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Extra Features and Video Online FloristsReview.com R E A D O N L I N E 61 Wellington appreciated floral artist Lauren Weintraub, "lady boss" of Belovely Floral Co. in Ambler, Pa., who arrived with "digital mock-ups" to show all angles of how a specific room would look with her designs. "She has a degree in interior design and used tech in a smart way," Wellington says. Again, event planners want to know that a florist will deliver as planned. 4. Think of a specific style you offer. Being a generalist these days is a wonderful skill, but it doesn't separate you from the pack. e super-famous event planners want "new" and "different" to be part of their posse. After all, you will be the add-on to their established stable of talent. If you are trying to break in with this group, capitalize on something unique you do. Wellington just hired someone who specialized in ikebana designs. "Japanese floral design style is becoming more popular, and it caught my attention, and I hired the florist," she says. "Sophie Felts Floral Design [in Gaithersburg, Md.] got on our radar by producing interesting color combos," says Ritchie. "ey did an amazing job and are now one of our go-to floral design teams who we tap each season." "We, as planners and designers, are always looking for new creative resources who can show us something novel and unique," Dubin concurs. After all, for the brides who don't ask for specific florists, event planners can show them many options. 5. Make impressions on social media. All event planners I spoke to look for new talent on Instagram. "I look for consistency," says Wellington. " You can typically tell the skill when you see the number of flowers used in an arrangement. It tells me how long someone has been in the business. ey should be willing to invest money into their output." e very polished production offers another challenge. Was it the florist or a team of florists? is is why individual accounts should have not only the team- produced pieces but the personal ones, as well. 6. Show resourcefulness once you have a job. Wellington marvels at how Jennifer Reed, owner of Jennifer Designs Events in Mantua Township, N.J., and an award-winning floral designer from the Philadelphia Flower Show, draped an arch with two sheets of fabric, creating a dramatic effect. e wedding was one of those occasions where the ceremony arch had to be dismantled following the ceremony in the same room in which cocktails were served. "Jen had all this greenery on the back wall hidden with draped fabric, to create a wow effect," says Wellington. "Event planners like to be surprised—in a good way." To many florists we interviewed, event planners appear as "gatekeepers" who are keeping them away from the big- money events that have increasingly become necessary financial opportunities, as supermarket flower shops take a bigger chunk of weekly sales by providing flowers at cheaper prices. But, there are many ways to break through the gates and open the door to mutually beneficial opportunities. One of the complaints I heard was how florists are always being undercut, as far as clients prioritizing flowers for their events. But that is definitely changing in 2023, as the pandemic and Instagram have shown how vital flowers are for memory-making photos. "Because of Instagram, brides now are very focused on flowers and consider that part of an event a priority," says Wellington. "at is, indeed, progress."

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