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In the beautiful wedding industry, minimum spends are a *big* thing. But… why?

This is a question I get asked a lot!  If you aren’t familiar with the process of bulk buying or what’s involved to make a single bouquet, it can seem confusing and most definitely annoying when a florist you adore requires you to spend a certain amount.

Why can’t you just take my money?!

Owning a business has been such a journey, and it has taught me the importance of establishing a minimum spend, to ensure my business doesn’t just stay afloat but grow. A minimum spend also ensures that the high quality of my work is never compromised! This is why you will find most boutique florists requiring a minimum spend, or only taking on work above a certain amount.  

When I originally started my flower business, it was a very small venture, and I never anticipated (or planned) for my business to grow into what it is now.  There’s not a day that passes that I don’t feel immense gratitude for this business of mine, so don’t get me wrong, I am SO darn grateful for the journey, but it could have been a lot easier if I wasn’t as naïve in the early days.

Story time!

When I initially started my floral business, I didn’t have a minimum spend. This is because I didn’t want to turn away any business. It made no sense for me to tell people they needed to spend a certain amount to have one of my creations, when I would really be happy with $5 and a pack of cookies…

So, I would offer $200 wedding bouquets to brides, who only wanted a bouquet and no other flowers. $200 for a single bouquet when I was just starting out– not bad! Sounds fine, right? 

Well, the issue is that wholesalers and flower growers predominately sell in bulk.  This means that a rose bunch come with 10-12 stems, carnations come with 10 stems, cosmos 20 stems and so on.  It’s similar to going to the grocer and wanting a single orange and a single apple, but you’re forced to buy the bulk 5 kilo bags.

Similarly, you can’t buy single stems as a florist, only bulk.

This isn’t a bad thing if you are doing an En Masse option. En Masse means ‘in a group, altogether.’  In floristry, this means one flower grouped together. For example, if someone wanted just a daisy bouquet, or just a rose bouquet, this would be En Masse.  Doing these sort of ‘market’ style bunches are great, as there isn’t a massive outlay of bunches. You just need to buy the one flower variety!

Anyway. A regular garden style bridal bouquet of mine might have 15 different flower varieties in it,  but only use 1-3 stems of each variety.  So when I first started, I found I was often spending $300 + GST wholesale on flowers alone for each of the said $200 bouquets… The math doesn’t add up! (But hey, I wouldn’t trade it for the world as it is experience you just can’t buy)

But, as you can imagine, buying so many bunches in bulk bouquet meant that there was a lot of leftover premium flower stock that I was just sending to its grave, as I didn’t have any other use for it or couldn’t sell it.

Keep in mind this $200 price did not include the labour to process all the flowers, design the bouquet, drive to the flower markets, back and forth emailing, creating mood boards, delivery, GST and other costs involved. This was just the cost wholesale for me to purchase the florals. It just wasn’t and still wouldn’t be sustainable. 

Of course if you a florist has lots of weddings in the same week / same day and you ask to have a single bouquet, we might be able to do it as we already have the product, but I prefer to approach my weddings with a limited booking system, rather than trying to churn out as many as possible, which can feel impersonal, and also is beyond exhausting long term!

My approach to floristry is not just about designing pretty floral visions with pretty flowers; it’s about creating experiences that really resonate with the heart and soul and leave every single one of my clients with an incredible experience.  As silly as this may sound, this philosophy is what drove me to set a minimum spend for my services.

Let’s explore 6 reasons below why minimum spends are important:

1. Bulk buying – the first point on why we have a minimum spend is to accommodate for bulk buying. To achieve our whimsical and romantic style, we need to implement a minimum spend so we aren’t left with heaps of leftover.  This also means that we can still achieve our whimsical, flower-focused designs that have become our signature, without having to do a cheaper / not as visually beautiful design.

• Expertise – you’re compensating for my (and my designers’) time, skill, and years spent perfecting my craft. Designing one of my wedding bouquets is an art that demands knowledge and creativity. Experience and skill + high quality product = every design is beautiful and executed with so much care. The minimum spend reflects the expertise and the liveable wage it takes to bring these creations to life.

