I was wondering about the red bearded iris too. Was Martha or someone showing them in a magazine or some dumb sh** like that?
Yet another bride to be story
- Thread starter Knife's Wife
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Tracy D'Amico
Well-Known Member
We've had bearded Iris in May, locally grown. Always in blues/purple shades, sometimes yellow & white. They hold for a day or three at most, and the new buds will open for a few more days. Not my favorite to work with, but I enjoy them personally. I've seen a reddish variety, but would never call it "red" by any means, more of a burgandy tone. I wouldn't think it would be an easily accessible flower, especially in March.
red bearded iris: Photo shop anyone? lately its been pics of flowers that you never see in those colors. It has to be photoshopped.
Oh and the best: I had a bride come in the national geographic and want THAT FLOWER... from Who knows where, but certainly not from any comercial production facility...
Oh and the best: I had a bride come in the national geographic and want THAT FLOWER... from Who knows where, but certainly not from any comercial production facility...
- Apr 16, 2005
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She sent and e-mail and followed by a phone call immediately. The bearded Iris picture came from a website in the UK. They do die in a short day or two.
She was calling from out of town so, coming in for a consultation not an option. I have done some great weddings by e-mail alone and met the brides just a few days before the wedding, not a problem. Actually they seem sometimes to be less of a hassle because they do not have the luxury of running from shop to shop for ideas and the best price.
I told her it was impossible to offer her bouquets with all the flowers she had requested and explained why. I would work up an option for her budget and get right back to her. So here is what I offered her.
A hand held bouquet of red roses and purple lisianthus, stems left long, organza ribbon wrapped part way down. (6 roses 5 stems of lisi.) $70.00
2 girls bouquets cutch style, stems cut short, ribbon wrapped of 7 red roses. $42.50 each
Flower girl 4 rose clutch of red roses, ribbon wrapped with streamers to tie the rings to. $30.00
I told her if she had her heart set on purple mini callas I would add them to her bouquet and create a boutonierre for the groom and best man with them if she added another $125.00 to her budget. And added that the stems would not be able to be left long for putting in water if mini callas were used.
She really wanted the callas, so she said she needed to talk to her sister who was paying for the flowers to see if this is a possibility.
She is calling Monday morning...we will see.
Joan
She was calling from out of town so, coming in for a consultation not an option. I have done some great weddings by e-mail alone and met the brides just a few days before the wedding, not a problem. Actually they seem sometimes to be less of a hassle because they do not have the luxury of running from shop to shop for ideas and the best price.
I told her it was impossible to offer her bouquets with all the flowers she had requested and explained why. I would work up an option for her budget and get right back to her. So here is what I offered her.
A hand held bouquet of red roses and purple lisianthus, stems left long, organza ribbon wrapped part way down. (6 roses 5 stems of lisi.) $70.00
2 girls bouquets cutch style, stems cut short, ribbon wrapped of 7 red roses. $42.50 each
Flower girl 4 rose clutch of red roses, ribbon wrapped with streamers to tie the rings to. $30.00
I told her if she had her heart set on purple mini callas I would add them to her bouquet and create a boutonierre for the groom and best man with them if she added another $125.00 to her budget. And added that the stems would not be able to be left long for putting in water if mini callas were used.
She really wanted the callas, so she said she needed to talk to her sister who was paying for the flowers to see if this is a possibility.
She is calling Monday morning...we will see.
Joan
All these people are "Headwreckers " and not to be taken seriously .My ususal tactic is when asked for some flower never seen or heard of commercially is to tell the bride very seriously and interested like ( NOT !lol)that I am more than happy to try and use the material as long as she sources and pays for the (huge -always helps to get the message accross without words) quantities I will need .
It always works for me and gives me a laugh too .
Teresa
It always works for me and gives me a laugh too .
Teresa
Well LOL, hey I don't feel alone anymore,,,,Ok one the redbeared thing, it was all over the place 2 years ago, and I think it was June or Gerbi that had them, Sorry at home,,the thing on the tables is just this the sites, are telling girls the Sob story, it will be to crowed to have 8 to 10 to a table So why not put 6 at them,,,,So they can charge more for servers, china, and linens to them, and I have heard it more than one in the last two days, Well my brides are not budging on the issue of the table thing, they may only have 125. guests, so the sites are doing it,,,as well, but I like th options ya gave her...
