Kelly Cook loves weddings. As owner of Heaven Scent Florals in Discovery Bay, she’s assembled floral arrangements for more than 400 weddings in the past nine years, but she never tires of making brides feel special.

“Flowers are the thread of the wedding day,” Cook explained. “The flowers are the consistent element of the day other than the happy couple. Flowers help set the mood, and every bride deserves beautiful flowers on her wedding day.”

Selecting the flowers for your wedding is just as important as choosing a caterer or photographer, so Cook advises brides choose a florist at least six months in advance. Since she only books one event per day, she advises potential clients to contact her about eight months in advance to secure a date.

“When girls get engaged, they hop online right away and start researching to figure out what they want,” Cook said. “Some girls might be really excited about the flowers and want to do that first, but if you come in for a consultation and don’t have a date picked, I can’t guarantee that I’ll be available.”

So when it comes to planning your wedding, Cook urges couples to set a date and pick a venue before they begin refining other details. Prior to choosing a florist, Cook recommends that couples have their wedding colors picked out.

Cook, who works from her home office and studio, asks brides to fill out a pre-consultation form in advance so that she can begin brainstorming ideas prior to the first meeting. In addition to colors, Cook also likes to know what the couple has budgeted for flowers.

“On average, the flowers are going to represent 10 to 15 percent of the overall wedding budget,” said Cook. “Even with the economy the way it is, people still want to get married, but they want to get their money’s worth and still make the day special. I like to find out what budget I get to work with to create the right design that matches the bride’s personality.”

Personality is a big factor when coming up with a design, according to Cook. The consultation meeting gives Cook an opportunity to gauge the bride’s style. Cook said if the bride has selected her dress by this point in the planning process, she should bring a photo of the dress so that Cook may create a bouquet that complements the dress. If the bride hasn’t settled on a dress yet, Cook urges brides to bring in photos or magazine clippings to represent what she’d like.

Cook also offers to service the wedding for an additional fee. So while she’ll already be there to help set up the flowers, she’ll stick around for the entire event to help make sure boutonnieres are pinned properly or give a pep talk to the flower girl if she’s feeling shy.

“I do a little bit of everything – not just the flowers,” Cook said. “Weddings can be very hectic, so I’m on standby, waiting to help out wherever I can. Once I even helped repair a bridesmaid’s bracelet. It’s such an honor to play a small part in this special day, and when I see the bride’s face when I deliver the flowers – that’s a special moment. Some brides cry and others are just so appreciative. I get a little emotional sometimes when they allow me to be a part of this moment. It’s an honor.”

For more information about Heaven Scent Florals, call 925-634-9325 or visit www.hsflorals.com.