Wedding Florist Invoice Template: What to Include & Best Practices

Introduction

A professional invoice is more than a payment request -- it is a reflection of your business. For wedding florists, invoices serve multiple purposes: they document the agreed-upon scope, establish payment expectations, protect both parties legally, and create a paper trail for your accounting.

Yet many florists cobble together invoices from generic templates that miss critical details specific to wedding floristry. The result is confused clients, disputed charges, and delayed payments. In this guide, we will walk through exactly what a wedding florist invoice should include, how to structure payment terms, and which tools make the process seamless.

The Anatomy of a Professional Wedding Florist Invoice

Every invoice should contain these core sections, arranged in a clear and logical order.

1. Business Information Header

At the top of every invoice, include:

• Business name and logo
• Business address (or PO Box)
• Phone number and email
• Website URL
• Business registration number or EIN (if applicable)
• State resale or seller's permit number (if applicable in your state)

Why it matters: Professional headers build trust and provide clients with multiple ways to contact you. Including your EIN or registration number adds legitimacy, especially for corporate events or clients who need invoices for tax purposes.

2. Client Information

• Client name (couple's names, typically "Jane Doe & John Smith")
• Client address
• Client email and phone
• Wedding date
• Venue name and address

3. Invoice Details

Invoice numbering tip: Use a consistent system like INV-YYYY-XXXX (year plus sequential number). This makes it easy to reference invoices in communication and simplifies your bookkeeping.

4. Itemized Line Items

This is the heart of your invoice. Break down every element with clear descriptions and pricing.

Personal Flowers

Ceremony Flowers

Reception Flowers

Services

Itemization best practices:

• Describe each item clearly enough that a non-florist can understand it
• Include the style, key flowers, and vessel for each arrangement
• List delivery, setup, and breakdown as separate line items
• Group items by category (personal, ceremony, reception, services)
• Include quantities and unit prices, not just totals

5. Pricing Summary

6. Payment Schedule

Clearly outline the payment timeline:

7. Payment Methods

List all accepted payment methods:

• Bank transfer / ACH (include routing and account details or a payment link)
• Credit card (via online payment portal)
• Check (payable to your business name)
• Online payment platforms (Stripe, Square, PayPal)

Recommendation: Offer an online payment link directly on the invoice. Digital payments reduce friction and get you paid faster. Many clients prefer to pay by credit card for the rewards points, even if it means you absorb processing fees.

8. Terms and Conditions

Include a brief section (or link to your full contract) covering:

• Late payment penalties
• Cancellation and refund policy
• Substitution policy for flowers
• Additional charges notice (for changes after final confirmation)

Payment Terms and Deposit Schedules

Getting payment terms right is critical for cash flow and client relationships.

Recommended Deposit Structure

The ideal payment structure balances your cash flow needs with client convenience:

Option A: Three Payments (Most Common)

• 30-50% retainer at booking
• 25-35% midpoint payment (60-90 days before the event)
• Remaining balance 14-30 days before the event

Option B: Two Payments (Simpler)

• 50% retainer at booking
• 50% balance due 30 days before the event

Option C: Four Payments (For Large Orders)

• 25% retainer at booking
• 25% at 90 days before the event
• 25% at 45 days before the event
• 25% final balance at 14 days before the event

Why to Collect Final Payment Before the Wedding

Never collect final payment on the wedding day or after. There are several important reasons:

• You need funds to purchase flowers 1-2 weeks before the event
• Clients are distracted and stressed in the final days before the wedding
• Post-wedding collection is significantly harder and more awkward
• You deserve to enjoy delivering your work without worrying about payment

Best practice: Set the final payment due date at least 14 days before the wedding. This ensures you have funds for flower orders and eliminates day-of payment stress.

Late Payment Policies

Be clear and firm about late payments:

• Grace period: 5-7 business days after the due date
• Late fee: $25-$50 flat fee or 1.5-2% per month on overdue balances
• Communication: Send an automated reminder on the due date, at the end of the grace period, and weekly thereafter
• Escalation: If payment is more than 30 days overdue, pause all work until the balance is resolved

Include this language in your contract and reference it on every invoice. Clients who agree to payment terms upfront rarely push back on late fees.

