Frequently Asked Questions

Do you have a minimum?

Not for events within the general radius of Western North Carolina, usually from Asheville to Murphy. I have always believed that everyone deserves access to beautiful flowers no matter the scale of their wedding, so minimums are only required for events that require more than two hours of travel time. Logistics get complicated with perishable products and a long and/or stressful drive, so minimums vary based on venue location.

We are always happy to provide flowers for elopements and micro weddings!

What does the booking process look like?

Initial inquiry | Fill out the form on the home page, which collects the necessary information I’ll need to provide your initial quote. I will be notified that I have a new response, and if I have any questions, I will either reach out to you via email or fill in most of the quote information, leaving the items I’m unsure about listed as “TBD” until I receive clarification.

Meeting (optional) | If you want to schedule a meeting, we can discuss the details over coffee if you’re in the Asheville area or over the phone if it will be a destination wedding. Note: I do not require a meeting or phone call as long as I’m confident I can interpret your vision from your inspiration, but I’m happy to schedule one if you would prefer to talk through everything!

Initial quote | Using the information and details you provided, I will send back a starting point quote for you to look over, usually within 5 to 7 business days. Don’t panic if you don’t hear back right away, as I’m the only one who handles the booking process.

Refining the quote | Let me know what changes and adjustments are needed to get the quote to a comfortable place for you.

Approval | Once you give me the green light, I will plug the quote info into my contract and send that over to you to e-sign.

Deposit and contract | Once the deposit is paid and the contract is signed, you can sit back, relax, and cross florals off your wedding planning to-do list!

The initial inquiry and the quote-building process is the most important part of the booking process and the most work you’ll have to do. The two crucial pieces of information that I need from you are what your vision is and which items and their quantities you’ll be needing. I am a very visual person, so I always ask for a Pinterest/mood board or inspiration photos so that I can better visualize your overall vibe and what your dream wedding looks like.

Do you have a retail location?

No - we work from our home studio, which saves on overhead costs!

What format do you send the quote in?

I always provide quotes in itemized list format, and the quote itself will be a Google doc link. Google docs save and update automatically, and the link will remain the same no matter how many times we make changes or adjustments. I value transparency and believe couples should know exactly what they’re paying for, so I list all items with their respective costs, including all fees and taxes. If we know there will be an additional cost determined later, I will include it with “TBD” so that you aren’t surprised by it later on. I also include a detailed notes section containing pertinent information as well as the flower choices I intend to use for your wedding florals.

Will I need to pay a deposit?

Yes - the deposit is 10% of your total or a minimum of $200. The deposit secures your date and can be paid via Venmo (@wildwoodflowershop and 9489 for the phone number) or via digital invoice sent via Square (currently subject to a 3.4% processing fee).

Will I need to sign a contract?

Yes - the contract provides important information as well as protects both of us in the event of emergency. In addition to the contract information, this is the document that we will make any future changes in. After the contract is sent to you, you can essentially delete the link to the quote document so that it doesn’t create confusion later on.

Can I make changes after the contact is signed?

Absolutely! As RSVPs start rolling in, it’s expected that you may need to add or remove place settings or even whole guest tables, and thus, their floral decor. It’s also common for your vision to change, such as adding a splash of burgundy to your formerly white and blush palette! Stylistic and numerical changes are normal, and I allow unlimited adjustments until 30 days out from the wedding day. That is usually when I place my order for your flowers, so just keep me informed throughout the process as details are finalized so that I have the correct quantities when I write up my order.

How will we communicate until the wedding?

Email is ideal for communicating throughout the majority of the planning process, as this allows me to keep track of changes and adjustments. I like to give the entire email thread one last readthrough before I order the flowers just to make sure I didn’t miss anything important. For this reason, it’s in everyone’s best interest to keep all information in the same email thread (most event vendors utilize this same policy). If I have to search through 4 or 5 email threads to double check a detail, it’s not only more time consuming, but it also increases the likelihood of something important falling through the cracks.

