The Question:

This weekends wedding was a beast for me. It was a whopping 11 tables and 6 cocktails, easy-peasey, right? But there were rentals of pillars and backdrops and the loading dock was a country mile from the set up sites. It was 15 minutes of walking, 2 service kitchens and two elevators from the truck to the reception site. With this kind of obstacle course, efficiency is paramount for timely delivery, calm work environment and my aching feet.
I am interested to hear what tricks of the trade there are for load-in.
How are trucks packed? What’s the preferred dolly/cart? Are florists designing based on what they can transport the easiest? One of my biggest strengths is making something work, no matter how hard it is to accomplish. This is also one of my biggest weaknesses.
I do not want to be killing myself with load-in if there is an easier way. Thoughts?
-Sarah

………………………………………………….

The Answers:

We use carts, refrigerated box trucks and enough man power to get it there at the time we say we will. If there is a venue you have never worked at before it’s good to go take a visit so you can say well it’s only 11 tables and a few cocktail pieces but all of those rentals are going to take a small army to get there and charge wisely. Everything and I mean everything goes on a rolling cart we do not lift as it’s not good for our lower backs in the long run. Plus one person can push one cart and that is like moving 8 flower boxes full of flowers. So it turns out to be cheaper in the long rung. Shrink wrap and carts on wheels is how we roll. Pun intended!
Alex of Exquisite Designs, Illinois

………………………………………………….

I had the very same situation this weekend. In 14 years, this was the most difficult delivery I have had. It was the same story. Downtown Dallas, a new venue for me and a single loading dock which happened to be occupied at the time of our scheduled delivery. We ended up at a loading dock across the street and had to take 2 security elevators and walk 2 blocks to the venue. This was for 26 centerpieces, vintage columns, large urn arrangements…..you all know the drill. They provided us with one small kitchen cart to use…….do the math. They cannot pay enough for this!! There were 3 of us making the delivery which normally would be fine. So, I am also curious how others work through this kind of delivery. Here are the things I would do differently. If it is a new venue, I am going to do a pre-visit to make sure I know what is ahead of me. Secondly, we will be purchasing our own carts……although it’s never been an issue until now. Thirdly, I could have easily used two extra staff IF I had known what was waiting for me. Last but definitely not least, I will charge triple!!!! There is a silver lining to the saga…….I got the best text from the MOB……”Your flowers were beyond magnificent!!! Even more beautiful than we had ever dreamed of!!! You totally caught our vision and executed beyond and executed beyond our expectations!!!” Ok……maybe the delivery wasn’t THAT bad!! We count on those comments to keep us going don’t we? Thanks again to Alicia for the constant encouragement this blog gives me!
Jan Barstad

………………………………………………….

Do you have suggestions and advice for Sarah? Please leave it in the comments section – thanks!

………………………………………………….

Do you have a question you’d like to ask for a Q&A session? Email it to me at: info@flirtyfleurs.com

Rose display at IFTF in Holland

Your name: Jane Geszler
Your Business name: Budget Blooms
Your Location: North Delta, British Columbia, Canada

How did you start your business?
I was working in forestry at the time selling & shipping lumber around North America. It wasn’t very creative and I have always been creative. When I was getting married I read a magazine that said go to the store you think you’ll get your flowers from and order something. If you like it then talk to them. Well when they told me a bridal bouquet was $350 I thought….. I can do that and be creatively budget minded with it. I started the following year.

How many years have you been in business?
We have been around since 2007

How do you create your style and where do you draw your inspiration?
Our company is a little different than most. We don’t meet our Brides. I ask them to send me two or three pictures of bouquets they like – doesn’t matter if they are the right colours – it’s the style and shape I am looking for. I read what they say but it’s the pictures that inspire me. It’s pleasing someone who has completely put there trust in me over email that really inspires me. I don’t want to ever let them down because they have made a leap of faith trusting me to produce there look.

