Wedding Floral Academy

Sponsors: A Savvy Events

2011-02-01T00:00:00.000-08:00

Welcome A Savvy Events to The WFA website. We love our sponsors such as our newest one A Savvy Events.

Owner Kelly McLeskey-Dolata has always had a love for events and turning everyday activities into amazing experiences. Following college, where she studied marketing and design, Kelly went to work for The Ritz-Carlton, learning the finer details of hospitality and event planning at the hotel group's Vail, Colorado and New York City properties. In 2006, wanting to return to the area in which she grew up, Kelly accepted a position at the Fairmont Sonoma Mission Inn, where she planned more than 350+ weddings in her four-year tenure as Wedding and Special Events Manager.
During the WFA business portion of the 3 day workshops we stress the importance of developing a unique position, understanding your customers, and mastering one's craft. Kelly embodies those skill sets. We're very happy to have Kelly and team on WFA.

Sponsors: Invitations

2010-12-16T14:48:00.000-08:00

We want to welcome one of our new sponsors, 1st Class Wedding Invitations to the WFA family. Without the generous sponsorship of great wedding businesses, it would be impossible to keep blogs and our WFA workshops going.

Thank you to our newest Sponsor - 1st Classic Wedding Invitations.

Updates: Spring 2011 Workshops

2010-12-16T14:35:00.000-08:00

Hi everyone! We are incredibly thrilled that our April 11 -13, 2011 WFA workshop is almost filled. We have spaces for possibly 1 Volunteer or Student and 1 Attendee. Do not wait if you are interested because space is limited.

We will start a WAIT LIST once we reach capacity.

The next WFA is going to be so wonderful. Once again, we have some amazing people coming both far and near. These small workshops create a safe environment and intimate conversation. People often ask can't you have a room filled with people and I reply that it doesn't allow for one on one attention. In a large classroom environment, shy and reserved attendees may not feel comfortable sharing. When our workshops are less than 8 attendees, it gives each attendee time to share about their own business where in large groups there might not be an opportunity.

Hope that all of you have having a warm, safe and happy Holidays.

Updates: Spring 2011 Workshop

2010-11-04T16:50:00.000-07:00

It was our plan to announce the Spring 2011 WFA session next week upon the conclusion of the 2010 Fall WFA session however we jumped the announcement this year because our Spring session is almost at full capacity.

Dates for Spring is

April 11 - 13, 2011
San Francisco.

If you are still interested, we have very few spots left for Spring 2011. In the month to come, we will be announcing Fall 2011 dates.

To register, just download your form from this blog.

Enjoy! Nancy

Inspirations: Sweet Spaces

2010-10-11T00:00:00.000-07:00

When I talk to new planners/designers and wannabe floral designers, a few have asked where I get my inspiration. Of course the obvious is from fashion, culture, travels, etc. They seem like very typical answers and I wanted to take time to elaborate. I get immense joy from seeing beautiful things whether it's something old or something new but most of the time I have huge respect for others who also appreciate the art of beautiful objects.

Harrod's Laduree Shop

One thing that inspires me is food and pastries. It's amazing that a tiny little dish of ice cream can take me away from the mundane or a tiny little French macaron(Laduree's are famous) can make me grin from ear to ear.

Laduree's famous macarons

So it's no surprise that I'm going to show you what one of my inspiration is - the beautiful tea room and brasserie ,Laduree at Harrods in London.

Laduree at Harrod's - even the boxes are pretty!

The beauty, simplicity, and elegance of this candy/pastry shop aspires me to want to get my sketch pad out and start designingescort tables, wedding floral pieces, place card tables, and dessert rooms. I can go on and on...but I just wanted to say - find what makes you smile and let that be inspiring. It doesn't have to be something grand. Whatever makes your mouth water is a good starting point.

At the upcoming Wedding Floral Academy in November, I will talk more about inspiration as we all need that when we are designing weddings.

How to Register?

2010-08-24T00:00:00.000-07:00

Many of you have asked how to register for the Fall 2010 WFA workshop. To find the registration form, look for the CONTACT button at the top right of our blogsite.

We can't wait to hear from you. And yes, a Spring 2011 WFA is in the works for End of March or Early April 2011. Will you be there?

Updates: WFA Fall 2010

2010-08-23T17:00:00.000-07:00

It looks like space is running out. We have one space left for our Fall 2010 Wedding Floral Academy workshop with Nancy Liu Chin.

Will you be there? Don't miss out on the 2nd WFA workshop in San Francisco

Vendor Insider: From Sasha Souza's Blog

2010-05-20T19:31:00.000-07:00

I recently saw this great article from Sasha Souza and felt that it was very appropriate for floral designers. It's well written and worthy of a read. Thank you Sasha Souza for being a champion.

_____________________________________________

There's one thing that I definitely know in life and that is you can always buy something cheaper - telephone service, flights, cars, office supplies, SEO optimization, wedding gowns, pharmaceuticals, wedding flowers, catering....wedding & event planners. You name it and I'll betcha there's somebody out there that can give it to you cheaper... I think that the question that people miss is: But Will It Be What I Want?

Let me give you a scenario that happened to me last year. I sent out a floral & decor proposal for an event that wasn't huge and over the top. It was for a nice party and right in line with the type of events we do. Prior to sending it out, I had gone through and made a few things optional for the client so that they could add in some of the "nice to haves". Exactly what I told them I would do when they hired me.

Then, the phone rings....it's the Mother of the Bride. We'll call her Carol.

Carol: "Sasha...in this economy how can you, in good conscience, send me a floral proposal THIS high?"

Please know that I had been through the proposal backwards & forwards and it met all of the required components that the bride simply HAD to have.

