What Do Floral Installations Cost at Weddings?
It’s basically impossible for someone who’s not in the floral industry to have any clue how to budget for, or price out, a floral installation. Let me help!
It’s basically impossible for someone who’s not in the floral industry to have any clue how to budget for or price out a floral installation. Let me help!
Photo: Esther Funk Photography
I recently had an off-putting encounter with a bride (not one of my clients), who walked into the tent at Pineridge Hollow while Deanna and I were setting up a wedding.
She was just checking it out as her wedding was upcoming there, and she asked which floral company we were with. When I responded “Stone House Creative,” she kind of muttered “of course” and I politely responded, “was I already booked for your date?” She replied no, and kind of fumbled over the words: “you’re too expensive.” She then proceeded to say that she was willing to splurge because she wanted the ceiling covered in greenery and the tent entrance poles covered with florals and greenery exactly like she had seen me design for another wedding at the same venue last fall.
So…she thought that I was too expensive, but hadn’t even inquired with me or received a quote from me, all at the same time as wanting TWO very labour-intensive and product-intensive installations.
I was so confused and a few weeks later, it’s still so unsettling to me. I know that you all don’t know what goes into the costs of floral design and what it is what we do — and you don’t have to know! That’s totally our jobs.
But there are a few lines that need to be drawn, and that’s this: don’t assume something is too expensive without looking into it, AND if you’re supposedly on a low budget (because I’m too expensive? that’s the inference I assumed from the conversation) then don’t assume that you can afford multiple large installations.
(And to note: Stone House Creative is not really more or less expensive than any other established floral designers who specialize in weddings and use the premium quality product that I do. There are definitely companies who charge too little, but that doesn’t mean that I’m charging too much — there’s a big difference between the price tag associated with a company that undercuts or doesn’t charge for rental items, and a company like mine that is built on solid business practises and isn’t interested in going into the red to pay for other peoples’ weddings.)
This does give me the perfect opportunity to talk to you all about budgeting for installations. When a floral designer or wedding planner uses the word “installation,” we’re referring to those large focal moments that are massively eye-catching and make a huge impact on your wedding design. These are also going to be large budget line items, as they generally require a lot of labour, a lot of product, and a lot more logistical consideration than just designing a centrepiece and popping it onto a table.
So, let’s talk about floral and greenery installations, and what they cost.
First, I have to give the annoying caveat that every installation is going to cost a completely different amount than the next. The very nature of an installation is that it’s 100% customized to the space, the product used, the amount of time and labour it takes to put together, and so on.
Second, I’ll give the broad-scale notice that nothing large is “cheap.” Ever. Nothing. You can look at a very floral-heavy installation and think “if she makes it out of carnations, it’ll be cheap.” That’s just not true — large, statement making pieces require a TON of product, time, expertise, and labour, and none of that is inexpensive. It’s like if you’re buying a car, and you think “a Mercedes is too expensive for my budget; I’ll get a Corolla instead,” but then you upgrade to literally every single premium option in that Corolla, you’re still going to be spending a lot of money. It’s still not cheap.
Planning: Feast & Festivities | Photo: Megan Steen Photography
Greenery on Ceilings
If you’ve spent any time on Pinterest or Instagram looking for wedding inspo, you’ll have seen images of tents or ballrooms with greenery vining across the ceiling. It can be incredibly gorgeous, yes!
Here’s what you’re not thinking about: the rigging or lighting company needs to first go up on ladders or a lift, and install cables or line for the florist to then go up and attach the greenery to. This takes them a few hours.
Then the floral designer gets up on the ladder or the lift and attaches the greenery. This takes a few hours, and at least 3 staff. And not everyone is comfortable getting up on a ladder!
Now, the vining greenery that we often use for this type of work is called smilax. It comes in a large quantity, often in a giant garbage bag crammed into a cardboard box. It does not come in smaller quantities. You can’t just get a small bit of it. It’s also covered in thorns, and twisted up in vines and it’s really time consuming to carefully pull apart to get the right pieces. And quite frequently, by the time it gets to us in Manitoba, it’s partially rotten and so we have to buy more to account for this.
