HOW FLORISTS CAN ADD VALUE WITH CORPORATE FLOWERS

corporate flowers flowers hotel florist hotel flowers

I recently sat down and talked with Caryl Lyons, a corporate event specialist, and owner of Roar Events, and we chatted all about our experience with corporate flowers and hotel flowers. I asked her questions a florist who is looking to get started with corporate events would like to know and she gave some really valuable insight on just how a florist can transition into working in the corporate event space.

How can florists add value to the corporate event space?

The first thing to keep in mind is that corporate flowers are very different then wedding flowers and you cannot design for a corporate event the same way you would design for a wedding. The vibe of corporate events is modern with a lot of structure. Also, depending on the event it’s whimsy, fun, colorful, so your flower choices and designs should reflect that. Think about the events you’ve gone to or have been apart of, what was the occasion and what was the vibe? How can you design with flowers to match that vibe? For one, corporate events want a lot of flowers on the stage with greenery and trees. Social media is a very big channel for companies and flower walls at social events are a great opportunity to create those instagrammable moments, as it encourages guests to use certain hashtags which help the company gain traction on social media. This is especially true for influencer events which tend to be very floral heavy for this very reason.

Corporate Flowers provide florists with structure

Besides working with hotels, corporate event planners are some of my favorite clients to work with because they know exactly what they want. When it comes to corporate flowers, they have a vision for the event that they communicate with the florist, “We want these colors, we have this look and feel”, they have perimeters for you to understand what they aren’t looking for, and they have a budget. It’s up to the florist to bring their A-game and bring the vision to life with their unique floral designs. All of this gives the florist so much freedom to simply design instead of being stuck looking at a Pinterest or mood board trying to bring it to life for a particular bride that has just one vision in mind.

In an event that Caryl recently did in Costa Rica the idea was to think out of the box — yet keep it authentically local. She brought in tons of colors, mix-matched chairs with long king’s tables, and added all sorts of fruits like pineapples and locally grown tropical flowers to really create that fun and eclectic vibe. Of course, the guests wanted to take photos!

Corporate Flowers and Tropical Events

Where can florists gain inspiration for corporate flowers?

Inspiration for corporate flowers is all around us, Caryl talks about how she is actually inspired by wedding flowers which she then corporatizes. Other places for inspiration could event venues, storefronts, even the super bowl. It goes back to determining the vibe you get when you walk into a store, is it trendy, chic, or boho? Or when you design for a beautiful wedding, think about how can you go from romantic and dreamy to fun and eclectic? What flowers would you use or not use based on the vibe you are getting? What are some elements of that wedding you could transform into a fun event? Inspiration is everywhere, my advice is to keep your phone handy to snap a photo of something that inspires you.

Corporate Flowers and Tropical Events in costa rica

How flowers add value to the hotel lobby

Hotels, like corporate events, really focus on the arrival experience. This sets the tone for the hotel the moment a guest walks through the doors. Is it formal? Is it relaxed? Is it artsy or chic? When a guest walks through the doors they know exactly what to expect and flowers are very powerful to communicate that. Flowers are like the ribbon on a hotel, it ties everything together: lobby colors, brand standards, the authenticity of the hotel to the location that it is in, flowers make the look and feel of the hotel complete. Little touches like flowers in the guest bedroom, on elevator banks, and even in most overlooked spaces like bathrooms add so much to the overall guest experience and it’s important for a hotel to that into account and for a florist to communicate these value adds to the hotel.

Corporate flowers and hotel flowers are both very different from wedding events, but with these tips from both Caryl Lyons and me, a wedding florist can well be on their way to working in corporate events or even landing hotel floral contracts. The thing to remember most is you are here to add value and support to the client. By communicating your expertise and making sure you adhere to brand standards you can do just that.

the beach in costa rica with Corporate Flowers and Tropical Events

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HOW FLORISTS CAN ADD VALUE WITH CORPORATE FLOWERS

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