Wild Wedding - Holy Sh*t!

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Audra

Audra

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Nov 6, 2002
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Sault Ste. Marie
www.mannflorist.com
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Ontario
Ladies and Gents of Flowerchat, I would appreciate your assistance in figuring out how in hades to begin to charge for a wedding like I'm about to describe.

We received the following email this afternoon, we haven't responded yet because we're still in shock. The letter will be in regular font, my comments will be in bold.

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Hello, I'm getting married on Saturday, July 23rd in a little area outside the Soo, close to Bruce Mines and I'm in need of your assistance. I'm in Houston, Texas and trying to work remotely on getting my wedding plants together and am in need of a florist for my wedding. Your shop came highly recommended.
These are the details of what we need and of the wedding area:

The wedding is going to take place on McMahon lake, which is next to Patten Lake outside of Bruce Mines (about 30 minutes outside of the Soo) . Try closer to an hour to Bruce Mines and Patten Lake is a good bit north of that. The cabins on McMahon lake have no electricity or running water. This is where everything has become such a challenge.

We will be in the Soo in May, probably the latter part of May, and would like to meet with you and go to the wedding site and get your thoughts on flowers, arrangements, etc. We will need to cross one lake in a boat, walk a portage, and then take another boat to the wedding sight. Portage? Portage?!?! We will of course have ideas on arrangements prior to meeting with you so that way you aren't caught off guard. What are the normal bouquet and flowers associated with a wedding?

The day of the wedding, we would ask that you meet at the roadhead of the lake, where we will have a sea plane (!?!?!) waiting to take you to the wedding site where you would set up the flowers for the wedding and reception. The female wedding party will be staying at the roadhead on Patten Lake on Friday night (the 22nd) at the main lodge where you can leave the bouquets for us (there is running water and electricity at the main lodge).

We understand that this is a large job and are aware that the costs associated with it will be reflective of the time and energy it will take to put this together. Please let me know if this service is something that Mann Florist is interested in providing for us.

Thanks in advance for your consideration.
(name withheld)
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Holy lifting hooey. It's an hour drive to Bruce Mines, who knows how long it will take to get a) get to Patten Lake (b) canoe across (c) portage over to McMahon Lake (d) survey the site and (e) get home.... then there's the logistics.... if you make the stuff ahead, getting it to the site intact will be a challenge because a small seaplane isn't an easy ride or landing. If you do them onsite, you don't have running water...

Any suggestions?
Audra
Who is still dazed and amazed.
 
$75 / per / person for the onsite consult. Bill the flowers @ your normal rate, but be sure to include healthy estimates for labour time and travel. Bill for the travel time!!

Do the designs in advance, but take extra product to repair any travel damage. Make sure to include the cost of the extra flowers in your billing.

We're a creative breed, us real florists - I'm sure you'll come through! Look at the level of service expected of those in a service industry - how cool is that?

Ryan

PS - Hey ProFlowers ... drop ship THIS!
 
Echoing The Infinite One's comments...

This is something I have done...minus the "Portage" thing...

I have flown two complete weddings to Maine, and one to Idaho... the one in Idaho, had no water either, but they did have electricity...

We did do the work on-site over a 3 day period ahead of time including the Grooms Dinner, Rehersal and more, plus decorate the Hotel where we reception was held.

Considering all the time involved before hand, I would make it clear that they must pay for the consult time wise, in advance by check clearing your bank ahead of the proposed consult date.

Ryan mentioned $75.00 per person for the consult, I'm more inclined to $50.00/HOUR...(I would charge $150.00/per)if they are willing to spend the amount an **EVENT** like this will cost them for the "portage" Sea Plane, Cabins and all, they most likely have the bucks to PAY YOU for YOUR EXPERTISE...

Call me if you'd like to discuss the posibilities...we transported hundreds of stems in water on their private jet, but still YOU CAN DO IT TOO!

and...YEA...ProFlowers...drop ship THIS!
 
Don't forget if you have accomodations to cover as well as the time and travel expenses. Sounds like the first couple of answers are well worth talking to for cost details of time and trouble... take them up on giving them a call .... nothing like experience to help you out at a time like this.
 