Based on the amount of product that we have to order, the absolute bare minimum that you’ll need to invest in ceiling greenery is $1000, and that’s just the cost of product. That’s not including labour, time, or logistical needs like renting a scissor lift. Depending on how large of a space you’re covering, or how dense you want the coverage, this is most likely not going to be nearly enough. Without knowing anything about your space, I’d suggest budgeting at least $3000 for anything on the ceiling. This could easily go up to over $8000 depending on the size of space you’re working with.
Planning: Feast & Festivities | Photo: Megan Steen Photography
Tent Entrances or Staircase Installations
I love a good tent entrance moment ✨ Read more here to find out why (and some of my other favourite ways to design a tent wedding!).
Tent entrances and staircase installations are relatively similar in the way that we have to design. Basically we need to take the amount of space that we’re designing (50 stairs approx 12 inches deep each, or 2 tent poles approx 8 feet high, etc) and then figure out how much product we need per foot, and multiply that by the dimensions we’re working with. We also need to consider how much volume we’re using, if we’re trying to camouflage something like a tent cable, and so on.
Another important question to ask is, are we using all greeneries/foliages or are we incorporating floral, or is it entirely floral? This is going to affect the final cost, as well as how long it’s going to take, what the mechanics are, what needs a water source, and so on. A tent entrance could likely start around $2500 for a foliage-focused design, while I’d suggest that a full staircase installation like the photos you’re looking at on Pinterest would start more around $10k.
Planning: Soiree Event Planning | Photo: Brittany Mahood Photography
Hanging Installations
Hanging installations can come in many shapes and sizes. This season alone, we’ve done medium to large pieces hanging over a bar or a head table, to greenery-dense grids hanging over a dance floor, to floral clouds hanging over an aisle. You can see how it’s impossible to give a blanket quote for these types of things.
7 years ago, when I started doing a lot of hanging ceremony installations at the now closed Cielo’s Garden, I priced them starting at $500. Just as with every other industry in the world, floral costs have increased much since then.
If you’re wanting a single hanging piece over a head table or a bar, for example, I’d suggest budgeting at least $800 (similar in size to the picture above). This will also vary if you need it completely double sided, or single sided (as in, is the back going up against a wall and no one will notice if there are no florals on the back side?).
If you’re wanting something more dramatic, like flower clouds down your aisle or a large piece over your dance floor, I’m going to again suggest budgeting a minimum of $3000. If you have a large space (like a 20x20 dance floor, for example), obviously that will take more product to cover. You also don’t need to fully cover it! A few hanging pieces here and there can be absolutely dreamy!
Photo: Ariana Tennyson Photography
Fireplace Mantles
Fireplace moments are SO delicious to me. We’ve got a few wedding venues in Winnipeg and area that have some glorious fireplaces that I love flowering, including St Charles Country Club, Hawthorn Estates, and Lilystone Gardens.
One thing that’s great about fireplace installations is that it can be a great place to repurpose a ceremony floral piece! Make sure to measure the fireplace and ensure it’s deep enough (some are mostly decorative and don’t have much space on the mantle). If you have aisle pieces or an arch piece, these might find a good home on the fireplace.
Floral designs always come together best when they’re designed for one particular spot, so if budget does allow for you to give the mantle it’s own moment, you’ll be the happiest with the final product. Mantles can be done as a lush, full floral and greenery piece, as well as easily done as a collection of candles and mixed stem vases and varied size arrangements.
The cost is going to depend on the size of the fireplace, but if you’re looking at a large floral piece, I’d start your budgeting around $200/foot of coverage that you want, and if you’re looking to incorporate candles and stem vases, you could probably budget that at $75 - $100/foot of coverage.
Planning: Eventzy | Photo: Mandy Wright Photography
Custom Backdrops and Focal Points
Sometimes we’ll get requests for a floral spotlight at a welcome sign, as part of a photo booth backdrop, a cake table, and so on. These prices are also going to range widely, but I think you’d be safe to start your budgeting at $300-$500 for a “smaller” floral piece, and $500+ for a larger moment.
I hope this is so helpful for you! I know that wedding flower budgeting is incredibly unsexy and also very mysterious. It’s not a world that you’re familiar with, and that’s okay. Generally speaking, online resources are completely useless and out of touch with reality, so that doesn’t help you either. That’s what we’re here for :)
Getting married in 2024?
