Robyn and I have had many discussions about providing samples as part of our design processes. For me, providing samples is an important part of my process for three reasons. The first is about managing expectations. No matter how many pictures, trips to the flower market with my client, drawings, and pretty words, most brides cannot see what I am seeing. Floral design is a 3D art form and being able to see, hold, and smell what’s been purchased is important both to me and to most of my clients. This is also that moment where I can show them that a $75 centerpiece is never going to look like the centerpiece they love in Preston Bailey’s most recent book! This brings me to the second reason I am a fan of previews.
I typically schedule my sample meeting 21 days prior to the event. This when I require final payment and this is my last chance to upsell the event. If the bride or her mother is underwhelmed with the centerpiece, this is my opportunity to show them what a $100 centerpiece would look like or how upgrading the vase would complement the linens perfectly. Now more money is always nice but honestly I do this because as a designer I want the client’s event to be the best it can be. More money allows me to acquire the tools to make a good event great! I want every one of my events to be “Style Me Pretty” worthy.
The last reason is a selfish one–my own peace of mind. The day of the wedding is so emotional and reactive. I am one of the last vendors that a bride sees before she walks down the aisle. This is not the moment I want to surprise anyone. If something the hair stylist, make-up artist, groom or her future mother-in-law said has set her off, God help me if the rose is not the right shade of white. This is where I refer back to the sample meeting and tell her that it is the exact same grower and variety of rose she saw 3 weeks ago. Now I’m not sure about you but I will not sleep for the rest of the weekend and I can’t think of a worst feeling.
I do charge for samples, although when I very first started in the business I did not. This was the worst mistake I ever made. It cheapened not only my worth as a designer and a business owner but also the industry that I am so very passionate about. I have learned that lesson the hard way and now samples are a separate line item on my design proposals. The client can choose to pass on it but I always include it in my quotes.
So does anyone else feel the same way I do about samples?
I’m getting more and more brides asking for samples. I also feel its a good way for them to have peace of mind that what they’ve chosen from a book or picture of the internet is what they really like. However, more often then not it confuses them ESPECIALLY when they bring a whole entourage with them. Now I’m limiting just one guest per bride. They can choose the groom, her mother, sister, whoever she feels will help her decide. Like when choosing the wedding dress, sometimes the brides friends or family will simply play devils advocate. That’s not what the bride needs. It should be left up to the professionals to guide a bride through the design selection process. I too use to include samples as a complimentary feature but now include it in my pricing. As humans, we never really appreciate what we don’t pay for….
Great point! The entourage is a challenge. I have only ran into this problem a couple time and I usually find it more entertaining!
I agree with everything you posted and I too sadly took a long time to see the merit in charging for samples until my higher end clients were expecting a free sample of a 400 dollar centerpiece, a bridal bouquet, and other various items all at once! It was costing so much more to buy a bunch of every flower, whether used or not in the sample, and spending so much time and energy on the meeting. That said, I have never had a sample that a bride was unhappy about and subsequently, have not had a client that was surprised at her flowers.The meetings themselves (for me) are still always so stressful because the venue, lighting, etc isn’t there to serve as a backdrop for the flowers or the flowers are so seasonal I may not able to get the exact same ones on the day of the wedding (for example I once had blushing bride protea for a sample and not the wedding 3 weeks later!).
K W thank you! The day of is always stressful. I am always looking for ways to make it as smooth as possible. Having a sample meeting takes a little bit of the stress off of me. If I ever run into the problem of not being able to collect the same product I had in the meeting then I always make the phone call to the bride and let her know I will be upgrading to a flower that comes as close to the color and texture available.
Blushing Bride Protea is so elusive.. which makes me want it that much more! Terrible that anyone would expect $500+ worth of samples for free, what other industry gives away $500 in samples on one event??
Sorry my dear friend, but I am in Robyn’s camp. I HATE SAMPLES!!!!!!!!!! I seriously hate them. I think they often set us all up for disappointments. A design I make today can never be recreated with next weeks batch of flowers. The flower shipment that comes in for each wedding is unique. If I were to buy the same list of flowers every week, the product would look different each week. Flowers vary in shade, in fullness, in movement, in stem length and in quality constantly.
I also think the purpose of a sample is to tear the look of the piece apart or to critique it to death. Here sits this lovely sample in the middle of an empty room with hopefully at least the table linens and the china. The piece is being critiqued in an empty ballroom or warehouse. Its not a special moment its a make-shift kind of vision into the big day. Often I think it makes things even harder.
I have only made a few samples in my life and I hate them because as Robyn states in the moment when I am truly creating for an event I feel as if I am chained to the vision I had weeks before and to using only those blooms. I don’t want to repeat an old vision. I want to work freely with the product I am given and the constantly changing availability. It is my job, my responsibility to rock out a killer design, the day of the wedding and I always hit the mark.
One last vent a sample usually costs me 2 to 3 times the actual cost of the design, because of the excess product that must be ordered. Yep I hate samples!!!!
I agree -I run my studio from home and its really hard for me to sell the remaining items I ordered for the sample. I use to do samples, but it became too costly – even when charging the client for the sample. And – yes there is always the product issue – points said above – you never know what you’re going to get really! IF a bride requests a sample – I will do it – but only if they request it! Not a fan!
Sadly in Chicago it is expected our of potential clients BEFORE an event is booked. Crazy right?! And it’s not just a table setting…. I’ve seen some large floral companies do entire chuppahs, lounge settings, back drops, the works BEFORE they even land the job so the client sees their vision. The only caveat is the client doesn’t get to take pictures but on the other hand it’s a huge expense to a designer because as we all know it costs a lot more to buy bunches and bunches of flowers to create one centerpiece. I feel like slowly we are changing the market here because a lot of the smaller design houses are feeling the $$$ pain trying to recreate these over the top samples and they do get ripped apart by potential clients. Even if it’s absolutely perfect… people think it’s their chance to critique something to death when it’s perfect as it is.
I don’t do samples. I sell on color and style and size, and I won’t guarantee a specific flower. I used to put specific flowers on the contract, but I won’t do that anymore….volcanic eruptions, anyone remember that? Flooding in Thailand? Floral wholesaler who was so busy with 09/10/11 weddings that he didn’t order my 09/17/11 peach callas and didn’t call me ahead of time so I could call another wholesaler? I do take requests for specific flowers (and do try to get them), and ask for specific flowers that they don’t like, and that goes into my notes. I have not had any problems with this and I do a lot of weddings. My contract explains the reason for this in full, and the client initials it. I heard an expert at a seminar mention selling on color and style and size once, and it works!