Thinking of Hiring a Wedding Stylist? Seven Questions Every Kiwi Couple Needs to Ask
You're engaged? Congratulations! Chances are that you've looked at hundreds of wedding pics and created several Pinterest boards. You may even have your venue booked and photographer chosen. The next step, then, is to turn those Pinterest boards into the perfect design for your big day. Yay. You get to play with all those fun little details.
But... Oh... There are SO MANY details to get sorted. SO MANY options to research. SO MANY decisions to be made...
- Do have lots of amazing ideas, but you're struggling to pull them all together into a cohesive vision?
- Or have you got a clear vision for your wedding, but have no idea about how to achieve it?
- Have you come to the realisation that you don't have the time or energy to plan, source and organise all the little details that you know will make all the difference on the day?
- Maybe it's become clear to you that you simply don't have the skills and confidence to deal with such 'foreign' things as colour palettes, fabric swatches, floral design and place-setting options?
If you've answered yes to any of these questions, then a Wedding Stylist could provide the help you need.
In the past, Wedding Stylists were seen as a luxury for the rich and famous. This, combined with the good old Kiwi "Number-8-Wire", "Do-It-Yourself" mentality, may be putting you off hiring a Stylist.
But getting help from a Wedding Stylist could be the perfect solution for taking away a huge amount of the stress and overwhelm couples struggle with leading up to their big day. And a bonus with hiring a Wedding Stylist? With all their experience and contacts, they can help save you a heap of money in set-up costs.
SEVEN QUESTIONS TO ASK:
So maybe now you're contemplating hiring a Wedding Stylist. But how do you find a good one? And how will you know if they are the right 'fit' for you? Here are seven essential questions to ask to help you with your decision-making:
1. What can a Wedding Stylist do for us?
You've probably come across a truck-load of wedding related terms so far in your planning journey. It's easy to get confused about all the various wedding professionals and what they do. So lets start at the beginning: What is a Wedding Stylist?
Often, a Wedding Stylist is described as the person who is responsible for how your wedding will look. But a good Stylist will be concerned with the WHOLE EXPERIENCE: not only what your wedding looks like, but how it feels, how it tells the story of your love, and how it represents you as a couple. They will care that both the overall design and all the little details of your wedding are personal and meaningful to you. They will create a design that transports you and your guests to another world.
A good Wedding Stylist can help you make decisions about ALL aspects of your wedding design: attire, accessories, colours, fabrics, backdrops, decor, rental items, table settings, flowers, cake design, stationery, favours, layout, lighting and more.
When you start your search for a Wedding Stylist, read their website copy, read client testimonials and look at their portfolio. Is it clear that they go beyond simply the look of a wedding? Do they take the time to really get to know their clients? Does this show in their work? Have they created a unique and special experience for their clients? Is the theme and look of each wedding clear and cohesive? Most importantly, does their design work move you?
2. Is a Wedding Stylist the right 'fit' for our needs?
In NZ, there are basically four different Wedding Professionals who can help you design, plan and execute your dream day. It's helpful to know a bit about each so that you can work out what help would suit you best.
A Wedding Planner is concerned with the organisational aspects for your big day: liasing with venues, managing your budget, recommending and booking your vendors, getting payments sorted, creating timelines, finalising guest lists, etc. Planners are an excellent option if you are busy and struggle to keep on top of logistical decision-making and deadlines. Look for hospitality and event management experience and qualifications when hiring a Wedding Planner.
As discussed above, a Wedding Stylist is concerned with the design of your wedding - how it looks and feels, as well as the experience you and your guests have. They will also source elements, recommend/book vendors and work with your budget. You should look for design experience and qualifications when hiring a Wedding Stylist.
A Day-Of Wedding Coordinator is concerned with the smooth running of your wedding on the day. Leading up to the wedding, they will check in with all the vendors and deal with any last-minute issues. On the day, they will supervise set-up, provide any help you need to get ready, ensure the wedding runs to the agreed timetable and deal with any issues - so that you can have a relaxed and glitch-free day.
A Floral Designer is concerned with creating a floral 'look' that reflects the overall design of your wedding and fits in with your budget. This may include backdrop arrangements, table arrangements, bouquets, boutonnieres and corsages. They will then create the florals for your day. They differ from florists in that florists tend to have a shop and to sell flowers and arrangements to retail customers. Of course, many florists are also floral designers.