• High quality flowers – I seriously only use the best flowers, which are conditioned and cared for exactly how they are meant to be. The years of experience and education I have invested in myself, and my business, has taught me the value of using only the best stems, and ensuring they are prepared and conditioned correctly to be perfectly open. I use the best varieties to create my signature styles, never opting for cheaper alternatives that could compromise the bouquet’s design and aesthetic.

• Time – from weeks of preparation to the meticulous admin work of ordering and liaising with suppliers, to the team of designers on the day and days prior prepping the flowers, just to make your wedding flowers a possibility – the process is thorough! A minimum spend ensures that the hours and time is catered for, because like I mentioned above, it definitely wasn’t when I was doing ‘bouquet only’ services!  You’re compensating for my (and my designers’) time, skill, and years spent perfecting my craft. Designing one of my wedding bouquets is an art that demands knowledge and creativity.

• Sustainable growth and passion – setting a minimum spend allows me to take on fewer weddings at a higher price point, rather than trying to churn out as many weddings as possible to say afloat for the same amount of $.  Having a minimum spend helps my team and I avoid burnout, ensuring that I can continue to grow the business sustainably and still remain passionate about the craft every day.

• Attention to every couple – by focusing on fewer weddings, I can guarantee that each couple receives the undivided attention they deserve. I am also able to be more selective with my clients, and work with those who resonate with my work and feel aligned with it.  This allows me to continue to consistently create beautiful flower designs that are on brand, rather than doing any wedding style of flowers simply because I’m a wedding florist and I can. This commitment ensures that my style remains uncompromised, allowing me to consistently deliver the garden-inspired, breathtaking floral designs you know and adore!

In saying that, you may be able to find a florist with a slightly lower minimum spend as they don’t need to spend as much upfront, but it also means that the bouquet won’t have as many flower varieties in it, and you won’t have my signature abundant style you simply love.

So, what is the infamous flower spend I keep banging on about?

We have 2 options for pricing investments:

The first is our A La Carte option. 

The A La Carte offering is designed for intimate celebrations, events, elopements and micro weddings. It is the perfect option for those who adore my blooms but consider florals to be a beautiful addition rather than a main focus. This offering is perfectly streamlined so it still captures the essence of my work, but is ideal for those who are comfortable with a curated set selection, without the need for customisation. Essentially, this offering is a concise selection of my favourite designs, and offers a simpler yet beautiful approach for those who may not require a full-service experience. This option is designed focuses on personal flowers and possibly a small ceremony feature. Please note that this option is not customisable, and is a pickup option. It also does not include hire items. This investment is from $1500 + GST.

The second option is our Full Service option. 

The full service offering is my main bread and butter offering and covers all aspects of your wedding day where flowers are needed, ensuring a cohesive and stunning experience.  The difference between this and the A La Carte is that this offering is a lot more personal and bespoke, as we work closely together to curate your bespoke dream designs based on your unique wedding venue, style and set up. You also have access to use my entire inventory collection, get a thorough and in depth proposal brief, and have the option for repurposing and bump out/pack down.  On top of this, you have the opportunity to order anything flower related from us – there isn’t a set menu unlike the A La Carte. This investment is from $4000 + labour + GST. 

Keep in mind that labour is added on top, to ensure a clear communication with what the flowers cost vs what it costs to bring it to life. If you are curious what labour means, head to my blog post HERE to read more.

I completely understand that budgets vary, and I’m seriously committed to working with you to achieve your flower vision, so if your budget doesn’t meet my minimum but you’re still so eager to have my blooms grace your day, please still reach out and let me know, as I am always open to discussing how I can be as accommodating as possible!

I hope this blog has provided you with some context on why minimum spends are implemented, and why they’re so important for wedding florists!

Here’s a flower quote I’m loving lately: “Love is like wildflowers; it’s often found in the most unlikely places.” — Ralph Waldo Emerson