There’s a Flower Shortage. Now What?

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Photography: Joyelan.com | Venue: Tampa Garden Club Wedding

Have you noticed over the past few months that the prices of flowers have drastically increased? Whether you’ve purchased an arrangement from a local florist or ran into a grocery store to buy some stems to liven up your house, you’ve probably became aware that pricing is not what it used to be. This may leave you wondering why there is a sudden increase that seemed to happen overnight. Unfortunately, the price surge didn’t necessarily happen “overnight”, but instead has been building up since 2020 and has just now exploded.

To make a long story short, there is a major flower shortage throughout all of the United States. What caused that shortage you may ask? Well, there are a few major reasons that we’ve discussed down below.

Weather/Natural Disasters

One of the biggest struggles that all wholesalers have been experiencing is terrible growing conditions. A lot of the States in the US (and especially Florida) import their flowers from other regions. Many areas have been experiencing heavy rainfalls and flooding which has then caused rot, mold, and bug attracting bacteria.

COVID-19

With the rise of stress caused by the pandemic the need for flowers has also gone to an all time high. Even the smallest “sorry I can’t be with you” arrangements were sent out more frequently which created a surplus demand of flowers.

Closed Ports

In mid 2021 we are still feeling the repercussions of the pandemic which includes many ports being closed. Since we get a large majority of our flowers elsewhere, those areas are still having a hard time making deliveries due to shut downs and newly implemented regulations.

Farmer Strikes

Believe it or not, many farmers from other countries are going on strike due to tax reforms. Even the growers who aren’t taking part in the disagreement are having issues getting to their fields as well as shipping their products due to roadway blockades. Due to the difficulties in other regions, many wholesalers are having delayed orders which may not arrive to their facility until weeks later.

Okay, I understand the shortage, but what does this mean for my wedding planning process?

Florist cannot recommend enough to continue to go about your wedding planning! Just because we are experiencing some difficulties, doesn’t mean that we are unable to help you with your special day. One thing that we do ask is for you not to get your heart set on a certain flower because we are unable to guarantee its availability (especially if it’s outside of its normal growing season). Instead, we can work with an ideal color scheme and flower suggestions such as “I really love ranunculuses but I’d be equally as happy if they needed to be substituted with a similar flower such as a garden rose”.

Our company strives on customer service and loves to be as transparent with you as possible. We hope that these examples of flower shortages helps resolve some unanswered questions and prevent unnecessary stress later on down the road!

Top 10 First Dance Songs of 2021

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Venue: Grand Hyatt Tampa Bay | Photography: Your Story By Us

The first official dance as husband and wife. This is something that many couples cherish forever, but are clueless when deciding what the song should be. To prevent the headache and allow your mind to focus on something else (like how to dance without stepping on your partner’s toes) we’ve come up with a list of the top 10 first dance songs of 2021! Yes, some of these songs may seem overplayed, but that’s because they know how to get you in your feels. Sometimes the biggest ear worms make for the most memorable moments, including your first dance!

  1. Perfect – Ed Sheeran
  2. All of Me – John Legend
  3. Speechless – Dan + Shay
  4. Thinking Out Loud – Ed Sheeran
  5. A Thousand Years – Christina Perri
  6. Stay With Me – Sam Smith
  7. I Will Always Love You – Whitney Houston (an oldie but a goodie!)
  8. If I Ain’t Got You – Alicia Keys
  9. This I Promise You – *NSYNC
  10. Better Together – Jack Johnson

Still not feeling any of these songs? (we won’t be offended) Check out these Spotify Playlists for some more inspiration!

Venue 650 Wedding – Caitlin & Brandon

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Caitlin came to Event Design with a dream of getting married outside of the Tampa/St. Petersburg area and instead moving closer to Orlando. After much discussion with her (then) fiancé, Brandon, they decided on renting out an old newspaper printing house in Winter Haven. Venue 650 gave them the industrial vibe that they both were envisioning while still allowing plenty of opportunity to dress up the space with drapery and candle lights!

As soon as they confirmed their date, they decided to reach out to Event Design to get the decor details sorted out. Both Caitlin and Brandon had a vision of a natural theme with greenery, white flowers, and gold accents. Being extremely organized, Caitlin already had prepared HUNDREDS of photographs and inspirational boards of exactly what she wanted. With being over a year out, everything seemed to be going according to plan but then… COVID hit.

Everything seemed to have come crashing down and while still dreaming of having a spring wedding, Caitlin and Brandon decided to privately tie the knot anyway and celebrate with their friends and family later on in the summer at Venue 650.

