Inspiration Pictures from Pinterest- Ceremony Garlands

Ceremony decor is becoming increasingly popular- not only in flowers, but in other elements as well.  As couples seem to be exploring lots of other venue options, including outdoor venues, the creativity and detail put into making a ceremony unique and romantic is more important than ever before.  Thus, we receive lots of ceremony pictures from Pinterest and other sites from our clients.  The following photo is one that we have seen quite a bit over the past few wedding seasons.

When we see this photo in an email or on a Pinterest board from our laptop, we think the size and perspective are more easily seen.  However, we realize that the majority of our clients do their searching and pinning from their phones, which is where we think some of the confusion about the size and scope of these flowers comes from.  What may be hard to see from a phone is that this is a very large structure judging from the thickness of the pillars that the fabric is covering.  Just based on that, the flower garlands must be pretty substantial to make such an impact on the very wide concrete pillars.  Another thing to notice is the chandelier.  Let's guess that it's at least four feet in diameter.  The flowers garlands, though most likely pictured slightly in front of the chandelier, appear to be a similar span and height.  For even more perspective, here is a picture that we have never gotten from a client, but is a shot of the same ceremony and structure, fully decorated.

With the help of this photo, we can all see that this is a pretty awesome venue with a pretty awesome flower budget to match.  The scope of this is not easy to pick out from the first photo, especially on a smart phone or other smaller device.  We have had some clients that just want this look and we were able to make suggestions on how to achieve it at their venues and with their structures.  

This picture represents one end of the spectrum when it comes to perspective and scope in the photos you see from Pinterest and other similar sites.  It's easy to pin something or take it to a design meeting without really knowing what it is.  Any professional who enjoys her work will be glad to educate you about your choices to mimic your pictures as best they can.  But why not try and self-educate as much as possible?  Look for other objects in a picture to help you gain some idea of size.  Also, compare apples to apples when it comes to your venue verses an inspiration picture.  If you don't have a structure for your ceremony at all or one that can support this look (rounded pillars vs. canopy or arbor) you may need to adjust your expectations.

Pinterest can be a great tool to get some visual ideas of the look you envision.  Don't forget to look a little closer at your favorite inspiration pictures to help yourself better articulate that vision.

Inspiration Pictures from Pinterest- Submerged Flower Centerpiece

We see a lot of inspiration pictures this time of year, as we are meeting with many newly engaged couples.  Pinterest has exploded in the last few years and has become a widely used tool for wedding planning and flowers are no exception!  We welcome any kind of inspiration picture from pretty much anywhere, but most of the pictures we see come from Pinterest.  Because of Pinterest's popularity, we often see the same pictures repeated through consultations over one or two wedding seasons.  More often than not, clients are surprised to learn how much some of these inspirations cost.  We thought it may be helpful to potential clients to give an idea of what price points some of these pictures entail. (Please note that all the pricing references will vary from market to market and that we are simply giving an idea of what level of expense to expect.)

The following picture has been a popular pick for about two seasons in our wedding market.  It is very classic and seems simple and somewhat understated in design.

First of all, this is a gorgeous design.  We wish we could do this, as pictured, every time a client brought it to us.  What's difficult to really focus on in this picture is how much real estate is being taken up by this centerpiece.  It's a pretty large footprint and, therefore, involves at least five vases that we can see/count.  Just the glassware puts this out of some people's price ranges.  But how would anyone who isn't in the business know that?  As we continue on, there are four or five types of flowers seen, one type in each vase.  These types include tulips, full stems of orchids, and calla lilies.  These are the perfect flower choices for submerging as not all blooms are submersible.  Calla lilies and orchids are higher-end blooms and can be price-y, especially in the quantities we see here.

Let's do some general pricing for just the flowers.  A very conservative estimate would be that each vase contains between $15-100 (retail) of flowers depending on the type and stem count.  So, for our purposes, we are going to assume around $40 of flowers per vase.  This figure multiplied by five is easily $200, just for the flowers.  Some vendors may rent you vessels, others may want you to purchase them.  Either way, vases of that height and shape are not found every day at the discount dollar store and will certainly add to the overall price.  Something else to consider is just how many gallons of water (added labor cost) it will take to fill these vases.  We have LOTS of stories about this!  :)  Another time........

This is all a lot of information, but the take away is this- you don't know what you don't know.  We never fault a client for not knowing how to price any of the inspiration pictures they bring us.  Pricing and figuring the designs for clients is our job.  A good designer can take a client's vision, likes, and dislikes and come up with an idea that encompasses the important elements within a reasonable budget (see our previous blog about budgets).  Because the pictures you fall in love with may have costs and elements that you are unaware of, just be willing to give a little and listen to your professional vendor on ways to make it happen for you!