ME: "Thanks for your call, Carol, I sent it because I believe it fits the desires of Melanie (name of bride has been changed) and I did shave a lot off to try to meet your budget"

Carol: "But Sasha, how in the world do you expect us to pay for this? We have decided we don't want to spend more than X" {this would have been nice to know at the beginning, by the way}

ME: "Please let me know what you would like to cut and we are happy to make any changes you like. We can switch from long tables to rounds & squares, change the design of the flowers..."{basically, I gave her 15 options to make changes}

Carol: "But Sasha, Melanie wants all that and we expect that in this economy people are hungry for business and would be willing to make a little less profit for the job"

{quizzical look which garners the side note that in this economy, business owners are more likely going to want a higher profit from each job, not lower to compensate for fewer jobs overall - thereby providing the contracted & paid for services ONLY and not over and above the contracted services}

ME: "Carol, I'm not sure that's the case, but let me just say that I've found out something in life and in business...you can always get something cheaper but it will not be the wedding your daughter wants, it will only be the price you like." {if you use this in your business, feel free to say "well, Sasha Souza says..."}

Why have I told you this story? Because it's true and the statement that I made at the end is an important one when educating couples and ourselves on weddings and what we get for our money. It's easy to say you want a centerpiece to be smaller or "not over the top" or "simple". Let me give you a visual example. We have seen this image from the legendary Preston Bailey in our office many, many times. It's gorgeous with hundreds of flowers in it and I'm sure the image does not do it justice to how grand it is in person:

Can every bride afford it? No. But those that value it will seek it & Preston out to design for them and will be thrilled with the results. Here is how we used his inspiration for a bride who loved the look but couldn't pay the price tag for the flowers:

Could the bride have gotten even this arrangement cheaper? Yes! Absolutely but the structure of the piece, the height, the design would have been vastly different. More like this:

While still pretty, it doesn't emanate the same feeling - BUT it IS CHEAPER! So, if it's cheaper that they are looking for then this would work out perfectly but the expectation can't be for the gorgeous images above.

Another example...Is the peony any cheaper because of the economy? No. So, we offer alternatives and often we substitute with garden roses. Is it the same? No. It's just cheaper and different. Some brides are OK with that and others REALLY want the peony and are not going to compromise for anything less. The decision is only theirs to make.

Carol did go on to pay the bill for the flowers when she understood that what she would get by going elsewhere wasn't what Melanie would have wanted. We were very willing to make changes to the event to get them closer to their described estimated expenditure but they were unwilling to make any changes whatsoever and simply wanted it to be cheaper. period. just. cheaper.

That isn't how this works, people. If you go to the gas station to fill up your car, you make a decision on the name brand station that you go to, how much you want to pay per gallon & the octane level of the gas you want.

OR!

You can go down the street to the gas station without all the special additives. Will your car run the same? Maybe. Maybe not. My car happens to like Chevron Techron 89 Octane or better. I put anything less in it and I'm bummed by the lack of power and performance that I get in my car. I can't go into the clerk and ask them if instead of $2.99 per gallon I can pay $1.49 per gallon and expect the exact same quality & product. If you want me to shave $100 off an arrangement, you're going to lose $100 worth of flowers & design time.

So, when you're visiting with your vendors and you ask them to reduce their price please be sure that you are getting the same exact thing - because if you're trying to compare apples to apples and one person says they can do that Preston arrangement for hundreds less than the other person - chances are you'll be left with arrangement #3 on your 72" round seating 12.

Testimonials

2010-04-19T22:52:00.000-07:00

Hi Nancy!

I just wanted to say thank you for a great week. WFA gave me just the inspiration I needed to move forward.

Your method [of dissecting] everyone’s business through personal behavior was intriguing. So often those who are willing to give business advice and opinions are not invested enough in understanding one’s personal conduct. It was simply extraordinary! I can only wish one day that I will master your listening skills and attention to detail.

Everyone needs someone who believes in them, your compassionate approach was refreshing.

Robin Buop

Attendee, Spring 2011 WFA

Education: The Academy for Planners + Designers

2010-03-10T18:19:00.000-08:00

The Academy for Planners + Designers presented by Wedding 360 is coming to San Francisco next week. I wanted to share this exciting program that I will be apart of! Get to the heart of the matter and learn from the best.

It's not too late to register. For information, go to the Wedding 360 website...and I'll see you there.

Floral 101: Wreath

2009-11-15T08:00:00.000-08:00

What goes into a floral wreath? For this beautiful hot pink, pink and orange wreath we choose to combination of roses, dahlias, hydrangea to complete the wreath.

Here’s my recipe for this 24 inch Floral Wreath -

7 Stems of Hot Pink Hydrangea

24 Stems of Hot Pink Roses

24 Stems of South American 'Orange' Roses

10 stems of Two tone Spray roses

10 Stems of Orange Dahlias

10 Stems of Hot pink Dahlias

10 stems of Green Hydrangea

1 Round Wreath Foam

2 pieces of 14 inch chicken wire

1 Bolt of 3 inch wide ribbon

1 Bowl Tape

3 to 4 cloth covered wire

Spotlight: Marian of Savage Rose

2009-11-13T14:16:00.000-08:00

It has been an incredible week and we are so lucky and honored to have had such a great group.

A few of our attendees have already started practicing some of the business principles and strategies like - "Connecting with their Audience through Blogging".

One of our workshop attendees, Marian Le Brun for Savage Rose Florals wrote this...

"This has been a fantastic three days attending Nancy Liu Chin's Wedding Floral Academy. Nancy is an amazing designer and an equally dynamic speaker! She has the ability to inspire you with her passion for flowers and the wedding industry. I have learned so much from this course, in so short a time! I wish it was for a week!
There were some great guest speakers, like Stacie Tamaki from The Flirty Bride. She sat with us and shared her knowledge and experience on blogging , and how it helps us in business and in life. Best of all I have met some wonderful people and talented designers from all parts of the country whom I hope to stay in touch with.
Nancy has a gift to both inspire and to challenge each person in the class. She wants everyone to go for it and reach their own individual potential, and to be a success!
I am off to practice and practice some more!"

Thanks Marian for sharing. We can't wait to see the changes in your business and in your personal life. If I may share one more thing, I just admire women like Marian. She's a mother with grown children. She has others in her life that she depend on her yet she found the time to take 3 days off because she wants to succeed. From her I have learned, you can never stop learning.

All images courtesy of Marian Le Brun of Savage Rose Florals
Bravo!

Floral 101: Place Card Recipe

2009-11-13T08:00:00.000-08:00

This lovely placecard idea is so simple that anyone can do it.