What are the trends, flowers & colors that are unique to your region?
Round hand tied with a little texture are still the bulk of our designs. Garden roses, succulents & dusty miller are very popular even though not unique to our region. I’d say 80% of our weddings are a combination of white/cream & light pink or peach. We are very lucky in Vancouver to have United Flower Growers auction – growers from all over send there product in to sell. We have a huge variety. Besides our local farms we get a lot of California product & South American.

What is your favorite part of being a floral designer?
Having a bunch of flowers sitting in front of me and then viola – a stunning bouquet is born.

What advice would you give to aspiring floral designers?
Stay true to who you are. You work very hard in this business so ensure to do it your way or it will break you. Everyone thought I was crazy to name my company Budget Blooms! Why I use 2nd hand as a description and not vintage. Every single one of my customers has been an amazing person to work with because I honestly portray my company. I don’t try to be high end when I’m not – I just want to get a great deal so I give one with creative suggestions.

Are you a retail shop, studio/warehouse or home based?
Home based

Do you offer any services in addition to floral designs?
I tried chair covers, but decor is too much work. All that washing.

What tool in your toolbox can’t you live without?
Japanese floral shears – about $40 each, but I love them. Nice way to cut the bottoms of your bouquet perfectly.

Anything else you’d like to share with Flirty Fleurs followers?
I always share ideas and thoughts with other florists. We have to work together to ensure our industry survives and grows. My favourite moments are sitting with other florists and all of a sudden you have an ah ha moment with them. Something small you or they have shared but it makes your life so much easier. I have a network of like minded owners/employees who support me and I support them. We can’t do this alone – well you could, but what fun would that be?

Your contact information:
www.budgetblooms.ca
http://instagram.com/budgetblooms
https://www.facebook.com/pages/Budget-Blooms/358658157484771

One of my favorite farms for garden roses is Alexandra Farms, they grow such full, lush, hardy roses. While in Holland a few weeks ago I had a chance to visit with Joey and discuss the latest and greatest roses they are growing, and for your viewing pleasure I took photos of the various roses they had on display -

Alabaster Garden Roses

Aphrodite Garden Roses

Ashley Garden Roses

Augusta Luise Garden Roses

Bridal Piano Garden Roses

Candlelight Garden Roses

Caramel Antike Garden Roses

Baronesse Garden Roses

Fiction Garden Roses

Free Spirit Garden Roses

Hearts Garden Roses

Heirloom Garden Roses

Lemon PomPom Garden Roses

Mamy Blue Garden Roses

Mariatheresia Garden Roses

Mayra’s Rose Garden Roses

Mythos Garden Roses

Pink O’Hara Garden Roses

Pink Piano Garden Roses

Precious Moments Garden Roses

Princess Charlene of Monaco Garden Roses

Romantic Antike Garden Roses

Sunset Garden Roses

Vitality Garden Roses

Voyage Garden Roses

White Cloud Garden Roses

White O’Hara Garden Roses

Yves Piaget Garden Roses

Joey & Paula from Alexandra Farms and Joost from Florabundance Wholesale visiting at IFTF, check out the size of those roses!!

Your name: Andrea Layne
Your Business name: Andrea Layne Floral Design
Your Location: Wesley Chapel, Florida – serving all of Tampa Bay, including Lakeland and Sarasota

How did you start your business?
I started my professional career leading multi-million dollar projects to help companies either improve their processes or to help them to most effectively report their earnings. It was a stress-filled job that didn’t allow me to fulfill my passion for art and design. So after 11 years of working as an IT Project Manager for 4 different employers, 1 year of Interior Design training at the Art Institute of Denver, giving birth to 2 gorgeous daughters, and a blissful year of just being a mommy, I worked with a career coach to figure out how to turn my love of interior design, my need to have a more balanced life, and my interest in weddings into a business.

I received technical training at the South Florida Center for Floral Studies and took online classes offered by the American Institute of Floral Designers (AIFD). Then I sought out an amazing internship with one of the largest, and best, event design shops in Tampa, which turned into a freelance job for a while. My love of flowers and weddings deepened, as did my confidence…and in 2011, I took the plunge and created Andrea Layne Floral Design. I know my IT finance career makes me a great business owner, but it’s my attention to detail and ability to bring a creative vision to life that make my clients love working with me.

