Hello flower friends! I know we have a wide audience from gardeners, to brides, to fellow freelancer floral design entrepreneurs. So, this one is for you budding floral design professionals!

There is a new company on the block that goes by the name ‘Your Poppy’ flowers and their primary specialty is weddings and events. They operate with a design network of floral professionals in order to fulfill as many events as possible per day around the USA. It’s quite an interesting structure, really. If you are a designer that truly does not want to work with the back-end of the wedding business- planning, coordinating, communicating, etc., then this might be a company for you to consider networking with. I have been a poppy designer for about 3 months now, and have just completed my first four weddings this month with the company. Each has been a widely different experience so I am still trying to gather an idea of if I want to continue designing with the company. But, it is definitely good money for our industry and is helping to keep floral designers employed as we navigate ‘the Pandemic.’

Let’s walk you through the process. Anywhere from 8 to 2 weeks before the event a company representative will reach out with the event details for which you are a local designer in their network. So- this guide will include the expected hours that this event will require from you, the items that will need to be created, where the arrangements will have to be delivered and by the particular time necessary, and some basic inspiration photos for the arrangements that you are being asked to create. At this time, you can say yes I’m available & ready to work, or sorry can’t that week. The cards are in your hands here!

If you decide to move forward with working that particular event, you will receive a contract that states your hourly rate, expected hours needed to work the event, and that you’re committing yourself to getting the job done. Then, you will not hear from anyone until the week of the wedding. Your designated design rep for the event will be in contact with delivery and tracking information, an inventory spreadsheet for you to compare what’s received and when and in what condition, and an updated design guide with recipes for the items you are going to create. And you’ll be expected to update the spreadsheet as inventory is delivered, send photos of EVERYTHING as it is received and processed- ESPECIALLY if it is received damaged and you will be requiring replacement. And, you will need to be in constant contact basically until the event is over- timeline updates, photos of designs as they’re completed, and updated photos or videos once any corrections are made to the arrangements upon request.

This is the stressful part and leaves little room for design freedom (like you may have if you were designing for your own business)- product may be received damaged, late, or not at all- then it is up to you to source what’s necessary and be reimbursed. This is especially stressful if you have another daily job that requires your commitment. And, they’re not YOUR designs. So, what the design reps say, you do. Even if it is just pampas grass and babies breath clouds that are not your style but it’s not your wedding or design, so you make the changes they say and move on.

All in all, it is a good gig. It’s a job! So, if you want to work with flowers and gain experience doing different designs it may be a good gig for you, too.

Some things to consider may be:

Living in a constant mess during wedding week (especially if you do not have a designated design studio- MAN, I can’t wait to have one someday in the future). And, a space to store your arrangements until they need to be delivered… Will they be on your kitchen table ALL week? Or, do you have a cooler that you can put finished product so that the rest of your house can still be used throughout the day?

The size of your vehicle- I drive an SUV and I have JUST fit everything needed for each event so far. If you drive a sedan it definitely won’t cut it for large centerpiece orders or installation arrangements.

Designing with toddlers and young children- you may have some very late nights to get everything done before the event so that little hands aren’t in your way while you work.

Burn out – don’t bite off more than you can chew! Especially, when you work another job throughout the week!

I have been juggling designing with Your Poppy and another local floral designer during the same week (in combination with our work here at Garden in the Pines), which is definitely taking a toll on my 8-month pregnant body. So, just be aware of how much you’re putting on your plate- burnout can happen really quickly!

If you’d like to collaborate or discuss how we can partner, please contact us!

Happy designing!