Question 1

How can I order a specific flower to be included in my arrangement?

Accepted Answer

Just message me.  I can check with my wholesaler for availability.  If you contact me before my wholesaler is closed for the day, I am more likely to get your request same-day.  Some flowers are seasonal and may not be available, but I will try to help you find what you're looking for to the best of my ability.

Question 2

How do you keep your flowers fresh?

Accepted Answer

I have two floral coolers specifically designed to hold flowers.  They control the correct amount of humidity in the cooler and provide a steady temperature of 38 degrees.

Sunday is bucket day... each bucket of flowers in my cooler is emptied, bleached, and refilled with clean water and floral food.  Fresh flowers have the ends fresh cut.  Old flowers are composted... or end up on my table.

I keep only enough flowers on hand to fill regular orders and keep my waste to a minimum.  This limits the colors I have on hand, but keeps my stock fresh.

Floral food is added to the vase of your arrangement before it is assembled.  Floral food is a combination of sugar and bleach, and gives the flowers something to drink in while reducing bacteria.  Leaves and other debris are snipped from the bottom of stems to reduce contamination of their water.

Before orders go out, I have two kinds of finishing sprays to help vase life.  One aids in hydration and is used on any arrangement that has a water source.  The other is a thin wax sealant used on things with no water source (such a corsages and pieces in foam that will be exposed to high heat, such as an arbor spray in a July wedding).

Question 3

How do I take care of my floral arrangement at home?

Accepted Answer

I can provide you with a floral food packet, but the most important thing to remember is to keep your water clean.  Some flowers are dirtier than others (I'm looking at you, zinnias!) and will make their water scummy quickly.  Changing out your water every other day will help keep your flowers lasting longer.  Floral food is good, but only if you follow the directions in mixing it on the packet.  I can provide you with a packet if you desire.

To change the water in a vased arragement (no foam):

Using your non-dominate hand, make a choke hold shape and pick up your flowers, all at once, at the base of the arrangement closest to the vase's lip.  Once you have them all in a bunch in your hand, lift up and out.  This keeps the arrangement's shape.

Check the bottom of the stems.  If they look flayed or fuzzy/scummy, cut them at an angle.  If you cut off too much, you may need to switch to a shorter vase.

Using your other hand, dump out your vessel.  Give it a good rinse, fill with clean, cool water, and put your flowers back in, making sure that all of the stems are making contact with the water.

As flowers die, remove them, fresh cut the ends of your remaining flowers, and put them in a shorter vase.  Add things from your yard or personal garden!

Most arrangements can be expected to last from 5 - 7 days.  I try to give each one a mix of "BFB's" (Big Fat Babies) and longer-life flowers.  The BFB's can sometimes go quickly (I'm looking at you, dahlias!) but their beauty makes them worth it.... and the rest of the arrangement will last a little longer, especially if you keep mixing new flowers into it!

Question 4

How are wedding flowers priced?

Accepted Answer

Most wedding flowers are priced by stem count (not by type) and complexity of your design.

The more packed with flowers a design is, the higher the price.  A centerpiece with 12 focal flowers is going to cost more than a simpler design with only 6.  An arbor with 3 feet of coverage will cost less than an arbor covered entirely by flowers.  If you want a smaller, wildflower look, the amount of flowers needed to achieve the correct size for each item will be double, or more, than if you used larger flowers such as hydrangeas or peonies.  We call these "insertions."  The amount of stem insertions will raise the amount of time it takes to create a piece, and raises the price.

If your design calls for multiple colors, the price is often more.  We purchase flowers by the box or sleeve, and must order more sleeves and have potentially more waste for multicolor weddings.  This is not always the case if you have a larger bridal party or centerpieces, etc.  The planning for a complex design is usually more involved.  If you opt for a monochromatic wedding (the classic white wedding), the cost is usually less.  The design process is usually simpler and my order to the wholesaler is more straightforward.

Also factored into the pricing is vessel price, extra materials needed (such as foam, tape, ribbon, etc.) difficulty to deliver and set up, and processing time.  Many people assume that ordering more greenery will reduce the price of their flowers, but greenery often requires more labor than most flowers, as each leaf is inspected and stems need to be broken down into usable pieces.  Having your florist provide your greenery is often cost saving, however, as I can often set aside "scraps" for other uses and will have less waste than you might if you order them yourself through an online source.

The best way to find out if you can save money on your wedding florals is to ASK!  I'm really here to help you, and I enjoy the whole planning process.  A lot of time and effort goes into organizing ideas, planning the design, determining the product to order, process, assemble, and deliver your flowers!  My job is to make this easy for you, so that nothing is left to chance.  Could you do it yourself?  I've seen some people who did a rock star job!  You might have a lot of fun doing your own flowers to save money!  It's just one more thing on a long list, and it all has to be done within a few days before your wedding.

There is nothing like seeing everything finally come together for you on the day of your wedding.... we've spent hours and hours working on bringing your inspiration to life!

Frequently asked questions

Frequently asked questions

How can I order a specific flower to be included in my arrangement?

How do you keep your flowers fresh?

How do I take care of my floral arrangement at home?

How are wedding flowers priced?