How much do submerged centerpieces cost?

I just had a consultation! Bride was looking for submerged centerpieces and asked me 2 simple questions, which we hear aaaaaalll the time: 
- how much should I expect to pay per table?
- I had one florist quote me at  ~$65 for 3 vases. This seems awfully high for a centerpiece that uses a minimal amount of flowers...

Lets talk about it!!
The type of orchid can definitely change the price. Cymbidium orchids tend to be on the expensive side. Maybe ask the florist if there are other orchids similar in color and shape for less. $65 sounds like a lot considering all the florist has to do is providing the orchids and assemble them.
Cymbidiums ARE expensive! $65 is the retail value of the flower stem itself (there are 8-10 blooms on each stem), without the florist doing anything. Remember, when you are paying for a centerpiece, you are paying for the florist's skill (we went to school to learn floral art), we have over head (cost of our showroom rent, insurance, workers, electricity, advertising). Before your wedding day, we have spent hours usually working on your estimate (we have to make 'recipes" to figure out how many flowers are in each centerpiece, times the number of centerpieces, to know how many bunches/boxes to buy), we have to order your flowers (many times from different sources), when the flowers come in, we 'process' your flowers (we inspect them to make sure they are fresh, they re-hydrate them, sometimes we have to force them to bloom, we clean them of foliage, dethorn each rose etc.). Then we spend many many hours assembling all of your flowers. We have to pay for our refrigerated coolers to keep your flowers fresh. Then on your wedding day, we have to load everything into the vehicles, pay helpers, continue arranging and fixing when we get in to the venue (putting sprays on arbors, cakes, fixing things, handing out personal flowers etc.) Sometimes on very tight schedule if there is a wedding before you or venue only gives us 2 hours for setting up! 
The labor on submerged orchids? Cleaning and preparing the vases. Weighting the flower. Filling with rocks. At the venue we have to find a sink somewhere to fill up a watering can to get the water in the vases; get the vases to the table, get them on the table without messing up the dishes and silverware, as they heavy and messy filled with water; cleaning up; lighting candles. Hanging around  or coming back to pick up the glassware (most of the time around 12AM!); prepping glassware and loading glassware into vehicle; bringing the glassware back to the showroom/studio; unloading; cleaning; putting away.
I just wanted you to be aware that there are other costs besides the cost of the stem, and that there is more work involved besides just setting out some glasses and candles. You are paying for labor and experience, AND the expensive orchids.
For less expensive orchids, with the orchid look, try dendrobium orchids. MUCH less expensive. If you want a certain color, get white ones and tint them with floral spray. Dendrobiums are about $3.50 per stem retail price, with multiple blooms on stem. You could put 3 dendrobium stems in a glass vase, you've go your orchids for a lot less money! 

I'm not trying to rain on anyone's parade here. I just want you to be aware of why some prices seem to be high, and to know that florists can work with you if you are willing to work with the. If you're on tight budget, it's understandable, you can do it yourself, but be aware of all of the time involved...will you have time to do all that listed above on your wedding day?!

Have a lovely wedding day ladies!!! :-) 





Send us your comments, questions, suggestions... 


Call us at 917 603-8973
info@weddingflowersdesign.com
allurefloral@ymail.com


www.weddingflowersdesign.com
www.allurefloraldesign.net 

Bouquets and Flowers that Stand Out in Autumn Weddings!

I love flowers!!! I can never get enough of real girly and frilly things like blush, pink, peach and cream roses, peonies, ranunculus, lisianthus and you name it! But this time of the year when cool weather is sneaking up and fall is upon us, I am beginning to think about blooms that are in warm, bold and melting colors. Blooms or even dried flowers that bring out the fall  foliage elements can be really spectacular in your event. Here are some flower ideas for your fall wedding all designed by Allure Floral Design!

Your bouquet and the bridesmaid bouquets are  a perfect place to be creative with colors and texture that match your season and style. Use deep reds and oranges alone or highlight with yellow and softer colors.    

And don't forget about boutonniere! There is so many ways to coordinate what the guys are wearing with the rest of the party in creative ways.

The  ceremony space itself can be resplendent in flowers. Echo your color scheme in the flowers that surround you during your vows.

 And be sure to have someone move the magnificent vases to your reception so that you can enjoy the blooms as long as possible. 

At your reception, continue your fall theme with lots of options for beautiful centerpieces to decorate your table. Be  bold and creative!

And don't forget to tell your celebrant what flowers you will have in your wedding. There are many ways to bring in the symbolism of the flowers into your ceremony that will reinforce the importance and beauty  of the moment.

What creative ways are you planning to use flowers in your wedding? Share below because we want to hear from you!!!   

Call Us at 917-603-8973

info@weddingflowersdesign.com

allurefloral@ymail.com

www.weddingflowersdesign.com

www.allurefloraldesign.net

This letter written to brides and grooms...