Aaron Bornfleth Studio

How many years have you been in business?
A little over 4 years
Started my education and internship in June of 2010
Started my business in February of 2011

What is your design aesthetic?
I am a design chameleon, in that I adapt my personal creativity to meet each of my clients’ unique theme, venue, and color scheme. I love variety and texture, and ensure these are present in all aspects of my designs, from the linens, to the containers, to the types of flowers and foliage I select. As I add each layer to the creation it reinforces the theme and style for each individual event. I like mixing premium flowers, such as orchids, garden roses, and ranunculus with more humble flowers such as waxflower, spray roses, and mums to create a design blend that is unique for each of my customers. Out-of-the box creativity defines me best.

How do you create your style and where do you draw your inspiration?
I draw my inspiration from each client’s event. Typically we start with the venue style, colors and theme that they want to incorporate into the design, the season, and their own personal style. As we walk through their desires, I start to visualize the feel of the event, such as updated modern, romantic garden, beach glam, and that then helps to drive the whole design. The types and color of the flowers, the vases, votive, and other décor items, and finally the linens bring the whole thing together into a cohesive picture.

If the customer is unsure of her vision, we’ll start by creating a design board with a color scheme selected from Design Seeds to drive each detail. I find the pictures associated with the colors help the client hone in on their vision.

Jacqueline Cole

What are the trends, flowers & colors that are unique to your region?
Being in Florida on the gorgeous gulf coast, you can imagine the beach and destination weddings we get to do on a weekly basis! There are literally hundreds of beach venues from the Post Card Inn on St Pete Beach that has a 60’s surfer theme to the absolutely stunning Ca’ d’Zan Mansion at the Ringling Museum in Sarasota with its the Bayfront Promenade and everything in between. Even though you will see sand, shells, and tropical flower at many of these weddings, the current trend here is to go outside this vision and create a theme that is unique to the bride. So we’re doing garden, vintage, glam, Roaring 20s, mid-century modern, and everything in between at these beach venues.

The Tampa Bay area is also close to the rural core of Florida, so there has been a proliferation of barn-style venues. So we are seeing a lot more rustic, earthy designs lately. My personal favorite design vision one of our current brides brought us for one of these venues is an English Equestrian Theme…think old trophies, brown leather, crispt white linens, bits and bridals, horse show ribbons and combine that garden styled flowers. I can’t wait for January to make these creations!

Are you a retail shop, studio/warehouse or home based?
Since I started my business I worked out of a large studio in my home. In the last 2 weeks, we moved out into a space in a business park. I am so very happy to have the ability to make this move. The extra space is so wonderful!

Ailyn LaTorre Photography

Do you offer any services in addition to floral designs?
I have partnered with several linen companies and a chair rental company to offer a discount on these items to my clients. But my core business is strictly floral design for weddings and events.

What tool in your toolbox can’t you live without?
How can any florist be without their trusty knives?!? I have 4 different Swiss Army knives… light blue, pink, yellow, and burgundy. I guess it’s kind of an obsession! I also have a heavy duty pair of clippers by Corona that are the only ones I use to cut the stems of bouquets because it is can handle cutting large and delicate stems with precision and creates an even bottom. And finally, I can’t live without my Oasis Floral Adhesive. That stuff can fix almost any problem! I buy it by the case!

What’s your favorite flower?
When I started this business it was such a personal renewal for me. So I use the Cherry Blossom in my logo to signify this. I don’t get the chance to use them too often in my floral design though. In design, my favorite flower is typically the ones I am currently designing with…lol! I fall in love so easily! How could you not, when you are as blessed as I am to work with so many premium flowers all of the time?!? I love all types of orchids, garden roses, tulips, freesia, ranunculus, forsythia, oh and dark blue delphiniums!

