Floral Designers: Studio Based vs. Retail Stores

There are many floral designers out there.
We usually fall into one of two categories; retail or studio based.

Here’s some positives and negatives of both...

Retail florists range from your corner store that provides flowers to go to the high end floral shop with all the latest trends and funk. Retailers can offer a vast array of flowers to “play” with in your first meeting. They have the blooms at their fingertips and in their coolers to show you what certain combinations look like. They usually deal in volume, so sometimes the costs can be less for wedding flowers. Add these plusses to their established and continual relationships to wholesalers, and it could be a winning combination for you.....But with floral designers that are retail based, know this - they can be BUSY, BUSY, BUSY with their regular store orders and walk-ins.

They may miss the finer details necessary for a fabulous show of flowers the day of your wedding. Retail florists may also have limited times they can meet. Some retail florists offer delivery only for wedding flowers and no set up or transfer from ceremony to reception of your flowers. If you are considering a retail florist to design your wedding flowers, make sure that they have vast experience in weddings - from on site set up, to transport of volume (vs. just one of arrangements), set up for weddings are a highly specialized skill.

Studio based floral designers usually have private, by-appointment only spaces where they meet with clients and create their designs. Some do not have regular flower stock to show you, and if they are a newer business with fewer years of established relations with wholesalers and growers, then you may not get the cheapest price. Many studio based floral designers are specialists in their niche (ie, special events &/or weddings only) and do not offer services or designs for walk-ins. This means they usually will have more time to spend with you - many will offer after hours and weekend meeting times - a BIG plus when you are planning your wedding. Another plus with a studio based designer is that they will most likely have vast “onsite” experience at different venues for weddings.

Let’s talk Bridezilla.

Bridezilla: I dislike the term, plain and simple.

It conjures up images of Brides running around like screaming mimis - yelling, pouting and bearing their “all about me attitude” in its most raw state. A couple of years ago there was a special TV documentary on Bridezillas. I tuned in and watched as vendors were put in their place, family members found themselves in the eye of the storm and the Brides went ballistic when the smallest of things went wrong. A bunch of spoiled brats and princesses darted across the screen. The whole premise of the show made me cringe so I promptly turned it off.

I have never met a Bridezilla (as depicted in the TV documentary) - I’m lucky - in close to 17 years I’ve had minimal moronic spastics as clients. But I'll be honest - there have been a few along the way that have worn on my patience.

I had a few quick conversations with other Wedding Vendors about this and here's what they came up with - five qualities that may suggest a "less-than-desirable-Bride".

In the broadest sense, Brides considered high maintenance are ones who exhibit the following behaviour(s);

1. They are always late to appointments...
This excuses the five or ten minute latecomers - I'm talking 20 minutes plus...

2. They have champagne tastes on a beer budget...
You have to start somewhere in your vision for your Wedding - but be realistic...if you know that a $ 10K budget for your Wedding Flowers is not possible, then don't expect the "Preston Bailey" over the top designer look...

3. They are inflexible
Allow yourself to think outside of the box and really listen to your vendor's suggestions - we are professionals and may have a great idea to save you time and money...

4. They demand alot of your time....
Remember that most Wedding Vendors have multiple clients and in order for us to best service all our clients, time is valuable....as is your time...

5. They can’t make up their mind on anything....
This usually happens to a small degree with most Brides, especially in the beginning stages of organizing - at some point you need to decide on things...

Of course all of us have exhibited some of these traits at some point in our lives, but the accumulation of this energy prevents us vendors of doing our absolute BEST for you Brides. There is an Art to bringing together your Vendors, style, vision and long list of wants for your Wedding, without it becoming a stressful exercise.