Flowers are the best way to make a statement at your wedding. Whether you already have a specific vision or want me to dream up something custom just for you, reach out to us for stunning bridal bouquets, truly unique ceremony backdrops, and beautiful floral centrepieces to create the perfect ambiance for your wedding!
My Top 5 Tips for Designing a Beautiful Tent Wedding
THERE ARE MANY THINGS TO LOVE ABOUT A TENT WEDDING:
the ability to host your loved ones at a special property, the ease with which you can customize the event design, and the ambiance can be so exciting and inspiring.
Let’s ensure your wedding is more beautiful than the typical tent event. Read on for my 5 top tips to design a beautiful tent wedding!
With covid the way it is, I expect that we’ll continue seeing a lot of tent weddings throughout the 2021 wedding season.
There are many things to love about a tent wedding:
the ability to host your loved ones at a special property, the ease with which you can customize the event design, and the ambiance can be so exciting and inspiring.
Planning: Gather Events | Photo: Nancy Ray | Via: Town & Country
Let’s ensure your wedding is more beautiful than the typical tent event.
Read on for my 5 top tips to design a beautiful tent wedding!
PS Before you scroll too far, open up this Pinterest Board in another tab! Here you’ll find more awesome tent wedding ideas 😘
Pay Attention to the Colour Palette
Tent weddings usually mean lots of green (grass) and lots of white (tent walls). This makes it really easy to design a classic white and green wedding, but if you’re working with a different colour palette, you really need find ways to incorporate your palette to make it stand out!
My favourite way to bring a colour palette to life is actually with the table linens. Upgrading to coloured table linens makes a massive difference simply because of the large amount of visual real estate that table linens take up. Choose the foundational colour in your palette so that you can make the rest of the palette sing with other accents, like your centrepieces.
Planning and Design: Alison Events | Photo: Tec Petaja | Via: 100 Layer Cake
2. Play with the Floor Plan
One of the awesome bonuses of a tent is that you are not restricted to any structural barriers, nor do you have to feel like you have to follow any set of rules. You can do whatever you want! Mix of long banquet and round tables? Do it. Want to put the head table right in the middle of the floor plan? Love it.
Choose what you want to be the focal point of the tent, and design your floor plan around it.
Planning: Always Yours Events | Photo: Jessica Schifilliti
Planning: A. Dominick Events | Photo: Jodi & Kurt Photo | Via: Ruffled
4. Incorporate Unique Lighting
Enlist the help of a great lighting team. Frequently, tent weddings take place outside of the city where it gets really nice and dark in the evening. Whether you want bistro string lighting, classic chandeliers, or a collection of casual textured basket lanterns, some sort of overhead lighting will make a large impact on the overall ambiance. And, of course, don’t forget about the power of candlelight, flickering low to the table all night long.
My go-to lighting experts here in Winnipeg are Event Light. They cover everything power-related (thank goodness, because I don’t think I’m alone in not knowing what any of that means), they’ve got a great inventory of stylish lighting options, and they also have all the tall ladders I ever need to hang flowers 😉
Planning & Design: Amorology | Photo: Tenth + Grace | Via: Style Me Pretty
3. Make a Grand Entrance Statement
Tents are often large, and with the side panels open, guests can trickle in from anywhere. This isn’t necessarily a bad thing, but the flow of traffic can feel a little directionless, so establishing a focal point can make an enormous difference to your guests' experience. I love taking this opportunity to create a gorgeous entrance to the tent that also serves a purpose: welcoming guests, guiding them to their tables, and adding to the overall event design. This could be a large floral installation or oversized floral urns flanking the entrance, an expertly designed seating chart or escort card table, or a welcome table set with champagne. Create a focal point, designed with a purpose, and add something extra to the guests’ experience.
Planning: Amorology | Photo: Scott Clark | Via: Style Me Pretty
5. Upgrade Your Rentals
This one is a big one for me: upgrade your rentals, people!! Caterers often include a very basic set of plates, glasses, and cutlery but we’re talking BASIC. Not at all beautiful. Coloured glassware, layered dishware, elegant metallic flatware, a coloured napkin…these things make a HUGE difference in your overall event design. Don’t forget about the chairs — the basic white folding resin chairs that are available from most tent companies are fine, but they don’t necessarily fit with every aesthetic.
