Wedding work may be meaningful — but it can also be a major profit drain. In the May/June issue of Floral Management magazine, florists across the country opened their playbooks to share the strategies that help them say yes to weddings without saying goodbye to profitability.
One common thread? Valuing your time. “Answering emails and texts, reviewing Pinterest boards, creating recipes — all those minutes add up,” says Lacy Cates of Bev’s Bloomers, Ronan, Montana. That’s why she charges a higher labor rate for weddings — and sets boundaries around communication.
Other pros focus on selling smarter. “I’ve learned to stop managing the customer’s wallet,” says Joseph Langlois of Bangor Floral in Bangor Maine, who quotes big and lets clients scale back if needed. Meanwhile, Jordan Davis of Lafayette Florist, Gift Shop & Garden Center, located in Erie, Colorado, sidesteps costly floral expectations by selling based on color and style, not specific blooms.
Want to cut waste and boost revenue? Read “Say Yes to Profitable Weddings” to learn more about the eight rules florists swear by.
Amanda Jedlinsky is the senior director of content and communications for the Society of American Florists.