It doesn't take much effort or time. What you will need is just these lovely an abundance of one great flower. I'm sure you've seen this with rose petals but I like to use other flowers like this wonderful purple stock. This place card design for roughly 160 to 176 guests requires ---

1 8 ft long rectangular table
1 banquet 8 ft drape linen
your own 3 inch tented cards
48 to 50 stems of purple stock
1 pair of floral shears
1 pair of gloves
Dental floss or string or stick ruler or measuring tape

To begin this project, first line the place cards evenly. This design had 16 rows with 10 to 11 place cards in each row. Use dental floss to make sure that the place cards from front to back is straight. Trust me a little string, floss, ruler, or tape measure will ensure that the rows look perfect(like soldiers).

Once the place cards are evenly lined. Begin by removing all florets from the stem. Make sure that there is no green stems left on the purple florets. Tightly place purple stock florets in a straight line. It's good to use gloves because purple stocks can sometimes "bleed".

That's it. Real simple. Real exceptional.

Floral Insiders: Featuring David Dahlson

2009-11-12T08:00:00.000-08:00

Due to the response of my previous post Bear Bear Bear, many wonderful floral industry professionals have sent me emails to voice their concern for the future of the wedding floral business. Though I cannot possibly post all the wonderful, inspiring, disturbing but thoughtful provoking notes, I did receive one very poignant email. Because of his email, I extended David Dahlson the opportunity to contribute a post based on the wholesaler's point-of-view.

I thank David for his courage and conviction. He has over 20+ years experience in the floral wholesale industry, so to say that he has seen it all, is quite the understatement. This thought provoking post will not sit well with many of you. Whether disturbing or distressing, the point that has been made over and over again is that WE MUST CHANGE.

Bottom line: What worked yesterday will not work today. What will work today will not work tomorrow.

How did we get here? And where are we going then? Read on.

____________________________________

For the purposes of this brief essay I will concentrate on the predicament of the modern floral professional who specializes in weddings, events and corporate accounts.

As an associate who works for a company that supplies many such designers, I am all too pertinently aware of the fallout from the financial meltdown and the squeeze or even elimination of flowers from the budgets of corporations. Our company is keenly aware of the downsizing of weddings and parties that has occurred and sensitive to the quite austere atmosphere that we Americans currently live in. Given the excesses of the past ten years or so, it seems entirely logical that there would have to be a period of reconciliation with the insanity of our runaway consumption. Alas, it is just history repeating itself - yet again (Genesis 41, again!) but still, the dissolution of much of the wealth from our economy comes with some pain.

I was moved to respond to the Nancy Liu Chin’s commentary(in her post, Behind the Scenes: Bear Bear Bear) because of her straightforward and accurate outline of the financial predicament that many florists find themselves in. Most of the problems that floral professionals encounter are the direct result of a very poor understanding of the real costs involved in conducting their business. During the times when money was altogether much looser and more available, the wealth effect managed to mask most of these shortcomings; but now that we live in times when every penny counts and is counted, all costs of production need to be accounted. Last but not least, the credit-worthiness of the client needs to be assured. There is absolutely no shame in this…it is business!

OK…so now we’re in business, still in business, as it were, let’s take a look around at the playing field.

State of the Union: A Wake up Call

First and foremost to be considered are the DIY Nuptial Designers working in concert with the supermarkets. We need to have a clear understanding of what is happening at the supermarkets, and they are in business to maximize yield per sq.ft.. It is unfortunate for a lot of us that many markets frequently use flowers as a loss leader, but this is happening less and less in this economy. Even the mass markets have cut back on flower purchases. The flowers they sell can be very good, in many cases excellent. Generally however markets do not have enough people allocated to properly take care of the flowers. Therefore, the quality suffers significantly the longer the flowers remain in the store.

One fact has become clear and immutable: Supermarkets are unequivocally the best location to sell flowers to consumers, because the consumer ranks their perishable nature on a par with milk, meat and produce. Supermarkets provide the absolute best opportunity for an impulse purchase of flowers because the buyer is going directly home. The selection available is commensurate with the diversity available in the produce department. It is quite likely that if you can get organic dandelion greens or fresh sorrel, the likelihood of being able to procure Canterbury Bells or Peonies significantly increases.

Generally speaking, most of the flower selections in supermarkets tend to be commodities as the inherent purchasing process for supermarkets means being able to replicate one box lot for hundreds of stores, with the correct bar code and price attached. The flowers also need to be fairly hardy products as they frequently need to endure plenty of abuse. So the selection is going to be fairly predictable; roses, poms, carnations, limonium, asters, sunflowers, gladiolus, some lilies, and the odd seasonal selection such as peonies and hydrangeas.

(Side note: Incidentally, we will be seeing a lot of peonies in November and December for the foreseeable future because they are being grown extensively in Chile, a country with well established agricultural trading ties, and USDA located at the airport in Santiago de Chile, a cozy relationship not enjoyed by any other country in the world! The key here is that peonies have been rather extensively planted in the South American fashion, and due to the nature of the peony plants, production will increase exponentially over the next decade.)

Clearly, given that we are in a recession many brides-and-grooms to be will elect to buy flowers from their local wholesaler, farmers market, supermarket or, for the lucky few, from a flower farm. I imagine they may do it themselves or a friend will put the flowers together fro them. Likewise I suspect they may have friends take the photos and bake a cake. Many brides may elect to forgo the elaborate wedding dress due to financial constraints. I think we must have compassion for everybody whose dreams may be curtailed in these often gloomy times, but we must applaud and support their decision to become betrothed, and I for one wish all brides and grooms nothing but the best of luck and that they enjoy a happy life together. (I agree!)

Insofar as the flowers are concerned; can people buy satisfactory flowers at a supermarket? Absolutely!

For that matter; can people buy serviceable butter, flour, sugar, eggs and cream from a supermarket and bake a more than adequate cake? No doubt!

I imagine there are people who take cool and hip photos with disposable cameras and create neat little sushi appetizers and amuse-bouches, and all with products garnered from a supermarket.

Heaven knows, one-stop celebrations catered by supermarkets, from basters to bouquets, is already purchased in its entirety by many Americans at Thanksgiving!

Verdict: Good quality DIY Wedding Flowers can be enjoyed if the couple is flexible and willing to keep things simple.

