budget centerpieces. help please

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rewolf

rewolf

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Jul 4, 2007
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I'm baffled and need help. I have a bride who needs 20 centerpieces and only has a budget of $600 or $32 ea. She is very flexible in her look but does like substance - we are using orchids in her bouquet. I need your help. Typically my centerpieces start at over $100 and that gives me room to be creative and provide volume. But, I can't come up with something that suits my style, is beautiful and will fill a 10 top round for $32. I'm not ready to walk away on this one... she's a good bride with a big heart. I need your suggestions.
 
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ok clue me in, what is a 10 top round? I'm still new to the flower lingo. I might have some suggestions for ya but want to make sure they will suit what you need.
 
I like the submerged orchids. I rent the vases, rocks, and lights, to keep the costs down but they do make a statement and are very pretty. You probably couldn't sell them for $32 each but renting them to the bride may be an option. For $32 you may be able to find a reasonably priced vase and sell them....depends on your costs. Just an idea that I fall back on in this situation. Hope that helps some.

I believe there is a thread on submerged centerpieces here. You might try a search.
 
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rewolf said:
I'm baffled and need help. I have a bride who needs 20 centerpieces and only has a budget of $600 or $32 ea. She is very flexible in her look but does like substance - we are using orchids in her bouquet. I need your help. Typically my centerpieces start at over $100 and that gives me room to be creative and provide volume. But, I can't come up with something that suits my style, is beautiful and will fill a 10 top round for $32. I'm not ready to walk away on this one... she's a good bride with a big heart. I need your suggestions.
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Well, you are not ever going to get volume for that amount. I suggest change your thinking and sell space...

You may be able to keep the orchid theme and do a kind of caged orchid centerpiece...you can do it in any type of container be it ceramic of plastic...put bear grass all around the edges straight out from the container green your base for texture and put an orchid in the middle, like a big cymb...gather up the bear grass to make a cage around it and secure at the top with decorative wire. You could also cage with other types of green or twigs...The cage gives you a bigger show without having the giant expense of filling that space with flowers...
 
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My first thought when people have a budget is, large flowers/more value for the $. What about one big bloom of hydrangea and maybe some fuji mums and greenery to fill it out.

Ooh, thought of another one. For a tall arrg, someone here (CHR, I beleive) posted a pic of a single rose with filler/greenery in an eiffel tower and it looked great.
 
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How about white alstro, hand tied & dropped in bubble vase or ginger jar?
 
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i did a wedding last week, with 31 centerpieces.

two red roses, two white roses, two green carnations, 1 green hydrangea, and one to two hypericum berries

round plastic bowl, three - four LL and one Israeli ruscus.

total COGS, $3.91.

i sold them for $20.

focus on the color, not so much with matching your flowers.

joe
 
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That makes two of us Carol. I know I missed his business and design knowledge.
 
rewolf said:
I'm baffled and need help. I have a bride who needs 20 centerpieces and only has a budget of $600 or $32 ea. She is very flexible in her look but does like substance - we are using orchids in her bouquet. I need your help. Typically my centerpieces start at over $100 and that gives me room to be creative and provide volume. But, I can't come up with something that suits my style, is beautiful and will fill a 10 top round for $32. I'm not ready to walk away on this one... she's a good bride with a big heart. I need your suggestions.
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my sugguestion would be float a flower,I see simple one flower centerpieces for tables all the time when I deliver to the hotels, maybe some thing done with a single orchid....surely you would make a profit with using only one or two stems
 
RWK said:
That makes two of us Carol. I know I missed his business and design knowledge.
Click to expand...

I'm guessing it makes dozens of us.

Give the man some green dots.
 
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Sher said:
make thst 40 doz...now if only we can get RC back...I need help with my email campaign! Lol

Sorry for the hijack!
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That's okay. I miss RC's words of wisdom too. Welcome back Joe!

Considering everyone's input, I found this picture in the JH Reception Flowers book. Am I being lame by just slamming a few lilies in this bowl? I'd use an 8" rose bowl. Need to alter the lily colors over the 20 tables or it could look pretty boring. Am I good to go? For those of you who have done this kind of centerpiece, will it add enough substance to the table?
 

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rewolf said:
That's okay. I miss RC's words of wisdom too. Welcome back Joe!

Considering everyone's input, I found this picture in the JH Reception Flowers book. Am I being lame by just slamming a few lilies in this bowl? I'd use an 8" rose bowl. Need to alter the lily colors over the 20 tables or it could look pretty boring. Am I good to go? For those of you who have done this kind of centerpiece, will it add enough substance to the table?
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Adding substance isn't really the question with a 32.00 budget....You have two jobs to do...make the budget and fit it within the style of the bride..

I am guessing that she is not a pom and carn type of girl...so substance and size is out...Most of the time with a sit down dinner those 10 rounds get so crowded anyway....small with a whole lot of wow and style is probably the way to go...The flower in a glass idea is a great one...it is in and it has value in the consumers mind, they are seeing this at pottery barn and in mags...
 
rewolf said:
That's okay. I miss RC's words of wisdom too. Welcome back Joe!

Considering everyone's input, I found this picture in the JH Reception Flowers book. Am I being lame by just slamming a few lilies in this bowl? I'd use an 8" rose bowl. Need to alter the lily colors over the 20 tables or it could look pretty boring. Am I good to go? For those of you who have done this kind of centerpiece, will it add enough substance to the table?
Click to expand...

I think she is more than getting her value and I think I would tell her that the vases are rental and have to be returned on Mon by the family...why not. 8 inchers are not cheap...if she does that you could add swirl some lilly grass as a base inside the bowl for contrast and keep the lilies the same color..first you have better buyng power on the same color, the green will make them pop and you get them back! A win win for everybody....
Sher
Sher
 
aileen_c said:
ok clue me in, what is a 10 top round? I'm still new to the flower lingo. I might have some suggestions for ya but want to make sure they will suit what you need.
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Aileen,

I'm a newb as well, but I think it's a round table that seats 10 people.
 
Good post and point Joe.
Hey Big Guy, gonna have to crack a bottle of wine to celebrate !
Nice to see ya !!!!!!!!!
 
One trick that I use a lot to help increase VISUAL VALUE of a budget table centerpeice is by ELEVATING it off the table. I use a square peice of glass, supported by 4 apples, oranges, or whatever fruit complements the colors in the arrangements, and set the arrangement on top of the glass.

You have easily and quickly expanded the VISUAL AREA that the design now occupies. You have increased the height, and the width. of the design....( PERCIEVED HEIGHT AND WIDTH )
 
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