Ask a Wedding Florist: Frequently Asked Questions Vol. 2
Part 2 of our Ask a Wedding Florist series dives into the most common questions about the design process of a weddings and events florist in the San Francisco Bay Area. From the initial inquiry process, to the sketches, moodboards, and renderings, to how we go about choosing flowers, and more!
Welcome back to my Ask a Wedding Florist series, where I answer the most common questions about what it’s really like to be a floral designer for weddings and events in the San Francisco Bay Area.
We know that life’s biggest celebrations aren’t about playing it safe. So for couples who want to surprise and delight their guests, we offer a full-service floral experience that goes beyond expectations.
In collaboration with your planner and vendor team, we craft a one-of-a-kind floral vision that feels intentional, personal, and beyond imagination. From artful bouquets and personal florals to detailed tablescapes and dramatic large-scale installations, we thoughtfully design every detail. Our goal is that our clients’ wedding florals are more than just beautiful; they’re unforgettable.
Here’s a bit of a behind the scenes peek at what goes into our design process.
THE DESIGN PROCESS
1 - Do you work with event planners and designers?
Yes! Every wedding, event, and corporate client I work with has a planner or designer who leads the overall design aesthetic, then brings in vendors who align with that vision. We’ll collaborate closely to create a floral design that feels cohesive and intentional. Here are some of my favorite planners in the San Francisco Bay Area/Northern California to partner with time and time again:
2 - What does the design process look like from inquiry to event day?
The process kicks off with a consultation meeting where I’ll ask questions like:
What mood would you like the flowers to evoke?
Is there anything specific you want to avoid?
What’s your personal style?
What inspires you/your event?
What will you be wearing?
What are your biggest fears when it comes to your floral designs?
What sort of experience do you want for your guests?
Most clients have a Pinterest board or design deck as a starting point. I don’t like to copy and paste so I’ll evolve that vision, apply color theory, gather inspiration, and let ideas marinate before presenting a custom floral design concept. From there, we refine it together — ingredient selection, vessels, candles, rentals — until it’s time to bring it all to life.
3 - Do you sketch or mock up designs before creating them?
Often! A lot of my ideas don’t exist on Pinterest, so a sketch or rendering is a really helpful tool for communicating my vision to my clients and my team.
For some events we’ll do what is called a ‘mockup’ (a curated preview of the event’s florals, usually a tablescape) to refine details like palette, textures, size, and overall vibe. It’s a great way to ensure everyone is aligned before event day.
Here’s a digital rendering I created for a wedding tablescape with Meag Breanne Events.
And here’s how it turned out IRL:
Photography: Chelsea Gee Photography | Planning: Meag Breanne Events
4 - How do you choose which flowers to use in a design?
The season and palette always determine my starting point. I’ll use a mix of tools (like this book and the color wheel), chat with my suppliers, and browse the market in person to get inspired. I’ll go back to the client’s goals and objectives and focus on choosing blooms that match that. I am specifically looking for:
The star of the show — one super special bloom to set the tone for the palette
Two-toned blooms — a flower with two colors from the palette for harmonious color blending
An added ‘pop’ — usually a complementary color or unexpected texture for contrast
Non-floral elements — think plants, fruits/vegetables, rocks, moss, and textiles, for an artful look
That’s all for today! Up Next: The Logistics Behind Wedding & Event Florals — including a look at what it’s like transporting thousands of dollars of fresh florals on a hot summer day, what happens to flowers after an event, and more. Got a burning question? Send me a DM or share it in the comments here, and I’ll be sure to answer in a future post!
Let’s Bring Your Floral Vision to Life!
With us, every design is an original work of art. And every event gets our undivided attention. Whether it’s a showstopping ceremony installation or a nuanced tablescape moment, we design experiences that will have your guests talking long after the event ends and have you focusing on the moments, not the details.
Inquire here to schedule a consultation, and we can start a journey together that will elevate your vision beyond the imaginable.
Ask a Wedding Florist: Frequently Asked Questions Vol. 1
I'm pulling back the curtain! If you’ve ever wondered what a wedding and event florist REALLY does besides playing with beautiful flowers, this series is for you! This post covers questions like "What does a wedding florist actually do?" to “How much do wedding flowers cost?” to “Where do you get your flowers?” and more.
If you’ve ever wondered what a wedding florist REALLY does (besides playing with beautiful flowers all day — because spoiler, there’s more), this series is for you!
Over the next few weeks, I’ll be answering the most common (and surprising) questions I get about my work as a floral designer for weddings and events in the San Francisco Bay Area. From pricing to logistics to design process, I’m pulling back the curtain on the sometimes-illusive career of floral design.
I’m kicking things off with the basics. If you have any burning questions, drop them in the comments and I will answer them in an upcoming post!