Look for another installment of "Inspiration Pictures from Pinterest" coming soon!



:)

"Let's Do the Math"- Bouquet Upgrades

There are occasions when a client will come in wanting a specific detail or flower added to their bridal bouquet but think they can't afford it because "those are really expensive, right?". Since that statement is really relative, let's go through a couple of bouquet upgrades and see just how affordable bouquet upgrades can be.



Three of our most common flower upgrades that our brides ask about are callas, orchids and garden roses. Here are a few stock photos of each type:




Garden roses are a variety of rose that open up in a nice, lush, petal-y showing. They are becoming very popular with a lot of brides that have romantic or vintage-styled weddings. They run about 3 times as much as a regular rose, sometimes more or less depending on the color.

This type of orchid, the cymbidium, comes in a variety of colors. They are one of the larger-bloomed types of orchids. They can cost about 2-3 times as much as a rose, but are that much larger than a rose as well.

Mini calla lilies are also becoming more popular as mixed bouquet flowers. The style shown here is more clean and contemporary, but they can be added to more lush, textural bouquets for another interesting element. They also exceed the price of a rose by 3 times, but really do come in some amazing colors.










All three of these flower options can get a little price-y if used alone in a bouquet. But as an upgrade to a mixed bouquet, none of them are too outrageous. Adding 5-6 large blooms of garden roses to a bouquet add about $65-85 in our St. Louis market. Accenting a bouquet with 6-7 cymbidium orchids blooms adds approximately $55-75. Including 10 stems of colored calla lilies will add about $125-150 to a design. All of these blooms can really become the focal point of the bouquet, even if they are outnumbered by other complimentary flowers. Your floral design team can make suggestions on how to incorporate your favorites---just don't be afraid to ask because you are sure they are too expensive.






Another non-flower way to upgrade your bouquet is with a beautiful stem wrap finish. The most common way to finish the stems on a hand-tied bouquet is to wrap them in satin or other fabric. Now, it's becoming more fashionable to make the wrap more elaborate and personal to the bride's own style. Sometimes, brooches or pins are added to a wrap. Full rhinestone or pearl wraps are also becoming popular. Other embellishments, like wire or antique lace, can also be used to add an extra special touch to any bouquet.































Fancy stem finishes can range in price depending on what the added element will be and if the client or the florist is providing the embellishment. A general range for our St. Louis market would be $20-75+ for a custom stem wrap finish. In the grand scheme of the whole wedding budget, this is an addition that can be well worth the cost for a customized and upgraded bouquet for the bride.


So many possibilities are available when designing bridal bouquets. If there is a flower or embellishment upgrade that you are interested in, always ask your flower design team. The addition of this unique element may not be as costly as you think and may be the key to making your bouquet just what you always wanted for your special day.





:)

Let's Do the Math- Aisle Petals

Aisle petals are a common last minute add-on in our business. Usually, clients see a pretty picture in a magazine of an aisle covered in petals or two very simple rows lining either side. Of course this seems like a reasonable addition to the flower order. How much can petals cost, right?



Let us shed a little light on pricing and estimating petals. We see lots of pictures of rose-petaled aisles- some simple, other with designs. Let's take an aisle like this one:






This aisle has a lush bed of petals lining it all the way down. This is a very common request by our brides and the price can vary greatly depending on the length of the aisle. Our estimation is that 6000 rose petals can give you a similar coverage for about 15-20 feet. Let's say you have a 40 foot aisle (which would need 80 feet of petal for both sides). Conservatively, you would need 24000 rose petals to achieve a similar look for both sides of the aisle. Starting to sound pricey, right?



Pricing the petals is a bit more difficult. Some florists can order boxes of petals from wholesalers that sell them at a reduced price. Sometimes colors can be limited or substituted. Other florists prefer to buy the roses and make the petals themselves. The least expensive way is usually the boxed petals. In our market, a box of 6000 petals can range anywhere from $200-225 and up. Of course this can fluxuate if a specific shade of a color is needed and would be considered a special order. So, using our estimations, a 40 foot aisle would cost about $800 to have petal coverage like the picture above.



Certainly, you can save a little if you don't have as many petals covering the aisle, but keep in mind, even half as many would still be a fair amount to consider as a last minute add-on. Some websites also sell rose petals, but think first! When you purchase them yourself, you will need a cool place to store them and you will need someone on the day of to be in charge of placing them. Most importantly, always check with your wedding florist before purchasing any fresh goods that are not from them.




