Hi everyone! Hope you are all well and surviving what we hope is just a once-in-a-lifetime experience?
It seems with recent government announcements that a little bit of confidence is returning to both wedding vendors and engaged couples – and for that we are all so thankful!
But simultaneously there has been a lot of chatter on wedding vendor Facebook forums about the cost and availability of flowers as we begin our journey back to normality. So I thought I’d share this information with you, as you begin to re-imagine the wedding of your dreams 😊
So let’s start with the not-so-good news:
1. Most of our wedding flowers have been imported for the past few years, due to more consistent growing conditions year-round, and (I hate to say it), cheaper prices than a lot of locally-grown flowers. So when we were hit with lockdowns and travel restrictions, our imported flowers were no longer able to get to Australia. Now, every florist in the country is scrambling to pull together enough locally-grown flowers to stay in business.
2. Top that off with very low numbers of flowers coming into WA from the Eastern states, also due to border closures and travel restrictions.
3. Imported flowers and Eastern states grown flowers are starting to slowly trickle into WA, however prices are now 30-50% higher than prior to COVID-19. So you can expect to be paying higher prices for your wedding flowers for the foreseeable future.
4. You should also prepare yourself for the fact that you may not be able to get your hands on those uber-trendy flowers and colours like Toffee roses, Quicksand roses, garden roses, phalaenopsis and cymbidium orchids, dried and preserved flowers and foliage etc, due to limited availability and an increased demand when the next wedding season finally begins.
Before you start to panic, there is some good news:
1. Our WA wholesalers are working their butts off to get their hands on more flowers from WA and Eastern states growers, and they are hopeful that we might start to see a slight increase in availability come July, but prices are likely to stay high for at least 12 months.
2. If travel restrictions ease just a little, we might get a few more imported beauties back on our shelves too.
So when you send your brief around to your fave florists, please be understanding when they reply with quotes. We will be as open and honest with you as we possibly can, to manage your expectations about flower prices and availability … and do you know what would be really great? … if you don’t reply with “you are too expensive”, because this whole situation is way beyond our control and so many of us are already struggling to pick up the pieces after a disastrous few months for the wedding and events industry. Please be kind!
Thank you for your patience and understanding,
Nardine
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Why you should say NO to pampas grass
Not a week goes by without me receiving a quote request for ‘that fluffy stuff in my Pinterest photos’. That fluffy stuff is called Pampas Grass … and while there is no denying it looks beautiful in photos, unfortunately it’s not just an innocent flower or grass. Popular in the 1970’s and resurfacing again in recent years, pampas grass is now considered a noxious weed. So please, pull up a chair, ‘cos I’m about to get all educational on ya!
So here’s the official stuff: according to the Urban Bushland Council of WA, Pampas Grass (Cortaderia elloana) is a large, perennial weed that can grow to 4m and is often found in wetter areas, especially on swampy ground. It was originally introduced as a garden specimen from South America, but it is now considered to be a Pest Plant under the Agriculture and Related Resources Protection Act 1976.
The WA Dept of Agriculture advises it has invaded sunny, swampy sites from Perth to Albany, where local councils have now made it the subject of an eradication campaign. Pampas grass plumes can hold up to 100,000 seeds – in each and every plume – and our beautiful south west breezes are carrying these seeds humongous distances, spreading it far and wide.
Removing large plants is virtually impossible, requiring a back-hoe operator to dig it out, or a highly-toxic glyphosate-based herbicide. And now here’s the environmental stuff: this weed is a serious weed of wetlands and is capable of altering vegetation structure and decreasing diversity of invertebrate and vertebrate fauna. In plain English, this means it is taking over our native bushland and swamps; it is outcompeting our native plant species; and it’s reducing fodder for our native wildlife. It is also a fire hazard and harbours vermin.
In NSW it is now an offence to grow, sell or buy pampas grass and there is a $10,000 fine for anyone found breaking this law. I know of florists who have already been fined. Similar laws could soon be introduced in WA too.
So why should you care? Because I care!!! As a professional florist, I consider myself to be one of mother nature’s guardians. I am privileged to work with the most beautiful blooms and foliage every week, but if I don’t give a damn about our environment, and share the knowledge I have with you, the general public, then there will soon be no beautiful blooms to work with!
And if we continue to ignore the dangers of working with this noxious weed; by taking it onto rural properties, or into native forests, heck even into restaurants/breweries/wineries for weddings and events … and just standing by watching as the south west breezes blow millions of seed heads onto neighbouring properties, farms and bushland areas, then we are only exacerbating the problem.
