My website address is www.ecfloral.com, and I am new to the business. Other than majoring in Fine Arts in college, I have no formal floral education, and I was referred to FlowerChat by a florist named Joan in the Rochester, NY area. From becoming a member with FlowerChat, I hope to gain a wealth of knowledge from designers and owners of floral businesses who can help me with any questions I may have. I feel I can contribute to this floral community by sharing the little knowledge I have and being a "listening ear" to those who may need to vent. My business is operated from my home.
EloquentConceptions Intro
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Introduction message and HELP!!!
Hi everyone. My name is Kristen Richards and I am the owner/designer of a new company, Eloquent Conceptions Floral Design in the Albany, NY area. I am married to a man(?) lol named Jeff, and, together, we have five children (4 girls, help me God, and one boy). Our oldest just turned 17 the other day and the next in line will turn 17 next month. We have 11-year-old twins and our son is six. If you'd like to visit my website, please do (any comments/opinions good or bad are welcome) at www.ecfloral.com, and I also have a Myspace: www.myspace.com/ecfloral.
QUESTION:
Can anyone help me with figuring out how much to charge for labor? I have my very first client and am drawing up a proposal. Because I am new, I have to keep it a bit low, but I don't want to lose out. There are 18 tables, 8 pew arrangements (using pew clips and ribbon), a pomander ball and halo for FG, of course the bride's bouquet, 7 (including MOH) bridesmaids' bouquets, ring bearer pillow, unity candle, 4 wrist corsages and 4 buttonholes (none for the groomsmen and Best Man). The tables will consist of pilsner vases with tight nosegays on top, 3 smaller arrangements around that and votives, and the flowers to be used are hydrangeas, peonies, mini callas, and filler flowers. I know this is a lot of info, but I so need help as to labor costs. I will be doing this (for the most part) alone, and I'd appreciate any opinions you have.
Thanks for listening. Hope you all have a great day, and I look forward to chatting with you!
Kristen
Hi everyone. My name is Kristen Richards and I am the owner/designer of a new company, Eloquent Conceptions Floral Design in the Albany, NY area. I am married to a man(?) lol named Jeff, and, together, we have five children (4 girls, help me God, and one boy). Our oldest just turned 17 the other day and the next in line will turn 17 next month. We have 11-year-old twins and our son is six. If you'd like to visit my website, please do (any comments/opinions good or bad are welcome) at www.ecfloral.com, and I also have a Myspace: www.myspace.com/ecfloral.
QUESTION:
Can anyone help me with figuring out how much to charge for labor? I have my very first client and am drawing up a proposal. Because I am new, I have to keep it a bit low, but I don't want to lose out. There are 18 tables, 8 pew arrangements (using pew clips and ribbon), a pomander ball and halo for FG, of course the bride's bouquet, 7 (including MOH) bridesmaids' bouquets, ring bearer pillow, unity candle, 4 wrist corsages and 4 buttonholes (none for the groomsmen and Best Man). The tables will consist of pilsner vases with tight nosegays on top, 3 smaller arrangements around that and votives, and the flowers to be used are hydrangeas, peonies, mini callas, and filler flowers. I know this is a lot of info, but I so need help as to labor costs. I will be doing this (for the most part) alone, and I'd appreciate any opinions you have.
Thanks for listening. Hope you all have a great day, and I look forward to chatting with you!
Kristen
wildflowerschicago
New Member
Hi Kristin,
Thanks for your interest in our community. I have a couple of questions about your business...
Do you operate your business out of a residence or a commercial facility?
Do you have a proper business license, collect and pay sales tax?
You website is beautiful. If this is your first wedding client, where did you get the images used on your website?
I don't mean to be nosy, it's just that this is a forum for professional florists, and our education has cost us all dearly (through taxes, licenses, schooling, rent and costly mistakes). If you are an untrained home based business, operating without all the things that contribute to our overhead, the membership will be reluctant to share their knowledge with you. It would be like going into a mechanic and asking them to teach you how to change the oil in a car so you can start doing it from your home for less than they charge.
Thank in advance for your response!!!!
Thanks for your interest in our community. I have a couple of questions about your business...
Do you operate your business out of a residence or a commercial facility?
Do you have a proper business license, collect and pay sales tax?
You website is beautiful. If this is your first wedding client, where did you get the images used on your website?
I don't mean to be nosy, it's just that this is a forum for professional florists, and our education has cost us all dearly (through taxes, licenses, schooling, rent and costly mistakes). If you are an untrained home based business, operating without all the things that contribute to our overhead, the membership will be reluctant to share their knowledge with you. It would be like going into a mechanic and asking them to teach you how to change the oil in a car so you can start doing it from your home for less than they charge.
Thank in advance for your response!!!!
I totally understand, Amy. I do work out of my home, but I have a tax ID number and pay for a storage space for my supplies. I cannot afford a storefront, and working from home allows me to be here for my children and help them with any needs; i.e. homework.
