You just received the floral proposal for your event... Now what’s next?! As a bride or an event planner, it is normal to have questions regarding your floral quote for your wedding or event. Why is it priced the way it is? What goes into it? What happens behind the scenes when the florist created it? When making the decision of what Nashville florist to work with, it is important for you to know what is automatically built into your quote, and be aware of what all can be included into the floral proposal and the pricing.
Hi! My name is Maegan from the Floral Pop! As a local Nashville florist, I believe that it is important for you, the bride or event planner, to make a well informed decision when choosing your florist for your wedding or event! I want to share my professional experience and knowledge with you regarding the “behind the scenes” of the floral proposal.This is the beginning of a series of posts that will show you what goes on behind the scenes in floral design for weddings and events. One thing to note, quote/estimate/proposal are all interchangeable terms used in this blog and they all refer to the document you should receive from your florist, with an itemized list and pricing for your wedding or event.
Now buckle up buttercup, as we cruise through the different dimensions considered within a floral quote!
Breaking Down the Cost of Wedding Flowers
Fluctuating Floral Costs
While this may seem like an obvious answer, it is something most people forget or are not aware of! Floral costs fluctuate regularly, based on season, availability, type and region where they were grown. When you receive your quote, the floral prices are more than likely just an estimate based on the market price today. If your quote seems out of your budget, then discuss with your florist what florals or floral pieces could be changed in size, number, specific flowers, etc. Communication is always key! If your florist doesn’t know your concerns, then there is no way for them to change it or explain.
Freshness
By freshness, we mean that your florals are not old, wilted, moldy, bent or broken. This is an essential element in order to ensure that your florals are PERFECT for your big day! As a florist, it is important to us for you to receive the best and freshest florals for your wedding or event! In order to make that happen, florists will search and compare prices and freshness from local farms and wholesalers. This process can be very time consuming as it consists of scouring for your perfect flowers and driving to multiple locations in order to provide you, the bride or event planner, with the very best! Freshness is not always at the top of some florists lists so it is important to check out their reviews before making your decision.
Rentals
Most, but not all florists, have rentals for their brides exclusively to use. Rentals can include anything from vases for bouquets, votives, candles, lanterns, centerpieces, arches/arbors, etc. In order to see what your florist offers in terms of rentals, you can email them or check out their website. The great thing about sourcing your rentals through your florist is that they will set them up and tear them down for you on the day of your wedding or event. This allows you to have a more stress free day, AND it allows you to work through one vendor for florals and rentals instead of multiple!
Labor
A common misconception about floral design is that it is an "easy" job. It is much more involved than most will ever know! The time spent building recipes (creating the list of florals used to create your arrangements), ordering and picking up everything needed, processing the flowers (preparing them to be used in arrangements), sourcing materials (pins, ribbon, eco-friendly foam, chicken wire, etc.) and building all the designs in their studio (i.e. bouquets, boutonnieres, centerpieces) in the day or two before your wedding or event is HUGE TASK!! In addition to creating and designing your florals, there is delivery and set up on the day of your wedding or event, and sometimes, the florist will need to be present if the set-up requires a flip (ceremony to reception). Most florists will even return at the end of the evening to gather rentals and any floral designs that were left behind. This component, as you now have a bird’s eye view into, makes up a large part of your floral proposal! Your florist works HARD to create your big day and make it special!
Wrapping It Up
Now that you have had a behind the scenes look into what all goes into a floral proposal, you are prepared to make an informed decision on who your florist will be for your wedding or event! If you are just starting to plan your wedding or event and have questions, or you want to see how we, at the Floral Pop, handle the above elements, fill out a contact form so we can connect. We would love the opportunity to hear about your big day, and see how we could help you!
Looking for more resources and information? Check out our blog 7 Mistakes to Avoid when hiring a Florist in Nashville for more tips on finding a florist for your wedding or event.
