Wedding planning can be a minefield, finding a venue, choosing a dress, thinking about all the details and deciding which ones are important to you can feel overwhelming at times. Are you going to have flowers and if so, are they going to play a big part in your wedding day? For some couples, flowers aren’t a big consideration but for most, flowers can really elevate the overall look and styling of your wedding. But why are wedding flowers seemingly so expensive? In this blog post I will try to explain why.
Yes, wedding flowers can seem expensive, especially because as consumers, we are used to buying flowers from supermarkets very cheaply (news flash, they sell their flowers at a loss to compete against other companies). From the first communication with us, we are working, whether it be responding to your emails, writing quotes, adding pins to shared Pinterest boards, meeting for a consultation or chatting over the phone and this all takes time. We love the planning stage but it can be lengthy.
When you book a florist for your wedding, you are tapping in to a wealth of experience and skill, not only in creating bouquets and arrangements but also in choosing the right flowers to fit with the look you are going for. If you’d love tropical flowers in hot, spicy colours then we have the expertise to pick blooms that fit that brief and also to know what will be available and in season. Alternatively, if you want a wild, loose vibe there are some blooms that are going to work perfectly but others that wont give you the look you’re after. You are also paying for our accountability, we are responsible for making sure every bloom is in tip-top condition, ensuring there are the right number of table arrangements, bouquets and buttonholes for all your groomsmen.
Flowers can be costly per stem, and often the flowers for weddings (that clients want) can be more expensive than varieties used in gift bouquets, for example, a beautiful David Austin rose can cost up to £10 per stem. In addition to this, every single flower and stem of foliage has to be conditioned. This means removing all packaging, checking each stem for damage or disease, removing lower foliage, de-thorning stems and placing in clean water prior to using. Leading up to a wedding, the work starts on Sunday or Monday ordering all the flowers. We then collect everything from the wholesaler and condition all the flowers which can take up to a whole day, depending on the size of the wedding. Then, once all the flowers are in water and have had a good drink overnight, we start to create all the elements for your wedding.
Of course, we have overheads and are running a business but now you know a little of what goes in to what we do, hopefully this will give you an insight in to the value of working with a florist to create hand crafted wedding flowers and a service that will really enhance your special day.
