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Thursday, February 28, 2013

Magazine-Worthy Wedding Flowers: The Pricing you should Expect


Magazine-Worthy Wedding Flowers: The Pricing You Should Expect                 www.weddingaces.com

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This post was created to help brides everywhere get a realistic expectation of what magazine/blog worthy wedding flowers cost. Brides spend countless hours studying wedding flowers online or in magazines. Those images are pinned and pulled from magazines and brought to wedding florists. When this happens the floral designer is often in the uncomfortable position of letting a bride know that the designs she is dreaming of don’t match her flower budget. Brides, who pull their inspiration from magazines and the internet, should know that studying pictures in magazines can be helpful and also disheartening. Studying is helpful because you can begin to determine the types of flowers you like, it’s harmful because most of the designs you will see don’t have a price tag by them. Brides should remember that only the best of the best in design is published, and it probably had a nice price tag to match it.


To help brides with the planning of their floral budget I am offering a list of what I believe is realistic pricing for magazine-worthy wedding flowers. The prices were also checked and discussed by a group of wedding and event designers called the Chapel Designers. This group is a network of wedding and event floral designers from all across the country. Realize that the flowers you choose and the skill level of your designer will affect the final costs of your flowers. New designers typically charge less for their services because they are trying to build a portfolio, this can be good for a bride, but it is also a bit risky. Seasoned designers know how to design, secure product, detect quality issues, care for the flowers, trouble shoot and how to fully service an event. The region you live in will also effect the below listed pricing.
Once again the below prices are based on nice-sized, lush full designs–the kind you see in magazines.  The prices are also entirely below industry standards if you are pricing luxury designs. Those kind of designs are dripping with orchids or feature tables full of flowers. Are there cheaper options then the below listed prices? Yes, there are cheaper options and many of those are wonderful options. However the goal of this post is to help brides price middle of the road full rich elegant designs.

*Bridal Bouquets should range from $250-400. Yes, they really cost this much. Certainly if you were to choose all carnations, babies breath, or mums the design would be considerably less. However most brides are choosing lush bouquets full of hydrangea, Cabbage roses (also known as garden roses), orchids, regular roses, callas, ranunculus, stock, tulips, and many others. Note that Cabbage roses are really expensive – about three to five times the price of a regular rose. You will see cabbage roses in everything as you look for inspiration in magazines and blogs. Cabbage roses are more costly then peonies and many types of hydrangea. If you choose the cabbage roses or orchids, or callas, you can expect to be on the higher end of this range or higher. Lily of the valley and gardenias would also increase the price of the bridal bouquet. Cascading bouquets are also on the higher end of this range.

*Maids Bouquets typically range from $95-165, the higher price point will come into effect if you want peony, cabbage roses, and other super costly flowers. Carnations, daises or mums can be used to create a cheaper design.

*Boutonnieres $13 -16, if you don’t want to see the floral tape on the stem and you like ribbon or twine the price will be on the higher end.

*Corsages These pieces are typically given to moms, grands, and other ladies participating in the wedding. They come in several different styles. Pin on range from $22-25, wrist style are $26-30 and mini bouquets are $30 and up.

Flower Girls These young ladies can have mini baskets or bouquets for $45 and up. Kissing balls or pomanders start at $95 and up. Flower crowns or halos should also begin at the $90 and up price point.

Altar Flowers These large pieces typically start at $250 and up. The scale of the design has to be large and anything smaller than this looks out of proportion. It’s easy to spend $400-500 for really big designs.

Aisle FlowersThese designs are created to mark family reserved seating or to decorate the aisle. Plain bows should start around $15 for true satin ribbon and not acetate.  Bows and greens will be $20-25 and then bouquets of flowers will go up from there. Kissing balls or pomanders begin at $110 for this area.

Place Card Designs are usually big entrance or arrival pieces. If budget allows set this piece at $400 and up.

