Normal For Florist To Put On Flowers?
Decorating By ribbitfroggie Updated 6 Mar 2007 , 7:58pm by jmt1714
Sorry to be ignorant on this, but I always thought the florist provided the flowers, and that I would be placing the flowers on the cake?
I have 4 weddings coming up this summer, and one of my brides wants fresh Gerbera daisies and in the beginning was planning on ordering them and having me decorate the cake for her. Well plans have changed, and she has changed florists and is now saying that the florist will be placing the flowers on the cake. I don't know whether or not to make a stink. Is this normal? Should I simply take it as a blessing? Is there anything I need to worry about, or are florists trained to place flowers on cakes? Sorry again, since this may be a dumb question, but this is my first time with fresh flowers.
Thanks in advance,
Brandie
I have never heard of that before its seems crazy the florist does the flowers not the cake and after all the cake is going to have your name on it and if he nicks it or something I dont think its a good idea at all.
Most florist are happy to give me the flowers and I can finish the cake. The problem I have is if the florist messes the cake up somehow it is there liability at that point. That's why florist are happy to hand over the flowers and let me do it.
Andrea
I think you should just get the name and number of the florist from the bride and deal with them directly. I haven't worked directly with florists, but when I got married that is how it was handled.
Look at the wedding cake in my pics.......I did the cakes and my friend did the silk flowers...holy Mother of God - it is crazy huge. The large middle cake is okay - I like the cascading effect but the other ones are bad. I always heard that if the bride wanted fresh flowers, they got them from the florist and I have heard of lots of florist screwing it up by shoving them here and there. I would be very clear that if the florist is doing the cake, you are not to be held responsible in any way for the outcome....and take pics before. I was sick to my gut with mine...and that was my first wedding cake.
** And I did this cake for free....they provided ingredients...it was a budget cake and my friend wanted to pay for the cake for her SIL and she does so much for me, yada, yada, yada...imagine my horror when I found out she spent $160 on those silk flowers!! 
I relied on the florist to provide the flowers only once, and NEVER AGAIN.
I gave them a specific list of what was needed, a count of the number of stems that were required for the tops of 3 cakes. What I was left with was about 8 blooms, no greens and no babys breath.
I require the flowers to be delivered to me, or I buy them myself. That way, the flowers are correct.
the florist I dealt with for a bridal shower cake had no idea what she was talking about. She asked me how I was putting the flowers on the cake. She was very rude! I told her I was putting them in a flower spike. She flipped on me! Told me she had never heard of such a thing and that I was going to allow bacteria into the cake. I don't know if she thought a flower spike was something else or what. I ordered the flowers from another shop. So that florist didn't seem to know much about the cake part of it. She told me they do cakes all the time???
I would tell the bride she has to call and tell the florist to have the flowers delivered in time for you to put them on the cake. Tell her that the cake is your responsibility, and it is your policy to make sure the cake is finished before you leave. Ask her politely to call, or offer to call the florist yourself. Most cases, the bride isn't going to care, as long as the flowers get put on. A major selling point is that the florist is more than likely charging for putting the flowers on the cake, and she's already paying you, so tell her she shouldn't be paying twice. If she chooses for the florist to put flowers on your cake, then she has to sign a contract that states that you aren't responsible once it's delivered.
I would never EVER allow another person to touch my product! If I was uncomfortable with my arranging skills, I would invite the florist to observe and suggest...but to just leave it up to them to do it. No way!
The most I would do is allow the florist to prepare a nosegay for the top. But, that would be done as a unit, which *I* would then place on the top...not her.
I don't really like the concept of fresh flowers on a cake and shy away from this whole scenario in the first place. It just opens the door for so many problems!
My brides are responsible for providing the fresh or silk florals, but I tell them, "Just have the florist leave them on the cake table or in the reception hall and I'll take care of it." Most florists are in and out before I get there anyway so they like the drop-off part so they dont' have to wait around. And I find most florists are more than happy to hand this off to the cake person!
It could be just a simple misunderstanding .... the bride said, "Can you make flowers to put on my cake?" Florist said, "Sure, I'll arrange for the flowers on your cake." Then bride tells cake lady, "The florist will put the flowers on my cake!" It may not be a case of the florist is demanding to be the one to do it .... it may be just the way the bride phrased it.
My first wedding cake (three cakes in my photos) had fresh flowers. I was also told that the florist would leave the flowers there for me to place on the cake. I set the cake up and walked the floors waiting on the "late" florist. Then, she shows up (while I was in the bathroom) and begins placing flowers on the cake. I was sick!!!! I couldn't belive it. I asked her what she was doing and she told me that she "always" places the flowers on the cake. I was so upset. I stood by and prayed that she wouldn't bump something or nick something that I couldn't repair. The next two weddings I did were silk flowers and I insisted that I take care of the flowers or they could find someone else to do the cake.