Here are a few more ideas to make your tent wedding the BEST:
If space allows, incorporate a great lounge area. Many typical venues will have some sort of entry area with couches and chairs where people can relax post-dinner if they aren’t interested in dancing. A tent doesn’t have that opportunity, so build it in to your plans! If your wedding is in summer, place a lounge outside the tent under a tree, rent some great soft seating (here are some of my faves!) — don’t forget about adding a coffee table and end tables for drinks to be placed on! — and create a great atmosphere.
Make sure your guests are comfortable with either portable heating systems or fans. And if it can be a misting fan, all the better.
If your wedding is in spring or fall, a clear top tent is your secret weapon: the greenhouse effect created keeps the atmosphere a little more toasty and gives you a little more natural heat.
Hire pros. Hire hire hire. I can’t count the number of times I’ve heard people say, “We’re just going to make it easy and have a tent wedding.” LOL guys. Since when is building a venue from scratch in your own yard easy?? But if you hire the right professionals, it can be both easy AND beautiful. This starts with a planner who is well-versed in tent weddings and knows how to take care of all of the logistics — because there are a lot of them. If you need some recommendations, just ask away :)
Proof of how amazing the misting fans are! On a hot summer day, a misting fan is the little piece of heaven you didn’t know you needed. This one is available through Event LIght.
Planning: Soiree Event Planning | Photo: Brittany Mahood Photography
Find the full gallery from this elegant tent wedding on a private estate here, for some more great inspiration!
LOOKING FOR A WEDDING FLORAL AND EVENT DESIGNER IN WINNIPEG?
Flowers are the best way to make a statement at your wedding. Whether you already have a specific vision or want me to dream up something custom just for you, reach out to Stone House Creative for stunning bridal bouquets, truly unique ceremony backdrops, and beautiful floral centrepieces to create the perfect ambiance for your wedding!
How to Make the Most of Your Intimate Wedding
I have an opinion, and it may seem strange, coming from someone who makes her living off the gathering of large groups of people: I LOVE that we are having an increase in intimate weddings.
If my husband and I were getting married again, I would do it differently than when we tied the knot 10 years ago. We were quite young when we got married (barely 22 years old!) and hadn’t actually been guests at very many weddings, so we planned things that we thought we were “supposed” to plan them. I don’t have any regrets about our wedding at all — I just would do it differently now. And one thing that I would love is to have it smaller.
We had 150 guests, which isn’t that huge to begin with, but there were definitely a few tables of people that were on the guest list because, again, I thought I was supposed to have them there. It was such an honour that they did come, but if I were doing it again, I’d probably aim for 75-ish people. I would love to be bold enough to say 50 people, but with the size of my family (and they are important to me), we simply wouldn’t have been able to get away with 50 people. Realistically, I think we could could be looking towards a few months of 10-50 person wedding guest lists, so I’m excited to envision that with you!
I have an opinion, and it may seem strange, coming from someone who makes her living off the gathering of large groups of people: I LOVE that we are having an increase in intimate weddings.
If my husband and I were getting married again, I would do it differently than when we tied the knot 10 years ago. We were quite young when we got married (barely 22 years old!) and hadn’t actually been guests at very many weddings, so we planned things that we thought we were “supposed” to plan them. I don’t have any regrets about our wedding at all — I just would do it differently now. And one thing that I would love is to have it smaller.
We had 150 guests, which isn’t that huge to begin with, but there were definitely a few tables of people that were on the guest list because, again, I thought I was supposed to have them there. It was such an honour that they did come, but if I were doing it again, I’d probably aim for 75-ish people. I would love to be bold enough to say 50 people, but with the size of my family (and they are important to me), we simply wouldn’t have been able to get away with 50 people. Realistically, I think we could could be looking towards a few months of 10-50 person wedding guest lists, so I’m excited to envision that with you!
So, let’s make the most of your intimate wedding!
