Mythbusters - The Truth About Wedding Floristry
Originally written as a feature article for Brides of Munster Magazine, where it was published in the Spring 2023 issue. You can also read it here: https://bridesofmunster.ie/mythbusters-the-truth-about-wedding-floristry I hope you find it useful!
I’ve been doing wedding flowers for almost 10 years now, and I hear a lot of the same statements again and again, so I think it’s time to bust a few myths! I’ve also asked some of my florist friends what myths they’ve heard. Any of these sound familiar?
Image by Moss and Mushroom
A florist doubles the price straight away when you mention the word “wedding”
When you order a gift bouquet from a florist shop or website, you chose from the flowers that are available that day, and it is a brief, minimal-interaction transaction. Wedding flowers involve multiple in person/phone consultations, site visits, sourcing of materials, special orders placed with growers often months in advance, and are made to a specific brief to match the colour scheme of your wedding. Certain flowers are grown for wedding floristry that aren’t used for your average daily bouquets (eg garden roses, peonies, hydrangeas, etc), and their desirability can result in demand outstripping supply, which pushes the prices up at certain times of the year. We order from the auction houses up to a week before your wedding; the ordering process alone can take a few hours as I make sure I get everything I need for you at the best price. Then 3-5 days before the wedding (depending on if the flowers need to be at a certain stage of “opening” on the day) your flowers will arrive, they are unpacked, conditioned and placed in cold storage until they are ready to be worked with.
In the meantime, all the other elements of your wedding will be prepped and checked, e.g transport boxes, mechanics for arrangements, containers, and décor items like lanterns, easels and candles. The days before your wedding will be spent making your bouquets, arrangements, and buttonholes, and sometimes going to the venue in advance if larger, more complicated structures need to be prepped. Finally, your wedding day arrives, and we often need to deliver to multiple locations (e.g your house, your partner’s house, the church and reception venue), sometimes returning to the church after the ceremony to move items so they can be used again. It is a long, often quite detailed process, so we consider our pricing very carefully, and I hope you will agree that it is worth it for what you get on the day.
Image by Stephen O’Sullivan (https://www.stephenosullivan.ie/)
Simple = Cheaper
I hear this a lot. “I want to keep it simple” is often a veiled statement for “I’m on a limited budget”, and there is a perception that bouquets containing certain types of flower are cheaper. If that’s the look you love, go for it, but don’t compromise on your look for the sake of what you think something will cost. Baby’s breath is often perceived as a cheaper option, but a gorgeous domed baby’s breath bouquet can take longer to make (the flowers don’t come that way!), and this is what pushes up the cost. The best way to make the most effective use of your budget is just to tell your florist what kind of flowers and colours you love (I love it when couples send me pictures or a link to their pinterest board), how much you have to spend on your flowers (be realistic!), and we can advise you the best way to spend it. Your florist will then use their expertise when picking the best quality in-season blooms within your budget to make your vision a reality.
Image by This Modern Love (https://www.thismodernlove.co.uk/e)
I should set aside 10% of my total wedding budget for flowers
This arbitrary percentage gets bandied around a lot, but in reality your flower budget will be dictated by what items you need, not by how much your overall wedding will cost. Some couples want lots of flowers everywhere, so their budget will be higher, others may just need personal items. The majority of florists have a standard price for wedding bouquets, buttonholes, and any other items you may need; this may change if you are want out-of-season or exotic blooms, or if your heart is set on a large arch for example. If a florist can give you a price guide (or quote if closer to the time) for the majority of items, you can then decide how much you need to set aside. They may not always be possible however, especially if you’re booking them more than a year in advance, as we have no idea how much flower prices will change over the course of time. I understand this can be frustrating, but in light of the events of the last couple of years, we cannot control market forces, much as we’d like to. And flowers can go down in price as well as up, especially if you chose a wedding date in low season (eg November or January).
Image by Moss and Mushroom
Flowers Are a Waste of Money
Yes, I am biased, but this statement couldn’t be more untrue. I know you can’t “eat” flowers, and they do die eventually, but I’ve never seen a wedding that is not made more beautiful with the right flowers. You will be looking at your wedding photos for the rest of your life, and, along with your dress, your flowers are a focal point, so it is worth picking something lovely. And you can always get your bouquet preserved afterwards; there are some amazing local flower artists who will make a lovely keepsake for you (Pressed Flowers by Nell and Flower Beauty Floral Art are two of my favourites!).
Image by Wonder and Magic (https://www.wonderandmagic.ie/)
Silk Flowers / Dried Flowers are Cheaper
The best value flower for your money is always the one that is picked fresh and brought straight to the market. If a flower needs to be dried, bleached or dyed, this is an additional process that requires extra materials, time and manpower, so your average dried flower will be more expensive than its fresh relative, and in most cases harmful chemicals are used in the dying/bleaching process. Similarly, silks (which are mainly made from oil-based plastics) require a lot of resources and energy to be made; and, unlike fresh flowers, they will not biodegrade, so they are not an eco-friendly option. If your florist is also a grower, or can source beautiful seasonal blooms from local flower farms, this is by far the most desirable option.
