When our annual May wedding issue rolled around this year, it wasn’t the first time I’d looked at recent bridal trends and styles. With less than two months to go before my June wedding, some days it can feel like I’m living and breathing all things wedding related.
Through my experience with the floral industry, I knew coming into this process how vendors work with bridal clients, but planning a wedding has given me greater insight into what it’s like to be on the other side of the equation. In attending bridal shows, sorting through bridal magazines and talking with other future brides, I’ve been able to pinpoint a few opportunities that I think some vendors (fortunately, not mine) are missing. These relate directly to the floral industry.
I’ve found that one of the most important aspects of building a relationship with a bride is communication. From the moment you sign the contract with the couple, you should decide how you want to converse with each other, whether it be through e-mail, face-to-face meetings or phone calls. Whenever you leave the bride a message in her inbox or on her voice mail, give her a timeline of when you’d like to hear back. You’re busy with other clients and events and she has her priorities too, so outlining your expectations will make the communication process go much more smoothly.
Another thing to keep in mind is that most brides are overwhelmed by the possibilities as they navigate the planning process, and flower choices are no exception. I can speak to this personally – having seen all the beautiful and varied wedding work our Canadian florists have created during my time at the magazine, I was excited, but had no idea what I wanted. The more I looked, the more confused I was. Thankfully, I have a wonderful florist who steered me in the right direction. As the flower expert, it’s your job to guide your client and help her choose the blooms that will play a role in her big day. Don’t dismiss her if what she wants is beyond her budget – make the extra effort to educate her and her fiancé on the price tag of flowers. Explain why a bouquet brimming with orchids is going to be expensive no matter how you crunch the numbers and show her more budget-friendly alternatives that will look just as beautiful, thanks to your creative touches.
There’s no doubt that a bride demands more of your time than any other client, but wowing her with your guidance and design talent throughout the wedding process can pay off in the long run. Michelle Brisebois’ story “Saying ‘I Do’ to You” on page 20 explains how delivering a great wedding day experience can transform your bride into a lifelong customer and earn you the title of go-to retailer for flowers and gifts.
From experience, I can say this has already happened to me. After booking my wedding florist last year, her stunning floral designs have helped me celebrate birthdays, mark the passing of loved ones, say thanks to friends and family and pass along my congratulations. I’m confident I will be turning to her to celebrate many occasions to come.
|