It may be just me......but I truly feel that I just could not give my bridal client the absolute, best, most over-the-top, bend-over-backwards service based on e-mails alone. I want to meet with that bride, to listen to the excitement in her voice, the nuances in her conversation, to hear her outline her dream.
If she was out of town and could not come to me......then this is where I would try and seek out a reputable, real florist, in her area for her to talk to. If she was insistent on me creating her flowers, then I would travel to where she is......charge for the traveling and the time........and to compensate for the time away from your shop......bearing in mind that is she can afford to cover my expenses to meet personally with her, she can afford what she wants and all things will be priced accordingly.
If she was out of town and could not come to me......then this is where I would try and seek out a reputable, real florist, in her area for her to talk to. If she was insistent on me creating her flowers, then I would travel to where she is......charge for the traveling and the time........and to compensate for the time away from your shop......bearing in mind that is she can afford to cover my expenses to meet personally with her, she can afford what she wants and all things will be priced accordingly.
Palms
Well-Known Member
Whilst i do prefer consultations i would certainly email with ideas and pics to get the work, not a problem for me, we have done this with a lot of people who live out of town but who are getting married her as they were from here and all their family live here.
Hey Joan, great job, it sounds as if you may get a very easy wedding here with just a couple of emails, now thats good business!!
I have learnt from this post.
Hey Joan, great job, it sounds as if you may get a very easy wedding here with just a couple of emails, now thats good business!!
I have learnt from this post.
- Apr 16, 2005
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Rick, I understand your concern about doing wedding consults by phone and e-mail. But, how would I seek out a reliable florist for her in her area to work with when the area she is getting married in is my area. She is not going to fly home 2or 3 times to talk flowers, she is not going to get them where she lives and transport them on the plane with her. She is not going to fly me to where she lives when it all can be done through that technology you spoke about in another thread. It is about changing with the times... The majority of brides today concern themselves with price first, convenience, and quality and service last.
If I only did weddings that I could do the best, most over the top, bend over backward service, I probably would not have many wedding as would few florist. Service comes at a price...
Do you think I should have just sent her to my competition, a basement betty the internet to order cheap silk.
P.S.
Check out this site
Affordable-elegance.com, be sure to go to the on-line ebay store and see the prices of the 25 peice wedding offerings. Unbelievable!! Don't get me wrong I know this is garbage but the brides don't.
Joan
If I only did weddings that I could do the best, most over the top, bend over backward service, I probably would not have many wedding as would few florist. Service comes at a price...
Do you think I should have just sent her to my competition, a basement betty the internet to order cheap silk.
P.S.
Check out this site
Affordable-elegance.com, be sure to go to the on-line ebay store and see the prices of the 25 peice wedding offerings. Unbelievable!! Don't get me wrong I know this is garbage but the brides don't.
Joan
Unfortunately or fortunately as the case may be, I have seen the work at the affordable elegance site. Hideous is an understatement.
You are right....it is about changing with the times........and I am changing the way I am thinking....but I hope to never change the way I feel about service.
You are right....it is about changing with the times........and I am changing the way I am thinking....but I hope to never change the way I feel about service.
I guess I'm weird but the more I can do via email, the happier I am.
- Apr 16, 2005
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Rick I didn't lower my level of service in any way... never will. I gave her the sevice she wanted. My opinions, my suggestions for her budget, and I will put 100% in making these bouquets according to what I sold her. If she decides to do this she will pick them up and I will give her a few last instructions and wish her the best of luck on the snow mobiles and in her married life. Good service for under $200.00 bucks and if she does do it I have saved another bride from affordable elegance and have added some to the bottom line!
Joan
Joan
Palms
Well-Known Member
aileen i thought that but i think there are a lot of shops with the same name. Not sure if it is the same person though!
