Yaaaaaaaaayyy.... I got a bride with NO BUDGET!!

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Laurel280

Laurel280

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Jun 4, 2008
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I had a wedding consult yesterday, and the bride has NO BUDGET.... Im so excited. I don't get very many of those. Well none really.. Everyone always has a budget in mind, but not this lady. :headbang:
My mind is going crazy with all these ideas. But she want's simple, very simple. No greens. No huge mounds of flowers. So there goes my big extravagent arrangements. Her colors are black and white with a touch of Silver. So im thinking for the centerpieces pilsner vases with lots of white dendro orchids with crystals and maybe a few pieces of silver ting ting, with up lights. Im not sure if the ting ting will take from the class of the whole thing. What do you guys think???
And some trees all around the room with the dendros again. Up lights on the tree's also. The thing is she doesn't want to make any choices, im not used to that. She just is letting me go........ But im not used to that and im worried that she won't like what I choose. Like it won't be SIMPLE enough for her. Any input is very much appreciated.
 
Good luck laurel.I have found that all my brides have a budget,even the ones that say they don't. I'd say go for it,but don't be suprised when they get your quote and then...suprise! All of a sudden they really do care how much it costs.
 
Congratulations!!!! I have only had a few no budget weddings...God I miss them!

As for her ambiguity, I would get a quote together for her and include a few pictures of what you are invisioning (and yes, I think the ting ting would cheapen it a little). Even if the quote is just some ballpark prices and some photos, it will make sure you & she are on the same page. Everyone's idea of simple is different.

Just my opinion.
 
No, she really doesn't. I tried to pry an amount out of her, and she just said I don't care, I just want it to be fabulous. She said she wants the flowers to be the most fabulous thing there. Well besides the food of course. She and her fiancee are both doctors. They are older and neither have ever been married. She said she has been waiting her whole life for this one day and she wants to do it up.... My thing is I can't phathom spending something like 30,000 on flowers and I have a budget wise mind, and with the whole SIMPLE theme It won't be that crazy of an amount.
 
I have had three weddings where they stated over and over there was no budget. There is always a budget!!! All 3 were shocked at the prices of 20-35 grand. I finally learned my lesson.

If you didn't already you need to be frank with her and let her know that you do weddings that range in price from 300.00 to $50,000.00 so you really need to know what money range you are working in.

You would never believe the work I had into the 3 weddings I speak about(for another time). All 3 were so embarrassed by the fact that they kept telling me there was no budget, because the truth was that they never in their crazy minds could imagine that flowers can cost upwards of an SUV.

Don't even start to dream, and sketch, and price etc... until you know.

Advise given take it or leave it.

Knife's wife
 
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I have only had one bride who truly did not care what was spent on flowers as long as it was extravagant. That happened back in 2005, and is documented with a thread I started here.

YOu absolutely have to know your customer and their tastes to ever attempt what I did.

No money down, no questions of money prior to the wedding.

We had over 200plus hours of design/setup/consult time in this wedding.

I should have charged a bit more, however I wanted to keep the bill under $10,000.
 
Had one of these a couple of years ago. She really didn't have a budget. It was great!!! The coordinator made all the decisions and we worked well together, so it was easy to plan.

Has she actually signed the contract yet? If so, whooo-hooo!!!! Fun Fun Fun!

If she truly doesn't have a budget, then be creative. Do what looks right, not what you, yourself, would be comfortable paying for. If she really won't give you pointers on what she wants, then talk to the other vendors. See what they are doing, and maybe if any of them have worked with her before. Oh-is she working with a planner?
Unfortunately, I've found that many brides say they don't have a budget--until they see the estimate. Hope that's not the case here!

--Thea
 
She doesn't have a planner, She came with 2 other members of her bridal party. Because she is a doctor and has such a busy schedule she is leaving alot of the planning up to other members in her party. One of her bridesmaids is actually going to pick out her cake for her.

She did express to me what types of flowers she likes, dislikes, what her style is and such. So I have an idea, I am just really excited, and also VERY NERVOUS because Im used to dealing with brides that come in with those planner's that you can't even close because there is SOOOOO MUCH stuff they have been gathering up along the way and know EXACTLY what they want.

She attended a wedding I did for a friend of her's and that is how I was referred to her. The wedding she attended however was totally opposite of Simple and modern. It was a garden design with lots and lots and lots of greens, and huge arrangements.

