the right fit - how finding the perfect vendor makes the difference

After taking a quick vacation, I finally feel caught up enough to be able to share a little bit about what we have learned in the last couple weeks.

We were approached by an event planner who mentioned their client was looking to make a switch to a new floral designer.  One month before their wedding.  No big deal, we have put together weddings/events in less than a week.  We felt comfortable we could make it happen and now off to meet with the client.  But wait, they just fired their last flower designer! Eek!!! 

The meeting went great, we were booked.  Awesome news, happy dance and all the good stuff. 

What we learned was that everyone has the perfect fit, for them. 

We are not the perfect fit for some, and in turn other designers turn out to not be the perfect fit for our clients.  

What I learned is that we have to speak up.  The moment that our gut tells us it is not a fit... walk away.  Communicate to said vendor and move on.  As a business owner it stings to hear that we are not the person that will make your vision come to reality, but even worse is that we never had a chance to allow the client to move forward with another vendor.

We had a recent potential client send an email the day after our consultation to tell us to not create a proposal... she knew we were not the right fit.  This was hands down the most extreme version and not going to lie, maybe the one that hurt the most.  After licking my wounds I felt proud of said bride, that she knew she fell in love with another vendor and that she didn't waste my time.  I felt honored and appreciated and only wish other would be so respectful.

Her ability to communicate so directly opened the door to another client that was the perfect fit for us.  I am more grateful to her now that I would have ever been at the beginning of this business as I now value other opinions and time so much more.  

---

Ever want a white wedding but need a little splash of fall tones?  We worked on this piece with Jennifer (Keely Thorne Events) for one of our fall clients.  Bride was wanting an all white wedding with touches of fall, and I think we nailed it! Thanks Jennifer for bringing us an amazing client and always working with us to make it exactly what they want.  

Curious about what blooms we used?

• Ranunculus
• Garden Roses
• Standard Roses
• Spray Roses
• Garden Spray Roses
• Anemones
• Bush Ivy
• Jasmine Vine
• Lisianthus
• Eucalyptus
• Berries (two different varieties)

how to stay inspired: create for an audience of one

I have found that inspiration come from everything.  Music, art, food, movies, traveling, podcasts and so much more. As an artist we demand creativity from ourselves on a regular bases, pouring all we got to create something out of nothing.  To be able to do this on a consistent basis I have found that pouring back into that cup of creativity is one the best things I can do to continue to give as much as I can.

Creating for an audience of one is important.  I create pieces for me, no one else.   There wasn't an order, a wedding, or event that booked me for this one.  I got inspired and needed to develop a shape, and an idea with flowers.  I have found by doing this I can not only get an idea out and see if it works well, but also keep flexing that creative muscle. 

This inspires me and keeps me going.  This fills my cup.

This is how we continue to learn and develop the skills that we are so known for.  I did not design like this 10 years ago.  Trust me I am so glad Instagram was not a thing back then.  But with time and patience I created more and better. 

I used garden roses, peonies, lilac, roses, garden spray roses, anemones, ranunculus and lisianthus to name a few. We found this gorgeous urn at the local garden center and knew it needed to be filled with gorgeous blooms.

how giving trust can give you more

Trust is a tricky thing, we give it away every single day to a bunch of people we don't know.  From when we drive on the roads, to when someone makes our lunch.  We trust people to do some of the most mundane every day things that we forget how easy it is to trust. 

Trusting people to do the tasks that we are very capable of doing comes easy to us. But releasing some of our fear and trusting people to do things for us when we are unfamiliar with the rules is even more difficult.  Particularly when it's a big purchase.  I get it! I am right there with you.  

Well then how can we trust people when we are making those big purchases?  I have found some useful ways in making this happen that have worked for us.  From a recent home, car and engagement ring (my fiance purchased :-) ) purchase, we have some tried and true ways that make this process easier and more productive.

 

TRUST: How to build trust with your vendors? 

ONE

Do your research! It is WAY to easy now to Google it.  Do some key word searches and get to reading. Particularly with creative vendors.  Read some reviews, go to their website, facebook and instagram and see what they have going on.  Evaluate what is important to you.  Do you like their style, their consistency, their voice on social media platforms?  

TWO

Ask your currently booked vendors.  Yes your friend might have referred you, but continue to ask about them before booking. See what we have to say about them.  Your friend's wedding was one day... we as fellow vendors see them every single weekend.  ASK US.  Ask specific questions of things YOU specifically need.  For example: It is important for me that people are kind, so I ask about people's character and consistency.  I believe that with those two things I can get the best from people.  