1. What does a wedding florist actually do?
A wedding florist conceptualizes, sources, designs, delivers, and installs all floral elements for weddings. This includes everything from bouquets and centerpieces to larger-scale installations like a ceremony arch. While a lot of the hands-on work happens the week of the wedding, 6-12 months of pre-planning involves proposals, design decks, supplier orders, budgeting, logistics and timelines, sourcing other rental items like vases and candles, and staffing.
2. How much do wedding flowers cost?
It varies! A common guideline is to allocate 10-15% of the total wedding budget to florals. My clients typically spend between $20-45K on florals. And if you’re curious what goes into the expense of wedding flowers, check out this blogpost I wrote here.
3. Where do you get your flowers?
I source my flowers from the San Francisco Flower Market (one of the largest wholesale flower markets in the US!), as well as a few local Bay Area flower farms. I prioritize small growers and collectives when possible to source the freshest, most unique seasonal blooms while supporting sustainable floristry.
4. What’s the hardest part about wedding floristry?
I’d say the physical demands (early morning market runs, long hours on your feet, lifting heavy buckets, climbing ladders for installations) paired with the unpredictability of the business (perishable product, time constraints, sourcing surprises, tricky weather). Lots of coffee, flexibility, and problem solving!
5. What’s the best part of wedding floristry?
Of course, being surrounded by beautiful flowers is a dream—but what truly makes it rewarding for me is the ability to take a vision, refine and elevate it, and use color theory and design to transform a space in ways my clients never imagined. I also thrive on the teamwork and collaboration with planners and other vendors, the energy of a fast-paced event day, and delivering a seamless, thoughtful client experience. That’s at the heart of my business and where I shine the most!
6. What are your favorite flowers to work with?
I cannot possibly pick one but here are some favorites by season. All photos via GC Collective.
WINTER & SPRING
SUMMER
FALL
If you have any specific questions, drop them here as a comment :) I will answer in an upcoming post!
Let’s Bring Your Floral Vision to Life!
Wedding flowers aren’t just a line item; they’re a work of art that powerfully sets the tone – transforming your venue and creating lasting impressions for your guests.
Inquire here to schedule a consultation, and we can start a journey together that will elevate your vision beyond the imaginable.
My Journey into the World of Flowers + How I'm Evolving my Craft
The details of where exactly my journey into the world of flowers began, and how I've committed to evolving my craft over the last 19 (!!!) years.
I hardly ever share the full details of where exactly my journey into the world of flowers began, and how I've approached honing my craft over the last 19 (!!!) years. But today I’m sharing it all!
Below are the three main avenues of flowers I've explored along the way, including how I commit myself to continually evolving my craft.
1 - The Flower Shop
My first-ever job was as a salesperson at my local flower shop back in Pennsylvania. I worked there through high school and college, taking phone orders, memorizing flower names, sweeping floors, and breaking down flower boxes. Eventually I graduated to designing handheld bouquets, refining their website, and taking simple wedding orders. The hands-on experience was invaluable. It gave me an ego-free launch into the elusive and seemingly glamorous world of flowers. Don’t be fooled! I relate running a flower shop to running a restaurant — It’s exhausting. It’s dirty work. There are kind customers, then not-so-kind customers. But at the end of each day, the profuse scent of fresh flowers would follow me to my car and back home and I’d think to myself — how lucky am I to be able to work with my hands (and flowers) each day.
2 - Freelancing Part-Time
After I moved to San Francisco from Philadelphia for a career in tech, I rediscovered the world of flowers via freelancing and booked jobs with other wedding and event florists on weekends. Freelancing taught me so much about different techniques, styles, and Bay Area wedding venues, all while expanding a very supportive network in the floral community that I still rely on! I always recommend freelancing to anyone getting started, as it gives you a real life behind-the-scenes experience of what it means to be a wedding and event florist without the commitment of running your own business with your own clients. Ultimately I knew I always wanted to run my own business (both of my parents were small business owners and I grew up appreciating what comes with that lifestyle) — so once I had a few of my own bookings under my belt I launched my business (more on that story another time!).
3 - Investment in education
A mix of 1:1 workshops, semesters with a local community college, online flower courses, and ongoing business coaching/mentorship have evolved my designs, techniques, and business processes. I make it a goal to invest in a few of these each year so that I constantly learn and evolve, and never get stuck or stagnant in set ways. Additionally, every single client and planner collaboration allows me to expand and stretch my imagination — and I feel so grateful to have the opportunity to share my art with each.
May we never stop learning and evolving!
Moodboard: Mocha Mousse
A peak into my design process and inspiration behind an event design inspired by the Pantone Color of the Year: Mocha Mousse.
My first event of the year is inspired by the 2025 Pantone Color of the Year Mocha Mousse. It’s such a versatile color, ranging from relaxed and mellow to indulgent and rich.
