Pricing is where most new florists lose money without realizing it. Between flower costs, supplies, labor, and overhead, there are a lot of inputs to account for — and underpricing any of them leads to arrangements that look beautiful but leave you broke.
The Standard Floral Markup Formula
Most professional florists use a markup of 2.5x to 3.5x on wholesale flower cost. If you spend $80 wholesale on flowers for a centerpiece, the flower cost alone in your quote is $200–$280. This markup covers wastage, spoilage, and the time spent ordering and conditioning blooms before you even start designing.
Hard goods — vases, foam, ribbon, wire — typically get a 2x markup. Design labor is charged separately at an hourly rate, usually $50–$100/hr depending on your market and experience level.
What Every Florist Quote Must Include
A complete florist quote should account for every cost that touches the job:
- Wholesale flower cost (with markup)
- Hard goods and supplies (with markup)
- Design labor (hours x hourly rate)
- Delivery and setup fee
- Strike/breakdown fee if applicable
- Rental fees for vessels or props
- Sales tax (where required)
Missing even one of these line items on a large wedding quote can turn a profitable job into a money-loser. Build a template so you never skip a category.
Event Pricing vs. Retail Pricing
Event florals and retail arrangements have different pricing logic. Retail walk-in work is simpler — you can use standardized pricing tiers and upsell at point of sale. Event work requires custom quotes for every job, which takes time. Factor in your consultation and proposal time as part of your labor cost for events, even if you don't itemize it on the client-facing quote.
Wedding florals typically command premium pricing because of the high stakes, complex logistics, and weekend-plus-overtime labor. Don't price weddings the same as corporate luncheons. See our wedding florist guide for specifics on wedding pricing strategy.
Set Minimum Order Values
Every florist should have a minimum order amount for events. Small orders with the same logistics burden as large ones destroy your hourly rate. A common approach is a $500–$1,500 event minimum depending on your market. Communicate this upfront so you don't waste consultation time with clients who can't meet your floor.
Track Profitability Per Job
After each event, track actual flower spend versus quoted amount. Over time, you'll identify which event types consistently hit your margins and which don't. Threecus makes it straightforward to log invoiced amounts and costs per client so you can spot patterns without a separate spreadsheet. Use this data to refine your quotes on similar future jobs.
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