Let's Chat Exclusivity

As with any wedding vendors, we have a complex contract that all our couples are required to sign in order to book with us. This contract protects both our company and our couples by insuring each party is aware of their responsibilities. Often our couples get swept up in the excitement of booking their florals that they don't take the time to dive deep into their contracts. We are here to explain some of our more complicated topics!

Megan Travis Photography

So, what does exclusivity actually mean?

In our contract, we have an exclusivity clause that states: 

Client understands and agrees that he or she has hired Provider exclusive of any other service provider. In order to provide a high level of satisfaction and quality of service, no other service providers, other than any assistant or third party that Provider hires to complete the Services outlined in this Agreement, are permitted to provide the same or similar services or products, paid or unpaid, at the locations and dates specified in this Agreement. This includes floral services provided by planners, other florists, friends or family members of the Client.

Pretty boring, right? Let's summarize it a bit further:

Essentially, if you book with us, the only florals allowed at your wedding, faux or real, must be provided by us. There cannot be any florals at any portion of your wedding that was not something we provided for the event. This is not limited to florals by other florists, but also by the planner or friends/family

Kaitlyn Blake Photography

Now that we understand exclusivity, the question remains: Why?

Let's imagine that one of our couples, Jordan & Justin, have booked me for their wedding. When we arrive on site, we realize that a family friend who used to be a florist has brought in florals and there are florals sitting out from the rehearsal dinner that we did not provide. Here are some things that could happen:

1. We are being accredited for someone else's work, or vice versa

During the wedding, someone asks Jordan & Justin who did the flowers. They say Thistle & Moon, but little did they know this guest has been admiring (or disliking) the florals provided by the family friend. So now we are being accredited for someone else's work -- which, in the artist world, is a huge deal for many reasons. 

2. Something can go wrong

Jordan & Justin's rehearsal flowers include a large urn arrangement designed by Jordan's cousin. In the middle of setup, this large arrangement starts to wilt and fall apart because it was not properly designed or maintained after the rehearsal dinner. Everyone is panicking -- this arrangement was the centerpiece of the ceremony -- and now Jordan & Justin's planner asks us, the professionals, to save the day and fix it. This puts us not only in breach of our contract, but also in the uncomfortable position of changing someone else's work.

3. We can't use pictures from your wedding 

Okay, Okay, pictures aren't everything. However, after spending months planning and days designing, we love it when we get pictures of weddings to share with others. When someone else's flowers are in Jordan & Justin's wedding pictures alongside our work, we can't share those pictures (see reason #1). Now the world will never get to see how pretty their flowers were!

4. Consistence and Curation

Jordan & Justin came to us with a very curated vision of their wedding day. They had spent months dreaming it up with their planner, who then spent time relaying that vision to us. If there were other florals at the wedding not provided by us, the flowers, the design style, the vessels and the quality might vary drastically from that vision.

Kristin Piteo Photography

Are there any exception to your exclusivity clause?

There is one big exception to our exclusivity clause: Rentals

If you want to provide your own candles or arbor (or anything else along those lines), that is totally ok! Your planner is responsible for setting those items out and cleaning them up at the end of the night.

Got Questions?

Hopefully this post has been informative on why Florist's often have an exclusvity clause in their contracts. not only does it protect the florist, but it protects the couple as well. As always, if you want to know more, feel free to reach out!