c/florists

My mentor insisted I stop using floral foam for my centerpieces

I switched to chicken wire and water tubes for a wedding in Portland, and the arrangements held up way better over 8 hours. Anyone have other foam-free mechanics that work for large installations?

Update: Saw a new hire at the shop next door cut all the rose stems straight across

I watched them prep a dozen red roses for a wedding order yesterday, and every single stem was snipped flat. I had to go over and quietly explain that an angled cut gives more surface area to drink, especially in those tall, narrow vases they use. The owner said they'd been trained that way at a big chain store and never questioned it. It's been a week since we talked, and they've already seen less wilting on day three arrangements. How many other basic techniques are people missing because of rushed training?

A bride's mom told me her daughter's bouquet was too 'Instagram' and not enough 'her'

She said the design felt like a copy of a trend, not a reflection of the person. It made me question if I'm pushing my own style too much over what the client actually wants. How do you balance current trends with a client's personal taste?

Question about switching from a local wholesaler to a national delivery service

I had to pick between sticking with my local supplier or signing up with a big delivery network for a wedding order in May, and the local guy's roses arrived wilted. Anyone else get burned by a trusted source this season?

Warning about a specific rose supplier after a nightmare Valentine's week

Last Valentine's Day, my main rose supplier in Portland sent a batch with a hidden mold issue in the stems. We prepped 150 arrangements before noticing the water turning cloudy overnight. By the time we caught it, we had to trash everything and source emergency replacements at triple the cost from a competitor across town. Has anyone else had a supplier quality check fail them right before a major holiday?

I used to wire every single stem for a wedding arch, but now I just use chicken wire

For years I'd spend hours wiring each flower into foam for arches, which was a huge pain. Then I saw a florist in Seattle use a big sheet of chicken wire shaped into a tube and zip-tied to the frame. I tried it on a job last spring and it cut my setup time in half, plus the flowers stayed hydrated way better. Has anyone else made a switch like that for large installations?

Just read that the average wedding bouquet uses flowers from 7 different countries. Found that in a trade magazine article about supply chains.

I tried a 24-hour cold water soak for peonies and it backfired

I saw a tip online saying to soak peony stems in cold water for a full day before arranging to get them to open. I tried it with a batch of Sarah Bernhardt peonies from my local supplier. After 24 hours in my cooler, they were mushy at the stems and never opened right, just sort of wilted. I lost about $40 worth of stock. Has anyone had luck with a shorter soak time, or is this method just not reliable?

The old cooler at my shop finally gave out last Tuesday

It was a 15 year old True unit that came with the place when I bought it. The compressor just quit with a sad click, right in the middle of arranging a wedding order for 40 centerpieces. Had to scramble and rent a temporary unit from the place over in Middleton for $75 a day while I sorted a replacement. Anyone have a lead on a good, simple cooler that won't break the bank?

I cut all my peonies a week early this year and it paid off big time

I had to choose between cutting my garden peonies at the usual bud stage or taking a risk and cutting them a full 7 days earlier, when they were still super tight. I picked the early cut, kept them in the cooler at 34 degrees, and forced them open slowly in the shop. They lasted almost 14 days in arrangements instead of the usual 5. My clients in Charleston kept asking how the blooms were so perfect and long-lasting. Has anyone else tried pushing the harvest window on a specific flower with results that surprised you?

I used to think floral foam was just part of the job

I mean, I've been using it for years in my arrangements, idk, it was just what you did. But last week, a bride for a wedding in Tempe asked if we could do her centerpieces without it, saying she read it was bad for the water. I looked it up and, yeah, it's basically plastic that breaks down and never goes away. I did her order with chicken wire and tape instead, and honestly, it held up just as well for the 6 hour event. Has anyone else switched away from foam and found a good method for big pieces?

