The floral industry is changing quickly. Tariffs are reshaping supply chains. AI is transforming how businesses — and shoppers — operate. Consumer expectations are steep. The question isn’t whether your business needs to evolve — it’s whether you have the tools and knowledge to do it well.
SAF Amelia Island 2026 is designed to help floral professionals do exactly that. The Society of American Florists’ 141st annual convention, set for Aug. 18-20 at the Ritz Carlton in Amelia Island, Florida, is designed to help attendees evolve and thrive.
Built for Today’s Business Environment
This year’s theme responds directly to what florists navigate every day. Rising costs from inflation and tariffs. Rapid advances in AI. Tight labor markets. Consumers demanding transparency, speed, and instant gratification. SAF Amelia Island 2026 is designed to give attendees the strategies, tools, and peer connections to not just survive this moment but grow through it.
“We built this year’s program around the real pressures our members are facing,” says SAF President Lori Wheat, AAF, who owns a retail flower shop in Erie, Colorado. “Whether it’s understanding how tariffs are affecting your buying decisions, figuring out how AI fits into your workflow or thinking through a succession plan for your business, the sessions at Amelia Island will meet you where you are.”
A Convention That Delivers
Attendees from SAF Phoenix 2025 made the value proposition clear in a post-event survey: 98.4% rated their experience “excellent” or “very good”; 88% said they learned new processes they plan to implement; 82% met new suppliers they will consider working with and 91% said they are “likely” or “very likely” to return for 2026.
Longtime attendee Doug Lindamood of George’s Flowers in Roanoke, Virginia, summed it up simply: “I have found SAF to be like an annual tonic that increases my enthusiasm and hope for the future of our industry. The sessions are always full of great ideas and the ability to interface with our peers and suppliers is invaluable.”
That kind of peer engagement — the hallway conversations, the supplier introductions, the roundtable moments — is consistently what attendees point to as one of the convention’s most lasting return on investment.
“I know florists are watching every dollar right now,” Wheat says. “But I want to be direct: This is one of the most important investments you can make in your business this year. The knowledge you gain, the connections you build, the ideas you bring back to your shop — those things have real, measurable value.” (See the full programming details, hotel information and registration options.)
The convention also delivers beyond education. A Supplier Expo will connect attendees with vendors across the supply chain, while competitions — including the Outstanding Varieties Competition and the 57th annual Sylvia Cup Design Competition — spotlight product quality and design excellence.
Attendees will also find structured networking through events like the First Timers Reception, President’s Welcome Party, Next Gen Reception, and the SAFPAC Reception, and alongside informal opportunities that have long been a hallmark of SAF conventions.
Programming Highlights
Programming tracks will span the full scope of today’s floral business challenges.
AI, Data and Operations
- Build Your Shop’s AI Brain
Learn how to organize SOPs, manuals and internal knowledge into an AI-powered system using tools like Google NotebookLM, helping teams access information quickly and improve training efficiency.
- Data Without Drowning: Turning Numbers into Better Decisions
A practical framework for interpreting POS and financial data — and using AI to surface trends, identify issues and guide smarter decisions.
- When Customers Want It Now: Systems That Make It Work
A panel of retailers and suppliers sharing real-world operational changes to meet rising expectations around speed and convenience.
Economic and Industry Outlook
- Economic Reality Check: Leading Through Uncertainty
SAF Chief Economist Charlie Hall, Ph.D., breaks down key economic signals, consumer behavior trends and how they impact pricing, staffing and inventory decisions.
- State of the Industry
SAF CEO Kate Penn delivers a comprehensive look at industry performance, challenges and opportunities.
Marketing and Digital Strategy
- Dominate Your Local Flower Market Online
Strategies to compete against deceptive order gatherers, improve local search visibility and capture more direct orders through SEO, AEO, GEO and paid search tactics.
- Are You Getting What You Pay For? A Guide to Digital Marketing Metrics
A breakdown of how to evaluate marketing performance, set expectations with agencies and measure ROI effectively.
Staffing, Leadership and Team Development
- Faster, Better, Smarter: A Modern Approach to Training
Build structured, scalable training systems using AI and video tools to improve consistency and reduce onboarding time.
- Stuck in the Middle: Turn Managers into Confident Leaders
A roadmap for developing managers who can make decisions, lead teams and support long-term retention.
- The Conversation You’re Not Having (But Should Be)
Practical frameworks for delivering consistent, constructive feedback that improves performance and accountability.
- Your Next Best Employee Might Be in Your Backyard
How to build partnerships with local schools to develop future talent pipelines and strengthen community connections.
Growth, Profitability and Financial Management
- Cash Flow Confidence
A hands-on workshop to help florists stabilize revenue cycles, anticipate cash gaps and build actionable financial plans.
- Growth Through Acquisition: When to Buy, When to Walk Away
Evaluate acquisition opportunities, identify risks and plan successful integrations through real-world scenarios.
- Managing Ownership Transition
Strategies for maintaining relationships, culture and performance during leadership changes or post-acquisition transitions.
Trends and Design
- 2027 Flower Trend Forecast – Talmage McLaurin, AIFD
A forward-looking session on emerging design directions and consumer preferences.
- Wedding Design Trends
Insights into evolving wedding aesthetics and how florists can position their offerings.
Amanda Jedlinsky is the senior director of content and communications for the Society of American Florists.