PART III


8. It takes WAY more time and money to imitate those DIY projects and wedding inspiration shoots than you think.
We love that wedding porn as much as you do, but it sets up realistic expectations. Wedding blogs and wedding reality TV misrepresent details of what's actually possible for a typical wedding with AN AVERAGE BUDGET... one that doesn't have a team of expert designers and planners working amgic behind the scenes. The media accuses the wedding industry of  encouraging these unrealistic expectations so that you spend more more money. The truth is that we hate it as much as you do!
It makes our job more difficult, and it puts us in the uncomfortable position of telling you, "No", when it can't be done on your budget. 

9. DIY projects are NOT a bargain.
Think you're going to save money by having the wedding in your backyard? When you add up the cost of the tent, rentals, food, booze and silverware, you end up spending MORE than you would hosting it in a traditional wedding hall.  
The same thing goes for your favors, centerpieces and flowers. It's going to take you 10x longer and cost twice as much in reworks and mistakes then you think - especially if you're a perfectionist. 
Please don't choose to DIY your wedding for the savings; make sure you actually like being crafty, and that you can adjust your expectations to accommodate less then perfection. 

10. Your wedding day will not be perfect, but we'll there to make sure it's as close as possible.
I haven't seen a single wedding where at least one thing didn't go wrong. Your bridal party will be late, the weather won't cooperate, or guests will forget to take home those favors you agonized over. There are simply too many details and too tight of a timeline for everything to be completely perfect. But when something goes wrong, we'll be there to help you make it right!!! :-) 



Send us your comments, questions, suggestions...


Call us at 917-603-8973
info@weddingflowersdesign.com
allurefloral@ymail.com

www.weddingflowersdesign.com
www.allurefloraldesign.net

Did you like our May Blog? Here is more as we promised...

4. We stay up at night worrying about your wedding, too.
We may participate in dozens or even hundreds of weddings per year, but yours really IS important to us.
Each and every wedding can make or break our reputation. We worry about what can go wrong and we sweat the details because it's our responsibility. If we mess something up, we know that in the age of viral sharing on the internet, it may very well destroy our business.

5. Listening to our advice will save you time, money and stress.
We love your ideas and your enthusiasm. Please know that when we suggest changes to your dream  wedding scenario it's not because we want to take over your wedding; it's because we have your best interests at heart.
We probably made a lot of mistakes when planing our own wedding, and it's inspired us to ensure that pain NEVER happens to you.
We're wedding experts. If you take advantage of our knowledge and experience, we will save you time, help you avoid mistakes and make your wedding even better. But only if you let us!

6. If you only have $10,000.00 to spend on your wedding, we can't make it look like you spent $100,000.00 no matter what we do.
Weddings can be expensive, and you certainly don't have to spend a lot of money. But if you are going to trim your budget, please don't  expect it to be a carbon copy of the Royal wedding.
It's not because we don't want to do it for you...it's just impossible.

7. We LOVE what we do, but that doesn't mean we want to do it 24 hours a day / 7 days a week. 
Working is the wedding industry is HARD. It's stressful. There are deadlines, timelines and lots of pressure to make sure everything goes perfectly.
You know that anxiety that's giving you nightmares? We get them too, and sometimes we need to take a break.
Yes, your wedding is important, but we can't be available for you 24 hours a day 7 days a week without loosing our sanity. Remember that the next time you're tempted to call your florist at 2AM or before freaking out when she doesn't answer your text IMMEDIATELY.

More is coming! 

Send us your comments, questions, suggestions...

Call us at 917-603-8973
www.allurefloraldesign.net
www.weddingflowersdesign.com

Wedding Industry Scams and Ripoffs

  This is a blog written to brides and grooms...

1. We spend WAY more than 4 hours on your wedding!

Couples are often shocked at the price tag attached to their wedding services. "But I'm only hiring you for one day!" is a common reaction. 

What you don't know is that we spend many hours outside your wedding day timeline on planning, communication, rehearsals, meetings, travel, design, proposals, set up. break down, gathering, cooling and all the logistics necessary to make that 'one day' look easy! This doesn't even take into account the necessary time investment in training and education to keep our skills sharp.

Let's take photographers as an example. The average photographer spends 65 hours invested in each wedding; when all the hours invested in a wedding are factored in, a typical wedding photographer makes an hourly wage only $37 per hour before expenses! Floral Designers, DJ's, officiants, planners and other pros are in similar situation  

Most wedding professional are not living large on 'wedding ripoffs', a charge often lodged by the media. While the average wedding in the US costs around $25,000, a recent survey of our wedding professional audience revealed that 48% of wedding businesses make less than $25,000 in an entire YEAR.  

2. If you hire an amateur for your wedding, expect an amateur result.

Wedding professionals are not a commodity item. You're hiring a unique personality, talent and experience set. We charge more because we are worth it!

