Sara Jihan 4/10/17 Sara Jihan 4/10/17

The True Cost of Wedding Flowers

Simon Nickell wrote the following post on his blog, and he took the words right out of our mouths. He touched base on topics that we have experienced several times, and it's super important that clients realize the amount of time that goes into design (on top of the actual cost of the flowers). Simon has been in the floral industry for 26 years, so his experience and knowledge of the business is something we look up to. Location also plays a big part in flower cost. I would like to add that we live in the middle of the desert. Flowers are sent here from all of the country (and the world), so extra care goes into obtaining them, as well as taking care of them as we're working to ensure they look their best come wedding day!

UK Wedding Floristry Advice - The True Cost Of Wedding Flowers

by Simon Nickell

"This is a headline that I’d like to see splashed across the pages of a national newspaper! It is a subject that is very close to my heart, and one I don’t believe is addressed enough in the wedding industry. A lack of truthfulness about what wedding flowers actually cost can and does lead to a huge amount of frustration and misunderstanding for florists and clients alike.

The bridal press, blogs and social media are saturated with images of “luxury” flowers, flower walls and sumptuous hanging installations, which all makes great copy. They hunger for beautiful images of celebrity weddings and flower heavy photoshoots to fill their pages, which is perfectly understandable. A serious lack of information however for the client, about the work involved for a wedding florist to create these amazing displays, is not helped by the media and bridal press constantly telling couples that they can have it all on a budget of £500.

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When I first started as a florist 26 years ago there were no social media or blogs to inspire. Brides went to their local florist and chose arrangements from a catalogue of commercially produced styles. The designs and flowers available were very limited, and I would often hear a bride say “I’ll have that one, in peach”. Today everything has changed, and it is rare now for me to meet a bride who hasn’t found her inspiration on social media. Pinterest and Instagram seem to be taking over the world and brides bring THEIR Pinterest boards to ME!

I must admit I have a love, hate relationship with Pinterest! While it can be an incredibly useful tool it can also be very misleading. Much of its imagery features incredibly flower heavy American weddings which have been photographed in Californian vineyards or New England gardens and this can lead to an enormous amount of confusion and disappointment when I tell couples that the flower heavy look they want will cost thousands rather than hundreds.

Let's face facts, apart from the cost of buying a home, the cost of a wedding is probably the biggest expense at one time that a couple will have in their lives. It is also a fact that American couples tend to spend more on wedding flowers than couples in this country, and photo shoots tend to focus on the lavish rather than the average.

There are many reasons why florists charge what they charge for providing wedding flowers. Firstly, flowers do cost money. We have all become so accustomed to seeing flowers in supermarkets at discount prices that we expect flowers to be cheap. Supermarket flowers are a completely different ball game and bear no resemblance to the industry I work in. Produced in colossal quantities for the mass market, they are sold with the marketing strategy of "pile it high, sell it cheap".

The vast majority of the flowers that wedding and event florists use are imported from Holland, with only 15% being grown in the UK. In Holland flowers are traded in euros, the exchange rate with the pound is against us, and fuel and transportation costs have rocketed in recent years. Inevitably this has seen an increase in wholesale costs, and florists have to pass these costs on to their customers. Unlike Asda, who can sell a bunch of spray carnations for £2.00 (which is what I used to sell them for in the flower shop where I first worked 26 years ago) we can't!

Of course being British, we’re often brought up to believe that it’s bad form to talk about money. Florists can become their own worst enemies when asking a prospective client about their floral budget, and I know from personal experience that there really is no shame asking a direct question. It can save a lot of time and embarrassment later on, believe me.

Any good wedding planner will advise their clients on how much money to allow for each element of their wedding. A rule of thumb for flowers is 10%. of the overall budget, depending on guest numbers, flowers used, the number of arrangements and work involved. For some couples this might seem an exorbitant amount of money to spend on flowers, to others no. It is however a useful figure to bear in mind.

Bear in mind that certain flowers of course are always more expensive, more elaborate designs are more labour intensive and additional costs such as hire items, transport, petrol and staff wages, and the dreaded VAT have to be factored in, and can increase the final cost dramatically.

