weddings & Brides Thread

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weddings & Brides (Forums : General Discussion : weddings & Brides)	Locked
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pip	Jun 7 2010, 10:38am Anchor
It is frustrating when brides say "I don't want to spend much money on flowers) they think we buy them for next to nothing, and have no hourly rate. Other trades Charge service fees then an hourly rate.
Rach	Jun 9 2010, 2:20pm Anchor
If only they knew how much time goes in to their wedding flowers before they even arrive in the shop to make them up!!! The phone calls to wholesalers/growers ,the endless appointments with the bride (when they continually change their mind!)if you were a lawyer or accountant charging for their time you would be a millionaire by now When those comments are made I try to keep upbeat about it and encourage them to see the benefits flowers have to the day (especially the photos viewed years to come!!) That usually works! Ultimately you try to keep to their budget, but don't undercut yourself... It isn't worth it!
val	Jun 9 2010, 4:28pm Anchor
What do you think if florists will charge a consultation fee while we are having a bridal appointment, something like $25-30, and this fee would be refundable if the bride decides to order flowers with this shop. Would it cut off the brides who are walking from one florist to another, collecting quotes, wasting our time and re-selling our ideas to other (and often cheaper) florists or even backyard florist?
Rach	Jun 9 2010, 5:42pm Anchor
That could be an option Val, although I think for the the bride to get more than one quote is important and healthy competition. I guess it does come down to the rapport you have with the customer too. If they have confidence in you and trust you with providing the service and quality that you are quoting for then price doesn't always come in to it to much. I do wonder though, what the conversion rate would be if you did have an appointment fee? It would elimimate the time wasters! Edited by: Rach
Todd	Jun 22 2010, 4:44pm Anchor
There are a few around here that try to charge a consulting fee - and many brides hate it - I know because they tell me when they book with me. Of course, many customers must find it acceptable - otherwise I would be over-run with wedding work, which I aint. I think it very much depends on your market - in these parts we only get the lower end of the price market, all the churches do flowers themselves, reception centres do flowers themselves, or offer a package tied up with another florist - so we typically only do bride, bridesmaids and buttonholes - vary rarely totaling more than $1,000. So for me it is quite easy to do a quick & cheery quote - no need to waste hours. The consult is your chance to sell yourself - why charge the bride to give you an opportunity? -- Hanging Basket Florist - your Rockingham Florist
pip	Jun 22 2010, 6:52pm Anchor
Drove past a florist on Sunday the Window with hand written sign - Bridal Packages $199 !!!!!! What do think they could be making for that? -- Jenny
Rach	Jun 29 2010, 2:01pm Anchor
Wow! That is cheap. It must be for a very small wedding! Either that or I would like to know where they get their flowers so cheap
val	Jun 29 2010, 7:12pm Anchor
Can someone tell me how much your shop will charge for a wedding bouquet - free stem posy ball made of 35 roses. No embelishment, just greenery around and ribbon. Sometimes I feel that we are doing something wrong. Our quotes based on $3.00- $4.00 per rose stem (always semi-wired) and labour $60.00 an hour. But seems it is very expensive in comparison with weding package for $199.00. Any suggestions?
Gail	Jul 6 2010, 2:20pm Anchor
Hi Val,I would charge about $200 for a rose posy with 35 roses. I haven't made one before because brides in Tassie are pretty tight! But the rose bouquets I have done usually have around 20-25 roses and foliage edge and I price those at $150.00 so you are on the right track.Ignore florists that advertise prices like that ($199 wedding package), they are just out to make a quick buck and more than likely are not even qualified wedding florists. Some florists believe that quantity is more important than quality, but that will only work for you if you enjoy working like a dog for not much reward. Establish a pricing system that works for your shop and enables you to make a reasonable return and promote yourself as a reputable wedding florist with experience and fresh ideas and you'll book the brides you want- not the brides looking for the cheapest deal (they're usually more trouble than they're worth anyway!)
studiorosa	Jul 7 2010, 6:22pm Anchor
agree with gail, we try to shift the focus off money, as there is always budget for something beautiful and amazing right - like a dress, ring, shoes, honeymoon - so we like to educate our brides on our excellent design, quality product and remind them that the flowers not just an add on for the wedding day, they feature in almost every single photo, so they deserve to be special ... You have to make atleast 3 x your wholesale pricing plus labour to make your wedding worthwhile (costs to consider all aspects of labour for all staff involved on saturday rates - so consider initial consult, preparing quotes, following up, second and sometimes third consultations and last minute changes, ordering flowers - or which you usually order more to choose the best quality and make sure bride is aware of this, ordering sundries, storing flowers, boxing, packing, delivery - factor in up to three different delivery locations for some weddings, liasing with reception venue/decorators, picking up vases after the wedding etc etc etc ), also consider what time is spent designing and completing wedding flowers when this time could be spent with other customers in your shop who would spend more money if you could be helping them..... all things considered, this is why weddings cost money, i am sure ever other wedding suppliers do not discount ... trick is to get in early with a bride as usually flowers are one of the last things organised after all the money has gone..... offer early bird specials on value add, not discount... team up with local hairdresser to do a deal on discount wedding hair doos if book flowers with your shop etc etc.... i would rather not do a weddding, than do a cheap wedding - no point losing money.... approach with a smile, discuss everything that is involved, explain to the bride the hourly rates, ask what they do for a job and ask if it would be reasonable that they would work for free, don't give out written quote if they are just shopping around, and most importantly focus on the romance, the beauty and delight of flowers - they deserve it $200 for 35 rose posey is good. vicki
Geoff	Jul 10 2010, 8:26am Anchor
35 rose bouquet would be $170. ( $3 rose + $50 + tax ) We charge a $30 consaltation fee. Since introducing the fee, our interviews would have decreases by 80%.. we now would book 9 out of 10 - before 4 out of 10 we do less weddings now that we charge the fee.
val	Jul 11 2010, 8:13pm Anchor
thanks to everyone. Thanks Studirosa for the detail answer. I really like your vision on weddings and fully agree. Ideas about early bird packages and team up with hairdresses looks attractive. I might try it. Thanks again.
Carla-Lu	Aug 20 2010, 8:36pm Anchor
I have been in partnership in a business specialising in wedding flowers/functions and corporate for 3 years now and what to charge has always been stressful, we have found it hard to work out whether we are charging a fair but 'profitable' price. Thankyou to those who have given me an idea of what you charge. Gail, we are on a par with you.....Geoff, we would make barely enough money to cover expenses as we pay $15.00 a bunch for long stemmed roses from our suppliers as it is. Which raises another question....what do most florists pay for their flowers? I sometimes look at prices in the city and (being based in the country) wonder is there much of a difference when buying through a supplier in the country to that of city suppliers or markets? This is my first post BTW and am so excited to finally find some support and information from people within my industry......I sometimes feel the florist industry is a closely guarded secret and find it hard to get new and updated information (unless I have been searching in the wrong places)! Thankyou all!

