Choosing a Floral Vendor

This post isn't about on line companies that ship flowers direct or divert sales from local florist, its about choosing a floral vendor for your wedding or event. There are lots of independent, home-based florists that provide these services and it often seems like they can do so at a much lower price than a traditional florist. Sometimes that is true, sometimes it isn't. I feel that I am the perfect person to discuss this because while we do weddings for our customers, that isn't an area that we aggressively pursue and because I know several talented home based florists.

There is a lot to think about when choosing a florist. Not only do you need to find someone who "gets" you and what you want, but also someone who is going to deliver what you want. With home based businesses, it is sometimes a little harder to know exactly how long they have been in business and what volume of business they are doing. It's a little easier with a retail establishment, you can easily find out how long they have been in business and by visiting the shop, you can see if they have staff and how much space they have, which are good indicators of how much business they do. With a home based business, they might have lived there for years but maybe yours is the first event they've done, or maybe they've done one a year for the last 30 years. Also a retail florist may specialize in wire service orders and might not do many weddings or keep up on current wedding trends. Take the time to find out.

Online reviews are helpful, but not always trustworthy. I don't just say this because we can't seem to get reviews (good or bad) from our customers, but because I read reviews of some local competitors and I know some of that is written by friends, sisters, husbands, etc. simply because I know their names. I also know that they are good florists and there is usually more to the story if there is really bad review.

Ask the florist how many weddings or events they have done recently. Ask to see photos and ask for referrals, they should be able to give you the phone number of a recent bride. Think about what you need and then try to match the best florist for your needs or make sure the one you've chosen is up to the task. A few tips.

If you must be ruled by cost, make sure you are upfront about that immediately and see what they can do for you within your budget. Check with several florists, both traditional and home based and check the details for services, traditional florists can often provide these at a lower cost because they are set up to handle those services, but many home based florists will do those services themself and not charge for it at all.

If your event is in the summer, you want to know if and how much refrigerator space is available. Choosing a florist with no refrigeration means they will be holding the flowers out of the cooler and will have to do all the work one or possibly two days before the event. A florist with lots of refrigeration will have a larger facility and can start receiving and processing your flowers days before the event. This helps eliminate last minute problems, but retail space is an overhead cost.

Also in summer you should be concerned about delivery. Are the vans air conditioned, are the drivers experienced at setting up an event? This isn't a traditional versus home based issue, there are both good and bad in both kinds of florist. You need to ask.

Location, location, location. If you are using a florist that is located thirty or more miles from the event venue, how early will they arrive? You might have chosen and inexpensive florist over an hour away and if you live in an urban area, that could be a nightmare waiting to happen.

Ask about wholesalers. Do they work with the same wholesalers on a regular basis? You want this. Just like we go the extra for our customers, wholesalers do the same. Many times I am looking for something last minute and can't find it anywhere in the huge LA flower market but one of my wholesalers can often come through for me. What if the flowers come in damaged from the airport, without solid relationships, there is usually no way to get them exchanged or replaced in time.

What is the worst thing that ever happened to them doing a wedding or event? Something always happens and if it turns out to be a minor annoyance or a major issue usually depends on the florist's reaction and problem solving skills. I'll tell you mine. We had a large wedding at a hotel downtown and the bride had given over everything to us. We choose the flowers, we choose the pedestal stands, we chose the aisle set up, we choose everything. Unfortunately, the pedestals we choose weren't holding, they were design dishes attached to the top of large stands. We'd redone them several times with different adhesives and finally, a couple of days before the wedding, we had to throw in the towel and change the whole plan. Since the bottom of the new pedestals was a different shape, the arrangements for the bottom of the pedestal didn't fit and we didn't realize this until the day of the wedding. Everything worked out, we did some last minute adjustments and I actually think it was better than the original design, but it was a massive headache and worse, it was all our fault. I must say, this was a wedding for a family member, so there was no charge and maybe that's why we weren't as careful initially making sure our design was practical. I do now, so ask. Ask them what was the worst, what did they learn, what will they do if the roses are bruised, what if its 104, what if, what if. Ask what if. 

Now, what about ordering your flowers on line and doing them yourself? I've had a few brides in the last couple of years come in just wanting the bouquets and personal flowers because they were ordering cut bouquets to drop into small vases for the reception. What if your Aunt Martha says her and Cousin Sue can make the table arrangements? Someone tells you they were at the flower market and got roses for $8 a doz, how cheap is that? Sounds tempting doesn't it. Should you or shouldn't you.

Maybe. If your budget is really tight, your wedding really small and informal and you like to gamble, then I say go for it. Yes, flowers are less expensive at the flower market. Hamburgers are cheaper at McDonald's than at a diner. If McDonald's works for you, great. But if you want your day to be as stress-free as possible, run.

When you purchase flowers online or from a wholesaler, remember you have to know how to process them. You need buckets and you should have a cooler. Even if you don't mind that they aren't professionally arranged, you still have to have someone to unprofessionally arrange them. Maybe you have a big family, or maybe you're only having 4 tables. Okay. Otherwise, you'll be stuck with a box of flowers, some vases, and everyone running around getting dressed and all those people that said they'd be happy to help are busy with a toddler or putting on make up or just late. Just remember, if you go to a local flower market, you'll need to process the flowers, and buy extra because flowers break, one or two in a bunch often don't take up the water, and if you weren't careful selecting them, some may have water damage on the petals. Always ask if you can unwrap the package, sometimes they look so great in the plastic and when you unwrap them they aren't so pretty. If you're getting them online, you really like to gamble. A lot of the flowers you have shipped are great, at great prices, some aren't. You can't have them delivered a week early, so you'll have to take what you get. That's really gambling.

I hope that helped and if you have questions, just call us and we'll try to help you sort it out.

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Great orchid at Huntington Library

Great orchid at the Huntington Library

Lilacs, lilacs, lilacs!!

Lilacs are Here!!

Lilacs are one of the most popular cut flowers, probably because they smell so wonderful but possibly also because they are here such a short time. Lilac bushes flower once a year and are in bloom for only a few weeks. Cut lilacs are usually available from mid-April through mid-May and are grown in northern California.

Stop by and pick some up. Don't put it off or they will be gone and it will be another year before they return!

For more information about the history of lilacs, check the Arnold Arboretum website.

How Well is Your House Marked?

Like most businesses this past year, we have had to cut back and work outside of our previous job descriptions. After many years, I have found myself making floral deliveries and have noticed how difficult it is.

When was the last time you had your street number painted on the curb? Many times you can drive for blocks with no easily visibile street numbers, either they are old, dirty, or chipped. Even when they are newly painted, so many times there are cars parked in front of them, hidden behind a pile of leaves, or covered by trash and recycle bins.

What about the front of you house? Do you have your street number posted there? Many people have cute little numbers painted in Old English script, various tiles above the door, missing or upside down numbers, and faded plaques. Many times the house is designated clearly but there are so many name plaques, wind chimes, plants and various items that the numbers are obscured.

While this could be frustrating for the floral delivery people or UPS, it can be dangerous for you. I started to think about EMTs and firemen. Even with GPS and quick computer maps, its still a good idea to have your street number easily visible from the street. I would encourage everyone to check and make sure their numbers stand out, in the daytime and with the porch light on also.