Looking back now, one of the reasons I struggled so much with pricing my work was that I had no point of reference. I knew how to do the math and price to the formula but I had no reference point in terms of what specific budgets looked like for wedding flowers.
The secrecy of our industry, the fact that your closest flower friends will not share their approach with you, is one of the many reasons florists consistently undercharge and underearn.
In my experience, one of the biggest reasons florists struggle to charge the right price is because no one talks about it. So, that is the point of this little exercise here, peoples. To help fill the giant void of information and give you the tools you need to learn how to price wedding flowers with confidence.
How to Price Wedding Flowers – The Right Formula to Follow
One of the greatest blessings we’ve been handed as florists is that hundreds of thousands of florists have travelled before you, testing out the pricing formula for florists. Florists of all shapes + sizes have used this pricing model, which means you don’t need to keep guessing. It truly is such a gift and makes pricing our designs so simple!
In case you’re not sure what the right formula is and you’re wondering how to price wedding flowers, here is the industry standard formula for pricing wedding + events work:
Wholesale x 3.5-4 + 30-50%.
Yes, I suggest you markup all wholesale items (flowers, foliage + sundries) at the same percentages to keep it easy on yourself. And yes, delivery, set-up and pack down are over and above this equation. (They’re calculated based on the specific event requirements and logistics).
To bring this equation to life, let’s go through an example. Let’s say you’re a floral designer who just loves an abundance of roses in your bridal bouquets (me too!). Maybe we’ll keep it simple and go with a very traditional colour palette and design the entire bouquet with Vandellas. These days, they wholesale for around $2.20 per stem.
For me, based on my design aesthetic and the level of abundance I like my clients to have, I want to account for 34 stems in a bridal bouquet. Plus, let’s allow $10 (wholesale) for ribbons, tape, packaging, etc.
Following the industry-standard approach, the math works out to be $415.
[(34 x $2.20) + $10] x 3.5 + 40% = $415
Pricing Is Based on Equation. Not an Emotion.
Let’s dig into an example budget and break down the specifics. If a client came to you with a $1500 budget, what could they expect to see?
With the continued rising cost of flowers, it’s fair to say $1500 doesn’t buy you what it used to, right? These days, it’s the starting off point and is enough to cover a basic set of personals or a few items for a more intimate ceremony.
Here’s a few examples of how $1500 might break down for a wedding:
EXAMPLE 1
Bridal Bouquet $415 x 1
Bridesmaid Bouquet $250 x 3 = $750
Buttonhole $25 x 4 = $100 (Groom, 3 x Groomsmen)
Saturday Delivery + Drop Off (Local) = $200
EXAMPLE 2
Brial Bouquet $415 x 1
Buttonhole $25 x 3 = $75 (Groom, 2 x Father)
Front-facing floral arrangement to sit on bar or signing table = $750
Saturday Delivery + Drop Off (Local, 2 locations) = $250
Looking for a step by step tutorial to help you quote a design you’ve never made before? Check out this YouTube video.
You Set Your Prices. Your Customers Set Their Budget.
One of the best lessons I learned in navigating wedding enquiries is that your customers have no idea how much to allocate or budget for wedding flowers.
You know how you, as the business owner, have a hard time finding information? Now, imagine being one of your clients! It’s nearly impossible.
I know it feels scary to be the florist that openly talks about budgets and wedding planning, but it is the most helpful thing you can do for your customers. Being the florist who gives your clients the tools and resources to make empowered decisions is a game changer – it sets you up for an incredible relationship because the foundation for your entire creative relationship is built on transparency and helpfulness. And yes, that relationship then gives you the space you’re dreaming of to make beautiful floral art!
So, while all the other designers are making it hard for clients to find information on how to budget for wedding flowers and what $1500 (or $5,000, $15,000 or $150,000) will get them, be the brave one. The easiest way to separate yourself from the competition and stand out from the crowd is to be the florist who actually gives your clients helpful, practical information.
And I don’t mean having it hidden deep in some blog post from a hundred months ago. Or setting up an auto email to send a price list (no, it’s actually not that helpful). I mean be brave AF and put together a few helpful resources your clients can find on your website and in your IG feed/profile.
As counterintuitive as it feels, your clients will love you because you’re making it easy for them and will love you more because you’re the most helpful.
Worried Your Competition Will Find Out About Your Prices?
Don’t be. If your competition is spending all their time focused on you, you’re winning. It means they’re not focused on your clients and that provides you with the perfect opportunity to come in and sweep them off their feet, right?
And if you’re really stuck on the idea that your competition will find out, think about how all the big companies operate. Remember, the people who run Samsung know exactly what price the iPhone is offered at. In every country in the world. Because it’s right there, in our faces every day, on their website.
They’ve figured out how to make it work. So can you.