Guest Blog: Full Bloom Floral Design on the cost of wedding flowers

photo by Barb Cameron Photography

We LOVE flowers! They have such an impact on a wedding and the options of colours, varieties, and combinations are endless.  We could plan weddings until the end of our days (and we intend to) and never use same floral arrangement twice! Today on the blog, the extremely talented Erin of Full Bloom Floral Design shares some wise facts about planning your wedding's florals, including what to expect for cost. Erin gives some great advice on how to be realistic and what you are paying for when you hire a florist. Read on!

photo by Union Eleven

People often ask me how I got into Floral Design, and I say “it just happened; I fell in love.” I never was one of those people who knew what they wanted to be. I floated around, moving from one thing and place to the next. I slowly got into floral design years ago in Vancouver when I lived there and I began to see that I had finally found my passion, something I loved to do and that I was really good at. I then had the amazing opportunity to learn from an incredible floral artist, Hitomi Gilliam, who resides in Vancouver. I took many workshops and went to the Advance Floral Design School. The rest is history and I am thankful every day that I am able to do what I love and to share it with couples on one of the most important days in their lives.

photo by AMBPhoto

Choosing your wedding flowers should be one of the most exciting parts in planning your wedding. But before you meet with any florist, I wanted to share some inside information with you about how pricing works and what you need to know before booking your florist.

1. Consider Your Wedding Flower Budget

Not everyone knows how much flowers cost...actually most people that come to me don’t, which is okay. However, when you go to your initial consultation, it is really helpful for any florist if you have a “rough” budget of what you can spend in mind and share that with the florist. That way, we can tell you what you can get for that budget. Typically a good budget for wedding flowers would be anywhere from 8% - 11% of your entire wedding budget. Of course, this depends on how important flowers are to you and how you see them fitting into your overall vision. Any florist should be able to let you know what is possible with the budget you have given and they should be realistic about what you can and can't have. If you check out the information section of my website you will see a few helpful articles about centrepiece and bouquet pricing.

On average, my clients pay the following for their wedding flowers:

photo by Barb Cameron Photography

Bridal bouquet:

$165 to $200 (or more depending on flower types and size)

Bridesmaid bouquets:         

$95 to $150

Boutonnieres:

start at $17 (I use magnetic pieces for attaching to lapels)

Corsages:                              

$35 or more for pearl wrist bracelet with florals

Altar pieces at church:        

Start at $300 - $500 each

Pew markers:                        

Start at $25 each

Centrepieces:                                   

LOW centrepiece starts at $65 to $125 per table

TALL centrepiece starts at $125 to $200 per table

photo by AMBPhoto

The cost of centrepieces is tricky to average as it depends on if it is a modern minimalistic design, something garden-inspired with greenery or something with all flowers and no filler/greenery. Tall vases are usually larger and you need to create volume to keep the arrangement in proportion with the vase.

photo by Photolux Studio

I am always straight forward with my clients as to how I charge. It should be a standard recipe for any florist. The only thing that might fluctuate would be the labour charge. My pricing works like this:

Cost of Flowers + Supplies + 15% to 25% Labour = Total cost of arrangement*

*The cost of any vase rental is extra.

For example:

Here is a typical picture of a centrepiece that a bride will show me that she would love to have at her reception. Count the flowers on one side and then AT LEAST double them to account for the other side.  I can see at least 30 stems of  hydrangea (which means at least 60 stems of white hydrangea) and about 25 roses in total.

60 stems of white hydrangea x $6 per bloom (or more at times) = $360

25 stems of white roses x $3 per bloom = $75

Total cost for flowers = $435

Labour = $65 (this labour is for designing and processing flowers and prepping)

Supplies = $10 (for designer dish and foam)

Vase rental = $20

TOTAL cost for centrepiece = $530 per table

(Yes, some people pay this or more for centrepieces...but on average, they do not.)

 Again, the average centrepiece I do is about $150 - $200 which means the size is significantly smaller than that picture, but still a good size.

photo by MIV Photography

2. Establish a Vision

Start thinking about how you envision yourself to look on your wedding day and the overall look and feel of your wedding. Your venue and dress play a big part in this. For your flowers, do you see something full, lush and romantic, or something more on the rustic and organic side? Colours: do you see soft neutral tones or vibrant and bright? Is the style classic elegance or modern and minimalistic? Pinterest is a huge online tool and resource for many brides that come to me. Showing your florist inspirational pictures that best reflect what you see for your day is a big help.

photo by Photolux Studio

  
 

3. Find the Right Wedding Florist

Choosing the right florist is so important. You want to feel at ease and know that your wedding day vision will be executed perfectly. I get most of my business by referrals from venues and other wedding vendors that have seen my work over the years and that have worked closely with me.

I feel it is so important to look closely at the past work that your florist has done to see their style and what flower types they like to typically use. Some florists are very versatile and can design anything from modern to classic elegance. I think what most sets florists apart is the type of flowers used (there are a few I just won’t use in wedding work as I don’t feel they are appropriate) and the colour composition. Make sure that the photos that the florist is showing you is their own work and not something they found online.

And don't forget personality! You want to feel comfortable with all of your vendors and know they are happy to get your business and truly excited for your big day. Honestly speaking, there have been a time or two when I have felt that it wasn’t the right fit between myself and a couple. It doesn't happen often, but it has and the best solution was that they find another florist that could connect with them and create their vision.

photo by MIV Photography

We all know that weddings are expensive and trying to cut costs where you can is important. However, I believe in “You get what you pay for” and that if you choose your vendors solely based on price then you ultimately won’t be happy in the long run. Choose your vendors wisely!