That would be me!! BUT they are not talking about my site?? I hope~ here is mine affordableelegancefloral.com
See I needed to change my name~~~
- Apr 16, 2005
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The update:
So this bride called back Sunday morning and told the employee working that she wanted to go with us. But, wanted to go over (the little) order and make payment with her credit card.
When I got in I had a casket spray to do for $250.00 and two matching glass vase arrangements to do at $200 each. I had an hour to do them and not a minute to spare to call her. So, while I am scrambling to get this other work done she calls and is pissed that she was not called. My employee explains to her what I was faced with and that I will call her the minute I have completed this work. So, I call her and she starts giving me attitude, ok, deep breath, we move on. I go over what she will get for her money, see above offering. She proceeds to tell me that she wanted hot pink, not red and that the employee told her that she could add hot pink alstro for no extra cost.(big BS) So, I let her know that I am the one who quoted the prices, not the employee and that I did not tell her that. I explain to her that I was giving her the best price that I could based on what I knew I had order and the prices I had paid. If she was going to now change the flowers and the colors the price would go up as I would have to special order product for her. She started argueing with me that that is not what she was told. I told her I was right next to the employee the during the conversation where she had giving us the colors and flowers she wanted and I had quoted the price. She told me that my employee was lying to me. And that she never wanted red and that 3 of her e-mails went unacknowledge by us. (We never received any other e-mail except the initial one). I took a deep breath and told her I had a great suggestion for her. Ok, she responds I anxious to here it. "I suggest that you find someone else to do your flowers and put up with your obnoxious behavior. You have wasted far to much of my time for your $194.50"
I hung up before she could respond and went back to doing funeral work.
Give me creative funeral work any day of the week. I have had it with brides.
Rick you sure you don't want to move north and deal with the emotional rollercoaster of these insane woman? You sell, and I'll do all the design executing! Well, you can help, too! Lol
Joan
So this bride called back Sunday morning and told the employee working that she wanted to go with us. But, wanted to go over (the little) order and make payment with her credit card.
When I got in I had a casket spray to do for $250.00 and two matching glass vase arrangements to do at $200 each. I had an hour to do them and not a minute to spare to call her. So, while I am scrambling to get this other work done she calls and is pissed that she was not called. My employee explains to her what I was faced with and that I will call her the minute I have completed this work. So, I call her and she starts giving me attitude, ok, deep breath, we move on. I go over what she will get for her money, see above offering. She proceeds to tell me that she wanted hot pink, not red and that the employee told her that she could add hot pink alstro for no extra cost.(big BS) So, I let her know that I am the one who quoted the prices, not the employee and that I did not tell her that. I explain to her that I was giving her the best price that I could based on what I knew I had order and the prices I had paid. If she was going to now change the flowers and the colors the price would go up as I would have to special order product for her. She started argueing with me that that is not what she was told. I told her I was right next to the employee the during the conversation where she had giving us the colors and flowers she wanted and I had quoted the price. She told me that my employee was lying to me. And that she never wanted red and that 3 of her e-mails went unacknowledge by us. (We never received any other e-mail except the initial one). I took a deep breath and told her I had a great suggestion for her. Ok, she responds I anxious to here it. "I suggest that you find someone else to do your flowers and put up with your obnoxious behavior. You have wasted far to much of my time for your $194.50"
I hung up before she could respond and went back to doing funeral work.
Give me creative funeral work any day of the week. I have had it with brides.
Rick you sure you don't want to move north and deal with the emotional rollercoaster of these insane woman? You sell, and I'll do all the design executing! Well, you can help, too! Lol
Joan
Chezbloom
Well-Known Member
I hear your pain and I think you did the right thing. I too have had many of these PITA brides lately and I've turned a few away. I am sick of having them try to lower the price of everything, sign but never actually read our contract and basically behave like little brats that they see on shows such as Bridezilla. To be honest, I used to do whatever it took fearing I would get the dreaded bad review on Google or a wedding site, but now I don't really care. I have complete confidence in our work and our designers and I know our prices are very fair. I am a florist not a doormat at the discount bouquet-o-rama.
Good on Ya!
Good on Ya!
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