Funeral Order Stress...

Most florists will find wedding order is very stressful. But recently I found the funeral order can be pretty intense too... I'm still recovering from the big funeral order we did last Friday for Saturday visitation. We have to do overtime for two straight nights. Although there are "only" 20 big pieces (we'd done more than 30 pieces at one time just before Christmas 2008, so 20 pieces is still OK...), the amount of stress is not funny. Since funeral is not like the big wedding party that most likely all pre-planned at least couple months/weeks in advance, they always comes within couple days. From ordering flowers, calculating how many flowers to order and what kind to order to ordering supplies such as funeral containers, spray cages, hearts, wreaths, enough oasis to use, enough greenery for arrangement, there are a lot of preparation works to be done... There are also tons of opinions about what to put on the sympathy cards, what names to put on the cards, keep changing the message for the cards, color of the them or arrangements, all that drives me crazy... And then we have to worry about if the driver can handle all 20 pieces for delivery since he will need to bring the flowers in different loads instead of just one. Also pray for the flowers won't be dead or damaged during or after being transported. Because often time if the driver is not careful enough, the arrangement would not look the same when you made it... (Imagine the arrangement has been rolled around at the back of the car...) In the winter time, if the weather is very cold or windy (windchill), it kills the flowers even quicker, especially the open lily, it will just wilt right away when the windchill hits it. And the whole arrangement is ruined... The expectation of the family who order the flowers for themselves and also other friends and relatives are so high that you are so afraid that there is something wrong with the flowers or mistakes on sympathy cards will result in huge complaints from the sender. (Not to mention the part that we have to negotiate the price of the whole package with the family... I really don't like that part...) Although I should not complain too much since it's a slow season for floral industry that everyone should be happy to get orders but I still have to say that funeral is not a easy money to make...

Picture above:
Sympathy Wreath in Pastel Tone

Roses
Daisies
Alstromarias
Carnations
Wax Flowers
Leather Ferns
Italian Ruscus