Floral design is often the central piece that makes or breaks a space. Considering how crucial floral design can be to set the tone of the event, most party hosts are left wondering, "Do I go with real or fake?"
There are many things to consider...
Do you have the budget for real flowers?
There is typically a 4x mark-up on real floral designs. That means that a florist that spends $25 on the materials for your centerpiece, charges $100 to you. Multiply that by the 25 tables for your 200 guests and you are looking at $2,500 just for centerpieces. Add in the bouquets, corsages, boutonnieres, ceremony and aisle arrangements, and any other arrangements for that extra beautification within your event space and you are looking at a significant chunk of your budget! Florists also charge additional rental fees sometimes for vases and other materials- so make sure you get all the "deets" on that budget sheet before you sign on the dotted line!
Do you have the space to store fake materials before and after your event?
The materials needed for your floral arrangements take up a lot of space! Vases are fragile and bulky and fake flowers often need fluffing to eliminate that "I was just crushed in a box" look. That being said, if you order silk flowers from a company they might use bigger boxes to prevent their product from being squished, but those boxes are BIG! You have to plan for where those will go until you or your designer need them.
After your event, you'll have arrangements to take care of. Do you plan on giving them to guests?That's a nice memory for grandma to add to her dining room table! Will you "donate" them to your event space for other party hosts to use? Do they have the storage and/or want them? Maybe you will sell them on Facebook Marketplace and make back some of your costs- but then you run the risk of them just sitting in your basement while nobody bites! You can give them away on a Buy Nothing page too, but again you have to store them until they are gone.
What is your event timeline and do you have what it takes?
Florists are experts- they know how much time is required to put all of your arrangements together and they can mitigate any issues they might face as they create your design. They have the space to comfortably create each piece, the ability to transport them to your event space, and you are (almost always) sure to find that your vision for each piece is captured perfectly! You might shell out a large chunk of money, but your stress is way less! This goes for florists that use silk, wooden, crystal, and other flowers too. Sometimes you need a design expert with the ability, space, and time to pull it off!
If you choose to create your own designs- because you have a medal in DIY success- consider all the moving pieces of your event. Will you jeopardize the time you need for other important aspects of your event because you have a floral deadline? Do you have a large space to cram in 25+ centerpieces and other arrangements before your event? Will you feel frustrated if it's a week before your event and one little thing goes wrong? What if you didn't order enough of those specific flowers to make your piece just right? A late night Michael's run might be in your future then- and hopefully they have the same ivory that you ordered!
Do you know how to get what you want?
Do you know exactly what to order and where to get them from to make the arrangements of your dreams? Real flowers are beautiful, but silk has come a long way- you just need to find the right supplier!
Maybe you would like the best of both worlds! Which arrangements are most important to you? Would you like your bridal party to have real flowers they can dry and keep? You can find a florist or maybe a local flower farm where you can get simple wildflowers on the cheap to give you that rustic look! Maybe wooden or silk floral arrangements would be a nicer keepsake! Silk centerpieces make a nice gift for important family members (like grandma as mentioned above- that and some Italian cookies and she is happy as a clam). Consider this too- when you are in a dimly-lit event space, will people even notice your centerpieces are fake? Do you dream of sky-high centerpieces? Will anyone even be tall enough to notice the hydrangeas are silk? Maybe order some bulk, tall vases and keep the glue gun mishaps far from view!
"I'll Be There for You"
Just like the long-running sitcom- let's be friends! I want to envision your dreams with you and make them happen! When something doesn't go as planned, you shouldn't be stressed leading up to your event. Let me PIVOT and make sure the vision is maintained. If rain starts to pour, I will hold your umbrella.
I have successfully executed events with real and fake florals- I know where to order them from and I can create them myself and/or work with a florist to ensure everything goes smoothly to set the atmosphere. Your tables and arrangements should be flawless and stress free!
DIY is great and sometimes fun, but have you seen Nailed It? There should be a show like this for more than just baking! Don't put yourself in the position of feeling like the last few weeks leading up to your event you are running around with a turkey on your head- or something like that!
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