What can I expect for the payment schedule?

I require a minimum deposit of $200 to secure your date, but I don’t have a set payment schedule as long as 50% of the total balance (less the deposit) is paid by the 30-day mark when I go to place my order for your flowers. The remaining balance is due a minimum of 7 days out from the wedding. You are welcome to send payments at any amounts/intervals that work best for you, including paying in full at any point. All payments will be documented in the contract, which will be updated to reflect the current balance due (if any).

Can we bring our own flowers?

No - the reason for this is referred to as “exclusivity.” In order to protect my professional portfolio, it’s imperative that I am the only one who is providing florals throughout the entire event. Floral design is art that utilizes flowers and greenery as the medium, so you are in actuality hiring an artist to style your wedding, in the same way you’re hiring an artist to capture it (photographer/videographer). If a well-meaning family member offers to provide your guest table centerpieces and they end up bringing grocery store flowers arranged haphazardly in mason jars, but I provide all the other florals, people will mistakenly assume that those centerpieces are my artwork.

There can be exceptions to this rule (silk cake flowers, a sprig of baby’s breath to accent place cards, etc.), but if you intend to utilize any florals or greenery not provided by me - even rentals from your venue - you will need to inform me in advance so that I can approve it or suggest an alternative. I am always taking your overall vision, budget, and agency into account, so I’m most likely going to suggest a compromise rather than give you a flat out “no.” This is your wedding, after all!

Do you carry event insurance?

Only if required by the venue. In general, venues tend to require that certain types of vendors (such as catering, reception music, bartending, and coordination) carry insurance due to the nature of their services. However, some venues require that every vendor carry insurance for the event, so if this is the case for your venue, I will add this cost after the subtotal along with the other fees and sales tax. Because flowers tend to be pretty harmless for the most part (aside from the occasional finger prick from a thorn) and we are confident that our installations are structurally sound, I carry event insurance on an as-needed basis.

Do you offer any floral preservation?

No, but I can recommend with confidence two amazing preservation artists (I work with both regularly) who do an incredible job of making your flowers last forever!

The Passion Pour

Golden Preserved

Do you offer any rental items?

Absolutely! Our rental closet includes arches and arbors of various materials and styles, assorted candles and candelabra, vessels (such as compotes) for centerpieces, table runners, and - my personal favorite - bud vases in all manner of shapes, textures and colors!

We have designed, built, and stained our wooden arches to our high standards (so that they are stable on uneven ground, in heavy wind, etc.), but if you don’t see the shape or style that you have in mind, let us know and we would be happy to build it for you at no extra charge than the normal rental fee.

Can my guests take the flowers home?

This depends on rentals - if the Wildwood team will not be returning for take down after the event, that means that everything is yours to do with what you will! I always include the vases for the bouquets in case you have booked a preservationist, but otherwise, it’s best to leave the glassware since it can be reused many times over. However, since the flowers themselves cannot be reused, feel free to let your guests pillage the centerpieces as much as they want to as long as they leave the containers!

Will you come back after the wedding is over?

This depends on venue policy and whether or not you have chosen to rent vessels, arches, candles, or other items. We will return for our rental items, but we will only take down all florals when required and for a fee. Set up and take down are both percentages of the total and will be listed in the contract alongside delivery and sales tax.

What if my ceremony and reception are in different locations?

No worries! The delivery fee listed in your contract will reflect the multiple locations, and I will already be working with your coordination team on the behind-the-scenes logistics to ensure a seamless transition from ceremony to reception.

Do you use local flowers?

Yes - as much as possible when they’re in season! While I don’t grow my own flowers for cutting (just for our hive of honeybees), I am so fortunate to have many flower farmer friends who grow the most incredible blooms! I strive to use locally sourced flowers as much as possible during their season, as you won’t get a fresher or longer-lasting flower than one traveling 20 minutes in a bucket of water from the farm to my studio, opposed to one shipped without a water source from Holland or Ecuador. Even our local wholesaler buys flowers from local flower farms during the growing season!