Sales Tax Considerations

Sales tax on wedding flowers varies significantly by state and even by municipality:

• Some states tax floral arrangements as tangible goods -- You must collect and remit sales tax
• Some states exempt services -- Setup and delivery may not be taxable
• Some states have different rates for goods vs. services -- You may need split invoicing

Important: Consult a local accountant or your state's Department of Revenue to determine your specific obligations. Getting sales tax wrong can result in audits, penalties, and back taxes.

How to Handle Tax on Invoices

• List the subtotal before tax
• Show the tax rate and calculated amount as a separate line
• If services are taxed differently than goods, separate them
• Include your seller's permit number on the invoice

Digital Invoicing Tools

Manual invoicing in Word or Google Docs works when you have five weddings a year. Beyond that, you need a digital tool.

What to Look for in Invoicing Software

• Automated payment reminders -- No more manually chasing payments
• Online payment links -- Clients pay with one click
• Recurring invoices -- For retainer clients or subscription services
• Expense tracking -- Match income to flower purchasing costs
• Tax calculation -- Automatic sales tax based on location
• Professional templates -- Branded invoices that match your business identity
• Integration with proposals and contracts -- Data flows from proposal to invoice without re-entry

Popular Options

QuickBooks -- Industry-standard accounting with invoicing. Best for florists who want full bookkeeping in one place. Starting at $30/month.

Wave -- Free invoicing and accounting software. Great for new florists watching expenses. Limited automation features.

Square Invoices -- Free invoicing with Square payment processing. Simple and clean interface. Good for straightforward invoicing needs.

WPro.AI -- Wedding florist software that connects proposals, contracts, and invoicing in one platform. When a client approves a proposal, the invoice is generated automatically with all line items populated. Payment tracking and automated reminders are built in.

The Advantage of Integrated Systems

When your proposal, contract, and invoice systems are separate, you spend time:

• Re-entering line items from the proposal into the invoice
• Manually tracking which clients have signed contracts
• Cross-referencing payment records across platforms
• Reconciling differences when proposals and invoices do not match

An integrated system like WPro.AI eliminates this friction. The approved proposal becomes the invoice. The signed contract links to the payment schedule. Everything lives in one place.

Invoice Mistakes That Cost You Money

Avoid these common errors:

1. Vague Line Items

"Flowers -- $3,500" tells the client nothing. Itemize every arrangement with descriptions. This reduces disputes and helps clients understand the value they are receiving.

2. Missing Due Dates

An invoice without a clear due date is an invitation to procrastinate. Always include a specific calendar date, not just "Net 30."

3. No Late Fee Policy

If there is no consequence for late payment, there is no incentive to pay on time. Include late fees on every invoice and enforce them consistently.

4. Forgetting Delivery and Setup Fees

Many florists absorb delivery and setup costs into their flower pricing. This undervalues your time and makes it impossible to track true arrangement profitability. Always list these as separate line items.

5. Not Tracking Invoice Status

Sending an invoice and hoping for the best is not a strategy. Track every invoice status: sent, viewed, partially paid, paid in full, overdue. Use software that gives you this visibility automatically.

6. Inconsistent Numbering

Random invoice numbers make bookkeeping a nightmare. Use a consistent sequential system from day one.

Linking Invoices to Contracts and Proposals

Your invoice should never exist in isolation. It should reference:

• The proposal number that the client approved
• The contract number that governs the engagement
• Any change orders that modified the original scope

This creates a clear paper trail: the client approved Proposal X, signed Contract Y, and Invoice Z reflects the agreed-upon scope. If a dispute arises, you have documentation at every step.

For guidance on structuring the contract side, see our florist contract template guide. For pricing methodology, refer to our wedding flower pricing guide.

Conclusion

A professional invoice does more than request payment -- it communicates your professionalism, protects your business, and ensures smooth financial transactions with clients. Take the time to build a thorough template with proper itemization, clear payment terms, and consistent formatting.

Invest in digital invoicing tools that automate reminders, accept online payments, and integrate with your proposals and contracts. The time you save on administrative tasks is time you can spend designing beautiful wedding flowers.

Related: Florist Contract Template Guide | How to Price Wedding Flowers | Wedding Florist Software