Because I am just starting out, I will be collecting sales tax and paying them (as soon as I start booking), and the images I used on my website are all my own work. (Never would I think of taking someone else's art and using it as my own. That's as good as (if not worse than) stealing. I took $2,300.00 of my own money (saved up, which is hard when you have 5 children) and bought flowers and supplies and spent three days putting everything together in order to photograph them for this purpose. I've paid for printing of the photos for a portfolio, and I also paid for the website (although I designed it myself with my husband's help -- thank you for the nice comment on the looks; that took my husband and I over a week to get up and running!). I have business cards and brochures that I've designed and had printed, and I pay different people for referrals. I have put a lot of time and energy doing research (reading and reading and reading, plus lots of video watching) of the proper way to care for and treat flowers, and my fine arts degree from years ago is still being paid for through student loans. Although it did not focus on flowers, it did focus on color, line, design, etc., which is all applied to floral design, through the years of classes which included drawing, painting, photography, art history, etc. I'm paying dearly for that also
).
I really appreciate your questions, and I don't mind answering anything you need to know. I'm not trying to take business away from other florists or make their trials and errors for naught; I'm just trying to do something I love while being able to take care of my family, and charging my clients a fair fee is of the utmost importance to me.
Hope this is enough to find help here, and have a wonderful day!
Kristen
Because I am just starting out, I will be collecting sales tax and paying them (as soon as I start booking), and the images I used on my website are all my own work. (Never would I think of taking someone else's art and using it as my own. That's as good as (if not worse than) stealing. I took $2,300.00 of my own money (saved up, which is hard when you have 5 children) and bought flowers and supplies and spent three days putting everything together in order to photograph them for this purpose. I've paid for printing of the photos for a portfolio, and I also paid for the website (although I designed it myself with my husband's help -- thank you for the nice comment on the looks; that took my husband and I over a week to get up and running!). I have business cards and brochures that I've designed and had printed, and I pay different people for referrals. I have put a lot of time and energy doing research (reading and reading and reading, plus lots of video watching) of the proper way to care for and treat flowers, and my fine arts degree from years ago is still being paid for through student loans. Although it did not focus on flowers, it did focus on color, line, design, etc., which is all applied to floral design, through the years of classes which included drawing, painting, photography, art history, etc. I'm paying dearly for that also
). I really appreciate your questions, and I don't mind answering anything you need to know. I'm not trying to take business away from other florists or make their trials and errors for naught; I'm just trying to do something I love while being able to take care of my family, and charging my clients a fair fee is of the utmost importance to me.
Hope this is enough to find help here, and have a wonderful day!
Kristen
wildflowerschicago
New Member
Kristen, thank you so much for your honesty (and for not taking my questions as a personal attack)!!!
I believe your intentions are good and you certainly have enough experience in the other areas of our business...so you have my vote.
As for the help you seek, once you are granted membership, use the "search" feature to look in the archives for the wide variety of opinions on what to charge for labor. It is the most useful tool on this site for new members.
Welcome!
I believe your intentions are good and you certainly have enough experience in the other areas of our business...so you have my vote.
As for the help you seek, once you are granted membership, use the "search" feature to look in the archives for the wide variety of opinions on what to charge for labor. It is the most useful tool on this site for new members.
Welcome!
Palms
Well-Known Member
I think you sound really nice and as long as someone is paying taxes i am happy to chat flowers. Welcome Kristen, from over the pond:loopy
Thank you, so much, Amy. It really means a lot to hear that. I will definately search for the labor charge info, and I wish you all the luck in your business! Do you have a website I could look at? I love to see how different artists use their talents (and I promise not to copy!:dearbob )
Kristen
) Kristen
Thank you, so much, From Over The Pond! Cute little girl you have there! Have a wonderful day,
Kristen
Kristen
Knife's Wife
Well-Known Member
- Apr 16, 2005
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Welcome Kristen, I am the Joan you spoke to on the phone In Syracuse NY not Rochester, that directed you here. Thanks for answering the questions... good luck at getting voting in.
Joan
Joan
Hi and welcome! You sound lovely and you certainly have my vote. My word of advice for a newcomer to the game is to keep at it even if you stumble along the way. This industry is unique in a lot of ways and can be very rewarding but can also take from you too until you can strike a balance between the flowers and family.
Lastly, on this forum there is a lot of experience and a wealth of knowledge. Please make use of the search function if only because there is a lot of support for each other and you will find many answers to questions that have been asked before as well as the discussions that followed. (these questions are usually thought of as the "basics" but are valid nonetheless! Customers, product, seasons etc.)
I wish you the best of luck!
Lastly, on this forum there is a lot of experience and a wealth of knowledge. Please make use of the search function if only because there is a lot of support for each other and you will find many answers to questions that have been asked before as well as the discussions that followed. (these questions are usually thought of as the "basics" but are valid nonetheless! Customers, product, seasons etc.)
