A wedding planner told me white roses are boring and it got me thinking

Last week I had a consult with a wedding planner in Austin who flat out said she steers clients away from white rose bouquets because she thinks they are overdone and lack personality. I argued that white roses are a classic staple and clients love them for a reason. She countered by saying she sees more brides wanting unique textures like scabiosa or anemones with bold centers instead. Now I'm wondering if I rely too much on the safe white rose standard and should push my clients toward more unusual blooms. Has anyone else had a planner or client challenge your go-to flowers in a way that made you shift your inventory or suggestions?

3 comments

3 Comments

young.michael3d ago

You said she steers clients away from white roses because they 'lack personality' - does she actually show them alternatives that sell better, or is she just trying to push her own aesthetic on people?" I've had planners do this before where they act like their personal taste is some kind of universal rule. It always makes me wonder if they're actually tracking what sells vs what they just like looking at in magazines. White roses are popular for a reason, they're reliable, they work with any color scheme, and they photograph beautifully. I'd be curious if this planner has actual data on her clients regretting white roses later or if she's just projecting what she thinks is "boring.

young.michael3d ago

...and honestly, that's the thing that gets me too. I'm not a florist or anything, my wife once made me arrange centerpieces for her cousin's wedding and they looked like a toddler did it. But from what I've seen, white roses are like the vanilla ice cream of flowers - they're classic for a reason, not because everyone's boring. In my experience, some planners get caught up in what they think is "elevated" and forget that brides usually know what they want. Your mileage may vary, but I'd bet money this planner just doesn't like white herself and is dressing it up as professional advice.

shane_bell2d agoMost Upvoted

Vanilla ice cream of flowers" is perfect, @young.michael, I'm stealing that. Yeah these planners act like white roses are the floral equivalent of a blank wall, but honestly sometimes the bride just wants clean and classic, not some "elevated" mess of dried protea and weird branches that looks like it fell out of a taxidermy shop. I've seen too many weddings where the "unique" flowers looked weird in photos and the couple was pissed a year later. White roses never let you down, that's facts.