Image by Kyrstin Healy (https://kyrstinhealy.com/)
Foliage is Free
Just like flowers, foliage has to be grown, harvested and transported, all of which has to be paid for. It is usually (though not always) cheaper than flowers, but good quality foliage is always worth the money. In fact, some of the best foliage on the market right now is grown here in Ireland! Check out Irish Green Guys on Instagram (https://www.instagram.com/irishgreenguys/); James grows the most fantastic foliage just outside Tralee, and he regularly posts videos of the planting and growing process so you can see exactly where your foliage comes from.
I hope this dispels a few myths! The take-home message is, pick the look you love, not what you think will save you a few bob! And we will help you make it happen. If you have more questions, feel free to get in touch! And enjoy your wedding planning!
Image by Mrs RedHead (https://mrsredhead.com/)
Should I postpone my wedding? The COVID conundrum.....
It’s the question that every couple is asking right now… should I postpone my wedding, and if so, how long should I wait?
This question is not easily answered, unfortunately, and I’m not going to tell you what to do (this is something you will need to decide for yourself), but here’s what we know so far about the situation in Ireland, and my own personal thoughts (which you are of course free to ignore!).
(sources: https://www.rte.ie/news/2020/0424/1134671-covid-irish-toll/. and https://www2.hse.ie/coronavirus)
As of yesterday (Friday 24th April, 2020), over 1000 people have died in this country, and over 18,000 people have tested positive for the virus. As the test is not yet widely available to the bulk of the population, it is likely that the number of people actually infected is a multiple of this number. Until an antibody test is made available, we may never know how many people were actually infected.
The current lockdown will stay in place until May 5th, when a decision to either extend it or gradually reduce it will be taken. Regardless, all mass events involving groups of 5,000 or more have been banned until the end of August, which means that all major summer festivals and sporting events have been cancelled or postponed indefinitely.
All hotels, bars, restaurants are still closed, and no decision has yet been made as to when these will re-open. This is obviously going to affect the vast majority of couples; knowing when the venues can actually open again will help massively in making a decision about whether to postpone or not. But even if the venues do re-open, it is highly likely that physical distancing (a more accurate description - we’re not socially distancing!) in some form will be in place until at least the new year, or until a vaccine or effective cure becomes widely available.
What does that mean for you? If you were planning to get married this summer; it would be prudent to examine your options now, and start thinking about a plan b. That doesn’t necessarily mean you can’t get married this summer; it might just mean that you change how you do it. Weddings with large groups of 100 or more are probably not a great idea in the short-medium term, and it’s possible they may be temporarily discouraged. Small, intimate gatherings might be a realistic option for now once the lockdown is lifted, or you may even consider eloping, and having your party next year when everyone is well and healthy, and it’s safe for your granny to come along. If there is anyone important to you who is elderly, frail, or has an underlying condition. or you have friends or family abroad who you would really like to have there (travel restrictions may be in place for quite a while), then you really need to consider postponing the big celebration.
The big question is, if I do postpone, how far out should I move it? My gut instinct is that until a vaccine and/or effective cure becomes widely available, as I mentioned already, then physical distancing will probably remain in place, and the last thing you want to be doing at your wedding is not hugging/kissing/shaking hands with your friends and family, while possibly wearing a mask (not a good wedding look). So realistically, you should be thinking about 2021 if you want to have the big do.
Whatever you do, talk to your vendors. Talk to your venue, your photographer, your band, your celebrant, your cake-maker, your hair and make-up people, and talk to me, or whoever your florist happens to be. Keep us in the loop, and if you do decide on a plan b, let us know in plenty of time so we can check our diaries that we’re available for the new date. Remember that every other 2020 couple is doing the exact same thing, and we’re also getting a lot of queries from 2021 couples as well, so our diaries are filling up faster than normal. As my 2020 couples, you get priority treatment if you have to postpone, but only if the date hasn’t already been taken. If this is the case, I will try to find you someone else, but the key thing is to make this decision soon, and once it’s done, you can forget about it, and concentrate on keeping yourself and your loved ones safe.
All of us wedding vendors want you to remember your big day for all the right reasons. Just think about it. We’ll be here for you every step of the way.
For more information on the coronavirus, visit https://www2.hse.ie/coronavirus/
Oh. And please don’t drink/inject/inhale disinfectant - only silly people with orange faces do that.
March Meet the Maker....
The March Meet the Maker Instagram Challenge was developed by Instagrammer Joanne Hawker, in which a topic related to your business is allocated to each day of the month. I’ve decided to take part this year, and it’s a great exercise as it really makes you think about who you are as a business, and what motivates you. Here’s the story so far (see also my Instagram at Instagram.com/mossandmushroom
Joanne Hawker’s Meet the Maker Instagram Challenge (Instagram.com/JoanneHawker)
Day 1:
I'm a bit late to start March meet the maker, but i'll do a couple of posts today and tomorrow to catch up! Day 1 is favourite make; for me, i just love working with unusual flowers like the amazing king proteas for Aoife's wedding or the gorgeous echeveria I used recently. I also adore wildflowers, and wildflower-style bouquets and arrangements just make my heart sing.