For this event — hosted at The Charter Oak in St. Helena — we’re leaning into sensorial sophistication. Think: vibey lighting, rich velvet upholstery, silky draping and tassels, funky candles. I’ll be pairing this with classic blooms like tulips, callas, and anemones in mono-floral arrangements.
Often for event and wedding floral designs, the planner shares a design deck with the general idea of the floral vibe already determined, to which I’ll then add my spin. But for this event, Harlene Events and I have been collaborating closely from the beginning which has given me a lot of opportunity to get really creative. We’re really leaning into the theme — and nothing can stop a good florist-planner duo! I always recommend working with a planner, because they’ll really take the design to the next level in collaboration with key vendors (not to mention keeping the event smooth, on-track, and most importantly — super fun and relaxed for their clients.
I can’t wait to share more from this event, but for now wanted to share a bit more behind the design process. I want to hear from you though — any questions about my design process or things you’d like to see more of?
xo
Anastasia
A Guide to Vision Boarding with Purpose
I’d like to share with you a part of my creative process that I’ve found really helpful, especially in the past few weeks: vision boarding. Vision boarding is a tool I’ve implemented both in my personal life and in my business. Here’s what you’ll find in this post:
The truth about vision boards
Step-by-step instructions to create an effective vision board
3 real life examples of vision boards I’ve created
Two weekends ago I sat on the couch and read the NYTimes. It was cold and rainy outside. If all went according to plan, we would have been in the desert, a place I go once a year during the off-season to rest, reset, and renew inspiration. But life changed very quickly for all of us.
Then it occurred to me that yes, life is very different now. But can’t we still find inspiration around us? Dream about the future?
“Hope will not be cancelled. May we lean into the good stuff that remains.”
I think we can all benefit from hope and inspiration right about now. So I’d like to share with you a creative process I implement for both my personal life and my business: vision boarding. Vision boards serve as a tool to not only clarify your goals, but actually manifest destiny. I know it sounds cheesy, but hear me out. Here’s what you’ll find in this post:
The truth about vision boards
Step-by-step instructions to create an effective vision board
3 real life examples of vision boards
WHAT IN THE WORLD IS A VISION BOARD?
A vision board is a physical representation of your aspirations, curated by you and for you, to serve as a tool to help those aspirations come to life. It can be a collage of magazine clippings on a bulletin board, a PDF of imagery that’s saved as your phone’s wallpaper, or anything in between. Also known as a mood board, dream board, inspiration board, or design board.
Think of it as like...Pinterest, but intentional? And without targeted ads.
WHY MAKE A VISION BOARD?
The majority of people are visual learners. Consider the Law of Attraction, which is the ability to attract into our lives whatever we are focusing on. By putting images in front of you, you are sending a message to the universe about your hopes and dreams, and opening yourself up to inspiration and guidance.
If you’re eye-rolling right now, I totally get it. That used to be me. But then I tried vision boarding and, seriously, I found it really helpful. As a creative process, vision boarding:
Takes you away from your daily routine and gets creative juices flowing
Brings you clarity, by taking the noisy jumbled thoughts in your head and organizing them into a crystal clear picture of what it is you want
Serves as a daily reminder to stay motivated to achieve your goals
Opens you up to new sources of inspiration as you start to hone your vision
HOW CAN I MAKE ONE THAT WORKS FOR ME?
By looking at your vision board as a tool with a specific purpose, rather than just a collage of pretty pictures, it’s more likely to help you manifest your vision.
Below are 8 steps to creating a vision board that works for you.
#1 - Have a Purpose
Think about what areas of your life seem most overwhelming or in need of a change, or a challenge ahead. Lean into that one specific goal as you design your board. Here are some examples of specific purposes:
Business - a design visualization for a client
Special Event - inspiration for hosting your friend’s bridal shower
Personal - images that propel your health goals
Career - what your dream business looks like
Travel - places, people, food for the trip of a lifetime
Home - how you envision your first home, or a room makeover
#2 - Set the Mood
I recommend finding some uninterrupted time and space for yourself to do this solo. Grab your beverage of choice, light your fave candle. If you’re into journaling, put pen to paper and list out your goals for the board. If you meditate, or rely on music, do it. By setting the mood, you will find that you’re already on the right path.
#3 - Curate Imagery
Start by looking around you to find what inspires you most: the architecture in your neighborhood, the views from your window, the colors and textures of your wardrobe, books or magazines, photos from past travels, quotes or lyrics.
The secret to finding imagery that evokes feelings is to have no agenda. Aim to collect images that speak to you. Avoid the literal interpretations of what you want in your life, and instead simply focus on how an image makes you FEEL. Here are a few platforms I use for this:
Pinterest: This tool can be especially overwhelming. But instead of using keywords to find the exact thing you have in mind, simply start saving images that are beautiful to you. From there, Pinterest will serve you related images via the ‘More Ideas’ feature and eventually you’ll find images you love.