Yes, you will continue to see pics all over Pinterest and insta for some time, from our European and American friends (who haven’t yet acknowledged the problem with this weed), and there are still unfortunately so many uneducated florists, stylists and home hobbyists in Australia continuing to use it too … but I am unapologetically refusing to use it in any of my future designs. I would rather say no to your money, than compromise our beautiful bushland and native environment.
But … the great news is there are alternatives!!! If you love the whole boho style, then don’t be afraid to ask me (or any other florist for that matter), what they recommend. There are so many other great ideas out there, and any florist worth their salt will be able to provide these for you. If they can’t, move on. Who knows … we may create a new trend together 😊
Side note: if you scroll far enough through my past work, you will see two occasions where I have used pampas grass at the request of my clients. I am now far more educated than I was back then, and I have refused to work with it for some time now.
Let's talk winter weddings!
In Australia it’s become ‘the norm’ to get married in spring or summer, and that’s awesome if you have your heart set on a warm outdoor celebration surrounded by your nearest and dearest, but it’s not the only option … so let’s think outside the square a little … let’s talk about a winter wedding!!!
I’m picturing long sleeved, high necked bridal gowns with faux fur stoles and guys in luxe velvet jackets. I’m thinking about bouquets with richly coloured blooms and metallic accents; and indoor ceremonies in stunningly unique locations like wineries made from stone, barns of aged timber, even art galleries, museums and book stores … can you see it now?
But what about my guests you say – I want them to be comfortable too? We can easily accommodate them too with warm jackets, ugg boots and cosy couches with woollen blankets.
Our south west and southern forests venues look so much better when surrounded by lush green paddocks, gorgeous winter light and just a touch of mist – so think how amazing your photos will look?!
And once you get inside, be sure to have that log fire burning and a tonne of lanterns, candles and fairy lights to set the mood.
Your menu too can reflect the change of season, so ask your caterer to make hearty meals a real feature. But after the main event, it only gets better – how about a S’mores bar? Hot chocolate station? Warm Baileys cocktails? Mulled wine?! Can you taste it/feel it yet?
And your flowers … oh the flowers! As a professional wedding and event florist I find beauty in all the seasons, but winter is a particular favourite because there are some little pretties that we just don’t get to use as often as we’d like. Hellebores, blushing bride (proteas), jonquils, hyacinth, snowdrops and poppies, and even flowering foliage like viburnum. Think of the totally unique bouquet we could create together?!
OK so maybe it’s time for a few practical reasons. Get the venue you want, on the date you want and often at a discount rate. More of your preferred vendors will be available too. And it’ll be easier for your guests to attend (less competition with other summer events and activities).
But here’s the real kicker: winter in Aus means summer in Europe, so it’s the PERFECT time for that dream honeymoon!!!
Words on a page are one thing, but here are a few of my favourite winter wedding pics that I just know will sway you on the idea … so when you are ready to talk about your very own winter wedding – I’ll be waiting for your call (and I might even squeal a little!!!) 😊
For more ideas check out my Pinterest page: https://www.pinterest.com.au/scentiment/
So ... what is included in my quote?
I’m frequently told that I have the best job in the world, getting to ‘play’ with flowers every day. And that’s absolutely true! But it’s soooooo much more than just ‘playing’ with flowers … I am trying to run a successful, sustainable business that delivers on the promise of amazing wedding and event flowers for every single client that comes through my door.
So when I am offered the opportunity to provide a quote for a couple’s dream wedding, or a super special event, there are soooooo many things that I need to consider. In reality, it’s not just about the flowers, it’s also about all the other ‘stuff’ that goes into running a successful business – one that’s not going to go belly-up due to poor-management before we even get to your big day. So I thought it would be a great idea to give you, my potential client, a bit of an idea of what goes into each and every quote that I produce. Many of these things you would be aware of, but there are a few that just might surprise you!
