Wedding Florist Extraordinaire Rhonda Bullington Candid Tell All!
I am super excited to be interviewing with accredited, published, and award -winning wedding florist Rhonda Bullington owner of Loess Hills Floral Studio, based in Council Bluffs, IA!
Rhonda is an amazingly talented wedding floral designer full of industry knowledge. I am sure this will give you some valuable insights on becoming a wedding florist or help with some useful tips if you already are a wedding florist.
Thanks for being here Rhonda, we appreciate your candid tell-all on your amazing experience as a wedding florist.
Get To Know Rhonda Bullington:
Q. Rhonda, can you tell us a bit about yourself and your company?
A. Loess Hills Floral Studio, located in Council Bluffs, IA was established in 2011 with a strong push from my then boyfriend (now my hubby) that I should open my own studio. My studio specializes in wedding, events, and funerals.
A little about myself…. let’s see. Well, I’m kinda goofy and I’m the funniest person I know. I love a good joke, love to laugh and hang with my crew, staff, and friends.
I’ve been married to my hubby since 2011. I’m the best aunt in the world to my mini-me, future boss, Charlie.
I’m a living donor, I gave my kidney to my dad aka my “pops” on Feb 20, 2018. He’s doing great.
I can honestly say that I love my job, I get to create every day! I get to bring Ripley ( my King Charles Cavalier) to work with me every day.
Me: Takes a special kind of person to be a donor, thanks for sharing that Rhonda.
Q. Was there anything specific that you can remember that made you want to become a wedding florist?
A. When I opened in June 2011 my business plan was to be a full-service flower shop. I started creating wedding florals by a referral from another colleague and the rest is history.
Our first year we created 6 weddings, 2nd year 12, 36 in year 3 and just kept growing. So I changed gears moved to a studio type setting and focused on what we did best.
Q. Rhonda your clients describe you as the “Real Deal” what does this mean to you?
A. Well… I guess because I tell the truth, deliver what I promise, I understand floral design, I’m kind of a no BS kind of person!
Q. What exciting things are you working on this year?
A. I get to create some interesting backdrops, hanging installations, and bridal work.
Q. How did you get into styled shoots? For those who don’t know what are styled shoots?
A. Vendors, planners, and photographers reach out to me to provide florals for a photoshoot. I meet with them to see there needs sometimes I will help sometimes I will not.
I like to do these styled shoots because each vendor has their own set clients/ followers who perhaps don’t know about me/my brand.
My floral studio will get exposure to new clients and demographics and I also get great content for my social media sites, website and sometimes our work gets featured in a wedding magazine.
Q. How on earth did you obtain a styled shoot gig, I’m sure all wedding florists want to know? (I think this may be a repetitive question)
A. I belong to “tide society” and got hooked up with amazing vendors, we have developed an amazing relationship and continue to work with them.
Q. What is your favorite wedding floral design style, look & feel and why?
A. I like a combo of different styles- loose, large draping florals all white cream colored flowers. Lush floral look full and non-structured.
Q. What is also your most favorite bloom, filler, and foliage?
A. Lime green cymbidium orchid, astrantia and for foliage aspidistra leaves.
Q. What is one floral design supply item you just can’t live without and why?
Pokon leaf shine, oasis glue, and tack 2000.
Leaf shine works great to clean your hands, countertops, get all those annoying tags off new vases. Oasis glue, I glue all my stems in bouquet holders.
Tack 2000, is perfect for the script on the ribbon when doing funeral work.
Q. What is a wedding floral trend you love and think will stick around?
A. Candle accents, you can not go wrong with candles.
Q. How do you deal with stress – do you get stressed anticipating a big wedding weekend?
A. I’m a list maker and stick to the list, I’m very detailed. I try to make sure we are ahead of schedule if something goes wrong we can address it and get back on track.
We talk it out and come up with a solution. Stress sucks so we try to avoid it as much as possible.
Oh yeah and I “strongly suggest” to all my brides that should come in and view their bouquet the day before their wedding. Stress levels are lowered by 90%. Brides can see everything and know exactly what they are getting. It eliminates the “bridezillas” and “momzillas” I PROMISE!
Me: Oh so interesting! I never thought of having clients come in the day before their wedding to view their floral arrangements. Love this tip! ♥
Wedding Flower Logistics:
Q. How soon do you process/ arrange your flowers for a clients wedding?
A. Heres my week!
- Monday: “Maintenance Monday” most of the time we try and take Mondays off for our own sanity.
- Tuesday: All of our flowers come in and get processed vases are washed.
- Wednesday: -Prep work day, all containers are prepped, the corsages are bowed up and all foam is soaked.
- Thursday: “Production day” -all bouquets are created first, centerpieces 2nd, and wearable flowers 3rd.
- Friday: “Preview Day” -all brides come in to view bouquets and any other pieces that we don’t assemble on site. Vans are loads with all hardware.
- Saturday: Delivery and set up We do multiple events and weddings so we get an early start.
Inbetween all of this, we also create corporate event centerpieces approximately 30 plus, average 6 funerals and meet with at least 4- 6 brides and all in a week. I’m not even exaggerating.
Me: Wow, Rhonda, you guys are super busy!
