Have you ever had a huge wedding or event planned down to the last detail, only to have the flowers arrive in poor condition or not at all? The other day I waited on a customer whose wedding planner ordered all the flowers through an on-line wedding flower website. The day before the event she received an email saying the order was canceled and could not be filled. A nightmare for sure, but not that uncommon. We went into action and worked with her event planner to secure most of the flowers. In the end she was thrilled with how quickly we were able to get her needs met.
This was a big lesson for her planner - weddings and special events take extraordinary time and effort to get right and it is critical to have a floral partner who can guide you through the process and deliver what you asked for. Without a dialog with your floral provider and a wholesaler that has their pulse on the market, it's easy to have a well planned event turn into a disaster.
Here's what a good floral partner can provide:
Sourcing from multiple farms to secure the right product at the right price. Flowers are seasonal and the market changes all the time. Good wholesalers have long term relationships with a multitude of farms and suppliers. They know now to negotiate and work with suppliers to find the best possible product.
The ability to act quickly when something comes in under par. No matter how many years of experience you have doing weddings and events, flowers are perishable and forces beyond anyone's control happen. Weather, shipping issues, and temperature controls can all adversely affect the quality of the product. A solid wholesaler can react quickly to mitigate a problem.
Provide quality control before the product is released to the customer. Most reputable wholesalers should have a QC process, where the product is inspected and counted before it reaches the customer. This process is critical to ensure that the product is exactly what was ordered and represents the highest possible standard.
Provide education and intelligent guidance in terms of colors, sourcing, timing, and availability of flowers. Planning weddings and events requires knowledge about what is available. Instagram, Pinterest and other social media platforms have set a high bar for wedding designs. While they are an excellent source of ideas, they create unrealistic expectations for the consumer. An experienced wholesaler will work with the florist or designer to provide the right flowers to achieve the desired look.
Finding the right wholesaler is key to having a successful floral event business. If your wholesaler isn't working for you and providing what you need, it may be time to explore other options.
“A flower’s appeal is in its contradictions—so delicate in form yet strong in fragrance, so small in size yet big in beauty, so short in life yet long on effect.”
Terri Guillemets
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