Summer is the season to festoon your event with bountiful blooms … until you get a look at their prices. The truth is your budget gets eaten up by other pesky details like food and the cost to book the venue, and too often, you’re left thinking the only floral you can afford is a twig or two hot-glued to a piece of Styrofoam. Don’t despair! Jodi Collen, Director of Events for Augsburg College, is sharing her secrets to adding gorgeous floral to your event without once resorting to glue guns and kindling.
Q. Briefly tell me about your position at Augsburg College?
A. I am director of events for Augsburg College, as well as the campus resource for event planners. We typically plan and host about 500 events per year. I have two other event planners with whom I work on receptions, commencement, visits from dignitaries, and more.
Q. Where do you begin when incorporating floral into your event?
A. We follow what’s trending in magazines and pay attention to looks that we can incorporate into our brand concept. We keep the focus pretty basic and clean so that the flowers are complimentary to the entire event.
Q. How can a planner add floral without busting the budget?
A. Start by having a good understanding of what different flowers cost. That typically depends on time of year. For example, in the spring, tulips are affordable, plentiful, and easy to work with. On the other hand, hydrangeas are expensive and don’t last as long. Once you know which flowers you want to use, you need to know the scale of the piece and how many flowers you’ll need to create it. You’ll also want to use filler effectively and keep in mind that when using oasis, you’ll probably need to incorporate more blooms and greens. If you’re doing something that’s “airy,” oasis probably won’t be necessary.
Another way to cut costs is to plan that not every table gets an arrangement. You can still make an impact with a scattered centerpieces while other tables may just have an individual vase with only one or two flowers. Or, some tables might get smaller arrangements. You can also use candles to tie in with the flowers.
Finally, picking a focal point – for example, the stage – and placing your florals there instead of on table throughout the entire room will keep you from going over budget.
Q. Are there some blooms that are more cost effective than others?
A. At Christmas time, amaryllis are costly, but I only need one per centerpiece so that makes the pieces more affordable. There are times like that, that we will invest in more expensive floral if we can be sure they’re going to go a long way. Again, a whole room of hydrangeas in the fall would be too expensive, so it’s important to familiarize yourself with how flowers behave, how long they last, and how long they’ll live in different arrangements.
Q. What kind of containers are more budget friendly?
A. At Augsburg, we have an inventory that we’ve built up over time. Clear glass tends to be affordable, plus we buy in bulk so they’re more cost effective for long term, multiple use as opposed to purchasing one style or unique containers specifically for one particular event. On occasion, we do buy some trendy pieces, but complicated glass and fancy porcelain can be expensive.
Q. Any other tips?
A. Start by looking at photographs and figuring out what you can take and incorporate into your own design. As much as you can, be creative and be willing to work with lots of ideas to develop your piece, keeping in mind that it doesn’t have to be super elaborate. These days, planners are using lots of interesting thing to enhance arrangements. I’ve even noticed people using paper flowers lately. There is a lot you can do with arrangements that doesn’t require using more than just a stem or two. And of course, you can get by nicely by purchasing fewer flowers and using more non-floral products. Learning how to use greens and filler products will definitely stretch your budget.
