Why I can't make just a bouquet...
1. Roses - Rust, 2. Sweet William, 3. Tuberose, 4. Carnations, 5. Amaranth, 6. Eucalyptus. - seeded, 7. Eucalyptus - Silver Dollar, 8. Grevellia, 9. Calycina
Captured by Dani Jerry Photography
I often receive inquiries for a single bridal bouquet and a boutonniere for a simple wedding. It always breaks my heart a little to turn them down, but as an events-only studio - they don't make financial sense for my business. While I do LOVE flowers, this is also my job and income for our family rather than a hobby. I have set boundaries on availability and an event minimum for Tiny weddings [read more here] as a result.
Florists that operate with retail can use flowers already on hand for the week and cycle any "extra" unique material ordered for the bride back into their daily orders for delivery. Anything not used or sold to a client for their wedding is a loss for my little studio. Why?
Flowers are expensive! After 14+ years in the floral industry, I’m still shocked at the cost of flowers. Like the rest of us, the flower world was rocked by the pandemic, and we’re still experiencing some fluctuation and significant increases in flower costs across the board. Even traditionally affordable or more cost-effective flowers are 20-30% more than in previous years.
Shipping charges - our closest wholesalers come from the greater Denver area, and overnight freight can run from $45 - $75 per shipment and doesn't include any of those flowers that make the magic happen.
Wholesale flower bunches - various flowers, filler, or greenery come in a specific "bunch" size. Specialty items come by a single stem, others in quantities of 5, 10, or 25 each. Greenery typically is packaged as a growers bunch or by weight, so it's often a guessing game on how much you'll need vs receive in the shipment.
Time - prepping for a single bouquet vs bouquets for an entire wedding party takes about the same time. I still need to write recipes, order the goods, process fresh flowers, and make all the magic for your wedding. A single item takes less time to create than making more but the prep time is the same.
When writing a flower recipe for a client, I'm considering shape, color, and form in addition to the overall feel of the day (traditional, boho, relaxed). My typical bouquets include 5-12 varieties of flowers and foliage and nearly 20 varieties for more complex designs. If I ordered a bunch of eight different types of flowers and greenery, there would be more in the studio than could fit into a single bouquet, sometimes with at least 50% unused product.
For couples in 2024/2025 looking for elopement packages who are flexible on colors and willing to trust me with flower magic, you can learn more about my availability here.
Here are a few of my favorite bouquets and a general list of the flowers and foliage included.
1. Cognac Anthurium, 2. Pieris japonica, 3. Carnations, 4. Tuberose, 5. Lisianthus, 6. White Anthurium
Captured by Kaylie Sirek
1. Roses - Sahara, 2. Lisianthus, 3. Eucalyptus - Silver Dollar, 4. Mint, 5. Scabiosa Pods, 6. Curly Dock, 7-15. Local Grasses x 8 varieties
Captured by Alissa Ferullo Photography
1. White Peonies, 2. Roses - Purple, 3. Roses - Lavender, 4. Hellebores, 5. Freesia
Captured by Alissa Ferullo
1. White Garden Roses, 2. Carnations, 3. Kangaroo Paw, 4. Bay, 5. Eucalyptus - Baby Blue, 6. Eucalyptus Silver Dollar, 7. Bay, 8. Grevellia, 9. Spray roses, 10. Lisianthus
Captured by Cassie Rosch Photographer
1. Roses - Red, 2. Roses - Purple, 3. Blue Thistle, 4. Purple Anemone, 5. Bronze Amaranth, 6. Dahlia, 7. Ranunculus, 8. Bay, 9. Salal, 10. Eucalyptus
Captured by Dani Jerry Photography
1. Peonies in Blush, 2. Garden roses - white, 3. Ranunculus - pink, 4. Ranunculus - white, 5. Waxflower, 6. Eucalyptus Seeded, 7. Italian Pitt
Captured by A.Ribordy Photography
Ready to start planning your Wyoming wedding or Sheridan Elopement? You can see my 2024 elopement availability here. I’m ready to start flower dreaming with you. Let’s chat.