Our recent global pandemic has had a lot of strange side-effects, and many unexpected. It shouldn’t be so surprising since it started with people hoarding toilet paper, but here we are. (And don’t get me started with the supply chain!) Every day it feels like a new thing pops up as a result of the pandemic and all the cancellations and delays that came with it. Here at the shop in Banff, what struck us the most - besides a sudden outpouring of new houseplant hobbyists - was the weddings.
Oh god, the weddings. At first it was the cancellations. Then it was postponing. And then, suddenly, it was as if everyone said “fuck it!” all at once and decided to elope.
Photo care of Zoe Snooks Photography
And so 2021 was full of last-minute brides, couples that were tired of putting it off, couples taking the excuse to have a smaller wedding, and so on. Couples that called us an hour or two before they were tying the knot. Couples that ordered a cut & wrap bouquet from our site… and then used it as a bridal bouquet.
And that last one made us think. Generally, the increased cost of bridal bouquets comes from labor and extra time involved. It also comes from having to order-in specific flowers, with the understanding that we will have extra blooms leftover in need of selling. But if we didn’t have to do that, say, for brides who aren’t fussy about the specifics… for brides that say “you’re the florist, I trust you,” and for those who say “just do what you do best!”
An idea was born: the one-step bridal bouquet, available to order through our website, 24 hours in advance.
A large cut & wrap bouquet ordered last fall that was later used as a bridal bouquet.
Now don’t get me wrong. We love seeing inspiration pictures and bringing them to life. We love sorting out careful details and making sure everything is just right. We love seeing a well-planned, well-thought-out, well-designed bouquet come to life. There’s something innately satisfying about that, from beginning to end!
But sometimes, our favourite bouquets turn out to be the most surprising ones; like someone who called an hour before and asked for anything. Someone who has given us a vibe to work off, like ‘I want it to look like I just picked up a bushel of wildflowers,’ etc. And because this year is booking up so fast, there are more and more weddings and events we’re having to turn away because we’re simply already booked up. Banff is getting busier, but our shop stays the same size.
So this summer, if you’re entertaining the idea of a mountain elopement and you don’t want to get dizzy with the details, think about the Bridal Bouquet & Matching Boutonniere option. The price is set. You can tell us anything you want to help us get your vision just right; the vibe, the mood, the colour. Do you want it flowing? Do you want a tight, classic posy? Do you want it messy and wild and chaotic? Dark, bright? And lastly: do you trust us?
An elopement bouquet made last-minute using what we had available in the fridge. - photo care of Zoe Snooks Photography