As for the contract, she did give a "non-refundable" $200 deposit to "reserve her date". I don't have the final contract made up yet because I don't know what I will be doing.
She said she really is leaving it up to me to figure this out for her and to just let her know what I come up with and how much it will cost.

I do have contact info for the maid of honor but from what I gathered during the consultation she can't make a decision to save her life, so I don't think she will be a ton of help here..

SO I guess, I just need to do my best and come up with some FABULOUS designs....
BUT if you have any suggestions, Bring them on.....
 
See dreams really do come true !! Way to go SUPER FLORIST !!
Pin a big S on your chest
 
CONGRATULATIONS! WOW! I have a bride now with a very tight budget and LOTS of opinions, so you should go for it on this one!

If I were you, and I know this is time consuming, I'd do a "fantasy" proposal, incorporating EVERYTHING that you can think of...Basically your fantasy. See what she says. Don't underestimate the customer. Maybe she has some "no budget" friends who are single and will attend the wedding. You never know. I say go for it!
 
Joe Mioux said:
I have only had one bride who truly did not care what was spent on flowers as long as it was extravagant. That happened back in 2005, and is documented with a thread I started here.

YOu absolutely have to know your customer and their tastes to ever attempt what I did.

No money down, no questions of money prior to the wedding.

We had over 200plus hours of design/setup/consult time in this wedding.

I should have charged a bit more, however I wanted to keep the bill under $10,000.
Click to expand...
why????????
 
Sometimes, even with no budget you have to be very careful, and also sometimes when one states this they have no Idea on things, and Did I read right that you only have the MOH information, and also, I don't mean to chop up here, But if you got a depsoit without something concrete on paper then you have to be very careful as well, I am onlys saying this, Because I see shops do this quite often,,

As far as the ting ting thing never ever use that over ones head, It will tread downward, Check out the site about the glitter issues, and also check out someof the aspects of the site this will help you out..
 
lfederman said:
For silver, I'd either spray some curly willow branches with silver paint, or add that silver decorative wire into the design. I don't care for ting ting.
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I agree. I rather like curly or birch. Ting Ting is out as far as I'm concerned. And I love decorative wire.

Congratulations on a chance to be as creative as you want.
 
Congrats Laurel! You would be the happiest florist around town. My only advice would be to keep it simple BUT striking! Simple doesn't mean cheap either...just simple designs with spectucular flowers.
I am sure that you will whip up wonderful MAGAZINE worthy wedding and good luck with your new ' money is no issue ' bride :)
 
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Just one litle bit of advice.......Number one. GET SIGNED CONTRACTS NOW.

Number two - Schedule at least two follow-up consultations/meetings - One at about the halfway point between now and the wedding date and the other one two weeks before the date.

Number three - Have samples of designs or detailed drawings available. Her idea of simple and your idea of simple may be two different versions of simple.

At each consultation, make sure she signs a document verifying that you went over everything with her.

THis will help to keep them from coming back and biting you in your ASSpidistra
 
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Flame said:
My only advice would be to keep it simple BUT striking! Simple doesn't mean cheap either...just simple designs with spectucular flowers.
Click to expand...

Exactly what I was going to say! Simple does not have to mean plain. I'd surely go for elegance on this one, and make every arrangement spectacular in choice of flowers and design. Simple does not mean small either.

Also, I agree with Rick about showing her some sample arrangements or at least detailed drawings.
 
Thanks everyone for your advice.

I emailed her some pictures yesterday and she loves what I came up with. She actually really liked the ting ting. She said it screams PARTAYYY!!!!
I just wish I could use calla lily's..

She is coming this Thursday to sign the contract. And yes I hope there are MANY single "no budget" friends that are getting married soon and are coming to her wedding, that would be FABULOUS...
 
If she has seen your work (which she did) and liked it and decided to ask you to be for florist, you are to have full confidence in your own ability and just let your juice flow.

I have had both brides and corp clients that trusts my design 100% and it's been wonderful working w/ppl who really just likes your taste and vision.

On the budget side, I get a cap amount from these clients per event or per year, however little or much. Great advise from other posts here about giving her a ball park figure, she will either be shocked or affirm you on the amount, in both cases, a more clear budget will be established.

Oh, and can she give you a blank check to go with her no-budget guideline?
 
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