Set-up and delivery is part of any full-service floral design wedding contract. This is truly one of the most valuable parts of the service because delivering wedding flowers is *not* like delivering a pizza. I want people to understand that what Q+O offers is more than just flowers – it is the peace of mind that your flowers are going to look awesome and you won’t have to worry about it or ruin your manicure.
What does wedding flower delivery actually entail?
We organize transportation for thousands of dollars of delicate and fragile products (glass, flowers…etc) to multiple locations, often many kilometres away from the studio. We carefully pack all of your flowers to keep them safe during the journey, then unpack them and fix any issues that might have occurred. We sweat in the sun, carrying countless heavy boxes and sloshing buckets. We guard against weather conditions during the day and set everything up just so. This often includes large statement arrangements or full floral installations that need to be built on site, tailored for their specific locations. Last December I delivered 7 full Christmas trees in addition to all the centrepieces and a dramatic ceremony backdrop! Delivery like this involves a large vehicle (sometimes more than one!) with lots of flat cargo space and extremely careful driving. Delivering and setting-up a large wedding with multiple floral elements generally takes more than 8 hours from start to finish and demands careful planning and coordinating.
Any bride who has dreams of an arbour decked with flowers or a hanging head table installation needs to know that executing these looks takes far more than “just flowers” – it takes planning, experience and a special skill set. I love doing these exciting floral installations! I live for it, honestly! I am here because I want to help bring your vision to life with the best blooms the season has to offer!
Interested? Get in touch! Or keep reading to learn more.
What about decor we provide?
If you have other non-floral items that need setting up – say you are providing your own candles or you have other props that need styling and setting-up – we can totally do that. These extra bits affect the cost of your delivery, but if the timeline physically allows for us to help out, then we are happy to do it!
What about break down? Do you pick everything up after?
I can *but* it’s not cheap to get me out of bed at 1am to pick things up! Since this depends entirely on whether or not there are rental items for me to pick up, I try to give options that limit this and save you money!
Many couples want their guests to be able to take home the flower arrangements. I am all about people enjoying the flowers so I try to choose affordable vessels that clients can buy outright. I have a selection of smaller rental items (delicate bud vases, fancy votive holders, pillar candle holders…etc) that aren’t too difficult to pack up at the end of the night. I encourage clients to designate somebody to look after this job and return them to my studio following your wedding.
If you happen to rent larger pieces (arbour structures, a hanging board, large urns or columns) then I will likely need to return for pick-up. I encourage clients to check with their venues on whether they supply some of these items (they often do!) or to check with the rental company who is handling their tables, linens, chairs…etc as they already have to pick things up!
How do you price delivery?
We charge for delivery based on a percentage of your floral spend – typically between 10-20%. The percentage varies based on the distance from the studio and how many elements we need to manage. Local weddings with fewer separate delivery locations and a simple set-up will be charged at a lower rate than a Niagara or Toronto wedding with multiple delivery locations, many candles and a hanging element. Make sense?
Pick-up or breakdown at the end of the night is a separate charge.
What if I just need the flowers?
Delivery and set-up and all the crazy work that it entails is what sets a full-service floral design contract apart from “just flowers”. Because I know that not every couple needs this service, Q+O has recently introduced Acorn – an a la carte wedding flower offering that focuses on the flowers only and leaves the coordination to you. Perfect for couples that have minimal or simple needs and happy helpers that can handle the set-up without any day-of involvement from us pros.