THE WEDDING FLORIST PODCAST

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Episode 16 | Why Florists Must Stay Educated in Modern Times

Now, before we dive into today's topic, let me ask you something: Do you ever feel like you're drowning in a sea of outdated floral designs, struggling to keep up with the ever-changing tides of the floral industry?

Well fear not because today we are going to be talking about staying ahead in the world of wedding floristry and some of the things you can do to stay ahead of your game.  

Thank you BloomingSkyFlorist for suggesting this topic.
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A very warm welcome to you for today’s episode of the Wedding Florist Podcast.

Today I’m  delving into the ever changing world of floral design and why investing in continuous education is crucial for every wedding florist. Because it doesn’t matter which field or industry you are in, you will only progress by educating yourself and keeping up to date and applying the changes to the way you work.

Understanding trends 

 So let’s talk about trends! Just like the world of fashion with seasonal trends the world of flowers also sees changes in floral trends. You will find couples gravitating towards seasonal or trending colour palettes. Colours like oranges, reds, rust and green for the autumn or yellows and limes in the spring or even warm corals and hot pinks creating such fun colour palettes in the summer.   As in Episode 8 where I talk about the Pantone Colour of the year you will see this colour being incorporated into colour palettes by couples in 2024.  

The second trend we are seeing a rise of is eco-friendly and sustainable floral designs. Couples are becoming increasingly conscious of their environmental footprint so we are seeing a rise in use of locally sourced blooms and foliages, an increase in incorporating elements like reusable containers and even silk flowers.  

So to be able to meet the needs and requirements of your couples you really need to be constantly learning and adapting your ways to keep attracting your clients.  

Embracing Sustainable Practices 

As florists we know that the floral industry has a significant environmental impact, from intensive water usage to pesticide use and carbon emissions from transportation. By adopting sustainable practices, florists can minimise their footprint and contribute to a healthier planet. Here are some practical ways that we, as florists, can incorporate sustainability into our designs.

One way is to source flowers and foliage locally or from certified sustainable farms. This reduces the carbon footprint associated with transportation and supports local growers. Additionally, using biodegradable materials like natural twine or recycled paper for arrangements can further reduce waste.  Another important way is reducing the use of floral foam, which is non-biodegradable and essentially a single-use plastic which can release harmful chemicals into the environment. Instead, you can explore alternative mechanics like chicken wire or reusable floral frogs to support your arrangements.

In my business I have adapted the use of both chicken wire for construction together with moss basing as well as continuing the use of a lesser amount of floral foam and I have only been able to do this through educating myself and applying the new techniques to designs.  

Leveraging Social Media and Technology  

As a business owner in the modern world you need to be staying ahead in how you reach your clients. Yes the old methods of reaching clients still work and should not be forgotten but the use of Social Media and platforms like Instagram and TikTok really are on the rise and have already revolutionised the way businesses connect with their audience.  

Social media is a goldmine for florists looking to showcase their creativity and attract potential clients. Instagram, Pinterest and Tiktok all allow us florists to create visually stunning feeds that serve as virtual portfolios of our work. Also you can showcase the personality behind your brand and engage with your audience through Instagram Stories ultimately getting them to reach out to you for a quote.

Now moving to technology, and this can be a game changer for florists looking to streamline operations and create systems. You can create an online catalogue of your work making it easy for your customers to buy from you from the comfort of their home and even Customer Relationship Management CRM software which will help with staying organised and manage your orders more easily. There are a few out there specifically for florists - Details, Curate, Tru Client to name a few. The idea is to learn to work smarter and not harder so you are empowered to take your business to the next level.  


Mastering Seasonal Changes 

In Wedding Design Seasonal changes can present both opportunities and challenges for florists and we need to always be learning how to stay ahead of the game when it comes to seasonal trends. So let's talk about the opportunities first - I think the key is to stay attuned to nature's rhythm and anticipate what blooms will be available during each season. For example, a spring wedding might feature pastel blooms like peonies and tulips, while a fall wedding might incorporate rich, warm tones like dahlias and chrysanthemums. By embracing the natural beauty of each season and incorporating elements like foliage and branches, florists can create arrangements that feel harmonious and reflect the couple's vision for their special day.  By educating yourself about seasonal blooms and keeping a close eye on upcoming trends we can really start to experiment with different flower and colour combinations and can create arrangements that feel fresh and on trend.  

Now looking at the challenges - flowers are the gift of mother nature. So weather changes and supplier shortages can both throw a spanner in the works. We need to learn to adapt to these changes quickly and though educating yourself and building strong relationships with multiple suppliers can really help you mitigate these challenges. It's all about flexibility and thinking on your feet.

Building a strong network 

 Wherever you are in life it is really important to build a strong network and this is really important for wedding florists too. You can really get a lot of emotional support through the rollercoaster of your business journey but also open up opportunities for growth and collaborations. You can share ideas and learn from each other and help each other on projects.  

So how can you do this? One of the ways I have done this is going to networking events and attending workshops and also connecting with like minded professionals on social media to get more of a global reach. I have a facebook group for wedding florists to connect with each other and the link is in the shownotes. The idea is to be part of a support and uplifting community.  

Investing in Education 

The wedding floristry industry is always evolving and that is why it is even more important for florists to keep learning and growing. And I would say that you will need to stay up to date so that you can remain competitive, and deliver the best possible service to your clients. So you should always be looking to expand your knowledge and skillset and stay inspired to keep the creativity flowing. So how can you do this? There are so many options and opportunities out there. I have an online course teaching business for wedding florists and also have an amazing hands on wedding installations workshop coming up where we will create over the top elevated designs and ceremonial setting - and although education can be costly you need to be thinking about the return on investment because the knowledge and skills you gain from attending a single workshop can really pay dividends in the long run.  If you are not quite ready to invest, and I get one on one workshops, then you can continue listening to podcasts, watching video content, reading books and I’ve created a free training on how you can grow from Hand Ties to installations. The links to all these are in the shownotes.  

So let’s recap the 5 ways you can stay ahead as a wedding florist
 1- Understanding trends  
2- Embracing Sustainable Practices
3- Mastering Seasonal Changes In Wedding Design  
4- Building a strong network  
5- Investing in Education  

And there is more info in the show notes if you want to learn from me.  


Now If you've enjoyed listening to my podcast please show me the love and give me a review on i-tunes. it would mean the world to me. Take a photo of this podcast and post it on your instagram stories tagging me in and I'll be sure to share some love back. If you think this podcast will help your biz bestie then be sure to share it with them too.

So, here are various ways you can work with me

I have free resources to help you in your business

Get your Complete Guide to Write Winning Proposals and The Ultimate Social Media Kit with a social media calendar, florist specific hashtags and strategies to grow your audience.

Watch the free training on how I went from hand ties to installations and grew my wedding flower business to a 6 figure profitable business.

I know how hard and time consuming it can be to have the right resources in your business and that's why I have created various digital templates and resources that you can use in your business and these are available for instant download in the Etsy Store

That’s it for now - if there's a topic you want covering in the future let me know and I'll get it sorted for you. So until next week, stay blooming and take careBuilding a strong network  Wherever you are in life it is really important to build a strong network and this is really important for wedding florists too. You can really get a lot of emotional support through the rollercoaster of your business journey but also open up opportunities for growth and collaborations. You can share ideas and learn from each other and help each other on projects.  So how can you do this? One of the ways I have done this is going to networking events and attending workshops and also connecting with like minded professionals on social media to get more of a global reach. I have a facebook group for wedding florists to connect with each other and the link is in the shownotes. The idea is to be part of a support and uplifting community.  

Hey there Wedding Florist

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