The Wedding Flower Process You Will Never See
Sometimes you work anywhere you can!
Informing the couple about flowers, seasons and wedding flower etiquette is just part of the wedding florist’s job. Another part is a huge process that happens behind the scenes before you have your bridal bouquet in your hands and is unknown to most brides. It is called the labor portion of your wedding flower costs.
300 roses delivered at 4 am
Often, the question of “Why do wedding flowers cost so much?” comes up in discussions. It is hard to pay for something you never see. I think this too! Your actual flowers for your wedding is the investment. But those flower arrangements have a huge journey behind the scenes sometimes days in advance. Let’s look at the steps so you can better understand what you’re paying for.
Working on site thankfully no rain!
Consultation to determine your look and overall flower choices
Florist creating the proposal and sending the contract to book your date.
Florist ordering the flowers after spending sometimes hours sifting through color choices and budgetary restrictions you may have.
Receipt of the flower delivery in the early morning hours.
Unpackaging the flower bundles, cutting the stems, taking off leaves, removing thorns and placing in water.
Construction of any wire structure mechanics or vases for proposed arrangements
Creating the bouquets, boutonnieres and arrangements and pulling petals from roses for the toss.
Cleaning up leaves and stems, etc after the arrangment and bouquet work.
Preparing the remaining flowers to be transported to the venue such as wrapping the bridal bouquet, and packaging. Stablizing the vases, loading boxes with supplies.
Driving to the venue and transporting the flowers and botanics and other decor.
Setting up arches, pillars or table columns for arrangments and placing the flowers i.e. creating finally!
Placing candles, votives and petals.
If requested, remaining on site to relocate floral installations elsewhere at the venue.
Cleanup at 1 am or the next day which requires hotel stay or returning.
Disposing of sacks of greens, plastic wrapping, etc.
Driving back from venue.
Organizing and cleaning vases and all the florist equipment then storing for the next wedding.
It is all worth it to be able to work with beautiful flowers and create with them but as you can see, it isn’t all roses. It is a physical job, mental job and can be stressful as nature’s elements have a way of throwing a wrench into any best planned floral installation.
When a bride and groom or even the mother of the bride share with me their joy with the flowers and how happy they are with the results, it makes all the work worth it!