However, I have a nagging suspicion that there are quite a few people these days who, when contemplating marriage, may not want to invest significantly in the occasion because they are not invested 100% in the emotional and spiritual components of a lifelong commitment to another person.

But for those people who believe that the “Wedding Day” is a sacred and profound and who have the economic wherewithal and desire to invest in this occasion, certain facts hold true: When two people join together and make a commitment to live together for the rest of their lives for better or for worse, then it is customary to celebrate this matrimony in the presence of both extended families and the couples closest friends. Many parents are extremely proud of their children and want to underwrite the vent or support it in a substantial fashion. To this end it is generally necessary to secure the services of a variety of specialists who can make that day unique, memorable, inspirational and maybe even divine.

Again, I must underline that prudence be employed when creating the budget and thereafter discipline in sticking to it is paramount to success of the wedding, not to mention the happiness of the couple!

Adding Value and Quality

Today, more so than ever, almost all citizens of the USA want to ensure they get the most value for their money, and that this holds true for all income levels. In these economic conditions people are searching for quality, and this applies equally no less for a set of tires than it does for floral arrangements. Therefore, it is plain commonsense that we provide the best possible quality products to our clients, and that we go as far as we can in providing the best experience for our customers as possible.

I would like to venture that there are some consumers have felt rather short-changed when looking at the products submitted for their wedding. Generally speaking, on the wedding day, most couples are experiencing an impregnable euphoria, so it is mother-in-laws, fathers, ushers, bridesmaids, friends and so forth who may be apt to criticize, especially if they have an inkling of the sums involved. And I am sure amongst these critics are perhaps a few who have felt that “they could do that”! This of course engenders even more DIY weddings. Thus, another level of economic pressure, the corrosive competition from florists who are not equipped to deliver value commensurate with the sums of money involved in nuptial flowers, provides yet another hurdle for the legitimate floral professional to surmount.

Consequently, the challenge is to be able to articulate and demonstrate the value-added products and services that one can offer to a couple considering your business as the purveyor of all things floral for their wedding. If you are able to do that in a professional and sincere way, maintaining an acute consciousness of the couple’s desires and allowing their ideas to resonate in your craft, then one will be able to continue to do business successfully. But people will expect “more for less” and it is the true, experienced artisan who will be able to prosper, displaying light, beauty and levity with less flowers, creating the illusion of mass and volume, substance and generosity with fewer ingredients. Certainly, the days of the crammers and jammers are a thing of the past (Jeff Leatham is an exception, it would seem! We mean no disrespect, Jeff! We wish you and your TLC show - Flowers Uncut! much success!) and economy, good taste and grace must surely prevail.

Unique Value Proposition

In concert with this, and what struck me about Nancy’s emphasis on the need to be profitable, is that we all need to account for our costs, and pay ourselves a living wage. It is imperative to be ever vigilant that you are attributing the costs of doing business properly. Incidentally, one aspect of retail flower cost estimates I have never understood is the method of marking up flowers three times or four times, adding the cost of hard goods, the cost of labor and any drayage, plus taxes.

As I understand it the profit is captured in the mark-up on the flowers, but this method seems to leave the true profit in the realm of the occult. Whereas most conventional businesses add up all the costs of production, plus allocate a pre-determined percentage to cover all fixed costs, and then mark up this total to arrive at a price that includes the profit, which is therefore a known quantity. Knowing all your costs, fixed and variable, as well as your estimate of the profit will allow you to properly prepare a quote, and if your customer indicates this is higher than they care to pay, you are in a position to advocate downsizing, changing ingredients and so on. If, after you have tried to accommodate the client, they still find your price beyond their reach then you are on a sound footing to decline the assignment or accept, but with lower (but known) margins. I have witnessed many talented persons fail because they do not allocate nearly enough money to cover fixed costs, or a reasonable salary plus profit for themselves.

The floral professionals who have a sound financial footing, who are assured and confident of their unique value proposition can move forward in securing profitable engagements.

Beyond Flowers: Fashion and Beauty

Now I shall focus on the third component of our industry to be considered which provides a powerful advantage over the competition: Fashion. Unbeknownst to many people in the floral industry is the concept that we are in a “fashion industry”. But we are. Colors, textures, shapes and sizes influence our business just like clothing, furniture, kitchen components and so forth. To further put distance between ourselves and the competition it behooves us to be conscious of what is happening in allied industries. Certainly, much of fashion seem frivolous, but trust me it is all about the bottom line. Therefore is extremely important to be open to what is happening in the world around us, and especially to the younger generations, no matter how alien there ideas may seem at first. As one’s sensibilities become keen, anticipating floral trends, or even being in a position to create them can really set one apart and above the competition.

The company that I work for prides itself on sourcing the newest rose varieties, unique flowers from around the world, off-crop products from the Southern hemisphere as well as forgotten heirloom varieties from our won back yard. It is part of our business model that we strive to differentiate ourselves from the competition, although we have competitors around the country who also do an excellent service. And yes, the cost of some of these items is high, but this is unavoidable. To stay on the cutting edge incurs expenses not apparent to many people, such as the research, the education, the travel and the expertise to track down new products, not to mention the cost of freight, handling and so on. But with unique items featuring unusual shapes and textures, of a limited supply, our customers can establish their unique and trademark designs, confident that they are in fact differentiating themselves from the crowd.

Incidentally, it follows that if peonies are filling up buckets at the supermarket, they will be featured less and less in wedding magazines, as editors and designers seek to find new looks, new flowers and new textures. Flowers that are much harder to handle, transport and keep hydrated, such as Sweet peas for instance, or sprays of phaleonopsis, will become more ‘fashionable’(or Iceland Poppies, I can never find them).

There is no way to change what is happening in supermarkets, with internet fulfillment, or the world-at-large. What each of us can control is our actions, our decisions, our desire to learn and our enthusiasm to share our lives with other people. And we can do it with flowers.

What I would like to share with you all is that at the end of the day, flowers may remind us of our spirituality. Of course they are “temporary décor”, temporal is how I would express it, but in the big scheme of things so are we. Flowers speak to this mystery, and have echoed these feelings in human beings since the dawn of time. Let’s celebrate this idea!