Day 2:
Day 2 of "March meet the maker" (2 days late, but I've never been the punctual type!); how I started. I was working in scientific publishing for years (I have a degree in zoology and a masters in computer science, fact fans), but at the height of the bust my company decided to move all their production to India. Feeling a bit burned by the experience, I decided i wanted to be in charge of my own future from then on, and start up my own business. I always wanted to try floristry, so I used some of my redundancy cheque to enrol with the legendary Kay’s Flower School, and in September 2013, I launched Moss and Mushroom. Here I am on my first day of trading at my stall in Nenagh Indoor Market in October 2013, where I met so many lovely people that I still call friends. It was a steep learning curve, and I'm still learning, but I'm pretty happy with how far I've come since then, and I'm excited for the future ❤🌷
My first day of trading at Nenagh Indoor Market, October 2013
Day 3/4:
I'm cheating slightly by combining day 3 and 4 of March meet the maker, but the topics are flatlay, and tools & materials, and this pic covers both (with the exception of the flowers of course). I took this pic on the workbench in my shed; not the most elegant of flatlays, but a true reflection of my workspace. Pictured are a smattering of my most essential tools; florist tape and wire, ribbon, pins, scissors and knives, florist glue, thorn strippers, gloves, hand cream (vital!), all surrounding the most treasured of my tools, my gorgeous japanese pink teflon-coated carbon steel blade Sakagen florist scissors - these babies may look cute, but they literally MUNCH through the thickest of stems (and make the most satisying sound in the process). They are simply the cats pyjamas ❤
Just a selection of my essential tools…
Day 5, details.
Close-up of some stunning Irish-grown heather and eucalyptus by Irish Green Guys - amazing quality and fab to work with.
Day 6:
Day 6; full-time/part-time? Technically I am part-time, as the sprouts are still young and need me to be around, but if you're self-employed, there's really no such thing as full-time or part-time. It consumes me most of the time; if I'm not actually working on a wedding order, I'm cleaning up after the last one, or I'm planning for the next one, budgeting and doing up flower orders, answering queries and writing up quotes, updating my website/social media/webstore, doing accounts or planning promotions/wedding fairs.
The pic is a close-up shot of one of my fave flowers from last year, a red charm peony from Laurie and Edwards elopement bouquet.
Peony “Red Charm”
Day 7:
Day 7: Less glamourous side. Every florist gets the same line, "oh I'd love to be playing with flowers all day like you!" So would I, if that was all it was! Most weddings frequently involve late nights, early rising, heavy lifting, balancing precariously on ladders, wearing 5 layers in the winter cold or freaking out in 30-degree heat trying to keep your precious blooms from wilting. It's processing bunch after bunch of flowers to make sure they're at their best, stripping stems of unwanted leaves, snipping the ends and willing them to thrive. Scrubbing buckets, sweeping up mountains of discarded stems and leaves and a whole bunch of other stuff you will never see. And it's all worth it to see the look on a bride's face when you present her with her wedding bouquet - you forget everything else. Pic of sprout #3 and some tenacious blooms in my driveway 💚🌷
Tenacious blooms in my driveway - nature will always find a way….
For the love of Moongates....
Irish weddings are evolving at a rate of knots in the last few years. Until very recently, couples had very few options other than churches and uninspiring registry offices to seal their union. Now that the law has changed, civil and humanist ceremonies have become incredibly popular in Ireland, and couples have an infinite number of options when it comes to choosing a location for saying their vows; from traditional hotels to jaw-dropping clifftops, and tranquil lakeshores to lively wildlife parks.
For those that want a civil or humanist ceremony, the only limits restricting your choice of décor are your budget, and the weather if you want to do it outside! But in my opinion, the moongate is truly something special, and suitable for all locations, both indoors and out. By standing in front of it while saying their vows, the couples are framed visually within a ring of beautiful flowers and foliage, and it makes for wonderful photos.
According to Wikipedia, the moongate has its’ origins in traditional Chinese garden design, and was generally found in the gardens of wealthy nobles, with every element having a different spiritual meaning. In the late 19th century, moongates were incorporated into the gardens of Bermuda, and it is considered good luck for couples to walk through the moongate on their wedding day in that country.
I fell in love with the idea of the moongate from the first time I saw them - the symbolism of the circle reflects the circle of life, as well as the gateway from the single life to the married one. Embellishing that circle with beautiful flowers - what’s not to love? And, once the ceremony is over, it makes a wonderful backdrop for group photos, and even as a flowery photobooth!
If you’d like a moongate for your wedding, just get in touch via https://www.mossandmushroom.com/getintouch/, and we can take it from there!
Cheers, Liza @ Moss and Mushroom
The moongate for Sam and Nick’s wedding, on the shores of Lough Derg at Annacarriga, Killaloe, Co. Clare