Above all, what I want you to come away with is this knowledge: even if you didn’t originally envision or plan an intimate wedding, that doesn’t mean that it’s not a wedding worth celebrating, and celebrating HUGE. Get excited!
For any of your couples considering a smaller wedding this year, I HIGHLY recommend it. I was very much against the thought of a smaller wedding initially but it was honestly everything I could have wanted and more. I am so glad we went ahead with it and truthfully, the ceremony itself meant so much more to both Daniel and I because of who we did have there!
-Lainie and Daniel (married in an intimate backyard wedding on June 28, 2020)
What it’s all going to come down to is carefully designing a plan to treat your guests to an experience unlike any other, and that means starting with what YOU love!
Photo by Lynsey Corbett Photography ~ Planning by Soiree Event Planning ~ See more here!
My Must-Haves for an Intimate Wedding:
-Petals (or confetti or bird seed) for each of your guests to toss as you celebrate down the aisle.
-Live music, at least for the ceremony.
-Over the top florals, obviously. At least for your ceremony!
-A catered dinner from your favourite restaurant with ALL the menu options.
Let’s be honest: you may never have the reason to do something elaborate like this ever again. With fewer guests, you’ll have an increased amount of budget to spend per guest, which means you can treat your favourite people to the ultimate wedding, the wedding you dreamed of in the beginning before the realities of money ever got in the way.
Imagine how it would feel to be a guest at this wedding:
Planning, Design, Florals by Rhiannon Bosse (she’s got some amazing ideas on your blog for you!)
You’re welcomed in with personalized charcuterie boards and pre-poured cocktails, while a musician plays acoustic guitar in the background.
The table is set to the highest degree: the scent of flowers sweetly floating on the breeze, elegant glassware in your hand, personalized menus and place cards with a note from the couple written just to you to make sure you know that you are an important guest.
An incredible dinner awaits, and it’s far from the basic bottle of wine and salad/entree/dessert. Your palette is spoiled with upgrades: a full bar, multi-course dinner with wine pairings, table-side creme brûlée. Maybe the typical dinner fare is skipped in favour of the couple’s favourite elevated street food instead — individual servings of hand-smashed guacamole and grilled corn, or a beloved food truck has set up shop in the backyard for the night!
The evening finishes on a sweet note with a personalized dessert board — petite molten cakes in individual ramekins, the bride’s favourite cookie, a scoop of the groom’s favourite ice cream, a hot chocolate shooter.
I think it’s safe to say that your guests will agree that there’s absolutely nothing missing from the experience, and if they’re being honest, it’s probably the best wedding they’ve ever attended.
Don’t let anyone leave without a gift — and I’m not talking about your regular old wedding favour. Perhaps it’s as simple as an elegantly wrapped box of your favourite Constance Popp chocolates, or a premium welcome bag featuring your prized must-haves from local Manitoba makers: a sweet bottle of Bee Project honey, a can of your favourite Little Brown Jug ale, or locally made bitters or shrubs from Abiding Citizen.
Left: Sinclair & Moore, Middle: A Signature Welcome photographed by Corbin Gurkin, Right: A Signature Welcome photographed by Rebecca Yale
A few final thoughts…
Instead of spending $75 per table centrepiece for 20 tables, you could spend that total $1500 on floral arrangements for 4 or 5 tables. I can’t even begin to tell you have stunning that will be! There’s NOTHING that does a better job of bringing life and excitement to an event than fresh flowers (in my completely unbiased opinion 😉).
I very literally salivated while imagining all of these food options and dreaming about which restaurants I would order from…529 Wellington, Merchant Kitchen, The Red Ember food truck, and I have always wanted to host a party catered by Nuburger!
I talked to my friend Kaytee of Roots Floral Design, who is a wedding florist in Cincinnati, and she made an extra good point: “Take advantage of the outdoors! Each region will have different guidelines and regulations, but most places are much more lenient with outdoor intimate weddings (and I think many of your guests would be more comfortable attending an outdoor wedding!). Take advantage of a smaller venue with beautiful outdoor scenery to hold your wedding. Other options are a relative's backyard, parks (if they allow it), or even an Airbnb! One of our couples choose a beautiful Airbnb property to hold her intimate wedding celebration. Their wedding became a weekend long celebration with their closest loved ones. When painted in this light, intimate weddings sound so dreamy, right?”
