S P E C I A L O C C A S I O N F L O R A L D E S I G N
How many weddings a year do you service?
We try to have no more than two weddings a month at Colleen of the Valley. Weddings are a big commitment and we take them very seriously. Of course, more and more brides are having shorter engagements and there are the occasional additions of another wedding during the month. We NEVER, however, have more than one wedding a day. Not only would that be too overwhelming for us, but it also is a disservice to the bride and groom. It’s your special day and it deserves all our attention.
Where and when do you put together the arrangements and bouquets?
We currently have no interest in a retail establishment and instead have a large home studio with large reach-in coolers specifically for flowers and we buy wholesale from a variety of local growers individually and also through the Portland Flower Market. Delivery of flowers is sometimes taken a few days in advance, depending on how much the flowers will need to be worked with or conditioned (roses opening, etc.) but arrangements and bouquets are almost always created the day of the event. Sometimes timing requires us to make smaller pieces the day before (boutonnières, etc.) but only for the rare morning event.
Do you charge delivery and set-up fees?
At Colleen of the Valley, the work we do is our art. We love it too much to trust someone else to set it up or transport it for us so we always include delivery and set-up in our bids (sometimes a separate reception site has additional charges) and set them up ourselves. We schedule our time around your wedding photos and usually plan on being at the wedding site at least 2 hours prior to the ceremony. Frequently with children in the wedding or last minute fixes, there is work for the florist to do on-the-spot and we don’t trust anyone to handle that for us.
What happens to the flowers after the wedding?
With that question, you have a few choices. It’s a shame to pay for such beautiful flowers and have them go to waste so your parents/grandparents and wedding guests may wish to take them home and enjoy them while you are on your honeymoon. With most weddings, we have vase deposits and vases can be returned within 15 days following your event. If you’d rather not deal with that issue and would like us to gather the flowers after your event, we can arrange for that also with your reception location. Depending on your location, this may come with an additional cost but it would be no more than $50 in the
What flowers do you substitute if my flowers aren’t available?
With flowers shipped overnight from all over the world, it’s unlikely that your flowers will be unavailable but sometimes a distributor gets a shipment of flowers that are ruined or the supply of a specific flower will dwindle (frost, worker strike, etc.) and the price will skyrocket suddenly. If any unforeseen event like that happens and your flower order changes from what we have discussed, you can expect a call from me with all the information and where we go from there is completely your decision. It may mean paying a little more for a special flower you’d like to include or it may mean substituting a less expensive/more expensive flower if yours can’t be found. This is rather rare but either way, your flowers will never be a surprise to you on your day. We will always communicate with you directly on any of these issues and work with you to quickly find a solution that works. If there are flowers that you absolutely don’t want us to use though, be sure to communicate that as well. No one wants to see the unexpected bloom in the photos for years to come.
Do you provide a written contract?
You should really get a written contract from every vendor you have and we always require one for the protection of both parties. The contract allows us to get down in writing your expectations for the flowers and our expectations for payment, return of vases and other deposit items and other details.
What are the refunds/cancellation terms?
To reserve a date, we typically require only a $100 non-refundable deposit. We then require 50% of the total bid two months before your date and the remainder no later than 2 weeks before your date. If your date is less than 2 months away, we instead will require 50% of the bid upon signing and the remainder no later than 2 weeks before your date. We typically send reminders to you with a self-addressed stamp envelope and a copy of your payment schedule/contract because as the time draws near, things can get lost in the shuffle. It is critical to make your payments on time though. We don’t place the order for your flowers until we have your payments and suppliers prefer the most lead time possible to assure you get the highest quality flowers shipped. We work closely with a lot of vendors but we have a few favorites that we recommend. Contact these vendors directly for more information. LITMO Photography www.litmophotography.com Colleen Zobel Photography www.zstudio.net Timeless Art Photography www.TimelessArtPhotography.com WEDDING COORDINATORS: VENUES AND CATERING:
What vendors do you work with and recommend?
PHOTOGRAPHY:
Natural, photojournalistic-style with very hands-on photographers. Wonderful work in outdoor settings especially.
Creative photography and style and excellent pricing for multiple photographers. Also gives you the benefit of full rights to your photos with no copyrights.
This husband and wife team do a wonderful job of capturing the moment with minimal distraction or disruption. Beautiful photos and very reasonable prices.
The best pricing around for videography and high quality editing with low cost to add photographers and elements to your DVD.
With decades of experience, this mother-daughter team has the best reputation (hands down!) of making everything as smooth as possible on your day. We've never worked with a more organized wedding planner and loved the connections they bring to the table after having worked in the business for so long. Connections can be everything!
I can't say enough about the beautiful presentation and gourmet chefs that work with the Rafati's. They also own and operate Encore310, a premier restaurant in downtown Portland and have years of experience in coordinating events with multiple vendors and specialized themes. I'm in LOVE with their famous lobster bisque and the plating of dishes is simply gorgeous!