Life Long Studios

Anything else you’d like to share with Flirty Fleurs followers?
Do what you love! I am so blessed to have taken the risk to completely change my career and start my own business. I am a happy, balanced person because of it.

Contact information:
Andrea Layne Floral Design
5854 Argerian Drive, Suite 102
Wesley Chapel, FL 33544
(813) 810-9645

Website: http://www.andrealaynefloraldesign.com
Facebook: http://facebook.com/AndreaLayneFloralDesign
Instagram: http://instagram.com/andrealaynefloraldesign
Pinterest: http://www.pinterest.com/andrealaynefd/

Ashley Brooke Photography

The Question:

Would you consider a post regarding the line between being the florist and being an event designer?
Recently I had a bride come in with picture of what she wanted for floral. We finished the quote and then she wanted to know what chairs, dance floor, invitations, hanging lights vs festoons vs up lights, etc. I am all for providing opinions and feedback. That’s not what this was. This was more of a expectation for a design rollout. She even told me, “well, the florist designs the wedding”. I think this is from an era where the only design choices were linens and what color bow to use to cinch that net filled with Jordan almonds. Now the bride’s wearing cowboy boots and emerald jewelry in her engagement photo because in a year she’s getting married in a barn and her bridesmaids will be wearing emerald dresses.
In this age where the drinking straws match the pendants, which coordinate the menu cards, which have the same font as the “Pick a Seat” sign, which has a small, hand-drawn sketch of cowboy boots which harken back to what the bride wore in the engagement shoot a year before, I am not interested in event design. Can you provide some feedback on where the line is? I want to be helpful, but I don’t want to provide free design services either.
The bottom line – how do you make it clear to a bride when you want to do flowers only vs when you want to offer full event design services?
-Sarah

………………………………………………….

The Answers:

I think if you are uninterested in designing the wedding, I think it’s completely sufficient to answer a few questions and as soon as you feel like it’s too much, simply say “I’m sorry, I don’t offer design services. The service that I provide is floral design and decoration. I’d be happy to refer you to someone who does event design.” If you are interested in providing event design services, I would list it in your pricing documents as a separate service, and define what the service is. This way brides know that if they’d like someone to help with linens, lighting, room arrangement etc, they are free to solicit your event design packages in addition to your floral design packages.
Blair of Sweet Blossoms, Maryland

………………………………………………….

I think the best thing to start with is explain to a client what you are willing to provide vs. what you won’t provide. Starting with “I won’t do _____” may put a negative light on your business. Make sure your marketing and website reflects your focus on florals as opposed to other design elements. If you get the sense a bride is wanting this level of service in a consult, clarify what you offer and maybe refer them to a wedding planner or event designer you know of in your area who can do that for them while working alongside you. If that doesn’t fly for the client, it probably wasn’t a good fit in the first place. Listen to your gut and stay true to the core of your business.

Michelle of Blossom & Vine Floral Co., Vancouver, BC

………………………………………………….

Share your thoughts with us on this subject – just share in the comments section!

Do you have a question you’d like to ask for a Q&A session? Email it to me at: info@flirtyfleurs.com

Anastasia Star Pink by Deliflor

Annecy by Deliflor

Apricot Courtier by King’s Mums

Chesapeake Spider

River City by King’s Mums

Savanna Charlton by King’s Mums

Peter Anderton Pale Pink Anemone Mum

Sandown

Beautiful Mum bouquet designed by Love n Fresh

Sources:
Chrysanthemums in Aberdeen
Deliflor
King’s Mums

Bella Bouquets Book

Bella Bouquets Book is on sale for this week only – $10.00 per copy!

Normally $24.95 per copy. Bella Bouquets makes a great gift for the flower lover!
Perfect peonies, gorgeous garden roses and sweetest sweet peas are a few of the flowers shown on these pages, affectionately designed into a variety of bridal & bridesmaids bouquets.
Bella Bouquets showcases vibrant full-color photographs of over 100 stylish bouquets. Offering a wide variety of designs including elegant, modern, rustic, traditional, dramatic & romantic. Bella Bouquets is a 120 page hardcover book measuring 8.5″ x 8.5″

(Offer good only for brand new orders placed between December 1-7, 2014.)

