R&S is excited to travel statewide and beyond to help make your dream wedding come true! Based in central WA, only an hour and a half east of Seattle, R&S is pleased to have an easy commute to so many wonderful locales. Two of her favorite places, Bellingham and Hood River, are about equidistant. Oregon coast weddings, Leavenworth winter weddings, and downtown Seattle weddings are all on the menu. She’s familiar with many different venues throughout the state, and is also excited about traveling further for destination weddings. She’s coordinated two styled shoot in Oklahoma while visiting her family, and helped freelance for a florist friend for many events in Arkansas during her midwest trips. She traveled to St Thomas, US Virgin Islands, to flower for her sister’s wedding, using all hand foraged materials from her friends’ gardens. Though she typically hand selects all products from her Seattle wholesalers and designs in her home floral studio, she’s able to also preorder ingredients from her online wholesalers, who deliver to any location worldwide.

How much time do you need to set up?

Adrian is generally a solo designer and will hire additional assistance and freelance artists depending on the size and scale of event. Other factors include how hot or cold the temperatures are and how close to ceremony time we need to set up. On average we need about 2-3 hours to deliver personal flowers and set up the altar & reception flowers. Everything with exception of sign decor and larger scale on-site installations will be mostly, if not completely predesigned. If your venue only allows 1 hour for vendors to set up and /or breakdown, this can increase the labor cost substantially, in order to hire more hands to get the job done faster. Please let us know early on what your general timeline is looking like, what time vendors are allowed in, and how long we have to strike an event, so we can estimate and plan accordingly.

If I’m on a stricter floral budget what should I prioritize?

R&S holds a view that it is beneficial to devote your floral budget to fewer, larger focal points, especially the bridal bouquet and the altar design. These will be primarily featured in your wedding photos to enjoy for a lifetime. We can often repurpose altar flowers to your reception space as well. OR, if your wedding locale has a sweet ceremony spot without necessarily needing to add altar flowers, and you’d rather prioritize the celebratory dining experience with more lavish table settings for all your guests to enjoy, then do up the reception! Just remember, a larger guest count equates to a larger financial investment, so it often makes the most sense to focus on either the ceremony or the reception as to where you’d like to immerse yourself in florals. Centerpieces for 25 tables can cost more than a medium scale altar design, for example, so unless it’s a micro wedding, it’s usually more cost effective to focus on the ceremony florals.

Bottom line: if you try to squeeze your budget too thin and opt for higher volume & smaller scale arrangements, they often get missed, go unnoticed, or can be disproportionate to the space. R&S loves to deliver ‘wow’ statement pieces!

Are vases included in the cost and can we take any flowers home with us?

R&S purchases all materials in bulk per event, including vessels. Any and all flowers may be taken home by the client or given away to guests, but advance notice to R&S as well as your planner or day-of coordinator is requested. R&S will return at the end of the reception to break down and remove all unwanted florals and/or mechanics. Liability & logistics dictate that breakdown service is nearly always required, however this may be removed for smaller events on a case to case basis.

Does R&S offer additional decor or arbor rentals?

R&S is primarily floral focused and sticks to what they do best! R&S does not offer rentals or additional decor such as candles, linens, lighting, etc, though R&S does love collaborating with clients and vendors to ensure cohesiveness of the overall aesthetic. Tapestry or drapery however, may be sourced and included in a large scale floral installation upon request. R&S may provide any and all floral vessels, pillars, larger scale detached arbors, or any other freestanding or hanging structure, with the exception of full arbors or chuppah structures that need assembly & securing on site, and teardown. R&S may assist with recommending separate vendors for these structures if this is the desired look. There are many alternatives that work well where we can achieve the same height, scale, and even similar shape, without needing onsite construction services.

What do you do with excess product or “leftover” flowers?

R&S will often use excess product on hand in the studio, that’s been purchased in bulk for an event, to create smaller seasonal designer’s choice arrangements for local deliveries. Composting is our standard practice, however R&S is also able to donate leftover florals to those in need, who would greatly benefit from a floral uplift! Nursing homes and local resources to connect flowers to hospice patients are on the call list after a large event, so nothing ever goes to waste.