I would like to thank Nancy for the opportunity to express my ideas, and I hope they may spark some thoughts within you. I leave you with a couple of quotes from two great spiritual minds:

"Let him who hath two loaves sell one, and buy the flower of narcissus: for bread is but food for the body, whereas narcissus is food for the soul." by Mohammed

“Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow; they spin not nor do they toil; yet, I tell you, even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these.” by Jesus

David Dahlson has worked with Mayesh Wholesale Florist for over 25 years, and is currently involved with marketing and the development of the On-Line Shopping Portal of Mayesh Wholesale.

The ideas expressed in this article are solely those of David Dahlson.

Mayesh Wholesale Florist, Inc. does not necessarily agree with, or endorse, this article or any part thereof.

Floral Insiders: From Nancy's Brown Bag

2009-11-11T19:04:00.001-08:00

A week ago I bumped into a floral friend. As always we were talking shop. We were both at the end of our busy season so to say that we looked a little "beaten down" was an understatement. Both of us had dark circles under our eyes, hair a little out of place, and shoulders sagging from feeling weary about the season ahead. Both lacked sleep. Tired. Yulp.

After spending some time chatting, she mentioned that after 20+ years in the wedding floral business, she was struggling with paying the bills. And that she didn't have much to show for it. After seeing so many ups and downs, she said that this year was the worse.

If someone with her experience is still having trouble making ends meet after investing 20 years in this business, then what can we learn from this?

During these times, it's hard to feel bullish(confident and upbeat). Given that my background is finance, I often seem to have a "bear" mentality when it comes to business and consumer confidence though on a personal level, I think I'm more glass-half-full then the glass-half-empty type.

In business and when it comes to consumer confidence, I confess that I'm conservative and bearish all the way. (ps - the definition if you don't know of a bear investor or analyst is one that is "accompanied by widespread fear and pessimism" as defined by Wikipedia. ). And because I am bearish this is what I have to say to those who are thinking of starting a career as a floral designer or a florist. (or more simply put - anyone just going into business for yourself)

Save Save Save

Yes. When it comes to your business, you better know how to save. Save for a rainy day. Save your profits on a yearly basis for future expanse or for the growing opportunities. Save now for next year unexpected expenses or downward sales. Save for the unknown.

Many businesses especially floral and event designers, forget how to stay on budget, stick with a shopping list, and buy only what is needed. I totally understand when you are in your element of design that it is always so so so easy to buy more more more. Or when there's a great sell from your suppliers we get carried away. I say, "stop and evaluate". Do you really need it?

What I am saying is that you have to be good at saving. Learn to buy wisely. Learn what deals are worth while. Learn to save for upcoming projects. Does not mean you go cheap. No No No.

In well managed companies(small or big), cash flow is crucial. Especially during tough times, those companies who have strong cash flow can weather the downs.

For Richer, For Poorer
This piece of advice is for those who haven't started their business and are still on the fence. No matter what I say, I know many of you will jump right in but I'm going to say it anyway. If you are one of those that don't care about making good money, working long hours, waking up early, and being slaved to your work, then you don't need to read this section. However, what if you do care?

For those of you who would like to have a home one day and might need money to pay for the mortgage(or your credit card bills or your college loans or even a shoe collection), who want to have a life outside of their work, and who might care if they have to give up weekends. then read on.

I am sure that many people will bash me for saying this so hold on tight....Unless you are at the top top top of your game in your community, most floral designers do not make that much money in comparison to averages. Period.(Did I just burst your bubble? sorry!) (****The top of the market or top volume businesses are excluded from this conversation)

The profit margin is horrific. Horrific.

That's why after so many years, my dear floral friend was crying on my shoulder. She's having a hard time meeting her financial needs and feels that she doesn't have much to show for 20 years of work in this field. I feel that way too.

Why do so many floral designers gripe that they don't make much. It has to do with low profit margin and consumer's expectation of what is an acceptable margin. Planners don't get it. Editors don't get it. Venues don't get it. Consumers don't get it. As a floral designer, we've heard people moan, "wow - flowers are so expensive!". Sure, but that's because they are perishable, usually imported, rare things. Most flowers are not common commodities like oranges, beef, water, pork bellies that can be traded on the NYSE.

Let me continue.

Did you hear that Apple's last quarter profit margin was over 35%. Wall Street applauded this.

What does that mean in layman's term? A 35% gross margin on a $100 item from Apple, would equal a pre-tax profit of $35.00. Wall Street and most investor of Apple did applaud the company for managing their bottom line and thus the stock jumped on trading news.

However, when it comes to wedding flowers, most average consumers would probably question if a floral designer made $35.00 per every $100 of flowers ordered. I'll give you an example. If a boutonniere priced out at $20.00, a floral designer should make $7.00 - right? However, most consumers probably would feel that it is too much. Not all consumers but many. Why do I know this...because I've actually had many bride ask me why a single stem flower that should be worn on the lapel should be over $5.00. (That's another discussion which I am not suppose to talk about.)

For argument sake, let's look at this backwards from the cost perspective.

Let's price something out HOPING to achieve a 35% profit margin. Let's be simple about this and assume that you materials and supplies are 30% of all your costs. Your other fixed and operating expenses including a big component labor(****yes I understand that this doesn't take into account non operating expenses) is 35%. The total of materials and operating costs is 65%.

Once you buy just the materials for one arrangement(let's say for simplicity) a bridal bouquet, let's try to figure out what to price this item. In this example, I've used this lovely orange, fall bouquet.

Recipe and Costs
1 bunch of orange tulips at $9.00 a bunch
1 5 stem bunch of orange orchids at $10.00 a bunch
1 bunch of orange mini calla at $20.00 a bunch
1 stem of green cymbidium orchids at $22.00 a stem
1 bunch of orange Asiatic lilies at $9.50 a bunch
1 bunch of 50 cm deep orange roses at at $18.00 a bunch
1 stem of orange cymbidium orchids at $22.00
1 bolt of ribbon at $7.00 a roll for 10 yards
1 box of pins at $2.25 a box
1 1inch floral tape at $2.00 a roll

Are you ready for the costs? Total approx costs - $122*(remember this is SF so in your city, it might be more, it might be less). What retail will get you to a 35% profit after cost of materials/supplies plus fixed and operating expenses? How many times should you mark up the cost of the materials(not including the overhead) to achieve the profit margin that you want?

