Puglia wedding florists

A Puglia wedding

In Puglia the classic venue is the masseria: a fortified farmhouse of white stone in the countryside, with threshing floors, courtyards, olive groves and often a pool. The most popular areas are the Valle d'Itria, with Alberobello, Locorotondo, Cisternino and Martina Franca; the olive plain between Ostuni, Fasano and Monopoli; the coast at Polignano a Mare; and the Salento, from Lecce to Otranto, Gallipoli and Santa Maria di Leuca. There are also trulli (the round stone houses with conical roofs), late nineteenth-century villas, baroque churches in Lecce and terraces over the sea.

The list includes floral designers based in Bari and in the provinces of Brindisi and Lecce. Many travel all over the region, others work mainly in their own province. Puglia hosts a lot of weddings for couples who live elsewhere in Italy or abroad, so several studios are used to working remotely and in English.

Venues and logistics

Masserie are often deep in the countryside, far from towns, along narrow lanes between dry-stone walls. Check how close the van can get and how much space there is to unload. Many masserie work with a list of suppliers or have rules on candles, petals in the pool and fixings on the limewashed walls.

Weddings in Puglia go on for a long time and often end in the small hours: ask when breakdown is planned and whether it costs extra. Wind is a serious factor on the coast and on the plain: arches and tall arrangements need weighting down, and unprotected candles blow out. In the south of Italy the custom of decorating the bride's home on the wedding morning is still alive: if you would like it, mention it to your floral designer early. You'll find ideas in the guide to decorating the bride's home.

Climate, seasons and local flowers

From June to September the heat is intense and the light very white. Flowers suffer in the middle of the day, so sunset ceremonies and arrangements with water are the usual choice. May, June, September and early October are the most popular months.

The landscape offers recognisable materials: olive branches, figs, lemons, pomegranates in autumn, bougainvillea and jasmine in the courtyards, aromatic herbs, wheat and ears of grain in early summer. Many couples ask for pale palettes that sit well with the stone, but Puglia's floral designers also work with strong colours and in other styles. Read the guide to a Puglia wedding and the one on citrus and olive in wedding designs.

What wedding flowers cost in Puglia

Price ranges are indicative. A bridal bouquet is often between €100 and €350, low centrepieces between €40 and €150 each. Costs rise with travel between provinces, set-up in the cooler hours, long tables under the olive trees, lighting and hire of terracotta or ceramic vases. The guide on how to read a florist's quote helps you compare different offers.

What to ask the floral designer

• Do you know this masseria? Where do you unload and where do you work?
• How do you weight down arches and structures if it is windy?
• Is travel between Bari and the Salento included?
• Do you also decorate the bride's home?
• Does a late-night breakdown cost extra?

Once you have a date and a venue, request up to 3 quotes with a single enquiry.