The BOOM is here. Weddings, events, activations are all booking up and booking out- in fact our calendar is full for 2021 and our weddings are about 30% booked for 2022.
WILD.
One thing I know is that when we’re busy, it’s easy to rush, to throw money at problems, or just to get it done by any means necessary (caffeine, caffeine, caffeine).
Being busy makes it a lot harder to make intentional decisions.
SO….
If you’ve been meaning to make your floral biz a little more earth friendly, but don’t know where to start, here are 5 tips to get you started. Don’t be overwhelmed, just get going!
1. Eliminate Floral Foam in your arrangements.
Flowers LOVE fresh water so much better- they’ll last longer and look WAY happier at your events. Use chicken wire, flower frogs, and/or curly willow (or other branchy goodness) to create the armature for your designs.
Pro Tip: There will be some splashing during transport- pack your arrangement in reusable bins/totes and bring a small watering can to top up on arrival.
2. Shop Local
You’ll find amazing variety, and the freshest blooms from your local flower farmers. Do a little research and discover which farmers (big and small alike) grow near you and then figure out how to get your grubby florist paws on those fresh blooms! 🙂 Less travel means a lower carbon footprint AND A longer life for your blooms. We sourced these beautiful Zinnia’s from local micro-farm, Elley’s Flower Farm.
3. Repurpose/Donate your blooms After an Event
We love to send our blooms to hospice patients via the lovely Anita of Guided by Flowers. Find yourself an Anita OR call around and see if there are hospitals, convalescent homes, or community organizations who would like to enjoy your blooms.
4. Compost Green Waste
When biodegradable items (like flowers/plants/food) are tossed in the regular trash and end up at the landfill…they don’t break down the way they can/are supposed to. Make sure you are sending your compostable items to green waste (if your city offers it) and/or use a composting service to ensure that all those plants are turned into compost…instead of garbage. ps. I snapped this photo of what happens to flowers after too many events- they’re tossed straight in the garbage. BUT these are not our blooms/our event! 🙂
5. Sustainable Business Practices
Speaking to all of my floral friends, but especially my solopreneurs here: you are not a flower making machine. You’re just not. Hire help to make your days shorter, and spread the wealth around. Schedule breaks. Meal prep or have meals delivered on event weeks so that you actually eat (I do this and it’s the best!) Drink water. Take days off (and don’t respond to client emails on your days off). Schedule exercise.
It’s all too easy to hit the market before the sun rises and grind away in your studio until after dark. Step into the light my flower friends- sustainability starts with you ensuring that your business practices support you for the long haul.
If you’d like to hear more tips on sustainability from me you can grab your FREE ticket for the Wedding Series Summit: Design Edition right here!
Over 40+ speakers, panelists, and experts will be diving deep into ways to hone your design skills, and sharing actionable tips that you can implement right away.
See you there!
xo, TAB