You might decide that you would like a combination of these. No problem. Most wedding professionals are happy to work in with others. In fact, collaboration is a necessary part of the job! When interviewing potential professionals, you can always check that they are happy to work with others. In fact, you could ask them to recommend other vendors that they work well with. In addition, in NZ many wedding businesses offer a combination of services anyway (see question 4). Here at Little Lace Flower Company, for example, we offer both Styling and Floral Design. If we are on-site all day for set-up and pack-down, we'll also offer Day-of Coordination too.
3. How will a Wedding Stylist work with us?
On a very practical level, the work of a Wedding Stylist can be divided into three services:
- Design: A Stylist will work with you to transform your ideas and Pinterest boards into one cohesive vision for your wedding. Wedding Stylists should have a design background and be skilled at working through a Design Process to ensure that the end design fits your vision and needs perfectly. This Design Process should begin with getting to know you thoroughly, then focus on the development of design options for you to select from, and conclude with the production of a Final Design. This Final Design should include documents showing in detail how your vision will be constructed, where each element will be sourced (or made) and how much it will all cost. You should check that any potential Stylist you are thinking of hiring has a design background and follows an appropriate design process to ensure you get the best possible results. Ask to see samples of their design work and documentation.
- Preparation: This is where a Stylist will source all the elements needed for your design. This may include ordering any rental equipment, organising the purchase of any new items, and getting bespoke items made. Ask where they source their items from: Are the items made ethically? Sustainably? Do they support local? The 'Preparation' phase of Styling should also include creating mock-ups so that you can see what your design will look like before the big day. Mock-ups are an invaluable tool for helping clients visualise their design and finalising the fine details. When interviewing a Stylist, ask if they offer a mock-up service.
- Production: This is the actual setting-up (and, usually, packing-down) of your wedding. A Stylist will often have a team to help them and their job will be to check that everything is set up exactly as agreed in your Final Design. Ask if your potential Stylist has experience in event production. If you would like to have some of your friends and family help with set-up (a great cost-saving option), ask if the Stylist is happy to work with/supervise them.
In NZ, most Stylists will offer all three services, but it doesn't hurt to check this. You might also ask if they have a strength in a particular area.
Depending on individual needs, you may not require all three of these Styling services. For example, if you are an organisational mastermind, you may not need the 'Preparation' service. Check with a potential stylist how flexible they are in terms of putting together a service package that is right for you.
4. How do we find a Wedding Stylist in NZ?
An internet search of Wedding Stylists in NZ will show that many businesses offer Styling as a secondary service to Planning or Floral Design. You may need to visit individual websites to see what specific Styling services they offer and whether Styling is a strength of theirs - it takes more than a hastily assembled Mood Board to style a wedding!
Styling is also offered by some Floral Designers in NZ. An advantage of this is that your florals will match perfectly the overall design, look and feel of your wedding. One thing to check with this combination is that the Floral Designer has sufficient design knowledge and experience to cover all aspects of your wedding design needs. In addition, often the styling services offered by Floral Designers are limited to those parts of the wedding that involve florals - ceremony backdrops, table design, etc. Again, check that they can cover all areas of your design needs.
Finally, Styling can be offered alongside a Day-Of Coordination service. If you are wanting the 'Production' element of a Stylist's services, this can be a perfect combination. Your Styilst will, afterall, be on site anyway supervising set-up. A downside is that the Styilst will be chiefly concerned with the design elements of your day. They may not have the time to concern themselves with whether your hair and make-up preparation is running to schedule, to deal with limousines that are running late, or to check whether the caterers have included a gluten-free section on the grazing table! If you are considering going with a business offering this combination, ask how they plan to manage any conflicting demands and whether they have the event management skills/experience to deal with the juggling act.