After consultation with the bride about what sort of cake she wants, then discussing the flowers, whether she wants sugar or fresh, and the design she is looking for on her cake, I would then say if it is fresh flowers, between us we decide how the finished cake will look, so the flowers must be delivered to me or left at the venue for me to place on the cake,as the florist will not know how the finished product is meant to look.
I never want anyone to mess with the cake until I have done everything I need to and am happy with the end product.
It is your name on the line if the cake gets messed up or squashed with flowers in the wrong place.
maybe have a word with the bride and florist so everyone knows exactly who is doing what!
cheers
Jan
I think I learned my lesson by allowing the florist put the flowers on a cake I did (it is in my pics). She did a good job until she got to the bottom tier and moved the ribbon in order to stick the flowers in. Now the ribbon looks funky!
From now on, I will do it myself! Thanks for all the tips...this wasn't my post, but I learned alot anyway...
....I just tell the florist that I stay to make sure I don't need to do any touch ups!
That's nicer than the way I would have phrased it! I tend to lean toward the "I'm here to make sure you don't muck up my cake!" (and no, the word I'd use isn't "muck"!)
gee i guess i'm the oddball here...if it's fresh flowers i always have them let thier florist do it.
all these years...never a problem.
i will do the silks however.
i also think it matters if its a professional florist they should have experiance with how to handle a cake....not just someones "aunt millie".
Excellent point littlecake!!
I have to agree with Mocakes... (if the florist is good, not Aunt Millie... well, maybe Aunt Millie is a ProFlo!! ) I would allow it, but only if I am standing there to protect my creation and fix any problems that occur. I am just so territorial when it comes to my cakes. What happens after I leave is not my problem to a POINT. But anything I can do to assure it's beauty and pristine condition is important to me.
OMG... I just realized... I'm a cake nazi. I need a massage!
Lol, Melv.
Do you guys preferr to rely on a wholesale flower distributor for flowers or do you like working with WHICHEVER florist the bride has chosen?
I will always go with the bride's florist for a couple of reasons: (1) the bride is responsible for getting the flowers (silk or real) for the cake (2) by using her florist, all the wedding flowers will match (i.e. what if there is a last minute change or the florist has to make a last minute substitute?) (3) the bride MIGHT get some pricing advantage if she orders more flowers
There is one florist in town that I have no problem doing the fresh flowers. but with anyone else it would be different.
I try to time the cake with her being there she always want a big blob of butter cream piped on top of the cake so the flowers are stuck in it and never the cake... if I can not stay I leave a disposable bag of buttercream for her to use.
I had one disaster with a florist.... It was a very long range delivery 2 hours..... I arrived at the appointed time the cake was supposed to have an arrangement placed between the teirs inbetween tall pillars The arrangemant was not there as arranged... I did not have the florist name or number... we waited 30 minutes and then put the cake together and left. I was sure to take a picture before I left but I have no idea what the florist did or if he messed it up....
Meg
I try to time the cake with her being there she always want a big blob of butter cream piped on top of the cake so the flowers are stuck in it and never the cake... if I can not stay I leave a disposable bag of buttercream for her to use......
I do this alot, whether the florals are real or silk. It also makes it look like there are more flowers .... like a mound of flowers, sitting high and visible, and no one really knows it is just mostly a mound of icing!
since I dont (and wont ever) do wedding cakes, I can only say what happened at my own wedding....I ordered a cake from a home baker and loved it, however, it was the fresh flowers that a friend of mine did (who has her own business) that really made that cake a show stopper. I guess I was fortunate that my cake lady wasnt over protective of 'her' cake, because it would have been quite ordinary if not for the gorgeous flowers my friend did.
The flowers are a basic part of the cake design, and only the cake designer knows well how many are need it, and how to place them right.
If you need to charge extra for the flowers, do, but make sure what you meant for your vision is there. 
NO ONE LAYS A FINGER ON MY MAKE 
There's a Mexican saying that goes: "zapatero a tus zapatos" meaning that one should keep to their own filed of expertise. I think the baker should do the cake, and the florist the flowers. Of course working toghether to have the results needed for the customer. But when it comes to actually placing the flowers on the cake, I think is the job of the baker, because you can take out a couple of flowers if needed, but I bet the florist won't know how to fix the cake if needed. If this is not possible then make sure the customer knows your not responsible for the damage the florist could do.
I do the flowers most of the time, however, if the bride wants the florist to do them then I make sure the florist arrives before I leave and I stand there and watch.
I just tell the florist that I stay to make sure I don't need to do any touch ups!
if the bride wants the florist to do them, so be it. but 1. I wouldn't wait around to fix anything and 2. I'd have her sign a waiver before deovery that you are not responsible for anything the florist does when placing the flowers and 3. have someon initial or sign at delivery that the cake was 100% fine when you delivered and before the flowers were done
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