Instagram: Your feed is likely already curated with images relevant to you, your style, and your aesthetic. Instagram’s Save feature comes in handy. Under ‘Saved’ you can save everything you love in one spot or under separate folders.
Tumblr: For tons and tons of images and content
#4 - Add Variety
Your vision board doesn’t need to be limited to just images. Try adding color palettes, fabric swatches, quotes or mantras you find inspirational, or sketches. Nothing’s off limits. By adding some variety, the board will have more depth.
#5 - Simplify, Simplify, Simplify
It’s okay if you end up with a ton of inspiration. But the point of a vision board is not to overwhelm yourself. It should instead give you clarity when you need it most. Try limiting your board to 7-15 images that truly speak to you. By limiting clutter and chaos on your board, you can limit clutter and chaos in your mind. And a selective vision will feel that much more attainable.
#6 - Choose your Medium
You’ll want to showcase your vision board via a medium that suits your lifestyle.This could be your phone or desktop background, cork board, wire grid panel, or simply a collection of images taped to your wall.
#7 - Get to Designing
It’s time to pull everything together. If you’re going the old-fashioned route, all you really need are scissors, glue or tape, and a place to put it all. If you’re going digital, here are a few tools I’ve tried:
Adobe: I’ve used both InDesign and Spark for boards before and love them. Note: Adobe is subscription-based and comes with a learning curve.
Canva: The most user-friendly and cost-effective in my opinion. Their free version is where I design my floral design clients’ design boards as well as my own vision boards (examples below).
Google Doc: A familiar tool never fails. This is a simple and free option to organize your images.
#8 - Look at it Daily
Display your vision board prominently in a place you frequent, e.g. above your desk, on your closet door, as your phone background or computer wallpaper. Let it serve as your daily reminder that your dreams can be your reality.
Here are a few real life examples of vision boards to give you some ideas and help you get started.
SAMPLE A. —
CLIENT DESIGN
SAMPLE B. — MY BUSINESS
SAMPLE C. — MY WEDDING
I hope you feel inspired to try this creative process. At the very least, may this bring you light, or inspiration, or some sense of clarity or purpose during these uncertain times.
If you end up trying this, let me know!
Follow me on IG @anastasiaandenmatten and send me a DM
A Dinner Dedicated to Someone Special
When Maxine’s family initially reached out to me in search of a floral designer for a dinner they were hosting, I had this strange feeling that I was meant to support them in some way. And then I read Maxine’s story, which hit so close to home for me.
Pour Your Heart Out is an annual dinner benefiting Lucile Packard Children’s Hospital at Stanford and dedicated to everyone who battles heart disease. The dinner was inspired by Maxine Liezel, who was diagnosed with a congenital heart defect (CHD) pre-natal and had her first, but not last, open heart surgery at Lucile Packard.
When Maxine’s family initially reached out to me in search of a floral designer for a dinner they were hosting, I had this strange feeling that I was meant to support them in some way. And then I read Maxine’s story, which hit so close to home for me.
At birth, my twin sister Allie was diagnosed with a rare and critical CHD called Tetralogy of Fallot — a combination of four heart defects, including a hole in the heart. At just five weeks old when her heart was the size of a penny, she had her first open heart surgery. Research studies made possible by contributions as well as the care of the doctors and nurses at the Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia have made it possible for her to live a healthy and very full life. Her most recent and second open-heart surgery was at age 26 and last year she gave birth to a beautiful, healthy baby girl named Emilia. Her strength and determination inspires me every single day.
It was an honor contributing to the third annual Pour Your Heart Out, this year’s pop-up dinner hosted at The Laundry SF. All profits benefited the Heart Center of Lucile Packard and the many families who travel there for cardiac care for their loved ones.
“Every year, 1 in 100 babies are born with a heart defect, making it in the most common birth defect. Congenital heart defects (CHDs) are problems with the heart’s structure that are present at birth. Common examples include holes in the inside walls of the heart and narrowed or leaky valves. In more severe forms of CHDs, blood vessels or heart chambers may be missing, poorly formed, and/or in the wrong place. An approximate 100-200 deaths are due to unrecognized heart disease in newborns each year, and nearly 40,000 infants in the U.S. are born each year with CHDs. Approximately two to three million individuals are thought to be living in the United States with CHDs.”
For more information: my.supportlpch.org
Venue: The Laundry SF
Planner: One Sweet Soiree
Photographer: Mark V Reyes
Catering: Merienda
Floral Design: Anastasia Andenmatten
Paper: Tiny Paper Lab