Using your newly acquired math skills, take a look at the pictures below and "do the math" on these aisles!

If you are considering aisle petals, we hope to inform you enough that you can budget for the aisle of your dreams in the beginning instead of hoping you can afford it later.

"Let's Do the Math"- Lily of the Valley

There are very few icons as timeless as Grace Kelly. Her sophisticated style has been used in everything from fashion to flowers for decades. Her wedding photo from 1956 pretty much says it all. Today, brides try to emulate this same elegance and sophistication, right down to the bouquet Grace carried. This simple, white clutch was all lily of the valley. It's a small, dainty flower that blooms from about May to June, but can be ordered from world-wide growers all throughout the year. The sweet smelling, bell-shaped flowers are staggered on each stem. The stems measure about 4-6 inches in height. You may have seen it growing in your neighbor's yard or in the park.

You may have also seen it in the celebrity weddings of Carolyn Bessette Kennedy and Elizabeth Hurley. Though their bouquets are very elegant and understated, we assure you, the price was not. Because these flowers are so delicate, they are difficult to ship and, as a result, are extremely expensive. To use them as an accent in a bouquet is expensive enough, but having a bouquet made entirely of lily of the valley is pricey. Here's how to "Do the Math."

This handful of lily of the valley is approximately 50 stems and maybe 6-8 inches in diameter. This small bunch would retail for about $775- 850 in our market. It would take roughly 50% more stems to make Grace Kelly's bridal clutch and 3-4 times as many stems to replicate the size of Elizabeth Hurley or Carolyn Bessette Kennedy's bouquets. Knowing these stats, take a look at the following examples of lily of the valley clutches. Try to invision how many $700 handfuls it would take to construct these bouquets.

After this exercise of "Let's Do the Math" you can see that a substantial amount of stems are needed to craft even a medium-sized clutch of lily of the valley. Therefore, in most respects, a substantial price tag goes with it. We do have brides that use this bloom as simply an accent in their bouquets if they love it and want it or if it is sentimental to them. This can cut the cost considerably. Another popular option is to use silk lily of the valley as an accent with other fresh cut flowers. The silk is very realistic and most people who see the bouquet would assume the silk is fresh because the other flowers in the bouquet are fresh. It's an option to consider.

We strive to keep our readers and clients informed. In this case, simple and dainty doesn't always come with the price tag to match. At least when it comes to lily of the valley, you now know how to "Do the Math."

:)

"Let's Do the Math" - A New Sisters Blog Segment

Here's a fun yet informational segment that we have decided to include in our blog. Very often, brides bring in or email us their inspiration photos for their bouquets or centerpieces. These pictures are helpful in getting an idea of style, color, textures, etc. However, occasionally these photos from wedding websites or magazines can be counter-productive and/or misleading. This new segment will address these inspiration photos. We will attempt to "do the math" on pricing and other specific details of the photo to let you know if these inspirations are do-able for your event.


Our first inspiration picture for "Let's Do the Math" is one that we have seen several times in consultations. This picture of a very simple silver julep cup is somewhat deceiving. It appears to be a simple cluster of flowers tucked in the silver cup that could be used as a table decoration.






The reality is, this simple cup with flowers is about 8 inches tall and 5 inches wide, which is impossible to tell from the picture. It would be about the size you would see on a cocktail table. The julep cup is filled with a small flower called ranunculus. On average, ranunculus are the size of a quarter, but cost about the same as a rose. So, this picture of an 8 inch, simple cup with flowers would cost the equivalent of 15-20 roses in a vase or approximately $85-$110 in our market.



For perspective, here is a ranunculus boutonniere that we did recently for a wedding. In this picture you can easily see the size of an individual bloom.






So, knowing what we know now, let's do the math on these ranunculus centerpieces from Martha Stewart Weddings:

This beautiful, full arrangement of several kinds of ranunculus is shown on a dinner table. You can see in comparison to the dishes that this arrangement is not overly large. We can see approximately 40-45 blooms in this picture and we are only seeing one side of the arrangement. So, we can conservatively estimate 75-80 blooms for the whole arrangement, and upon adding the cost of a similar container, the total arrangement would run around $275-$325 in our market. Now, all that said, there are certainly ways to take this picture (and other pictures like it) as inspiration only and incorporate some ranunculus and other flowers to achieve the same look for less.

This placement of egg cups with ranunculus around some votive candles is really cute for a breakfast or brunch. Each cup contains 4 ranunculus on average for a total of approximately 84 stems. You know the drill and now you can "do the math!" :)

:)