For the love of flowers, and for the love of floral designers, that’s the ‘why’ behind this special magazine edition of Flirty Fleurs!

For the past four and a half years we have delighted in curating a wide variety of topics of interest and importance to the floral industry on the Flirty Fleurs blog. And it thrills me beyond belief to bring you a magazine brimming with gorgeous floral designs and interviews chock full of advice from leading floral designers around the world.

On these pages you’ll learn how to create a flower crown, be inspired with a selection of sensational bridal bouquets, discover the power of the #FarmerFlorist movement, learn why teaching classes can be great for your business, and take a trip to the London gem that is Neill Strain Floral Couture. Save room for the feast for the eyes that is the amaryllis-inspired styled shoot by the one and only Nancy Teasley of Oak and the Owl. And since rose studies are one of Flirty Fleurs’ signature features, we’ve brought you the best yet—a study of David Austin garden roses, plus much more!!

The purpose of Flirty Fleurs has always been to encourage and inspire floral designers, and I hope what you find on these pages does just that for you. You and your love of flowers is why I love what I do.

Sincerely,
Alicia
Editor-in-Chief

Hi Flower Friends,
Yesterday was a big day for Flirty Fleurs with the announcement of our Special Edition Magazine, so big that I feel the magazine garners another post!

Thank you to everyone who ordered the magazine – I am so excited for you to receive your copy and I’m sure you’ll love reading it cover-to-cover and get ready to see jaw-dropping gorgeous flower arrangements!
Thank you to everyone who sent me emails, text messages, Facebook messages, called, left comments on the blog, left comments on Facebook & Instagram – You all made my day .. such a reminder of why I do what I do, and why I love the floral community so much!

Thank you to the team that made this magazine what it is – Robyn, Kim & I worked very hard on this project, producing a print magazine definitely comes with a learning curve! Many of you know Robyn as the designer behind Bare Root Flora in Denver, luckily for us she has a background in editorial work! Kim’s work as a graphic artist is often seen here on Flirty Fleurs and quite a few of you have worked with her on branding for your own floral businesses. Kim came on board with this project as the Art Director creating beautiful editorial layouts. thank you, thank you, thank you to these two lovely ladies!

For clarification, the magazine is available for purchase through MagCloud. All orders are placed with them and they use Print-On-Demand technology to print up your copy when your order is received, they then ship the magazine directly to you. The finished magazine is lovely as MagCloud does use a high-quality paper! Also, MagCloud offers a digital version of the magazine which is a nice option.

If you’d like to order a copy – click here!

The Question:

I’m currently vacationing in Thailand, and spending a lot of time gazing at the amazing Bougainvillea. And it’s something I would really love to use more of in arrangements but have never considered it further due to their incredibly short vase life. Does anyone have an suggestions on conditioning or treatments that these fabulous flowers can benefit from to increase their longevity? For example does anyone know if dipping cut stems in alum (similar to hydrangea) would work?
-Karen

………………………………………………….

The Answers:

Experiment! Cut two, treat one, use the other as a control. I have tested various plants and flowering shrubs for vase life. I have also tested things in foam to see if they would hold up or wilt after just a few hours. And I have had both of those results!
Margaret

………………………………………………….

from Alicia – The other day I was speaking with Holly Chapple who had just designed a wedding in Southern California and used Bougainvillea. She mentioned that all she did was give them a fresh cut and dip in Quick Dip then placed in water and left them out of the cooler – they held up great!

………………………………………………….

Do you have a question you’d like to ask for a Q&A session? Email it to me at: info@flirtyfleurs.com

Hello Flower Friends!

Last year we introduced a new software product called Lobiloo (read the post here). I’ve been talking with its creator Emily and she and her team are interested in hearing more from designers using it as they are constantly working to improve the program. If you have a moment can you please fill out a survey for Emily and her team – Survey Link

PS – Fill out the survey and receive 3 free months of Lobiloo!