Wedding Season Tips

Wedding season is underway. Feeling overwhelmed? Here's some tips to help you manage the season.

Know your client's vision

Research floral trends by reading wedding magazines, searching social media and blogs. Knowing style trends and mechanics will help you execute your designs with confidence. Schedule consultations to discuss themes, color palettes, and styles. This may take several meetings to get to final decisions. Be prepared to provide a mood board and samples to help you and your client visualize the day.

Communicate clearly with your client

Maintain an open line of communication with your client so you stay on top of updates and deadlines. Every client is different. Some may want to manage down to the finest detail and you might have several people giving you direction. Some clients may change direction throughout the process while others may give you free reign. Communication is key to managing expectations.

Plan ahead

Weddings require a lot of detail to be successful. Consider using a project management tool to keep you organized with meetings, costs, pricing, delivery schedules, labor needed, etc. It can be as simple as setting up an Excel spreadsheet to help you focus on staying organized. A project management tool will help you with client questions, pricing templates, vendor delivery schedules, production schedules, delivery routes, timing and set up notes.

As your business grows and you are doing several events at the same time, consider buying a program. There are plenty of project management tools on the market specifically designed for florists.

Make sure you have proper storage and refrigeration to handle the volume required for the wedding. If you have to rent storage space, make sure this is done well ahead of the event.

Build strong vendor relationships

Weddings require the highest quality and freshest flowers to ensure longevity and appearance. Make sure you have a reliable team of suppliers for flowers and materials. Let your suppliers know early on what will be needed. Keep the lines of communication open so you know what to expect. Mother nature is not always predictable and unexpected delays happen. A reliable supplier will have a back-up plan if something does not arrive on time or arrives sub-par. Make sure you order a bit extra to plan for the weather, breakage and damage. It's better to have extra instead of running short. Make sure this is built into your costs.

Hire the right staff

You can't execute a large event without the proper staff. Train your staff on handling flowers and prepping them so you aren't stuck with shortages or waste. Hire designers with event experience. Your team should know the details of the event. Discuss expectations and what the day will look like. Everyone should know their role before they arrive to set up.

The day of the event

Have a checklist of everything needed and who will be doing what so you can manage the deliverables with ease the day of the event. You don't want to forget something at the shop you need for the set up.

Make sure your staff is respectful and professional. Communicate clearly with the venue staff and wedding planners. Be respectful of shared spaces, move efficiently and make sure you clean up any messes you've left. Keep in mind you are part of a larger event team that day. The caterers, venue staff and event planners will recommend florists who are easy to work with, not just talented.

After the wedding

Make sure you thank the couple, wedding planner and venue. A hand written note of appreciation goes a long way in building relationships. Remember to photograph your work and highlight it on your social media. Photographers will often provide photos if you credit them when you post your work. Keep in mind every event you do is marketing material for the future. Ask clients to review your work and post it to their social media. You'd be surprised how many wedding referrals you will get from their friends.

Weddings are stressful - stay organized, be flexible, be able to pivot if something goes wrong, stay calm and remember you are part of a major milestone in your client's life. Step back, appreciate the opportunity you've been given and enjoy the day.

"Love doesn't make the world go round. Love is what makes the ride worthwhile."

Elizabeth Barrett Browning