If you are asking me, I would say that you might want to price it at around $366.00 which is 3x the cost of MATERIALS(only) in order to achieve that profit margin, however, ask yourself this - what is the market expectation for this bridal bouquet? There is a different between what you want to charge and what a customer is willing to pay, right?

And thus our dilemna...

It is because some(not all) wedding markets cannot bear to afford a $366 bouquet before delivery and tax that so many floral designers have to either 1) lower their expected profit margin or 2) reduce expenses(in all areas - utilities, labor, materials, etc.....) if they want to price it out lower than $366. When floral designers including myself when I first started probably didn't know how to charge. Perhaps we just took the cost of their materials and mark it up 2x or 2.5 times marking.

If so, you might guess that after all those fixed and operating expenses like labor, rent, utilities, sales tax, trucking, liability insurance(and on and on), that a 15 to 20% overall profit margin might be what was achieved. (As for my own business, we average 25% on our EBIT which isn't good and isn't bad. There's always room for improvement and I'm working on that.)

What does this mean for a floral designer or new florist?
Well, if your End of Year gross profit margin is say 20%, you've done an estimated 40 weddings at $3000 per wedding with total sales equaling - $120,000. Your end of year gross before taxes might be----------

$24,000

As a well known photographer said to me, it's not that simple. Darn, right! It's not that simple there's so many accounting deductions and rules - frankly, I can't even get into it in this article nor do I want to.

Moving on....

Let's say you live in the Bay Area, this figure does fall below the average salary? According to Indeed.com, as of October 20, 2009, the average salary in the Bay Area is $85,000. It's no wonder since the average one bedroom rent is around $1839/month according to rentaldata.com. So if you make $24,000 per year, you could barely make rent.

Do you see where I am going? When an average bride spends $1000 per wedding flowers, if your profit margin is 20%, you make $200. If you spend 30 hours on that project including setup, phone calls, emails, etc, you make

$6.66 dollars an hour.

I once calculated how many hours I spend and it turns out that I work an average of 6 days a week, 46 weeks a year, totaling over 2700 per year. We do over 40 weddings per year plus I meet with 80+ client. The average wedding client gets 60 hours of my time(doesn't include my staff). So if a typically client spends around $4500 before tax and delivery and if my margin is 25%, then you could say that I make....

$22.50 an hour.

I'm sure you know what I'm getting at. This business is not for the faint of heart. 2700 hours a year. 60 hours per client. That's what it takes if you want to do above average, full customized weddings in which you service the client and write customized proposals.

If your community does not have the floral business that some areas like San Francisco has, you need to do more weddings at a lower average ticket, reduce your expenses, and you have to be able to get a higher margin if you want to stay in it for the long run.

Of course, money doesn't have to matter. But I'm not talking about making millions. I am talking about making a standard of living so that you can have a good quality of life. Before you jump in, ask yourself

Can your community support the type of business you want to run?

What do you have to do to make you stand out so that you can be innovate like an Apple so that your client will accept a 35% margin after all expenses?

Where do you have to cut expenses in order to reach an acceptable margin? What do you have to charge?

Your Worth Know your worth. If you've spent many years in this business, you know it's tough. If you are lucky like I am, you work with great vendors. You have a wonderful selection of fresh products. You have a great talent pool of resources and designers to choose from. You have wonderful clients who understand. Not many of us floral designers are remotely this lucky and fortunate.

Yet after it's all said and done, I kept thinking about my floral friend and I wonder, was it all worth it? 20 years and still being unable to pay the bills. Was it worth it?

And for me the answer is very simple. No matter what, there is much more to life. And as much as I love to do what I do, I know what's important to me. And I know that it isn't about the money. It's not even about the respect and admiration of your peers.

It is good knowing that I just love creating beautiful weddings and working for myself. Yet, I know what my limits are. And I know that it takes sacrifice to be a success but no matter what no sacrifice is worth it if I don't have the things that are dear to me... my health, my hobbies(outside of flowers), my friendships, my family life, my time with Chin Chin(my baby dog),my alone time, and my hopes.

Bottom line: Know what you are worth. Stand for what you need to make. Weather the storms by being a good saver. Spend wisely. Cash is king.

Updates: The First of Many

2009-11-11T17:10:00.000-08:00

The first Wedding Floral Academy(WFA) is officially history. Congratulations to a great group of future wedding professionals who braved 3 days of instructions.

We learned many things together including Modern Design, Horizontal Arrangements, Classic Single arrangements, Hand Bags, Ring Bearer Pillows, and so much more.

In the weeks to come, we will post images from this great event.

Welcome to WFA

2009-09-23T12:03:00.000-07:00

It's always daunting to write a first post but as the creator of the Wedding Floral Academy(WFA), I'd like to welcome you to the official Wedding Floral Academy webpage and blog. Find out what's happening at WFA and learn more about our workshops.

In the weeks to come, I'll be posting more information about our first workshop, November 7th to 10th, 2009 in San Francisco.

In the meantime, welcome to our fans!

Best,

Nancy Liu Chin

Head Instructor of WFA

Photo Credit: Kevin Chin

1 Day Pro

2009-09-22T23:02:00.000-07:00

1 Day Pro

As part of the Wedding Floral Academy, creator, Nancy Liu Chin, is offering 2 different 1 Day Pro workshops. Dates to follow.

Marketing I: Good Press

This intense one day workshop focuses on the key area in marketing that baffles even the most expert wedding floral and event designers - PR and Press.

How do you get good PR and Press? How can you get your wonderful work published? What can you do to get more exposure? Why is submitting real weddings so daunting? What is the key to getting your work published on national blogs and magazines? Is having a blog worthy it?

This one day workshop will demystify the taboos of PR and editorials. Conducted by Nancy Liu Chin, get real advice, practice information, and valuable insight from one of the most recognized wedding and floral designers.

This is a great Introductory workshop for those who are lost when it comes to getting Good Press.

______________________________

Marketing I : Branding starts with a Focused Portfolio

You are probably pretty busy keeping your business running. How do you get your Brand to attract the right clients?