A few vendors and I were chatting at an intimate backyard wedding we were working on together this past weekend, and all said how much we have been loving these smaller weddings. Why? I realized that everyone is HAPPIER. There's so little stress with these smaller weddings; fewer things to be concerned about. Even if you are DIYing some elements, or cooking some of the food, you're only doing it for 30 people and so the time investment is so much lower.
If you need some help pulling together the loose ends for your intimate wedding, don’t hesitate to ask your vendors. I have loved the opportunity of being more involved with some of my couples, and I know I’m not the only one. Kaytee said it perfectly: “No matter what you decide for your wedding, we know that it will be perfect and just right for you. Your wedding day should be exactly how you envision it to be, even if that vision slightly changes. Hiring the right vendors will help you bring that vision to life.“
LOOKING FOR A WEDDING FLORAL DESIGNER IN the WINNIPEG area?
2021 wedding dates are now booking, with limited 2020 dates still available! Whether it’s an intimate wedding for 30 or a celebration the likes of which have never been seen before, reach out to Stone House Creative for stunning bridal bouquets, truly unique ceremony backdrops, and beautiful floral centrepieces to create the perfect ambiance for your wedding!
Guide to Wedding Ceremony Floral Installations
Last week we talked about hanging floral installations, and this week I thought I’d get a little more specific and talk specifically about wedding ceremony florals. Whether it’s a large focal point design or something scaled back, it’s my opinion that all couples deserve to have an incredible space in which to say their vows.
Last week we talked about hanging floral installations, and this week I thought I’d get a little more specific and talk specifically about wedding ceremony florals. Whether it’s a large focal point design or something scaled back, it’s my opinion that all couples deserve to have an incredible space in which to say their vows.
I loved this simple ceremony backdrop for a winter wedding at Smith!
The Floral Pillars
Massively underrated, in my opinion, a set of floral pillars is a great design plan because it’s flexible to work in many spaces and easy to re-purpose at the reception. In this case, the floral design is obviously more on the modern side but swap that up for a classic urn and fill it with hydrangea and roses, and you’ve got something that fits in any church perfectly!
The Classic Arch
Brittany Mahood Photography, See more here
Curved, flat topped or hexagonal, indoors or outdoors, I’d say that most of my couples opt for some sort of arch structure. I personally love a good curved arch with full floral working its way around, or with a few spotlight sections - there’s something about the arched shape that the eye naturally loves!
Something really important to keep in mind is the stability of the structure. If your ceremony is outside, then we’ll need either a really heavy base or something that can be staked into the ground for extra stability. If it’s indoors, we need to make sure that we’ve got a heavy base as we definitely can’t use stakes.
A lot of the time, my couples will provide their own structure. The vast majority of the time, we have no problem at all. Once in a while, though, the strength just isn’t there. Both times that’s happened has been when the ceremony is on the rooftop of the WAG. It doesn’t matter what the weather is that day, it’s just SO windy up there all the time. Be careful!
Charmaine Mallari, See more here
The Non-Traditional Arch
Here’s what I LOVE about a non-traditional “arch”: each one is so different! Whether I’m creating floral columns or a deconstructed arch or anything else, you know it’s fun for me. The above are some of my favourites that I’ve designed.
First, that gorgeous deconstructed 2 piece gold arch. This was the first time we used it, and I love that it gives the illusion of a full arch and your eye naturally finishes the shape, but it’s a bit more unique, a bit more modern. I’ve got this piece planned for a few other weddings, and all of the florals will be designed in a different way, which you know I love!
Next, the copper arch with a calligraphy backdrop (completely handmade by the bride - WOAH!). This portion could easily fit under the traditional arch category, but the reason why I’ve included it in non-traditional is because of the floral pillars that I added to either side of it. My goodness, did this room smell amazing with all those flowers everywhere!
Finally, my favourite pair of freestanding floral columns. We wanted them tall because the groom was tall, colourful to stand out from the white backdrop, and have a bit of a natural curve to mimic an arch shape. I LOVED these babies.