Dam n Ryan you stole my line!!! Proflowers and a real drop ship from a pontoon plane. ;)

Holy Cwap Audra. I'm inclined to agree with Ryan and the pricing... don't be cheap with yourselves... the logistics alone are a huge cost.

What a challenge, but oh my, what fun!!! :)

V
 
Victoria said:
Dam n Ryan you stole my line!!! Proflowers and a real drop ship from a pontoon plane. ;)

Holy Cwap Audra. I'm inclined to agree with Ryan and the pricing... don't be cheap with yourselves... the logistics alone are a huge cost.

What a challenge, but oh my, what fun!!! :)V
Click to expand...

*nods* Yea, that's how Mom sees it. Logistically, it could be outrageous, it's going to be interesting to talk to the bride to see what they're looking for. It's definitely going to be a 'take pictures' type of situation.

Audra
 
wow!!

Just the kind of challange I like. Wish I could come help. You can do it. Use your creative mind!! You could make big bucks on this one. I would charge by the day plus meals and travel and pad a little extra in there. Transport all your supplies - including some 5 gallon jugs of spring water. Hire extra help for all the transporting. I would love to see pictures!! Good luck..
 
Holy cow Batman....

WOw I thought I was the only one that got weird weddings. Last year I had a whole wedding through e-mail, this yeaar the same from Vancouver coming to ELliot Lake. And got another one from the states but they are at least coming up in May.
Hell add extra for everything. Now they say the wedding has no water....Where is these people going to bathe? or SHower? etc.
Don't you think if they use water from the lake and boil it, won't it be good to use? I would suggest easiest bouquet you can get them to say yes to, do it, bottle sping water, lots of crown and glory, and I think Diane and gudrun should be doing this wedding....

A pre estimated cost when you meet them as a heads up would be nice....

I can't believe it....
If you do it, this has to be told and a story made in the newspaper.... with pics of course.
Luc
 
Luc as the freshness consultant

Luc said:
....Where is these people going to bathe? or SHower? etc.


Audra you could bring Luc in as the Bride's personal freshness consultant his knowledge about the strategic application of deodorant that he enlightened us with last week may be a big help.

He may be able to help the Groom and his Best Man and Ushers as well but they may chose to go "Commando" out in the bush.

My suggestion.
Click to expand...
 
Doug Hatcher said:
He may be able to help the Groom and his Best Man and Ushers as well but they may chose to go "Commando" out in the bush.

My suggestion.
Click to expand...

Is that for the "rehersal" or the "reception" ???
 
Luc said:
WOw I thought I was the only one that got weird weddings. Last year I had a whole wedding through e-mail, this yeaar the same from Vancouver coming to ELliot Lake. And got another one from the states but they are at least coming up in May.
Click to expand...

We got those kind of weddings all the time, long distance consults are nothing new here.

luc said:
Where is these people going to bathe? or SHower? etc.
Click to expand...

Uh, Luc, she does say that she is staying elsewhere, not at the wedding site.

Don't you think if they use water from the lake and boil it, won't it be good to use? I would suggest easiest bouquet you can get them to say yes to, do it, bottle sping water, lots of crown and glory, and I think Diane and gudrun should be doing this wedding....
Click to expand...

Diane or Shirley do wedding work, who actually does it remains to be seen.
Audra
A pre estimated cost when you meet them as a heads up would be nice....
 
Phone up one of your tv stations and ask if they'd like to do a live reality show on the whole event. Something like 'how far will your florist go'. Just think of the publicity if they went for it?
 
BOSS said:
Tis not over yet...:)
Talk to you later today Audra...
Click to expand...

Good gravy, no, it's not over. Not by a long shot. I'm going to work on a page today that shows the site at it's primitive best.

I'm going to be picking up a new Sony MiniDV recorder so that we can get video and stills of the site... what the bride is asking us to do is going to be incredibly labor intense.

More details will follow.
Audra

P.S. Thanks for the call, Mark, we feel a little less nervy now.
 
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