I wish you the best of luck!
Am I getting soft?
As a general rule, I'd vote against a brand-new home-based business. Avoiding questions about the most basic level of our industry from this type of member is part of the reason why we have the voting in the first place.
Yet, there is something very fresh, raw and intelligent about her posts. I'm not sure why, but my gut tells me that she could be an asset to our group.
So, rules are meant to be broken. I'm giving her my vote. I hope I don't regret it later.
Welcome, Kristen.
As a general rule, I'd vote against a brand-new home-based business. Avoiding questions about the most basic level of our industry from this type of member is part of the reason why we have the voting in the first place.
Yet, there is something very fresh, raw and intelligent about her posts. I'm not sure why, but my gut tells me that she could be an asset to our group.
So, rules are meant to be broken. I'm giving her my vote. I hope I don't regret it later.
Welcome, Kristen.
Welcome Kristen. I'm happy to give you my vote. Joan's opinion carries weight.
As for labour... do not low ball your worth just to get a client. Be fair to yourself and to her.
Oh, and search out the discussions on the matter.
V
As for labour... do not low ball your worth just to get a client. Be fair to yourself and to her.
Oh, and search out the discussions on the matter.
V
Hi, Joan! Thank you for directing me to this site -- it is amazing, as are the people here! I cracked up when you said you were from Syracuse, not Rochester! LOL! I was filling those questions out, and I couldn't, for the life of me, remember which it was, so I picked . . . THE WRONG ONE! OF COURSE! LOL!!! I'll always appreciate the time you spent with me over the telephone and how sweet you were.
Have a wonderful day,
Kristen
Have a wonderful day,
Kristen
Ouch. . . and at the same time, thank you, BJBouquets! ) I think I understand where you're coming from (as much as a new person to the industry can), and I also hope you don't regret your vote to welcome me. I respect every single person on this site for all of their struggles in order to get where they are today, and any questions you answer for me will be taken with an immense amount of appreciation and admiration for your knowledge and craft.
To get to this point in my life has been rife with struggle; please do not think I am just waltzing into this business like I think I can. I've paid my dues in many other areas, and I'm starting to pay them in the floral industry also. I will pay more, I know, but I look forward to it because, to me, that's one of the things which makes a good designer.
Thank you for posting with honesty, and thank you for listening.
Kristen
) I think I understand where you're coming from (as much as a new person to the industry can), and I also hope you don't regret your vote to welcome me. I respect every single person on this site for all of their struggles in order to get where they are today, and any questions you answer for me will be taken with an immense amount of appreciation and admiration for your knowledge and craft.To get to this point in my life has been rife with struggle; please do not think I am just waltzing into this business like I think I can. I've paid my dues in many other areas, and I'm starting to pay them in the floral industry also. I will pay more, I know, but I look forward to it because, to me, that's one of the things which makes a good designer.
Thank you for posting with honesty, and thank you for listening.
Kristen
welcome to flower chat you will love it here.. I to am a mother of 4 with my oldest turning 19 soon. my little one is 4.5.. I run a small design stuido on our land my husband built for me about 4 years ago. I to have the same out look I want to be able to raise the kids attend their school, do home work and watch them cheer..and contribute to the house hold.. I LOVE WHAT I do and have spent many years working at it... welcome~flower sister:blowkiss:
Hi, Victoria. Thank you for welcoming me! Joan was a sweetheart on the phone, and I'll always remember her kindness. Thank you for your advice on pricing; already I've found wonderful information, and your advice on lowering my worth is well heard.
Happy flowering (without clipping a nice gash in your fingertip with the clippers!)),
Kristen
Happy flowering (without clipping a nice gash in your fingertip with the clippers!)
),Kristen
I love that, Tracy: Flowersister. You sound as busy as I am with your family! Gives me the sweats! lol! When I get a chance (I'm trying to draw up my first-ever proposal), I'm going to come back on and look at all of everyone's sites to see all the beauty and talent I hope to someday achieve. Thank you for your post, flowersister!
Kristen
Kristen
Hi, Maria. Thank you for your vote and I appreciate all of the information you've given me. The more I can get, the better, and your time spent talking to me is treasured.
Take care and happy flowering,
Kristen
Take care and happy flowering,
Kristen
I'm soggy too then
Like you BJ I am wary of home based florist but found the graciousness of the answers a pleasure. Enjoy your time here Kristen and let us know how you get on.
C
Like you BJ I am wary of home based florist but found the graciousness of the answers a pleasure. Enjoy your time here Kristen and let us know how you get on.
C
Hi, Caroline. Thank you for speaking to me, and I hope we'll be able to form a friendship here. Have a wonderful day, and all the success to you and your business.
Kristen
Kristen
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