Those amateurs you can hire for dime a dozen? They're worth the price you pay, too. Sure, you might luck out and find the next undiscovered Preston Bailey for your wedding, but you're much more likely to get sub-par performance along with that bargain price.

3. You pay more for wedding services because you get more.

Much has been  made of the so-called 'wedding markup,' a phenomenon that occurs when secret shoppers get quoted a higher price for identical services when they are booked for a wedding as opposed to another type event. While this certainly can occur, journalists neglect to address the very real reasons WHY this happens. Providing any service for a wedding is far more involved than a similar, non-wedding event. Wedding pros make themselves available for planning meetings, calls and consultations, and may well send hundreds of emails back and forth with a single client in the year or more of planning up to the wedding.

This type of time and attention isn't expected or required for most non-wedding events;  the time investment alone is enough to justify a higher price. The quality of wedding services often requires a greater degree of skill and specialization, not to mention the stress and risk involved should something go wrong. ..

Stay in touch!  We have 4, 5 and 6 coming!

Allure Floral Design is unique wedding floral design business located in Old Bridge, NJ - providing florals and decor - available also for destination weddings!

917-603-8973info@weddingflowersdesign.comallurefloral@ymail.com

Wedding Flowers is more then wedding item...

   Flowers are more than just another 'obligatory' wedding item. They have the power to tie     together and bring out personality, character and style to your wedding. If you choose a florist that understands your vision, and can take your budget and make the best of it with the perfectly chosen flowers your wedding photos will pop even more! Of course they aren't 'required', but can make an amazing personality and style statement not only on the day-of to your wedding guests, but when you get your wedding photos back, it can really set the tome of the day by complimenting all other elements - complimenting your cake, your venue, the season, and of course - your personality!

Allure Floral Design is unique wedding floral design business located in Old Bridge, NJ - providing florals and decor - available also for destination weddings. 

We hope you will join us for another exciting wedding season!!!!

917-603-8973

info@weddingflowersdesign.com

allurefloral@ymail.com

How much are your wedding flowers?

How much are your wedding flowers? Can you send me a price list? 

These are the questions that we receive via email, at bridal shows and over the phone. It really, really does depend on what type of flowers you want.  To ask without specifying what type of flowers, what region of the world you live in, what size and style of each item you want, and what time of year you are getting marries is asking for huge 'ballpark' answer.
If you choose chrysanthemum daisies your flowers will be cheap, if you choose orchids (and you don't live on Hawaii or some other tropical island) your flowers will be expensive. These are just a couple of examples of how flowers can be vastly different in price. 
Typical bridal bouquets range from $50 to $300 - two to three times as much as the bridesmaids bouquets, because it is larger and more ornate. 
For example, on the low end, a simple 20-stem bride's bouquet of one type of bulb flower, such as tulips, hand-tied with a ribbon might cost $60.  
In the mid-range, a crescent bouquet with a more expensive flower such as roses or calla lilies might cost $120 and up.
And on the the high end, 40-stem cascading bouquet with roses and orchids might cost $200 or more. Unique Brooch bouquet are generally starts from $250.

Fresh flower corsages typically range from $15 to $45. In general, wrist corsages cost $3 to $5 more than comparable pin-on corsages. The type of flowers used will determine the price of a fresh flower corsage. Carnations and alstoemeria corsages tend to be the least expensive, typically ranging from $15 to $20. Corsages using  roses and orchids are moderately expensive, typically ranging from $20 to $45. Expensive corsages including Calla lilies typically range from $30 to $40. Stephanotis corsages tend to be the most expensive, typically ranging from $45 to $55.

The boutonnieres are much cheaper, average $10 to $20. Inexpensive boutonnieres feauting fresh carnations, daisies or alstroemeria typically start at $6. Moderate fresh boutonnieres made with fresh roses fall in the middle range, from $10 to $14. Expensive boutonnieres with fresh flowers like Calla lilies and gerbera daisies usually cost $16 to $25. 

Table centerpieces range from $35 each for a simple low centerpiece to $80 for a simple mid-range tall centerpiece made of two dozen or so roses, hydrangeas, tulips or lilies, to $200 or more for the elaborate centerpieces, made with 40 to 50 stems and exotic flowers such as orchids. The number of quests will heavily influence total cost; a very small wedding might have just three or four tables, while a large wedding could have 25 or more. As with other wedding flowers, centerpieces with fewer flowers and locally grown, in-season flowers are cheaper, while large centerpieces with exotic, shipped-in flowers cost more.  
We've made wedding flowers for an entire (tiny) wedding for under $700 before and flowers for other weddings which ran as high as $25,000.00. So, as you can see, the variations are huge. Typical wedding flowers have run between $2,000 and $5,000 in my experience.




Allure Floral Design is a specialty wedding-only florist serving New York, New Jersey, Pennsylvania and destination weddings - with an average of 50 weddings per calendar year. 

www.weddingflowersdesign.com
allurefloraldesign.net