There is so much more that goes into our planning and design process. Let me break it down for you lovebirds here.  Because each client, design, and location is unique, each decision we make is individual. We begin by having consultation from that we develop your estimate and start working on your proposal, which we then build upon. From that, we begin to seek and source the inventory needed for your event i.e., pillars, structures, vases, etc. Meanwhile, we build your recipe – which is different from your bouquet, centerpiece, arch decor, etc. We calculate how much of each bloom that we will need (with padding We will also without fail, some come in damaged or bad). Once calculated, we place the floral order.  Also, we will source from multiple suppliers (wholesale and local farmers) to find the very best.

Our design process continues as we receive updates or deviations- A simple addition of a centerpiece can mean an additional 5+ bunches to accommodate, which we then have to update across the board. The walkthrough is one of my favorite steps of the process because of the face-to-face time with our clients. It inevitably ends with changes or additions resulting in a recalculation of both estimates and recipes, which, as discussed, affect the hard-good orders and floral orders.  While it may seem silly to calculate these recipes and place our orders before everything is finalized, there’s a very important reason that we do this. Securing your order earlier ensures that we are first in line if there is a shortage and so that we don’t receive the bottom of the barrel blooms. 

Then comes your event- an entire week is dedicated to each event. On Tuesday, we begin to prep by pulling out all the hard goods we will need, cleaning them, and prepping them for use. Wednesday, we typically receive the blooms. This allows for the time needed to ensure the blooms are at their peak of life on the day of your wedding. It also gives us time to make replacements if some of the blooms are off or damaged (something that happens every time). Processing and organizing the flowers can take several people an entire day to complete (man-hours, one of our most costly resources). Thursday, the floral designs begin with pulling the very best blooms for the personal flowers. All the flowers need a fresh cut, bucket, and water to ensure their health and longevity. Friday the designs are completed, and everything is organized to load up for the following day. Saturday or the event day starts early with everything looked over for quality control before it is loaded for delivery. Upon delivery, the calculated frenzy begins to set up within a set window, dancing around the other vendor’s schedules and needs. With a brief reprieve during the actual event, we return to quickly break everything down and clean up. Sundays are spent cleaning up and organizing after the beautiful chaos that occurred the days prior. If I had a dollar for every bucket I have washed, I’d be a wealthy woman. Monday, we drink (or get massages), and Tuesday, we press repeat.

 After an event, we look forward to a raving review from our clients. This is an incredibly wonderful piece to our business and allows us the opportunity to share our client’s experiences on our website/social media alongside, the photographer’s images of our lovely couples on their day.

 All of this work that I have outlined above is reflected in that total. In addition to the hard, soft, man-hours, business, and floral goods. The hard goods are the items that we can potentially reuse ie vessels, buckets, chicken wire, etc. The soft goods are the things like ribbon, tape, the gas that are single-use. Business expenses would be the charges for things like domain hosting so that our clients can find us, client management software so that our clients can easily sign their contracts and pay online, ongoing education so that we are abreast to the latest techniques and continually develop our skill and art form. Man hours are self-explanatory but you may be surprised by how many people are needed to ensure your designs are completed within the finite window we have to create them. The floral goods are all the 

Rental space- Every item we have available for our clients is taking up valuable space which incurs cost.

I hope that you take these into consideration when calculating your budget and seeking a floral designer. It’s important to understand what exactly you’re paying for so that you can value it appropriately. Not everyone values a curated design and That Is Okay! We are not for everyone but we are for those that do and we appreciate everything you do 🙂

Do you want Springvale Floral to design your next event? Get in touch here!

Photos by Kir Tuben Photography