Every couple who reaches out to us — whether they’re booking a full year in advance or scrambling to pull together an elopement in six weeks — tends to ask a version of the same handful of questions. That’s a good thing. Asking questions is exactly how you find the right team.
So we pulled together the ten questions we hear most often as a wedding florist and planning team based in Anderson, South Carolina — with honest answers, and links to deeper guides if you want to keep reading.
1. Do I Actually Need a Wedding Planner or Coordinator?
Short answer: probably, even if you’re organized. A coordinator isn’t there because you can’t plan a spreadsheet — they’re there so you’re not the one fielding vendor calls and cueing the processional on your wedding day. We break this down in more detail in Do I Need a Wedding Coordinator If I’m Good at Planning? and, for smaller celebrations, Do I Really Need a Planner for a Micro Wedding or Elopement?
2. What’s the Difference Between Full-Service Planning, Partial Planning, and Day-Of Coordination?
Full-service means we’re with you from the very first venue tour to the last dance. Partial planning picks up once you’ve made some of the big decisions and need help pulling it all together. Day-of (really month-of) coordination is for couples who’ve planned everything themselves and just need someone to run the actual day. See Full-Service Wedding Planning, Partial Wedding Planning, and our breakdown of Day-Of Coordinator vs. Wedding Planner for a closer look at each.
3. How Far in Advance Should I Book My Planner and Florist?
As soon as you have a date and venue. Peak South Carolina wedding season — spring and fall — books out six months to a year ahead for the vendors couples want most. Waiting doesn’t just risk availability; it limits how much we can do with your floral sourcing and design timeline. Our guides on when to hire a wedding coordinator and the perfect SC wedding timeline walk through it month by month.
4. How Much Do Wedding Flowers Typically Cost in South Carolina?
It depends heavily on guest count, venue size, and how much of the space you want florals to fill — but most South Carolina couples land somewhere between 8–12% of their total wedding budget on flowers. We walk through real numbers, by category, in How Much Do Wedding Flowers Cost in South Carolina. The Knot’s budget calculator is also a solid starting point if you’re building your budget from scratch.
5. Does the Season I Get Married In Actually Affect My Flowers?
Yes — more than most couples expect. Working with what’s naturally in bloom instead of fighting your season gets you fresher, more affordable, more vibrant arrangements. Peonies in March, dahlias in October, evergreens in January — each season has its own personality. Our full season-by-season flower guide covers what to expect and what to ask for.
6. Do You Only Work in Anderson, or Can You Travel to My Venue?
We’re based in Anderson, but our couples get married all over the Upstate and beyond — Greenville, Clemson, Charleston, Hilton Head, the Midlands, and into the North Carolina mountains. See the full list of areas we serve, and if your venue isn’t listed, reach out anyway — chances are we can still make it work.
7. Should I Hire the Same Vendor for Planning and Florals, or Keep Them Separate?
There’s no wrong answer, but there is an easier one. When your coordinator and your florist are the same team, nothing gets lost in translation — timeline changes, layout tweaks, and last-minute swaps happen in one conversation instead of three. We wrote a full case for it in The Benefits of Hiring Your Wedding Coordinator and Florist as the Same Vendor.
8. We’re Planning a Small Wedding or Elopement — Is That Still Something You Do?
Absolutely, and it’s some of our favorite work. Intimate celebrations still deserve real planning and real florals — sometimes even more attention, since every detail is up close. Take a look at our intimate celebrations and elopements page for how we scale our services down without scaling down the experience.
9. How Many Flowers Do We Actually Need for Our Venue?
More than most couples guess, and less than Pinterest makes it look. It comes down to ceiling height, table count, and how much of the venue is already doing the work for you visually. We break down real ballpark numbers in How Many Blooms Do I Actually Need for a Full, Lush Look?
10. Do I Need a Marriage License, and How Do I Get One in South Carolina?
Yes — South Carolina requires a marriage license, issued in person through your county’s Probate Court, with a mandatory 24-hour waiting period between applying and receiving it. It’s valid statewide regardless of which county issued it, so this is one to knock out early rather than the week of your wedding. If you’re getting married locally, Anderson County’s Probate Court has the current requirements and hours; otherwise, check with the probate court in whichever county you’re marrying in.
Still Have Questions?
That’s what we’re here for. Whether you’re trying to figure out what kind of planning support makes sense, wondering what your flowers will actually cost, or just want to talk through your vision, there’s no such thing as too small a question.
Reach out to Poppies & Peonies and let’s start the conversation.
Poppies & Peonies is a full-service wedding planning and floral design studio based in Anderson, SC, serving couples across South Carolina and the Southeast.
From full-service planning to partial coordination and support for intimate celebrations and elopements — if you’re getting married in Upstate South Carolina, we’d love to be your florist and planning team.