5. Will the Stylist's vision match ours?
If your Wedding Stylist has training and experience in design, this should not be an issue. It shouldn't matter whether you want a Boho, Modern, Classic, Rustic or any other wedding style. Through the design process, they should be able to create a bespoke design that fits you perfectly. This starts with them really getting to know you - your personal style, your vision, your wishes, tastes and preferences. Next, they should provide design options so that you can both really hone in on your vision. They should also provide plenty of feedback opportunities throughout the design process to help you feel that you are in control of the decision-making and that your vision is their primary focus. When you meet with a potential Wedding Stylist, discuss their design process. Check that there are opportunities throughout the process for clients to give feedback and guide the decision-making. Ask to see their work. If a Stylist acts like a precious artist who treats the input of clients as interference, or who trys to force a design idea upon you, run a mile!
Having said all of that, every Stylist will have their own aesthetic. Some, for example, might tend towards a minimalist look with an emphasis on having plenty of negative (empty) space. Other's may be great at handling brightly coloured palettes. At Little Lace Flower Company, with our emphasis on creating meaningful celebrations, our work tends to be very layered, with a focus on adding lots of details that have emotional and symbolic meaning for our couples. We are most definitely not minimalist! So, have a look at a Stylist's Portfolio, does their work 'feel' right to you?
6. When should we hire a Wedding Stylist?
In an ideal world, you would include a Stylist at the beginning of your planning journey. They can help you select a venue that would best suit your style and vision. They can also help you decide on suitable photographers, wedding attire, stationery, cakes and so on.
However in reality, Stylists are likely to be brought in after some of these major decisions have been made... often when the enormity and overwhelm of bringing your vision to life has struck! When considering a Stylist, check that they are flexible and able to 'tag-in' with wherever you are at and whatever vendors you've already booked in.
7. How much does a NZ Wedding Stylist cost?
This is a tricky one to answer. Because many NZ wedding businesses offer packages where styling is only one component, it is hard to tease out how much the styling part costs. Commonly, pricing is divided according to the three services a Stylist can offer: Design, Preparation and Production.
For the Design Service, prices can start from as little as $300 and head towards $1500+ Often, at the lower end of the price range, the design process is limited and/or you only get to choose between a predetermined selection of design elements. At the higher end, the service is more bespoke. You are also likely to pay a premium for older, more established businesses. When included in a full-service Planning and Styling Package, prices range from $1500 to $6500+ . Again, you will pay a premium for more established businesses. At Little Lace Flower Company, we break down our Design Service pricing into areas: ceremony, reception, welcome, etc. Each service costs between $200 and $300. Clients can 'mix'n'match design services to suit their needs. In total, clients would pay $900 - $1100 for a full Wedding Design service from us. Head to our Services Page to learn more.
Preparation and Production costs will vary hugely depending on your Final Design. Costing is usually based on the cost of materials and the labour involved. Ask your prospective Stylist how they calculate their costs. How is the labour compnent calculated? At what hourly rate is it charged? Does the Stylist take a mark-up on the materials they provide? Ask about any extras they might be able to provide. For example, some Stylists will give you special rates on any hire items you use from their stock.
A review of various Wedding Budget blog posts shows that, on average, couples spend between 3% and 10% on decor and styling. The 3% tends to be more at the DIY end where friends and family do the decorating. The 10% is more for professional styling and weddings where styling and guest-experience is a priority for the couple.
With the average Kiwi wedding heading towards the $40,000 mark, these percentages work out to be between $1,200 and $4,000 spent on styling. When you consider what a huge imapct good styling can have and how it can shape memories (and photographs) of your special day, its not such a huge amount. In fact, it compares favourably to other wedding professionals such as photographers and entertainers.
When you meet with a Stylist, ask to see examples of weddings they have produced at different price-points. This will help you get an idea of what they will be able to provide for you at your budget. If your budget is tight (or you simply love the idea of having personal, hand-made elements at your wedding) you may also like to ask them if they would be happy to work in with you and your tribe doing some DIY elements.
Was this useful?
Did you find this information helpful in deciding whether a Wedding Stylist is right for you? And if so, how to find the perfect Stylist to meet your needs and help bring your vision to life? I'd love to get your feedback.
All the images featured in this Blog are examples of Little Lace Flower Company styling.
Thanks to Jo Moore Photograper, Billie Brook Photography and Ryan McCauley Photography for the photos.
If you would like to know more, or to ask about the styling services we offer to Little Lace Flower Company, please email me: lyndal@littlelaceflowercompany.co.nz. Or click on the link below to find out more about all of our Styling services and prices:
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