Of course! I will be more than happy to help you out further.
I’m not sure how brides set their wedding budget in general, but I do have this suggestion:
Put the wedding flower on the bottom of your list.
The reason is quite simple actually: There’s no point of having $ 3,500 worth of wedding flowers when you can’t even feed your guests with decent meals. After you’re done with the rough calculation, bring that number in and we can then start our discussion.
I’d also suggest that all of us be as real as possible. We all agree that most of us do not have platinum wedding budget. However, like I said earlier, small budget should not stop you from having an awesome wedding. On the other hand, to make things happen with that small $$, you have to be more flexible, more reasonable, and do a little more work compared to those with gazillion dollars wedding budget.
---------- How do you define “flexible” and “reasonable expectation”? ----------
Being flexible means you have to be willing to have substitute flowers, willing to adjust colors, willing to accept alternative ideas. The more open minded you are, the easier it is for me to help you design your flowers and décor that are within your budget.
Case sample: Calla lilies, Phalaenopsis/Butterfly orchids, Magnolias, Gardenias, Lily of the Valleys, Peonies: these flowers are drop dead gorgeous but they will kill your budget. Confirmed Daichop (=100% Confirmed), just like Singaporeans would say. :)
My alternative suggestions (again, it requires your open mindedness and flexibility):
(1) “Use the Bench Players” a.k.a. Substitution
I will suggest that we substitute calla lilies with tulips. They have that similar “trumpet shape theme”, available in more colors, easier to get and kinder on your wallet for sure.
Same goes for Phalaenopsis/Butterfly orchids, I’ll probably switch them to their cousin Dendobrium orchids instead.
(2) “Go Scrooge” a.k.a. Use expensive items at a minimal level
Meaning, use those expensive flowers only for your bride’s bouquet.
It’s the most special item on the list and therefore, it absolutely deserves every single attention. The rest can stick with roses. :)
(3) “Green is Sweet”
Put more greenery! Just like flowers, they come in many different shapes and forms and different shades of green, too. Sprinkle some imaginations and creativity, they can be just as beautiful! Plus, it usually doesn’t’ take a lot of greens to make everything seems fuller.
(4) “Let There Be Light”
Yes, drop the flowers, go get candles instead. Candlescaping can provide a striking decor and it absolutely helps set the mood. Play with different size of candle holders and place petals and/or colored sand around them. At the end of the day, give them away for favors! :)
Being reasonable means you need to have a decent understanding of what’s available out there, how much they might cost, and yes, I’m operating a commercial business, thus, I need to make a profit out of the order. Having a general understanding of the industry will help you set a reasonable expectation when looking at your budget.
Case sample: You absolutely love what Colin Cowie did in one of his samples in his website and you would like me to do a similar design for under $ 500.
I can tell you right off the bat without seeing any pictures: it’s not happening.
$ 500 probably can only cover some of your personals flowers. Not including my labor fee. Not including sales taxes. Not including the rest of the stuff for the décor.
There is a huge difference between what you want and what you can get. So if you absolutely love that design and can’t live without it but don’t want to pay $ 20,000 cost, then you would need to at least shed $ 3,500 if you want me to create a similar design. Again…This price tag requires giving a lot of room for flexibility.
---------- Do you offer wedding packages? ----------
I thought about it, but then I decided not to do it. The reason is because most of my clients already have certain things on their mind when they come to me. So what I always emphasize to my future clients is to have a rough idea on the budget because that is what mostly dictates what we can do for the event.
---------- Okay, so what happens after our first conversation/meeting? ----------
Well, I would then write you up the meeting summary and initial quote.
They are subject to change based on your needs.
After you’re comfortable with everything, then I would write up a draft contract and invoice for your review. At this point you’ll have to submit 10% non-refundable deposit to hold your date.
Once you approve the drafts, I would then write up the contract and invoice that both parties must sign. No worries, they come with instructions on payments and things like that. :) And we're ON! :)