Business running costs: ASIC business registration, business name registration & renewals, domain name registration and renewals, email registration and renewals, business insurance, rent or mortgage repayments, fridge hire or repayments, accounting fees, preparation/maintenance of forms (price guide/questionnaire/hire catalogue/quote/invoice/ wedding flower contract etc)
Marketing costs: advertising, social media marketing, web development and renewals, signage, attendance at wedding expos, participation in styled photo shoots
Motor vehicle costs: car finance repayments, insurance, fuel, servicing, roadside assistance, tyres, cleaning
Staff costs: hiring, wages, ongoing training to perfect the latest techniques and to stay ahead of the trends
Stock costs: researching new products, ordering, for country florists – return travel to courier depots to collect deliveries, unpacking, storage, replacing damaged/stolen stock
Client costs: research, planning, quoting, revisions to quotes, invoicing, sending courtesy invoice reminders, following-up overdue invoices, paying supplier invoices, job scheduling, flower ordering, HOURS on the phone and/or email with clients discussing your order/providing advice/making revisions/calming nerves/confirming on-the-day schedules
Flower costs: ongoing liaison with growers and wholesalers regarding your order, confirmation with growers/wholesalers of your order/delivery on the day of pick-up or despatch, liaison with alternative wholesalers should your preferred flowers not arrive or be available, for country florists – return travel to multiple growers/wholesalers and/or the courier depot to collect your flowers, HOURS of unpacking/stripping/prepping/refrigerating your flowers
Prep costs: washing/bleaching buckets, fridge cleaning, preparing packaging and labels, washing/cleaning vases, lanterns, arbours and all other hire items (includes HOURS removing wax from candles ☹ )
Sundries: the little ‘extra’s’ you may not notice like twine, tape, ribbon, pins, preservative sprays, packaging, stickers, tags
Hire fees: there’s the obvious items you hire from us like vases, lanterns, arbours, hanging rigs etc, but there’s also the hidden items required for installation like ladders, rope, chains, hooks, cable ties, sand bags, tent pegs, tape measures etc)
On the day: last minute flower arranging, packing your flowers for travel, labelling everything to ensure each item is delivered to the right address(es), loading the car/trailer, driving to your accommodation(s) and venue(s), unpacking the car/trailer, delivering your flowers (and sometimes helping flower girls position their flower crowns, mums tie on their wrist corsages, groom & groomsmen pin on their boutonnieres etc), set-up of your ceremony flowers, set-up of your reception flowers, staying on-site throughout the ceremony to move your ceremony flowers to your reception location (and sometimes travelling from one venue to another), final reception set-up and photos
The day after: return to the venue(s) to collect hire items, removal of hanging installations, re-packing flowers for the bride & groom or family members to take home (or donate to a charity/hospital/nursing home etc), disposal of waste, return to the studio, unpack the car/trailer, cleaning of vases and other hire items, storage
What is NOT included in your quote:
So now you know the gazillion and one things that ARE included your quote … but have you ever given any thought to what’s NOT included??? Sometimes, when you are comparing prices on a piece of paper, it’s easy to forget all the little extra’s that you get when you deal with a professional florist, as opposed to a DIY situation and/or your bridesmaids or Aunty so-and-so doing your flowers! Here’s just a few:
The additional hours of phone or email contact with you that are NOT included in your quote
The additional hours of phone and email contact with the growers/wholesalers to ensure you get your preferred flowers, including on the day of delivery, if your flowers are not available and substitutes need to be arranged – I can ‘hand-on-heart’ say I will kill myself trying to get you flowers that you will love (and won’t even notice when your preferred flowers aren’t in there!)
A guarantee that your wedding will be my only booking on the day – my aim is not to make a tonne of money by booking multiple clients every weekend, and I will not rush from one wedding to another – I will stay on-site at your venue for as long as it takes to ensure everything goes 100% according to plan or, if problems arise (and it doesn’t matter how much planning takes place, unforeseen problems can still occur), I will be there to fix things for you
The absolute love, passion, and dedication I have to ensuring your wedding flowers are even better than you could possibly have dreamed they would be
I totally get that you have a budget to work to (I was a bride once too!) and it makes perfect sense that you will want to get a few quotes to compare … but please ensure you are comparing apples with apples! Of course a professional florist isn’t going to be as cheap as Aunty so-and-so buying poor quality flowers from a deli or supermarket, but before you make that decision, ask yourself these simple questions:
Do I realistically have the time to deal with the ordering/confirming/delivery/transport/set-up on the day of my flowers (or the multitude of issues that inevitably happen with DIY)?
What strategies do I have in place to deal with these issues and will I be happy with compromise? (And this does not mean phoning a professional florist at the last minute to rescue you because once you make that decision, I’m sorry to say you are on your own baby!!!)
How many photos will my flowers (bouquets, boutonnieres, ceremony, reception etc) be in; how many years will I be looking at these photos; and will I be disappointed every time I look at my photos and regret NOT spending just a little bit more to employ a professional florist, who will deliver the dream?!
I hope this little bit of info helps to make your wedding flower decision a little easier … and that that decision is to hire me, or another professional florist just like me 😊
Thanks for reading,
Nardine
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