Quiz the florist about the greenery and filler that will be used in the arrangement. The florist's idea of what looks great may not jive with yours - you may end up with a bouquet of elegant tulips, suffocated with baby's breath. Beautiful, seasonal greenery show flowers off to their best, whereas tacky, tired florists' filler can ruin an otherwise attractive bouquet. If you want to be sure of what you will receive, order a bouquet made from only one type of flower - all tulips, all gerberas, or all freesias, for example. This way you know you'll get a beautiful arrangement, even if the florist's taste is very different than your own.
Containers can add quite a bit to the cost of an arrangement.
You will get many more flowers for your dollar if you nix the container. Most people have a collection of vases, so omitting the container is not a terrible faux pas. The most beautiful bouquets are often those made from flowers in season . Order a wildflower arrangement and you will most likely receive a bouquet of the flowers currently in season. Remember to ask for seasonal fillers too, such as pussy willows or branches of cherry blossom in the spring.