I spend many months preparing for a wedding, sometimes more than a year. The run up to a wedding can involve months of site visits, design meetings, quotes, re quotes, adjustments and mock ups of final designs. A wedding day for me can have a 4 a.m. start to prepare the bridal flowers, and a 1 a.m. clearance because the venue insists on everything being taken away at the end of the night. All this work has to be included into the final fee.

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To the uninitiated many people think that my work finishes when I deliver the bridal bouquet. If truth be told many people think that mine isn’t a proper job at all. Over the past 26 years I’ve come to realise that the people who do think that don’t respect my work, attach no value to it and therefore think they have the right to negotiate my prices down. I have also come to realise that I have the right to say no.

Like everyone else, florists are in business to make money; so why should we feel embarrassed about charging what we charge? We work to earn a decent living, pay our bills and provide employment for the myriad of people involved in keeping our industry going.

Every year I take on a limited number of weddings. I don’t work every weekend because enquiries, like buses tend to come along all at once. I often have to turn down work because I’m already booked, and when I’m not I don’t get anything! Such is the nature of the business.

Choosing the flowers for a wedding should be one of the most enjoyable parts of the planning process. Professional florists are highly experienced, skilled and creative individuals who deserve respect for what they do. We work incredibly hard (often behind the scenes) to make a couple’s day look amazing, and what we do is reflected as the true cost of wedding flowers."

photos by Nicolas Alexander

Sara Jihan 3/15/17 Sara Jihan 3/15/17

The Royal Palms :: A Mixed Metal Inspired Wedding

Last month, we were approached by Desert Whim to collaborate on a styled wedding shoot with photographer, April Maura. The shoot was hosted at The Royal Palms Resort & Spa. Now, for those who have never been to The Royal Palms... it's a gorgeous, intimate resort with a Mediterranean vibe + luscious green gardens. It's really, really, really romantic. That's the simplest way to put it! Its surroundings transport you to another place, and it's easy to forget that we're still in Phoenix, Arizona. Countless events and weddings are held here every year, and the cool thing is that each event has a different look from the next. This venue can be transformed to fit many different styles, preferences and color palettes.

For this particular shoot, the floral inspiration for the centerpieces and bouquet was heavy greenery + whites and creams + a pop of berry. We found some amazing kale with an ivory and blush center that we paired with an assortment of eucalyptus, white ranunculus, allium and lisianthus. To fill the small gaps, we chose to add in white wax flower with a berry-colored center that perfectly complimented the hanging amaranthus. We also couldn't pass up adding in some bigger, blush-colored ranunculus. We believe that there should always be a show-stopping flower in our designs, and these ranunculus were definitely it! We wrapped the stems of the bridal bouquet and boutonnière with a pale, eggplant-colored silk ribbon that matched the table-runner, tying in the bridal accessories with the table decor.

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The overall inspiration of a mixed metal design (combining various vases, goblets, dinnerware and candle holders) with a simple and sophisticated color palette, plus a lovely couple, made for an elegant and cohesive design fitting to the venue's space. It was a pleasure to be a part of this collaboration!

Photography: April Maura Photography ❖ Event Coordinator: Desert Whim

Venue : The Royal Palms Resort & Spa ❖ Furniture Rentals: Classic Party Rentals

Table Top Rentals: The Confetti Studio ❖ Florals: 1209 Creative ❖ Paper: Willemina Typography

Models: Andrew Weber & Melissa Nyland ❖ Makeup: Rebecca Rubinstein ❖ Hair: C. Rae Hair

Dress: Grace Style & Bridal ❖ Tux: Celebrity Tux & Tails

Sara Jihan 1/11/17 Sara Jihan 1/11/17

An intimate wedding inside the historic Monroe Abbey

“We’re all a little weird. And life is a little weird. And when we find someone whose weirdness is compatible with ours, we join up with them and fall into mutually satisfying weirdness - and call it love - true love.” ― Robert Fulghum

Married October 15, 2016

So this wedding in particular was a little different than most. Not only were we the florists, but we were also guests. Grace has been a close friend of ours for several years, so when she asked us to do the flowers for her wedding... well, there was no way that we could have passed it up. Grace and Billy are incredible people. Their energy is magnetic. They are creative, they are fun, they are goofy, they are dreamers and they are passionate, hard workers. They are everything anyone could ever want out of another human being. Their friendship is cherished by so many, and we truly mean it when we say that we were so grateful to have been a part of one of the best days of their lives. Not only did that day officially unite them both as a married couple, but it also brought together a group of friends and family unlike any other. It was a ceremony and after-party that so many will remember and look back on.