Centerpieces These designs come in many shapes and sizes. Weddings typically feature low designs and elevated designs. Designing a low piece that is full and similar to those famous designs you see in a magazine is hard to do for under $150.  It’s easy for a full design to be in the $250 and up range if you feature hydrangea, cabbage roses, peonies and such.  A huge misconception is that gatherings of little designs or water designs with submerged flowers is less expensive. This is simply not the case. Lugging water at a venue and filling multiple vases with submerged flowers and candles is costly and a very labor intensive task. The same holds true for bud vases, multiple bud vases requires lots of organization and planning. Simple bud vases should start at $25 each.

Elevated designs are awesome and bring lots of drama into the room, but they typically can’t be created for under $250. These big designs require hundreds of stems. The elevated designs you are seeing featured in magazines are probably $400 and up. If the designs feature cascading orchids they should be priced even higher. This price often includes the elevated stand but is many shops you will pay an additional rental fee on any of the hard goods.

Also be aware that if you choose to do farm tables or oblong tables, also known as king tables or feasting tables this style of seating requires even more flowers. Instead of one centerpiece in the middle of the round table you will now need to create multiple pieces to extend the length of the table.

* Cake flowers are typically sold at $75 and up.

* Throw bouquets are typically $45 and up. Some designers offer these at no charge but that is less and less common.

* Labor and delivery, brides should expect to pay around 20 percent of the subtotal before tax for the delivery of their flowers. This will ensure that a team is fully committed to your event with tools, supplies and emergency flowers.

* Breakdown is an additional fee that is charged to clean up after the event and to remove all rental items from the venue. This is often in the price range of 5% or a minimum fee of $250.00
Nothing is more painful for a floral designer than telling a bride her flower requests are out of her budget. We truly hope this post helps!

I think this information is really on target for Kansas City...the low centerpieces can be designed for $75 & $100 but can be on the smaller size.

Remember when a floral designer is selected for a photo shoot an overall "look "not "price" is your main focus, showcasing your design style and the beauty of flowers!

Christina Burton-Fox    AIFD

Wednesday, February 27, 2013

Friday, February 22, 2013

Terrarium & Kokedama Class Saturday May 4, 2013


 Saturday May 4, 2013
10-1     Maximum 6 students




Terrarium & Kokedama Class

Learn to plant a Terrarium and create a Kokedama

Terrarium: is a tightly closed, clear glass or plastic container filled with small plants for growing.

Kokedama: an old Japanese art inspired by bonsai.  It uses moss as a vessel to hold the roots of a plant, which can be suspended in air.

This class will get your hands into the dirt & moss creating green & growing plantings.  The Kokedama for outdoors and the Terrarium for indoors.

Both designs will be yours to take with you at the end of class to enjoy or give as a wonderful green growing gift!



Flower Classroom
1427 W. 9th suite 405  KCMO  64101
flowerclassroom@gmail.com
913-708-2988
Christina Burton-Fox AIFD    instructor

Materials
All plants and containers for the planting of the terrarium.  Moss and twine for the creating of a Kokedama.  These plants will be seasonal and able to thrive in the Midwest zone for outdoors and the indoor plants will be small tropical plants.
Some succulents will be available.


Class Registration
$75.00
To reserve your space at a design table a full payment is required.

Payment can be made with Pay Pal the link is provided below.

https://www.paypal.com/cgi-bin/webscr?cmd=_s-xclick&hosted_button_id=RB65Y352BB2Y6








Weekend Wedding Bouquet & Flowers to Wear Class







April 19,20 &21 2013
Friday-Saturday-Sunday  9-5pm                        1 hour lunch with morning & afternoon breaks
6 students maximum
Weekend Floral Class
Wedding Bouquets & Flowers to Wear

Instructor: Christina Burton-Fox    AIFD
E-Mail: flowerclassroom@gmail.com
Phone: 913-708-2988
Office: 1427 W. 9th suite 405  KCMO  64101
Historic Hobbs Building



Learn to design hand tied wedding bouquets with confidence.  You will learn the basics of wedding bouquet design, enabling you to recreate these for your wedding.  We will also learn to wire and tape flowers to assemble them into corsages and boutonnieres.  We will design flower girl halos and a very special ring bearer’s pillow design.

