Unfiltered: What Your Wedding Vendors Really Want You to Know - Styling & Floral Edition
Gemma from Sub Subtle Spills the Wedding Tea – Unfiltered Advice from a Floral + Styling Wizard
Welcome to the Unfiltered mini-series - where I sit down with some of the best in the wedding biz to bring you the honest, behind-the-scenes advice you actually need.
Today, I’m chatting with Gemma from Sub Subtle, a wildly talented floral designer and stylist whose eye for detail is only matched by her ability to keep things refreshingly real. She’s the kind of vendor who doesn’t just show up with a van full of flowers - she shows up with vision, heart and about ten spreadsheets worth of logistics.
Let’s Talk Dirty (Florals, Logistics, and a Whole Lot of Elbow Grease)
Gemma from Sub Subtle spills what really goes down behind those glossy tablescapes - and why styling is so much more than slapping flowers on a table.
1. What’s one thing you wish more couples knew before working with a floral designer or stylist?
Styling is not just putting flowers on tables. It costs money because it involves fresh product, hire items and a whole lot of human labour before, during and after your wedding. Your florals arrive fresh that week, get conditioned, processed, arranged, transported, installed, repacked, cleaned and stored. Hire items are constantly maintained, repaired, painted and hauled around every weekend. There is a massive amount of behind the scenes work that makes everything look effortless for you.
So when a quote feels high, it is simply reflecting the real workload and resources needed to bring your design to life. It is the reality of running a design led service with fresh materials and what is basically a travelling warehouse.
The other thing that feeds into this is expectations. Instagram is not reality. A lot of the images couples save as reference are celebrity weddings, brand shoots or magazine features. These sit in the top one percent of budgets and production hours, so of course they look lavish. If you are using those images as a benchmark, your budget needs to match that level of work. By all means use them for inspiration, but set expectations that align with your actual venue, budget and bump in time.
Charlotte’s Take: Gemma NAILED this. The amount of work that happens behind the scenes is enormous, and it’s so often invisible to couples until the big day. If a quote feels high, it’s because you’re not just paying for flowers - you’re paying for expertise, execution, and a travelling warehouse. Trust me: it shows in the final result.
2. What’s a small decision couples often overlook - but that makes a big impact on the day?
Bump in timing. It sounds boring, but it completely changes what is possible.
A lot of couples choose restaurants or city venues, and they are amazing, but those spaces usually only offer a one hour bump in window. That means your entire vendor team is expected to create a full wedding setup in the same amount of time it takes to watch an episode of your fave show on Netflix.
If you can add extra bump in hours through your venue, do it. If you cannot, just know you will likely need extra labour from your vendors to make it all happen within the restrictions. Sometimes it is actually cheaper to pay the venue for early access than to pay multiple vendors to sprint your wedding into existence. A small timing tweak can make a big difference to the finish and the calmness of the day.
Charlotte’s Take: The less sexy side of weddings? Logistics. But Gemma’s right - that one-hour bump in window can turn your dream setup into a logistical sprint. Adding just an extra hour or two can be the difference between calm, composed magic and frantic chaos.
3. Is there a myth or trend in your corner of the wedding industry that drives you a little nuts?
I am not anti trend. I will try anything if it suits the couple. What drives me wild is when people feel pressured into something just because it is all over Instagram / Pinterest or because a friend did it last month.
You can always tell when a trend was not chosen intentionally. It looks flat and it feels disconnected. If a trend genuinely lights you up then amazing, we will go all in. If you are only doing it because everyone else is doing it, skip it. Your wedding will only feel like a vibe when it reflects your personality, not someone else's aesthetic.
Charlotte’s Take: Say it louder for the people in the back. Trends are fun if they reflect you - but if you’re doing it because Pinterest said so? Bin it. The best weddings I’ve photographed are the ones where the couple leads with heart, not what’s trending.
4. What makes working with a dream vendor team so important?
A good team is half the magic.
When your vendors are working with people they already know and trust, everything is easier. You know their rhythm, how they communicate and you have already built that mutual sense of support. That does not mean we can’t deliver the same with people we have never worked with, it is simply smoother when there is already a connection.
Weddings are big days for vendors, emotionally and physically. Having a solid team around you, people who hype you up and help you push through a huge day, keeps the energy high and the quality strong. When the vendor team is in sync and actually enjoying themselves, you see that in the work. The photos are better, the styling is elevated and the whole day feels seamless.
Charlotte’s Take: Yes, yes, yes. When vendors trust each other and actually vibe, everything runs smoother. You get better photos, better styling, and a calmer, more joyful day. It’s not just about talent - it’s about trust and teamwork.
5. One piece of advice you’d give every couple planning right now?
I have two!!
First, make time in your day to actually be together. Couples often spend their whole wedding catching up with everyone else. Block out even just ten minutes for just the two of you. No vendors, no wedding party and no photos. It is usually the moment the couple remember most.
Second, don’t take it all so seriously. Planning your wedding is a huge privilege so enjoy it!
Your wedding will be incredible because of the people in the room, not because every detail was micromanaged. Pick really good vendors and let them do their job. When you trust your team, the entire day flows better, everyone is calmer and the end result is stronger.
If you are feeling overwhelmed, scale back. There are no rules anymore. Do what feels fun, ditch what feels heavy and celebrate in a space you genuinely love.
Charlotte’s Take: This might be my favourite takeaway. You’re not planning a performance - you’re planning a celebration. Trust your team, ditch the pressure, and create space to actually feel the day. That’s where the magic is.
Gemma’s insight is a reminder that good wedding styling isn’t about following trends - it’s about crafting something intentional, aligned and real. From bump in logistics to emotional energy, she gets it. And when you choose vendors like Gemma who care deeply (and don’t sugarcoat the tough stuff), you’re not just investing in pretty photos. You’re investing in a day that actually feels like yours.
We worked together on Tayah & Charlotte's wedding (imagery featured on this blog) - a day full of heart, colour, and ridiculously good vibes - which was later featured on the Hello May wedding blog. And honestly? It was the perfect example of what happens when trust meets talent. You can feel it in every frame.
Where to find Sub Subtle?
📍 Find Gemma’s website HERE
📸 Find Gemma on Instagram HERE
💌 Check out our Hello May feature HERE
Stay tuned for more Unfiltered chats coming soon. Because weddings aren’t just about Pinterest boards - they’re about people who give a damn (and might share a hot take or two along the way).