The Hanging Floral Installation
You can find pretty much everything you need to know about hanging installations in my post last week! I’m sure what you’ll notice in these pictures is that they are all in the same place - Cielo’s Garden. And here’s why: the open rafters! The main thing that I need to plan around when designing a hanging installation is the mechanics - how can I actually HANG something? The open rafters in the chapel at Cielo’s Garden are the perfect structure for something like this.
The “Make Your Own Backdrop”
No matter what your venue is, we can come up with an amazing design - something that gives you a beautiful altar where there is none, something that creates a defined space where there is none, something that adds character where there is none…you get the idea!
I created the greenery arch above right on the wall, in the old Hut K space which was kind of a warehouse looking space. The floor plan was quite tight - you can see the guest tables in the foreground of the image. The guests sat at their tables and post-ceremony, the head table was moved in front of the greenery arch and it served double-duty as backdrop behind the head table. The greenery piece was intended to look quite natural, almost as though it was growing naturally, and it was actually the only piece of floral/greenery decor at the entire reception! It made a good statement.
Below, planner Emily came up with the plan for the firewood, which was perfect as it was a winter wedding photoshoot. We added in the rug to bring warmth, and the wreath (which has dried and hung over my bed for the last 4 years!) to bring a live element. See how it’s all about creating a welcoming space where there wasn’t any warmth before?
Looking for a Wedding Floral and Event Designer in Winnipeg?
2021 wedding dates are now booking! Flowers are the best way to make a statement at your wedding. Whether you already have a specific vision or want me to dream up something custom just for you, reach out to Stone House Creative for stunning bridal bouquets, truly unique ceremony backdrops, and beautiful floral centrepieces to create the perfect ambiance for your wedding!
Beautiful weddings, designed for and with love.
What You Need to Know About Postponing Your Wedding Due to Corona Virus in Manitoba
I know that this unbelievable situation we have found ourselves in is not the fault of anyone, but that doesn’t make it any easier. I’m really sorry that this virus has become a massive issue during the year that you are planning to get married, and I’m sorry for the extra stress and worry it causes you.
Please know that whatever happens, what I really want is for you to have the very happiest and most wonderful wedding. The wedding world is one that fills me with so much joy, and my love for weddings is actually what drew me to flowers in the first place. Know that I (and all the rest of your wedding vendors) are here for you — what we hope to do is make the rest of your engagement as easy and stress-free as possible. So, if you find yourself making the decision to postpone your wedding due to corona virus, I’m ready to talk with you and find the best possible backup date.
Here’s what you need to know about postponing and rescheduling your wedding in Manitoba due to COVID-19.
Man. So much has changed in so little time. So let’s start this off by taking a deep breath, in and out. I’m going to do my best to help you out, and I want you to know, no matter when your wedding will be, I’m going to do everything I can to make it AMAZING.
First, I’m really sorry.
I know that this unbelievable situation we have found ourselves in is not the fault of anyone, but that doesn’t make it any easier. I’m really sorry that this virus has become a massive issue during the year that you are planning to get married, and I’m sorry for the extra stress and worry it causes you.
Please know that whatever happens, what I really want is for you to have the very happiest and most wonderful wedding. The wedding world is one that fills me with so much joy, and my love for weddings is actually what drew me to flowers in the first place. Know that I (and all the rest of your wedding vendors) are here for you — what we hope to do is make the rest of your engagement as easy and stress-free as possible. So, if you find yourself making the decision to postpone your wedding due to corona virus, I’m ready to talk with you and find the best possible backup date.
Here’s what you need to know about postponing and rescheduling your wedding in Manitoba due to COVID-19:
First, and most importantly: Postpone and reschedule, don’t cancel.
Since there is no historical precedent for this, our timeline is SO unknown. But this flowchart from Evergreen Flower Co is right in line with what I’m thinking.
Ready to find a new date? I’m right here with you.
Your first step should be to connect with your wedding planner, if you have hired one. He or she should take the lead in guiding you through this process. If you haven’t hired a wedding planner, stay calm! That’s fine — just take it in steps.
1) Talk to your venue.