Thread Options

pip

Jun 7 2010, 10:38am Anchor

It is frustrating when brides say "I don't want to spend much money on flowers) they think we buy them
for next to nothing, and have no hourly rate. Other trades Charge service fees then an hourly rate.

Rach

Jun 9 2010, 2:20pm Anchor

If only they knew how much time goes in to their wedding flowers before they even arrive in the shop to make them up!!! The phone calls to wholesalers/growers ,the endless appointments with the bride (when they continually change their mind!)if you were a lawyer or accountant charging for their time you would be a millionaire by now

When those comments are made I try to keep upbeat about it and encourage them to see the benefits flowers have to the day (especially the photos viewed years to come!!) That usually works!

Ultimately you try to keep to their budget, but don't undercut yourself... It isn't worth it!

val

Jun 9 2010, 4:28pm Anchor

What do you think if florists will charge a consultation fee while we are having a bridal appointment, something like $25-30, and this fee would be refundable if the bride decides to order flowers with this shop. Would it cut off the brides who are walking from one florist to another, collecting quotes, wasting our time and re-selling our ideas to other (and often cheaper) florists or even backyard florist?

Rach

Jun 9 2010, 5:42pm Anchor

That could be an option Val, although I think for the the bride to get more than one quote is important and healthy competition. I guess it does come down to the rapport you have with the customer too. If they have confidence in you and trust you with providing the service and quality that you are quoting for then price doesn't always come in to it to much.
I do wonder though, what the conversion rate would be if you did have an appointment fee? It would elimimate the time wasters!

Edited by: Rach

Todd

Jun 22 2010, 4:44pm Anchor

There are a few around here that try to charge a consulting fee - and many brides hate it - I know because they tell me when they book with me.

Of course, many customers must find it acceptable - otherwise I would be over-run with wedding work, which I aint.

I think it very much depends on your market - in these parts we only get the lower end of the price market, all the churches do flowers themselves, reception centres do flowers themselves, or offer a package tied up with another florist - so we typically only do bride, bridesmaids and buttonholes - vary rarely totaling more than $1,000. So for me it is quite easy to do a quick & cheery quote - no need to waste hours.

The consult is your chance to sell yourself - why charge the bride to give you an opportunity?

