Understanding Your Investment in Floral Design: More Than Just Flowers
Today, I want to dive into a topic that often gets overlooked in the floral world: the true cost behind floral design. If you follow me on Instagram, you may have seen my Money Monday series, where I post a floral design and challenge you to guess the cost. It’s a fun way to pull back the curtain on the pricing of flowers and start conversations about the value behind what you’re investing in.
But today, I want to go deeper and talk about what your floral investment really goes toward—whether it’s a $30 arrangement or a $30,000 wedding. Spoiler alert: it’s not just about the flowers.
What Does Your Floral Investment Cover?
When you invest in floral design, you’re paying for far more than flowers in a vase. There are so many factors behind the scenes that make up the final price. Let’s break it down:
1. The Flowers and Hard Goods
• Your investment covers the blooms themselves, as well as the vases, vessels, candles, and other decorative elements.
• It also includes tools like floral foam, tape, and wire, plus the time and expertise required to source high-quality materials.
2. Labor and Expertise
• Designing floral arrangements is an art form that takes years of practice and education to perfect.
• Your florist spends hours preparing your flowers, creating recipes, and designing custom pieces. For larger events, there’s also setup, teardown, and coordination with vendors.
3. Business Operations
• Behind every arrangement is a business. Your investment helps cover costs like rent, utilities, website hosting, marketing, and customer service tools.
• Florists also pay for licensing, membership fees, and continuing education to stay at the top of their game.
4. Freelancers and Staff
• Most florists can’t execute large events alone. Your investment may include paying experienced designers and freelancers to help with setup and production.
5. Transportation and Delivery
• Getting flowers to your event requires a reliable delivery vehicle, gas, and time. For remote or challenging venues, extra costs may include labor for longer setups or additional delivery trips.
6. Care and Maintenance
• From running coolers to hydrate flowers to cleaning and sanitizing tools and rentals, there’s a lot that goes into making sure your flowers are at their peak when they arrive.
A $30,000 Wedding Breakdown
Let’s say you’ve invested $30,000 in wedding flowers. Where does that money go?
• Floral Design and Materials: $24,000
This covers the flowers, vases, and hard goods used to create your arrangements.
• Labor and Other Costs: $6,000
This includes:
• Hiring freelancers for setup and teardown.
• Transportation to and from your venue.
• Maintaining the studio and equipment.
• Business expenses like licenses, apps, and programs used to create your proposal.
Why Quality Costs More
Floral design is comparable to dining. Think of the difference between Taco Bell and a Michelin-starred restaurant. Both serve food, but the experience, quality, and care are on entirely different levels.
When you invest in premium floral design, you’re not just paying for the flowers themselves. You’re paying for:
• The experience and artistry of a seasoned designer.
• Fresh, high-quality blooms sourced from trusted farmers and wholesalers.
• A seamless process that ensures your vision is brought to life.
The Hidden Costs of Floral Design
To offer transparency, here’s a closer look at what goes into running a floral business:
1. Studio or Workspace: Rent, utilities, or retrofitting a home studio.
2. Tools and Supplies: Knives, shears, foam, tape, wires, and more.
3. Licensing and Memberships: State business licenses and professional organization fees.
4. Marketing and Social Media: Time and money spent creating content, managing websites, and advertising.
5. Waste Disposal: Handling cardboard, flower scraps, and other event waste responsibly.
6. Education and Skill Development: Courses, certifications, and workshops to stay up-to-date.
Understanding Value at Different Budgets
In an upcoming blog post, I’ll break down what you can expect at various price points—$7,000, $14,000, and $21,000 investments in floral design. These examples will outline how much of your budget goes toward flowers, labor, and other costs. While every event is unique, this will give you a clearer picture of how your money is distributed.
Transparency Matters
Money isn’t always an easy topic to discuss, but it’s important to understand where your investment is going. As a florist, I deeply value the trust my clients place in me to bring their vision to life. Being transparent about the process and the costs involved helps build that trust.
If you have any questions about this topic or want to chat further, reach out to me on Instagram @lilly.and.iris. I’d love to hear from you!