The location for the ceremony was absolutely incredible. The Monroe Abbey is a church that was built in the late-1800s. A fire was set inside the church in 1984, leaving it in complete ruins, hazardous and unoccupied for the last 30 years. So if you know Grace, then you know that she wouldn't have wanted it any other way. The more creepy and condemned the better!

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After the ceremony, it was straight to Crescent Ballroom. This local bar and music venue has become a staple in downtown Phoenix. Many nights have been spent there dancing, drinking and eating burritos with our eclectic group of friends. We kept the decor simple with greenery, bud vases, lots of candles and, of course, a couple of bull skulls (just wouldn't have been the same without them).

❖❖❖ Congrats, Mr. & Mrs. Kroener. We love you! ❖❖❖

Photography: Jamie Allio + Chanelle Sinclair ❖ Event Coordinator: Arizona Wedding Planners

Ceremony Venue : The Monroe Abbey ❖ Reception Venue: Crescent Ballroom

Dress: Melissa Sweet Bridal ❖ Makeup: Sherry Newnom ❖ Hair: Jaime Voelz

Rentals: Classic Party ❖ Lighting: AZ Production Rentals ❖ Florals + Decor: 1209 Creative

Sara Jihan 1/8/17 Sara Jihan 1/8/17

Orchard Wedding at Garland's Oak Creek

Married September 25, 2016

If you have ever been to Sedona, then you know it's a beautiful place no matter what time of year it is. This wedding in particular took place this past September at Garland's Oak Creek Lodge. I had never been before and had only seen the venue in pictures. Though the pictures are stunning... it's even better in person. Between the mountain backdrop, apple orchards, lush forests, quaint cabins and the sound of the creek's water trickling in the background... uh yeah, you could say that we were super into it. Definitely made it hard for us to leave the next day!

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Since the environment was perfect in itself, Nazlee and Jake wanted simple decor for their ceremony and reception. There was already so much amazing-ness happening all around, so we completely understood what they were looking for. We had a custom built chuppah made for the couple (thanks Nicolas!) that we decorated with jewel tone florals and olive branches to match Nazlee's bouquet. The tables were set up with simple bud vases and petite centerpieces. The colors stood out amongst all of the greenery, and it created for an overall youthful and whimsical design... an enchanting forest party!

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"The clearest way into the Universe is through a forest wilderness."

— John Muir

Photography: C aroline Ghetes Photography ❖ Event Coordinator: Two Hearts & A Planner

Venue: G arland's Oak Creek Lodge ❖ Florals + Decor: 1209 Creative

Catering: Good Times Rolling Kitchen & Catering and Persian Room

Table + Seating Rentals: V erve Events & Tents ❖ Lighting: AZ Production Rentals

Dress: Monique Lhuillier ❖ Suit: Prada ❖ Beauty: Sedona Beauty Team

Sara Jihan 11/8/16 Sara Jihan 11/8/16

Marsala-inspired autumn wedding for Andrea + Robbie

Wow! What a month... October really kicked our butts (in a good way). Now that we finally have time to breathe, we wanted to start sharing the weddings we were so lucky to be a part of. Andrea and Robbie's wedding was our last wedding of October, and we really couldn't have asked of a better way to cap the month. The couple was inspired by deep, bold colors. Much of their inspiration board consisted of florals and items within a marsala palette, along with pops of gold and deep purples. Designing the floral arrangements and bridal party accessories for this wedding was a treat. We felt that Andrea and Robbie's taste aligned perfectly with our style. In the end, we achieved a rich and elegant vibe that was fitting for the fall season. There is no better feeling than to see months and months of work finally come together! And a big thank you to all who were involved!!