toronto event florist – Ooh La La Designs

In the wise words of my BFF Stacy…”Pinterest is an incredible tool for this business…but it is the bane of my existence…”

To say that I have seen my fair share of Pinterest boards, wedding blogs and wedding magazines would be an understatement. Like most of my couples and colleagues, I look to these sources for inspiration for my clients, styled shoots and trends. That being said, I feel that it is high time that I give you some honest un-Pinterest-coated truth about the real cost of the floral designs we are all swooning over…

Oh…a couple of things before we get started.

I am a certified Floral Designer and have been immersed in the floral industry for almost ten years. I am confident in the pricing I am presenting to you below. I understand the time, research, labour, care and mechanics it takes to bring every single bloom to design fruition. Like many seasoned and experienced designers we are extremely knowledgeable with the seasonal market availability aspect of this industry as well as how location effects wedding and event floral pricing. We also have long established working relationships with our suppliers, many who would jump through hoops to help us please our clients.

Also, the prices below are for floral designs that you see on blogs like Style Me Pretty (the most pinned site in the industry), Green Wedding Shoes and Weddingchicks as well as fabulous magazines such as Today’s Bride, Real Simple, Weddingbells and The Knot. Magazines and blogs like Wedluxe, Grace Ormonde Wedding Style, Martha Stewart Weddings and Elegant Wedding are considered luxury and are a totally different ball game.

Without further ado..

Popular Wedding and Event Floral Designs on Blogs, Pinterest and Mainstream Wedding Magazines

Bouquets:

Tight Mounded Nosegay:

By far the most pinned and featured bouquet is the huge handtied beauty that is often pictured full of gorgeous peonies, garden roses, ranunculus and orchids. Honest cost…$250 and up

Cascade:

Gorgeous trailing bouquet, which perfectly compliments the stunning gown in the image, dripping with phalaenopsis orchids, garden roses and lisianthus. Honest cost…$400 and up

Romantic Foraged Handtied:

This is another style that is gracing every blog and board. The bouquet is normally large and loose in styling and is heavy in greens such as olive, jasmine vine and eucalyptus. It is also chock a block full of garden roses, spray roses, peonies, poppies, veronica, zinnia and dahlias…pretty much any gorgeous seasonally available floral. Honest cost $200 and up

Flower Crowns:

Full halos with spray roses, dahlias, ranunculus, succulents and greens (incredibly labour intensive) Honest cost $200 – $300

Bridesmaids Bouquets:

Styled to look similar to bride’s and accented with more expensive florals like peonies, callas and garden roses. Honest cost $95 and up

Pew Décor:

Whether it be trendy handtieds tied to the pews or mounds of garden roses, dahlias and veronica accented with jasmine vine in a vase on a hook stand plan on $65 and up and to pay additional costs for ribbon and necessary hardware.

Ceremony Floral:

I’m talking about those large, gorgeous, full and showy pieces for the alter and on pillars throughout the space full to the brim with flowers like hydrangea, garden roses, peonies, stock, spray and standard roses, ranunculus and lisianthus. Honest cost $350 and up

Reception Floral:

Low Centrepieces:

For a gorgeous full arrangement with the florals we have discussed throughout this post…Honest cost $165 and up.

Gorgeous Raised Centrepieces:

Whether they be mounded or loose and airy raised centrepieces full of garden roses, peonies, ranuculus, stock, spray roses, hydrangea and greens are absolutely stunning. Honest cost $325 and up…hardware rentals and candles extra.

Delivery, transfers and strikedown:

Expect to pay 10% to 20% of the subtotal of your wedding floral order prior to taxes. Many companies also have additional fees for strikedown that take place on holiday weekends, mileage and large labour intensive installs like floral walls, ceiling ornamentation, large pieces of floral art, candlescapes and designs that require floral submerged in water.

Now let’s be realistic…not all of us are interested in having a marriage celebration that goes viral on a blog/Pinterest or gets published in a magazine. There are so many fabulously gorgeous floral designs available that takes inspiration from Pinterest, blogs and magazines that are more obtainable and cost effective and will accent your fete perfectly. An experienced floral designer will be able to create stunning pieces for an average of 10% of your wedding budget…please note most wedding and event floral design companies have a minimum investment requirement. Please ensure that you have a firm understanding of the minimum and provide the designer with your “must not go over budget’.

Chat soon!

Kelly xo

I originally posted this the spring of 2015 and it rings even more true as the years progress. In an age of You Tube tutorials and weekend workshops it is even more important to ensure you are hiring an experienced and professional floral designer for your celebration.Experience Matters | What You Should Really Ask Your Wedding Florist

Through the years I have run across several “What to Ask Your Wedding Florist Prior to Hiring Them” checklists on the internet and in magazines. I have happily and excitedly answered all of the questions when presented with a list at a consultation. I must admit I ADORE talking about my love of wedding floral design and my wee part in this incredible industry. And to be honest all couples absolutely must be well informed and educated when it comes to vendor selection.Below is a list of questions you should ask when interviewing wedding/event floral designers and what you should be looking for in the answers they are providing you.