--

Hanging Basket Florist - your Rockingham Florist

pip

Jun 22 2010, 6:52pm Anchor

Drove past a florist on Sunday the Window with hand written sign - Bridal Packages $199 !!!!!!
What do think they could be making for that?

--

Jenny

Rach

Jun 29 2010, 2:01pm Anchor

Wow! That is cheap. It must be for a very small wedding! Either that or I would like to know where they get their flowers so cheap

val

Jun 29 2010, 7:12pm Anchor

Can someone tell me how much your shop will charge for a wedding bouquet - free stem posy ball made of 35 roses. No embelishment, just greenery around and ribbon. Sometimes I feel that we are doing something wrong. Our quotes based on $3.00- $4.00 per rose stem (always semi-wired) and labour $60.00 an hour. But seems it is very expensive in comparison with weding package for $199.00. Any suggestions?

Gail

Jul 6 2010, 2:20pm Anchor

Hi Val,I would charge about $200 for a rose posy with 35 roses. I haven't made one before because brides in Tassie are pretty tight! But the rose bouquets I have done usually have around 20-25 roses and foliage edge and I price those at $150.00 so you are on the right track.Ignore florists that advertise prices like that ($199 wedding package), they are just out to make a quick buck and more than likely are not even qualified wedding florists. Some florists believe that quantity is more important than quality, but that will only work for you if you enjoy working like a dog for not much reward. Establish a pricing system that works for your shop and enables you to make a reasonable return and promote yourself as a reputable wedding florist with experience and fresh ideas and you'll book the brides you want- not the brides looking for the cheapest deal (they're usually more trouble than they're worth anyway!)

studiorosa

Jul 7 2010, 6:22pm Anchor

agree with gail, we try to shift the focus off money, as there is always budget for something beautiful and amazing right - like a dress, ring, shoes, honeymoon - so we like to educate our brides on our excellent design, quality product and remind them that the flowers not just an add on for the wedding day, they feature in almost every single photo, so they deserve to be special ...

You have to make atleast 3 x your wholesale pricing plus labour to make your wedding worthwhile (costs to consider all aspects of labour for all staff involved on saturday rates - so consider initial consult, preparing quotes, following up, second and sometimes third consultations and last minute changes, ordering flowers - or which you usually order more to choose the best quality and make sure bride is aware of this, ordering sundries, storing flowers, boxing, packing, delivery - factor in up to three different delivery locations for some weddings, liasing with reception venue/decorators, picking up vases after the wedding etc etc etc ), also consider what time is spent designing and completing wedding flowers when this time could be spent with other customers in your shop who would spend more money if you could be helping them.....

all things considered, this is why weddings cost money, i am sure ever other wedding suppliers do not discount ... trick is to get in early with a bride as usually flowers are one of the last things organised after all the money has gone..... offer early bird specials on value add, not discount... team up with local hairdresser to do a deal on discount wedding hair doos if book flowers with your shop etc etc....

i would rather not do a weddding, than do a cheap wedding - no point losing money.... approach with a smile, discuss everything that is involved, explain to the bride the hourly rates, ask what they do for a job and ask if it would be reasonable that they would work for free, don't give out written quote if they are just shopping around, and most importantly focus on the romance, the beauty and delight of flowers - they deserve it

$200 for 35 rose posey is good.

vicki

Geoff

Jul 10 2010, 8:26am Anchor

35 rose bouquet would be $170. ( $3 rose + $50 + tax )
We charge a $30 consaltation fee. Since introducing the fee, our interviews would have decreases by 80%..
we now would book 9 out of 10 - before 4 out of 10
we do less weddings now that we charge the fee.

val

Jul 11 2010, 8:13pm Anchor

thanks to everyone. Thanks Studirosa for the detail answer. I really like your vision on weddings and fully agree. Ideas about early bird packages and team up with hairdresses looks attractive. I might try it. Thanks again.

Carla-Lu

Aug 20 2010, 8:36pm Anchor

I have been in partnership in a business specialising in wedding flowers/functions and corporate for 3 years now and what to charge has always been stressful, we have found it hard to work out whether we are charging a fair but 'profitable' price. Thankyou to those who have given me an idea of what you charge. Gail, we are on a par with you.....Geoff, we would make barely enough money to cover expenses as we pay $15.00 a bunch for long stemmed roses from our suppliers as it is. Which raises another question....what do most florists pay for their flowers? I sometimes look at prices in the city and (being based in the country) wonder is there much of a difference when buying through a supplier in the country to that of city suppliers or markets? This is my first post BTW and am so excited to finally find some support and information from people within my industry......I sometimes feel the florist industry is a closely guarded secret and find it hard to get new and updated information (unless I have been searching in the wrong places)! Thankyou all!