Don't forget to check our Full Bloom's portfolio. We work with Erin regularly and cannot say enough about how talented she is. Not to mention, she's always game to let her creative juices flow and try something new.

Guest Blog Post: The Flour Shoppe talks Dessert Tables



photo: Melanie Rebane Photography

We can’t dispute the popularity of dessert tables at weddings. Brides and grooms love to offer their guests a selection of tasty treats to finish off their meal and we don’t blame them. Even celebrities like Blake Lively and Ryan Reynolds are embracing the idea for their own weddings, as featured in Martha Stewart Weddings. They captured the rustic elegance of their wedding using beautiful fruit filled tarts, miniature pies, and yummy s’mores bars in soft pastel hues.

A dessert table can be crafted to compliment the theme of any wedding. Today our guest blogger Melissa from The Flour Shoppe gives us some insight into how to incorporate dessert tables into your wedding, whether your theme channels high elegance or vintage chic.

The tables are set, the linens are pressed, and the favours and florals are placed just so. One of my favourite parts of a wedding is entering the reception room and seeing how all of the details have come together to create the picture perfect setting for celebrating with friends and family!  As a self-proclaimed "Dessert Enthusiast", the recent addition of styled sweet tables as a key element of reception decor is something I can really sink my teeth into!  At The Flour Shoppe, we've been creating stunning spreads of sweets that represent the bride and groom’s favourite desserts and flavours for the past few years. We love having the opportunity to help create a stunning presentation suited to the look and feel of any event!  

photo: AMBphoto

Forget worrying about what to serve and who likes what!  Bite size versions of various desserts allow you to provide your guests with not only choice but the chance to try something new.  With a sampling of sweets (usually 3-4 pieces per person) as part of the late night snack or the main dessert, sweet tables are built on a custom basis.  Don't like brownies but absolutely must have a nod to your grandmother's famous butter tarts on the table? No problem!  Love salty with your sweet?  Consider a selection of gourmet popcorn and caramel corn as an option for your guests to snack on when they need a break from the dance floor!

Creating the perfect dessert table starts with identifying the theme guiding the look of your wedding. Decorating with burlap and lace?  Homestyle desserts like brownies, miniature fruit pies or tarts, bakery style cookies and classic cupcakes lend themselves to building a sweet spread fitting of a rustic fête.  Serving the treats on vintage pedestals and an eclectic collection of display pieces, with a backdrop of antique lace curtains, provides the finishing touches on a perfectly styled sweet table. 

Planning a more glitzy affair, high on glamour and refinement?  Don't count cupcakes out for these elegant celebrations!  Topped with a perfectly piped pillow of buttercream and exquisitely crafted sugar flowers or custom embellishments, cupcakes combined with tinted meringues, our signature cake shots and perfectly placed marshmallows create a sweet centrepiece high on style and taste, especially when served on a monochromatic and modern selection of display plates.  

AMBphoto

Craving a bit more tradition on your dessert table? No matter what the overall look of the table, you can incorporate a small tiered wedding cake to add a more classic centrepiece to your sweet spread!  

People eat with their eyes first and then... well, and then they just eat!  Whatever the style, whatever the desserts, a styled sweet table combining everyone's favourite "food group" is sure to please even your most discerning guests!

Contact The Flour Shoppe so Melissa and her amazing team can help you create the perfect dessert table for your wedding. We guarantee it will both look and taste fabulous! 

Guest Blog Post - From Tulips and Maple

As our regular blog followers know, we like to feature guest posts from wedding/event industry experts.

Today's is a real treat because one of the most important elements at your wedding is your food. Today's blog post is from Karinne Di Sanza-Baker, a senior catering consultant with one of our favourite caterers in the city: Tulips and Maple. Tulips and Maple are always on the cutting edge of catering foods and catering trends. They often send their staff off on catering conferences all over North America to learn all they can to make your wedding/event's catering unfortgettable.

In today's blog post, Karinne speaks about "Catertaining" for your wedding and using your catering to involve your guests, add decor and mix food and drink in one. Really inspiring. Thanks again Karinne !

Guest Post by Tulips and Maple:

Not only are we in the middle of a very busy wedding season, but this is also the time that future brides start planning their 2013 weddings. Having returned from an international catering conference in the spring which inspired the release our new “Catertaining” menu, we would like to share some fun ways to upgrade your catering at your wedding reception. We have had the pleasure of catering many Marry Me weddings so we know you are always out looking for the newest and greatest ideas for your special day!

Welcome Drink

Give your guests a chance to create their own signature drink at cocktail hour.  These photos capture the “drink wall” concept. Guests help themselves to a variety of creative garnishes to customize their drinks, such as fresh berries, flavoured jelly cubes, or candied citrus fruits; the possibilities are endless!

Shake up your Reception

Don’t just serve food at your cocktail hour, serve Fooze! We have combined hors d’oeuvres with a complimentary drink to add a twist to traditional cocktail fare. Our two favourites are the Caesar paired with bacon swizzle sticks and the whisky-based Algonquin served with a jerk-marinated beef skewer. Creative brides and grooms can even come up with their own combinations for this crowd-pleasing presentation!

Scrap the Plate, Use a Bubble

Why not find new ways to present the food your guests will be enjoying on your wedding night? Instead of servers passing hors d'oeuvres, why not display them on a food wall ! You can even pick your own background to match your wedding colours.

Or what about serving your salad in a bubble? Our signature "Bubble Bar" is a perfect alternative to the typical salad bar. Watch your guests giggle while they shake up their salad! A whole new meaning for "tossed salad".

There are endless ways to add "catertainment" to your wedding reception. We are excited to share our ideas with our Tulips and Maple couples.

Here's to a great wedding season....and more to follow !