THREE

10,000 hours.  Make sure that the vendor you are choosing has their 10,000 hours in the task you are asking them to perform.  It is said that it takes 10,000 hours for someone to master a skill.  It's an estimated 5 years (spending 40hrs a week).  I don't think that's much to ask from a professional.  But I specifically mention this one as it requires the vendor to know weddings and events not just flowers (for us flower designers specifically).  It's a whole other monkey to understand the specifics about weddings and events.  

Why does Trust Matter?

I read this quote today from one of my favorite entrepreneur friends and I thought I would share as I have never been able to eloquently say this:

"When we nickel and dime people providing a service, trying to get the most while paying the least, we will almost always lose out. While some people may consciously give less, I believe that even those who want to give their all will lose enthusiasm for the project. For this reason, I prefer to pay people what they're worth and give them a reasonable amount of time to complete the job. They're happy and I'm happy!"

Help those providing a service for you not loose enthusiasm.  We are professions in a human body.  We can not deny that the way people treat us impact our work.  Give those people you hire all your trust and then watch them provide you the best service they are capable of.  I can honestly say that I was one of those people that could not fully trust people when making a big purchase.  After owning a business and seeing how it affects moral I have changed my ways. We can all do our part in growing and changing our mindset of how we treat those people who we chose to trust.  

top 3 ways to make your home wedding amazing

We are seeing an uptick on home weddings are we are loving it! I have yet to enjoy a wedding more that the first time I attended an at-home wedding.  There is an intimacy that can not be replicated anywhere else.  As a guest, I felt so privileged and loved being able to attend such a special moment in their space.

After creating some home weddings we wanted to give a few tips to help those needing inspiration.  There are endless ideas, but we found these to be the most memorable and impactful. Enjoy!

1) Find Special Places

Find those places in your home that you love.  It doesn't have to be a big space, but it has to be special. This particular wedding had a side room off their kitchen that was a lounge, seating area.  We moved the furniture out of the way, and created a altar type area where the couple got married. This is hands down still one of my favorite ceremony spaces we have ever decorated.  The intimacy of the space is unparalleled to any other I have ever seen.

2) Incorporate Special Items

You're at home, take advantage of it.  This Bride's father owns a car dealership and is fascinated by cars.  Therefor you can imagine that it would mean so much to him to incorporate some of the items he loves into his daughter's wedding. His passion added such a special touch to their day.

3) Splurge on the Details

Yes flowers in your pool is not an every day thing and neither is getting married.  Splurge! You are saving on your location spend a little on those dreamy moments that are only possible at home. And my gosh you can later frame these images as even the image of just the roses in the water is so dreamy.

Have you ever thought of getting married at home?  If you have give us a call, we would love to walk your space with you and give you even more tips on how to make impact statements and adorn the space with flowers that are unforgettable.

Contributing Vendors: Pink Promise Photography , Pomp & Circumstance

top 3 things to learn about a failed buisness

Learning from other business owners is one of the most important things I do. I am naturally an inquisitive person, so asking questions about everything under the sky is in my blood (Go to Botanical Brouhaha to learn more about my podcast and all the questions I ask) .  But trying to not get wrapped up in the natural desire to know all the gossip and focus on what matters can be a little difficult at times.  We all want to know the gossip, but what stays with me is the pieces of information that help me grow.  And there never has been a piece of gossip that has made me grow.

Reading books like from Good to Great and listening to podcast like How I built This has taught me so many nuggets about business.  Here are a several that have been solidified this summer after some experiences, listening, readings and asking questions.  Writing these down will help me digest them, and remember them in the future.

1) Surround Yourself With the RIGHT People

Having the right amount of business owners, entrepreneurs, creatives and leaders in my life has taken years to acquire and to be honest I am always looking for more. You can never have enough of those kind of people who motivate you, inspire you and correct you when you are wrong.  See the mistakes you are making and help correct them. 

2) Hire Slowly Fire Quickly

This one is tough as being a woman we are natural people pleasers. After eight years of running this business on my own, integrating people to come help me build this has been one the most difficult elements.   As many previous employees have witnessed I wasn't always the best manager.  People are the most difficult element of the business but have also found out, the most rewarding. 

3) Train Well and Give Trust

Once we train our employees through many years of trail and error, we hand over the torch.  I am forgiving of mistakes and make sure everyone is aware that I make them too.  We can all learn from each other and see where we can all grow. But giving them all the opportunity to take ownership of their work has been the most rewarding part of this all.

Above images are of an arrangement made by our Jr. Designer, Maxine Hu.  She's been an instrumental part in making this year a successful one!