About the Blooms1. What seasonal flowers are available the month I am getting married?

Seasonal floral availability is one of the base skills for a floral designer and an experienced designer will answer without hesitation and without the use of Google.

2. What flowers do you recommend with my wedding design, colour choices and budget structure?

An experienced floral designer will suggest more than roses, hydrangea and seeded eucalyptus. Design is so much more than arrangements with standard flowers that can be found in flower department at your local big box grocery store. An experienced designer will suggest textural greens in gorgeous tones, elegant line and statement flowers to capture this season’s popular foraged look and unusual but easily accessible blooms and plants like King protea, locally procured garden roses, echeveria and xerographica.

3. Can you provide me with organic, pesticide-free and/or socially responsible flowers?

I include this topic in my introduction to Ooh La La Designs at the beginning of every consultation. A knowledgeable designer/business owner will know where their supplier sources their product. In fact, many of my experienced industry colleagues know everything about the farms where the product is grown, types of pesticides used and the best local farms to gather the best locally grown product.

4. What additional rental décor do you offer that best suits my designs?

Good floral design companies will have basic hardware for rent/purchase to display your floral designs perfectly. There is a world of gorgeous unique and stylish containers and vessels available that reflect your personal style…votive candles are not your only option!

5. If I give you a picture or link to a Pinterest board of a bouquet and/or arrangement that I love, will you be able to design something as close as possible?

Your first consultation should include your Pinterest board/collection of images and the designer easily identifying each and every bloom. Ensure that the designer is able to provide you with an image of their real wedding work that is similar to the designs you adore.

6. Can you provide a sketch or mockup of the centrepiece you have proposed? Is there a charge?

Designers will be happy to provide a sketch or mockup (within reason) of most large and detail focused centerpieces. Be prepared to pay for the sample as well as delivery.

7. Will you provide florals for my cake designer if required?

An experienced floral designer will know the perfect blooms for your cake artist’s masterpiece and will openly and honestly discuss possible CFC transfer.

The Money and Contract Questions

1. Do you charge a delivery fee?

Established and knowledgeable floral design businesses will charge 15% – 20%of the floral designs and rental piece.

2. Do you have an extra charge for the setup and strike down of the pieces?

As with delivery, businesses will charge for setup and strike down as well as additional charges for large installs such as floral walls, hanging arrangements and large late night strike downs.

3. How far in advance of my wedding should I book your services?

Most of my couples book 12 to 18 months in advance to ensure that their date is available. Most floral designers also do not guarantee availability until the retainer and signed contract have been received.

4. What is the amount required to ensure that my date is secure and how many days will you hold my date prior to me paying my retainer?

The retainer amount and process varies slightly from business to business. We have a standard retainer fee required to secure your date and a fee schedule for the remaining balance. Generally most designers will hold your date for 5 days following the initial consultation.

5. Will you provide me with a design proposal?

We love wowing our clients with the design proposal. An in depth and highly image driven proposal sets successful and experienced designers apart from the others.

6. When can I expect a contract from you?

An established and reliable design company will have a contract forwarded and ready to sign the same time that the retainer is received. Read your contract thoroughly prior to signing it and understand that your floral designer welcomes questions should you need some clarification. A wedding vendor that states a contract is not necessary is cause for alarm.

7, What is your refund policy if for some reason I need to cancel my order?

We have a very strict refund policy. Your floral designer will have a policy outlined in their contract. If they don’t a red flag should immediately be raised!

In addition, as a consumer, I can not stress enough you asking the following of your floral designer and frankly of every vendor you hire.

Experience Absolutely Matters

1. What is your past work experience in the field of floral design?

You should not be hiring a floral designer based on a pretty Instagram page. Your wedding celebration will be one of the most important days of you and your partner’s life journey…please hire vendors based on past work experience. You wouldn’t hire a builder for your home who took a weekend course to build a doll house and has no additional experience would you? The same goes for wedding vendors…experience matters!

2. What is your formal training background?

An experienced floral designer will be able to provide you the names of the shops/designers that they trained/worked with in the past. Experienced designers also have certification from an Ontario recognized College or through an intensive three week course via the CIFD. This certification requires extensive training and financial investment. Learning to make a centerpiece at a weekend wedding workshop or You Tube tutorial does not a trained and educated floral designer make. Your event is not an avenue for practice!

3. How will you ensure that my floral designs look stunning for the entire day?

There is a science behind floral design. Each bloom must be treated prior to design to ensure a gorgeous full and healthy show on your wedding day and maximum vase life. Your floral designer should be experienced in the appropriate blend and use of preservation mixes and sprays that will have your designs looking gorgeous not only for your wedding day but for the day after brunch and well into the next week.

The Truth About Experience

Design style, budget, personality and compatibility are all very important factors to consider when entering into a 12 – 18 month working relationship with a wedding vendor however experience is the cherry on top of the sundae. Remember, experience ALWAYS matters when hiring wedding professionals. Aspiring designers must practice with an experienced and established shop or studio for at the very least one full busy event season…not on you and most definitely not on your wedding day.