Start with a look at your collateral including your business card, logo, tagline, colors. Move to your presentation including your physical and online portfolio? Have your peers and Nancy critique your website and blog. What does your collateral, logo, website, blog say about you? Is that what you want your clients to perceive you as.

Remember, the key to staying ahead of the game is that you have to stay ahead. And it's perfectly normal to change your brand if it's not attracting the right clientale.

We all fall into trends and make our presentation, brand look trendy but maybe it's time to take a step back and play editor.

Join Nancy Liu Chin.
Investment $250.00 12pm - 4pm

Limited to 4 - 6 participants per workshop. Continental Breakfast and drinks will be provided.
*These are two separate workshops.

______________________________

Marketing II: Styling 101 - The Photo Shoot

Doesn't every good floral and event designer need to know how to style a photo shoot? Yet it's one thing that few people know how to do and how to do it well. Why is the art of the photo shoot so important because with the increase of wedding blogs, more and more blog creators are looking for content. Even if you don't do magazine or blog work, it's important to learn how to style a photo shoot.

Even more important, we need to know the difference between what will be editorial worth and what is not. See as Nancy sets up a real floral table design that is publish worthy.

This one day workshop will go through the key elements that editors are looking for in a photo shoot. It will also give you insider's tips of how to plan, organize and create a photo shoot worth of publication. Conducted by Nancy Liu Chin, get real advice, practice information, and valuable insight from one of the most recognized wedding and floral designers. Kevin Chin, will also give you some pointers on how you can shoot better photos with your digital camera.

Marketing II: Portfolio Rework - What's Portfolio Worthy?

In our competitive market, to stand out, you need your floral work to be uniquely significant and relevant. Showcasing your work to your clients is KEY.

To make your portfolio stand out, you need work that shines and looks as great as an image as it does in reality. Your website gallery and your floral portfolio represent your image and there's nothing more important than getting your work to echo your unique brand beliefs and promises. Often times, business owners use amateurish images that are over exposed with too much "flash" that doesn't highlight the beauty of wedding work and detail flowers. More important what does it take to build a portfolio that's truly worthy of your business identity.

Learn how to weed out trendy, dated images. Learn how to consolidate and create a portfolio. After 300 weddings and numerous photo shoots, Nancy's become an expert stylist. Let Nancy show you her insider's tip on creating a portfolio that's truly a standout.

This is a great Introductory workshop for those who want their jazz up their website and improve a tired portfolio.

Investment $250.00 12pm - 4pm

Limited to 4 participants. Continental breakfast and drinks provided. Bring your digital camera.

*These are two separate workshops

Nancy's work and advice have been featured in numerous magazines including Martha Stewart Weddings, Elegant Bride, Bride & Bloom, Grace Ormonde Wedding Style, Your Wedding Day, The Knot, Brides, Sunset, Gentry and many more. Her real weddings have been featured in many of the leading wedding blog resources including Snippet & Ink, Style Me Pretty, Weddingbee, Green Wedding Shoes, Ritzy Bee Blog, Project Wedding, Vintage Glam Blog, Style Unveiled, The Knot, and many more. Selected as one of the best wedding floral designers by Daily Candy, Project Wedding, Wedding Wire, and Paper City. Nancy has helped style numerous photo shoots for Grace Ormonde Wedding Style, Northern California Brides, Your Wedding, Bride & Bloom, Sunset Magazine and many more.

http://www.stylemepretty.com/2010/10/13/california-wedding-by-lisa-lefkowitz/

3 Day Pro

2009-09-22T22:33:00.000-07:00

3 Day Professional Workshop

Wedding Floral Design & Business Development

This 3 day workshop is intensive and is intended for those with the ambition of entering the wedding floral business or for those who need to revamp their current brand. Immerse yourself in the world of wedding flowers for 3 full days and learn beyond the fundamentals. A course full of inspiration and practical insights, enabling you to think about your brand in a new way and unleashing your creative floral side. It's key to giving your business an edge from your competitors.

Investment $1250.00 Daily 10am - 4pm

Photo Credit: Kevin Chin

Wedding Floral Academy Fall 2011 Schedule

2009-09-12T18:42:00.000-07:00

3 day Workshop Offerings

November 8,9,10, 2011
Tuesday to Thursday
Classes 10 - 4pm
San Francisco, California

Space limited to 6 attendees
Space limited to 2 volunteers or students

This is a correction. Please note!

Wedding Floral Academy Spring 2011 Schedule

2009-09-12T18:40:00.000-07:00

3 day Workshop Offerings

April 2011

April 11 - 13
Classes 10 - 4pm
San Francisco, California

Space limited to 6 attendees
Space limited to 1 to 2 volunteers or students
*Volunteers and Students will be required to assist NLCD one day prior to event. They are also asked to arrive 1 hour prior to session and 1 hour after session to assist. For being a volunteer/student, your investment is discounted to $1000.00

1 on 1 Consulting

2009-09-11T17:34:00.000-07:00

1 on 1 Consulting

As a wedding professional, I am well aware of the issues that prevent us from taking our business to the next level. Each wedding season, we all passionately work toward making our clients' dreams come true but how often do we spend the time to make our own dreams come alive. Instead of having a business were the clients dictate what we do on a daily basis, why not take the control back?

With my guidance and coaching, let me help you develop a doable strategy that will help you focus, plan, and act.

Part of the 6 months coaching can include

Brand Assessment(logo, mission statement, slogan, icon, name)
Financial Review
Website/Blog/Collateral Evaluation
Daily Operations and Production Review
Image Review

Take aways can include

Legacy Planning
Organizational Tips
PR/Promotional Plan
Branding Plan and Development(graphic designer fees are additional)
Office Template Development

Available starting 2011, why can't you have a coach with over 400+ wedding experience? Why not have one that is not only a warm and engaging pro but one with real experience. Let me pass on my tips, strategies and assessments so that you can improve your bottom line, prepare for growth, and work less but with more efficiency.