Q. Any bloom you worked with that you just would not recommend for a wedding bouquet/boutonniere or corsage?
A. Anemones for body flowers are too finicky. I’m also not a fan of Dahlia’s they are hit or miss for me and I don’t trust them in bridal or body flowers.
Dusty miller in vase arrangements fine -bridal work NO WAY!
Q. What is your process for giving a client a wedding quote? Do you include flower stem details? Do you charge for this service?
A. I meet with potential brides/clients at my studio for the initial consult. It usually lasts about an hour and is no charge.
My wedding consults are “hands-on” so I can create a mock centerpiece with greens and show them flowers during the consultations.
I take photos and include them in the initial proposal and yes 90 days before the event after they have hired me, I charge a 10% fee for creating 3 mock centerpieces.
My quote does include stem details as well.
Q. I hear often from wedding florists how they get ghosted by clients once a quote is given to them. Has this ever happened to you?
A. Oh yeah!
I give the potential client two weeks to hire me after I submit the initial bid.
If they don’t reply I don’t get really worked up about it. After being in the business for a while you can tell right off the bat, that they are looking for the something cheap or your just not what they are looking for.
Q. Do you work with a strict wedding floral contract? How do you receive payments?
A. Absolutely!
My wedding contract is locked tight. I even have a social media/review clause.
I’d be happy to share my contract with any wedding florist. ♥
Payment required is only $300.00 USD deposit and the final bill is due 3 weeks before the event/ wedding.
The POS system I have allows me to create an invoice so my clients can pay online.
Q. What is your flower and supply markup?
A. (If you PM me, I will give my secrets)
Me: I did try sneaking this question in, nothing gets passed you, Rhonda. Lol
Q. Do you charge for labor, setup fees, delivery?
A. Yes, there is a labor fee, set up fee, and delivery fee. We will also have a teardown fee if we have to come back at the end of the night and pick up our rentals.
Wedding Flower Marketing:
Q. Have you ever done a wedding expo show and was it worth the time and energy?
A. Yes, I have done them and a lot of them.
Now I will only do maybe 2 a year, only if the show is at a vendor/event space that I work with.
I also have clients/venues that participate in the larger shows, I will deco their “booth” without having to pay for my own booth. Plus it will get your name in front of a more different demographic.
Q. How do you feel about “Wedding Wire” and “The Knot”? Is membership with these a must for wedding florists?
A. I have paid for both of their business services. I didn’t feel like they exposed me to more brides though.
The funny thing is my brides still write 5-star reviews on both pages and we have won the“Best Of” without paying.
Q. How else do you market your wedding floral design services?
A. WORD OF MOUTH!
I don’t pay a dime for any marketing. Previous clients and social media sites like Instagram keep us busy.
Rhonda Bullington Wedding Florist Advice:
Q. What is the biggest lesson you’ve learned, and would pass along to other new wedding florists just getting started?
A. Have thick skin, hit that pavement, listen to your clients, and work with a floral wholesaler who gets you great quality flowers.
Also, work hard, get to know your venues as well as their policies and be on time.
Q. Would you recommend a new wedding florist have a brick & mortar/studio?
A. I definitely think they will need a studio space.
I think unfortunately brick and mortar flower shops are going to go by the wayside. You must have a meeting space however, a small office works, no potential client wants to come to your house to talk about wedding flowers. You can create wedding florals in your house but at least have an office.
Q. I have found lots of florists struggle with turning away a wedding client for whatever the reason. Have you ever turned away a wedding client and why?
A. Of course!
We try to limit ourselves to a couple of weddings a weekend. We are honest with our brides when they call to make appointments, we only have one slot available that day, so the bride knows if she wants to take that risk booking a consultation.
Q. Do you feel it is important for someone thinking of becoming a wedding florist to mentor first? Do you offer mentor services for new wedding florists in your area?
A. Absolutely! The wedding industry is a very finicky industry. You have to have thick skin and adapt to what is thrown at you last minute.
Each venue is different, each client is different and I think I would offer a program/mentorship for a new wedding florist. The best way to learn is to jump in with both feet.
Q. Hmm…Am I forgetting to ask you anything? Want to give us a wedding florist secret tip?
A. Good to find a great crew, stay positive, stay organized, you are the team leader if you are in a bad mood, stressed or panicked, your staff will feed off this.
Remember its flowers…no one should be stressed out about flowers.
Me: Loving this tip “Its flowers…no one should be stressed out about flowers.”
Q. In closing can you tell us what you love about being a wedding florist and why those on the fence should make a move?
A. I love working with brides. I love seeing the end result of the floral planning and creating when all the hard work comes into fruition.
It takes a special person with floral knowledge, people skills, organizational skills, thick skin, and a hard worker to be a florist. If these are your qualities than becoming a wedding florist is the job for you!
Wow, Rhonda! Thanks for this candid tell-all, really I’m bowing down to you right now. Florists’ I hope you found this information helpful -Rhonda’s openness on how she runs her Loess Hills Floral studio and expert advice is priceless.
This goes without saying I highly recommend Rhonda for her wedding floral design services and again truly appreciate her straight forward honesty with all of us.
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Thank you so much ,
This has helped me so much I have wanted to be a wedding florist for sometime now and this has helped me make my decision. I love the design insights the pictures are gorgeous.
I love reading your blogs they are so inspirational please continue doing this
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