Why is one proposal so much more for the "same" flowers?
When comparing florists and gathering quotes it is easy to get confused as to why the pricing comes out differently proposal to proposal. I’ve had brides tell me, “I asked for ivory flowers with greenery in 1 Bride bouquet and 5 Bridesmaid bouquets from a few different florists, and the pricing is so different! Why?!” The answer isn’t simple, but I can help provide a little bit of insight…
Some things to keep in mind when comparing proposals that may seem they are very comparable in quantities of bouquets and types of arrangements, is that the pricing differences are often due to the following aspects:
1.) The size of the arrangements/bouquets you would be getting. This often times isn't super clear in the proposals, and bridesmaid bouquets can wind up much smaller than expected.
You may think you have ordered these…
photo credit: http://audreyrosephoto.com/historic-post-office-hampton-blush-wedding/
But your florist planed on a size more like these…
photo credit: https://greenweddingshoes.com/romantic-tuscany-wedding-michelle-brian/
As you can see, greenery with white and blush blooms can be interpreted very different ways.
2.) The types and quality of the blooms included. Believe it or not, there are several different types and styles of each flower. For example, roses can come anywhere from 20cm-80cm in width, and be standard roses with minimal petals, or large garden roses with a very elegant look. If a florist is quoting you for a specific bloom be sure they are going to be large, full, and FRESH. Some florists use blooms that have been cut up to weeks before ever getting them into your arrangements. How fresh they are often impacts costs too (overnight cold shipping is very expensive). This is especially important for bouquets that will be out of water for a long period of time, and handled in the heat!
All of the above are “white roses” but they create VERY different looks, and come at VERY different price points.
3.) Attention to you and your day. Many traditional florists have clientele they are working with all week for various occasions, events, a retail store etc. Unfortunately this sometimes means brides and their wedding days are just one of dozens of clients the florist is designing for, which may compromise the attention you and your wedding deserve. Florists who specialize in wedding days know how different delivery and set up is for weddings than other events. Often times there is a team dedicated specifically to you, and your event. This special attention is beneficial when coordinating with several other wedding vendors for the day of, making sure nothing is missed and communicated vaguely throughout the process, and even when the flowers are ordered, your flowers are ordered specifically for you and your event rather than pulled from the variety they are already ordering for walk in orders etc.
Of course, the main goal for everyone is you having flowers you love and a planning process you deserve, no matter who that is with!
I write this post simply because, I have heard so many times from brides that after seeing their flowers delivered, they now understand differences in pricing and wish they would have had a better understanding prior to simply booking “the cheapest florist”. For this reason and all of the above reasons, I really encourage you to take a deep dive in understanding your proposals. The saying is ALWAYS true…. YOU GET WHAT YOU PAY FOR.