Reach out to your venue coordinator and ask for date options that you can consider, and what their rescheduling policies are. Once you have a list of possible dates, then you can start considering what the best option will be — don’t immediately jump on the first available date that they have, as you’re more likely to end up losing a lot of retainers and deposits this way.
2) Talk to your family/friends about their availability.
If you have very important guests who will need to travel to your wedding, particularly if they are travelling internationally, it’s unrealistic to expect a 2020 wedding date will work. Chances are also pretty good that you have some friends who are in the same situation as you and are rescheduling wedding dates, so you’ll want to talk about their backup dates, too.
3) Talk to your wedding vendors.
Start by reaching out to your priority wedding vendors with the list of possible dates that your venue has given you. It’s my nightmare that a client will reschedule their date with the venue before reaching out to me, and I won’t be available. If you can give us a few options, that’s better!
It’s unlikely that ALL of the vendors you’ve hired will be available for the same wedding date. Manitoba has really long engagements and many of us book up 12-18 months in advance. I’d suggest prioritizing based on which vendors can only take 1 wedding per date, the ones you can’t imagine your wedding without, which you’ve spent the most money on so far, and what their cancellation/refund/rescheduling policies are. Check your contracts to find out what these details are.
If you are unable to reschedule with a vendor, expect to lose the non-refundable retainer that you placed with them as listed in their contract. As much as we would love to return all monies to you, we also have mortgages to pay and contracts to abide by.
Before you cancel with your vendors who aren’t available on your new date, try to come up with some out of the box solutions to mitigate your losses. If your photographer isn’t available for your new date, is their associate shooter? If so, your photographer will still be able to edit all of the images in their style, which you fell in love with in the first place, while making sure you don’t lose money.
4) Get planning!
Hopefully, most of the work that’s been done for your wedding so far will carry over to the new date. If there are a lot of changes that need to be made, such as changing your design from a summer palette to a winter palette, for example, expect that you might be charged some minor fees for additional labour.
Make sure to update your guests! I’ve seen a lot of people using the phrase "Change the Date” instead of the typical “Save the Date,” which is super cute. HERE is a really beautiful (free!) download that you can use to share that your date will be postponed. HERE are a few digital “Change the Dates” that are available for a very low cost and were created by a designer here in Winnipeg. If you want to send a physical Change the Date card in the mail, Minted has some really lovely options — though I would always recommend hiring a local stationery designer if you can. Keep that money in the local economy! If you’re sending out a mass email but aren’t sure how to word it, HERE are some really well-worded templates that could help you decide what to say.
A few things to think about:
-Don’t wait to the very last minute to postpone/cancel or you’ll risk losing a lot of money and vendors. For the vendors who deal with perishable product, like florists and caterers, this is of utmost importance. If a wedding is cancelled or rescheduled within a 15 day window from the original wedding date, I can’t get a refund on your flowers, which means that I can’t refund you.
-Be open to “off” dates. It’ll be a lot easier to find a new date if you’re open to Friday, Sunday weddings, or maybe even Thursday dates or a winter wedding.
-Consider a smaller guest list. Here in Manitoba, the current state of emergency specifically states a maximum of 10 people allowed to congregate for at least the next 30 days, with larger gatherings being punished by fine and/or jail time. If you still want to move ahead with an intimate elopement, I don’t blame you (but please don’t expect that your guests will come — they love you, but the health of our society needs to come first). I would love to create a beautiful bouquet and boutonniere for you. I’ll be offering a special package to do that for you, so don’t hesitate to reach out about that.
-This is a completely unprecedented time. As much as your wedding vendors would like to say that we’re prepared for anything, this is something that no one has ever had to deal with before. Remember that along with our emotional desire to serve you well and make your dream wedding happen, we are also scared. There is a very real possibility that we will lose our entire year’s worth of income. We are anxious to protect our own families from the virus while also paying our mortgages.
If you are looking for valuable resources that provide facts on what is happening in Manitoba and Canada when it comes to Covid-19, here are the resources that I have been relying on:
Canada.ca
CBC News
Manitoba Government page dedicated to Covid-19
I’ll be back in a few days to share some of my thoughts and ideas about the best ways to plan a wedding amidst this crisis — tips and ideas, and some of the best things that can come out of this. See you soon, friends!