This wedding was extremely special to Event Design because we had the opportunity to not only help design the space, but to coordinate the big day as well! Venue 650 is every couple and decor company’s dream space while providing a blank slate to work from but still including timeless pieces such as exposed beams and white brick walls. Event Design’s elegant touches such as drapery and custom made farm sweetheart table helped enhance the atmosphere even more. All of the other decor aspects were finished off by including specialty linen, florals, centerpieces, chargers, and furniture to create a memorable atmosphere that the guests (including Caitlin and Brandon) are still talking about!

Venue: Venue 650 | Photography: J Canelas Photography | Videography: J&S Media | Decor/Furniture/Floral: Us! | Hair & Makeup: Femme Akoi

Don’t Make These Mistakes When Wedding Dress Shopping

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Photography: Benjamin Hewitt Photography

You just got engaged! Now what? Many brides immediate answer is to go dress shopping, of course! While having the perfect dress is obviously a BIG deal, there are many things that newly engaged couples don’t consider when picking out the gown for their big day!

Not Having a Set Wedding Date or Location

Having a wedding date and location is a necessity before you can even consider finding a dress! Even though you may have a style in mind, there are so many elements that can change the actual design. For example, if you were to get married in the summer in Florida (preferably in the Tampa Bay area ?) you may be too hot to be wearing a long sleeved dress. If you were to decide on a beach wedding, you would likely find sand underneath your fabric if you were to choose a train. Once a date and venue is set you will have a better idea of what is the most practical during the time of year and location of your wedding.

Getting Overwhelmed by the Different Styles

Did you know there are over a hundred different styles of wedding dresses? With trends constantly changing new designs come into the market every single day. Just like deciding on your hair and makeup, it is strongly encouraged to browse different designs online to see which ones appeal to you the most. This will prevent you feeling bombarded when you do go to a salon and give you a more set idea of what you’re envisioning!

Not Bringing the Proper Undergarments to Any Fitting

Getting closer to deciding on the perfect dress? Make sure to bring the undergarments that you plan on wearing to your wedding that way you know what works and what doesn’t. This will prevent you from scrambling day of trying to figure out how to hide a bra strap or panty lines.

Not Having a Set Budget in Mind for Your Dress

One of the most devastating stories that we hear from time to time is that someone found their dream dress just to see that it is completely out of their budget. To avoid the heartbreak, many salons recommend having a set budget prior to going in store to shop. This also allows the bride to be focused on exactly what is within her means as opposed to getting attached to styles that she isn’t able to afford.

Lastly, remember to have fun! Wedding dress shopping is something that can be done with friends and family members to make the experience even more enjoyable. So sit down, pop a bottle of champagne, and remember that this is leading up to one of the most memorable days!

3 Things to Pack for Your Photographer on Your Wedding Day

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Venue: Isla Del Sol Yacht & Country Club | Photography: Limelight Photography

Detail Shots!

These are some of the most under appreciated photos from wedding attendees but the ones that are the most valued by the Bride and Groom. Images from the big day (before it ever happens) are perfect to use as keepsakes for later down the road when things might be lost during moves, kids, and life in general!

With so much on your mind leading up to your big day you might be stumped on what to give to your photographer to get the most epic shots. Fear not! Here are three things that we believe to be some of the most significant items to bring day of

  1. Wedding Invitations (because these will definitely be lost years later so why not have a digital copy!?)
  2. Loose Flowers – these are great to use as an accent around larger items as well as incorporate your wedding colors into the shot. BONUS! Did you know we provide them complimentary if you get florals from us? All you have to do is ask ahead of time
  3. Sentimental Items and Momentos – These items can be some of the most meaningful pieces to you such as your dad’s borrowed wrist watch or your grandmother’s veil

PRO TIP: Items used in detail shots should be relatively small and able to fit inside of a box. This means you are able to start collecting them now and hand them over to your photographer day of so it’s one less thing that you have to think about!

Happy Year… Happy New Year

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For some, the words: “When you know, you know” aren’t just lip-service.  For some, these words represent the serendipitous magic that seems to hang in the air and swirl around you.  Such is the case with Jill and Marcus who enjoyed a whirlwind romance in 2011 – having  met, fell in love, found a home (subsequently started renovating it), began their move and then (for good measure), got engaged all inside of one year.  What’s better than that?!

With a little imagination and a whole lot of guts, this incredible bride managed (with a little help from Event Design) to organize an New Year’s Eve Engagement Party party people will be talking about for years to come because when guests arrived at the Don Vincente de Ybor Historic Innon December 31, 2011, they never suspected they were attending a surprise wedding ceremony and reception.  Tre celebrity!

We are honored and humbled to be included in the May/June issue of Destination Weddings and Honeymoons Magazine.  Thank you to K&K Photography for their always excellent visual depiction of a magical day.