6 months minimum commitment includes
1 session per month - 90 minute session
$175.00 per session($1050 for 6 minimum session investment)

About Nancy
Nancy Liu Chin has worked in managerial roles for several large retail and specialty businesses including Macy's, bebe stores, and Gap's Banana Republic division. Her retail and merchandising experience including product buying, distribution planning, and in store management. Since 2001, Nancy Liu Chin has owned a very successful floral and event design company based in San Francisco. In addition to her corporate and entrepreneur experience, Nancy holds a B.S. from University of California, Berkeley in Business Administration with an emphasis on Finance and Marketing. Her wedding floral and event design work has been featured in countless editorials and publications. In 2001, Nancy Liu Chin was nominated for 2010 Women's Initiative Women Entrepreneur of the Year.

ENROLLMENT & LOGISTICS

2009-09-05T21:56:00.000-07:00

To apply for the workshop of your choice, please download and complete the registration form provided below

ENROLLMENT FORM

Course Title_____________________________________________________

Course Date_____________________________________________________

Name_________________________________________________________

Business Name___________________________________________________

Address________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________

Telephone______________________________________________________

Email__________________________________________________________

Website________________________________________________________

Yrs in Business__________________

Print this Form and Return the complete registration with a non refundable check for the full amount of the Tuition Investment.

Due to space, if we are unable to enroll you in the workshop of your choice, all fees paid will be refunded. If you have been accepted and you cancel within 30 days of workshop and have paid in full, 50% of the amount received can be put toward future workshops(within 1 year date of your cancellation date). If you do not attend the first day of a 3 day workshop, your space will be forefeited.

Send your signed registration form and investment to:

Nancy Liu Chin Designs

1095 Tennessee Street

San Francisco, California 94107

attn: WFA

DEADLINES & REQUIREMENTS

There is no deadline for application, however many of the workshops fill immediately so avoid disappointments by completing a prompt application.

Your participation for a 3 day workshop is extremely important. If your schedule requires you to arrive after the start or to leave prior to the end of the workshop, please make other arrangements or plan to participate at another time so that it does not disrupt the experience for other participants.

FLOWER & MATERIALS

For the 3 day PRO workshop, all flowers and materials required for each workshop are INCLUDED in the tuition investment. You should bring floral tools like a shear, knife, and wire cutter. In addition, we highly recommend that you bring a digital camera to capture your work. Notepage, pen will be provided.

LOCATION OF CLASSES

Locations of classes will be change due to size of workshop. In general workshops will be held at Nancy Liu Chin Designs' SF studio, Nancy's Loft, and/or the San Francisco Flower Market.

FULL DAY CLASS

All full day classes will begin at 9am with light refreshments. Lectures and Demostrations begin at 10am. Light lunch will be provided however if you have dietary needs, please provide your own lunch. In general lunch will be salad, light sandwiches, filo rolls with cookies. Classes will finish between 5pm and 6pm. Please dress comfortably especially as we will be working with flowers and will be active.

PAYMENT

If a workshop is already full when your registration is received, we will offer the opportunity to enroll in any future workshop that are still open or to be placed on a waiting list.

Please make all payments in US dollars. Make checks or money order payable to "Nancy Liu Chin Designs". We do not accept credit cards for workshops deposits. You may choose to pay via Paypal. Please use the following email address:

weddings@nancyliuchin.com

Contact Us

2009-01-03T21:53:00.000-08:00

Wedding Floral Academy

c/o Nancy Liu Chin Designs

a: 1095 Tennessee Street

San Francisco, California 94107

p:415.647.2012

e: weddings@nancyliuchin.com

f: 415.701.0600

Photo Credit: Kevin Chin

Why WFA?

2009-01-02T20:55:00.000-08:00

At the Wedding Floral Academy(WFA), you will have the opportunity to learn floral skills and also to share the design philosophy and business strategy from one of today's leading floral and event designers, Nancy Liu Chin.

Nancy's workshops provide opportunities to practice up to date floral techniques and learn best business skill sets. Simply put - WFA represents the marriage of wedding floral design with business alchemy. Nancy's workshop will capture your creativity yet balance it with best practices. She will inspire you with her classic yet modern floral style. She will challenge you with her straight forward approach to business development. You will be tired at the end of the workshops but hopefully filled with new skill sets, inspirations, and information. Nancy will share with you her experiences both the successes and certainly the mistakes. She has no secrets to hide and many to share.

The WFA workshops offer opportunities to receive real instructions and inspirations to better prepare you for the world of wedding floral design. Each 3 day workshop is set in an intimate atmosphere which is perfect for learning, sharing and growing. Floral demonstrations, professional instructions, informal discussions, business presentations, and hands on practice are included with a 3 day workshop. Workshops are between 5 to 8 attendees, enabling Nancy to spend time with each participant and to encourage discussion and activity participation. The intimate workshop environment is perfect for learning.

There is not a better way to jump start your career in the world of wedding floral design.

Photo Credit: Kevin Chin

About Nancy

2009-01-01T21:50:00.000-08:00

There have been many changes in wedding design since I first became fascinated with the magical world of all things bridal. When I first dreamed of a career in the wedding business, there were no titles to encompass what today's wedding floral and event designers do. I

n the late 80's and early 90's when I first became fascinated with the art of wedding creation, I thought I should call myself a wedding planner. As the years continued I became drawn to the beauty and the "decor" aspect of a wedding. Since there were no wedding decorator programs in existence, I decided that the best route to go was floral design. Boy, that was the best decision I ever made.

From the first moment I seriously devoted myself to working with flowers, I was awed by how flowers could be transformed into a thing of pure beauty and art.

A few weeks after being exposed to wedding floral design, I enrolled in one of the nation's most respected floristry program. The process of floral design continues to fascinate me as it evolves. Whether you are doing a hand tied bouquet, a massive floral installation, a complex pave piece, or an Ikebana inspired arrangement, the creative possibilities are truly limited only by one's skills, willingness to learn, and commitment.

Each week as I create a new wedding, I continue to feel an excitement that is partly a mixture of anxiousness for the unknown, anticipation of the creative process, and awareness that with each new project there are new challenges. To be a wedding floral designer today is to be ready for the unexpected.

I look forward to sharing my love for the art of wedding floral design and the experience that I've gained through over 300 weddings with you through the Wedding Floral Academy.

Best,

Nancy Liu Chin

Photo Credit: Kevin Chin