Daily Activity
Each Student will have all fresh flower and materials to execute the wedding designs.  The classroom has additional books, supplies and flowers to purchase to practice additional designs at home.

Each student will participate in the processing and handling of fresh flowers each day for the lab session.

Each day will begin with a lecture and then a hands on lab time.


This class will provide a beginner all the basic knowledge for wedding designs.  A great class for the hands on bride.

FLOWERS are beautiful creations.  The curiosity and enthusiasm for information about flowers is contagious.

Enroll in the Flower Classroom for the most up to date information and products.  When the ordinary won’t do…take yourself somewhere new where the FLOWERS rule.


Materials
Fresh flowers and foliage’s and all containers will be provided for the wedding designs.  Each design you create in class is yours to take home at the end of each day.

Flower selection will be seasonal.  The classroom will have a large selection of flowers to choose from for your wedding designs.  You will NOT have to take designs apart to create another design.

Additional materials and flowers are available to purchase for continued practice outside the classroom.



Class materials & registration
$450.00
This amount is due to hold your space in class.  Payments can be made with this PayPal link:




https://www.paypal.com/cgi-bin/webscr?cmd=_s-xclick&hosted_button_id=ZPBMGRLN38ATQ





Funky Pink table presentation

A very funky pink presentation
I would love looking thru this table presentation and selecting a plat of goodies! 

Weekend Basic Floral Design Class March 22-23-24




Weekend Class
3 day basic floral design

Maximum 6 students
9am to 5pm   1 hour lunch
March 21,22,&23
Thursday, Friday-Saturday

Christina Burton-Fox   AIFD  instructor


Overview

This class will give you the basic design principals of creating beautiful floral designs!
       A perfect way to learn the beginning steps to floral design in all types of containers.  These steps are the building blocks to floral design.

This 3-day weekend class will teach the basic principals of floral design.  Each day will have a morning lecture and afternoon of hands on designing.  Students will participate in the processing and handling of fresh flowers each day in the lab session.


Activities
Each student will have materials provided to execute all designs.  The classroom also has additional books, supplies and flowers for purchase to allow students to practice outside the classroom.
We will cover the principals, elements  & techniques of design
Balance, Emphsis, Harmony, Proportion, Rhythum & Unity
Color, Form, Line, Space & Texture
Bailing,Banding,Binding,Bunching,Clustering,Detailing,Facing,Framing,Grouping,HandTying,Kubari,Lacing,Terracing,Tufting,Veiling,Wrapping,Zoning.

FLOWERS are beautiful creations.  The curiosity and enthusiasm for information about flowers is contagious.  Enroll in the Flower Classroom for the most up to date information…when the ordinary won’t do…take yourself somewhere A certificate of completion of this class will be available on request.

This 21-hour class including fresh materials, supplies, and registration.
                       $375.00
PayPal link for class payment

https://www.paypal.com/cgi-bin/webscr?cmd=_s-xclick&hosted_button_id=FRPGXGWUVPQ9Gnew.



Materials
Fresh flowers, foliage’s and containers will be provided for all the designs.  These designs are yours to take with you each day at the end of class.

Flower selection will be seasonal and the classroom will have a large selection of flowers to choose from for each design execution.  You will NOT take the designs apart and re- use flowers.
You will have permanent materials, all wire, tape, glue, etc. provided.
Additional materials can always purchased for continued practice outside the classroom

Styles of Design
Botanical
Circular Mass
Formal Linear
Triangular
Vegetative


Flower Classroom

1427 W. 9th suite 405
Kansas City, Mo. 64101
Historic Hobbs Building

flowerclassroom@gmail.com
913-708-2988