Was in a hotel lobby in Charlotte last week and saw the most amazing floral display built into a wall fountain

A guy named Leo in my shop argued that peonies are a lazy choice for wedding work

He came in last spring looking for something 'not basic' for his sister's bouquet and said peonies were just a crutch for designers who can't build texture. We were in the back room at Bloom on Main in Springfield for like twenty minutes going back and forth. I think they're a classic for a reason, but he kept pointing at my cooler saying I was playing it safe. Has anyone else had a client really challenge your go-to flowers?

Heard a customer at the farmers market say they only buy local flowers now

I was setting up my stall at the Portland farmers market last week and overheard a lady telling her friend she won't buy anything but local, seasonal blooms anymore. She said something like, 'I can't support the carbon miles on those imported roses, and the local ones just feel more special.' I used to think that was a small niche, just a few people being picky. But I watched her, and three other customers in the next hour said the same thing to different vendors. It made me look at my own stock. I had flown in a bunch of tulips from Holland that morning. I'm changing my spring order to source more from the flower farm in Hood River, even if the stems cost a bit more. How are you other shop owners handling this shift? Are you seeing more demand for local stuff too?

Remember when everyone used to say you had to use floral foam for everything?

Honestly, I tried doing a whole wedding arch last summer without any foam, just chicken wire and moss. Tbh, it held up way better in the heat and the cleanup was a breeze. Has anyone else moved away from foam for certain pieces?

Finally got my first big wedding order after three years in business

Back in 2021, I started my little shop in Spokane and mostly did small bouquets. Last week, a bride came in and booked me for her whole August wedding, a $2,000 order. What's one thing you wish you knew before your first big wedding job?

Remembering the Valentine's Day we sold out by 10 AM

It was 2015, and we had a huge ice storm hit our town the night before. I got to the shop at 4 AM to find the power out and the backup generator for the coolers had failed. My dad, who used to run the place, showed up with a truckload of candles and every spare blanket from his house. We worked by candlelight for three hours, wrapping roses in the cold, until the lights finally flickered back on. Anyone else ever have a holiday where everything went wrong but you somehow pulled it off?

Finally got my bridal bouquet hydration routine down after a wedding last Saturday.

Changed my mind about using floral foam for a big wedding arch last weekend

I was setting up for a 200-person wedding in Tempe and had the arch frame ready. My go-to has always been soaked Oasis foam, zip-tied in. But the bride wanted it totally foam-free, which I thought was just a trendy pain. I ended up using chicken wire and moss instead, securing everything with paddle wire. Took me an extra 90 minutes to build and hydrate, but honestly? The stems drank way better, it was way lighter to move, and cleanup was just folding wire. Felt less guilty about the waste too. Anyone switched methods for large structures and have tips for speeding up the chicken wire process?

Heard a customer at the market say they 'just order from the app' now

I was grabbing coffee before opening the shop and overheard a woman tell her friend she hasn't been inside a flower store in years because an app is easier. It got me thinking about how much of our connection with people we've lost to screens. Do you find ways to bring that personal touch back for online orders, like a handwritten note?

Vent: I keep seeing florists in my area use the same three roses in every bridal bouquet

I was at a wedding show in Portland last month and looked at work from over a dozen local shops. Almost every single bridal bouquet on display was just a mix of Freedom, Sahara, and Peach Avalanche roses. It makes all the work look the same and ignores so many great seasonal options. Has anyone else noticed this trend getting worse, or is it just my city?

My chaotic experience at the Bangkok flower market last spring

Honestly, I went to Bangkok thinking I'd find amazing orchids for my shop. Tbh, I ended up in a massive crowd trying to barter for stems without knowing the local language. Ngl, at one point I accidentally ordered a hundred extra lilies because of a hand gesture mix-up. The whole thing was a mess, but I laughed all the way back to the hotel.

Shoutout to morning yoga for keeping my back pain-free during busy seasons

My posture improved so much after adding just ten minutes daily.

Roses from my regular supplier opened and died in hours.

Had to cancel an order last minute and eat the cost. Really questioning my flower sources now.

Years ago, I began composting flower waste from the shop. Now, we barely fill one trash bag a week.