Wreath making

[longpathtohappiness]

So I went to a Christmas wreath making evening last year... Colleague saw my wreath and wants me to make her a spring wreath like the one in the photo

where would I buy the artificial flowers and how many?

I'm watching with interest for the answer; but I'd guess at that price it's cheaper to buy it ready-made.

Yep the one in the picture will have had the advantage of the maker/ seller buying in bulk to make several, thus reducing her spend.

I've been a florist for over 30 years and fake flowers of a good quality that aren't harshly coloured or crap quality cost a surprising amount, even at wholesale.

If you were to go to a wholesaler and buy individual stems/ a wreath base to make something similar you would easily be spending £60-70 (plus VAT!) so if you're planning on making any profit I'd aim at something above that

That said, Hobbycraft and Dunelm carry a small range of half decent fake flowers and Ikea has a few. But most of them are cheap looking mass produced tat.

Alchemistress oooh thanks. A florist friend of a friend recommended Country baskets wholesaler, looking at their website it does look I'm going to be spending a lot to make wreath like the one in the photo... sigh...

I don't want to spend too much in case she doesn't like it and I keep it. So I really only want to spend what I'd be happy to pay if I was keeping it for myself, if that makes sense.

I'm not interested in making money from my colleague, just happy to cover costs but I need to have a back up in case she doesn't like it

I'd recommend coming up with a realistic price & putting that to your colleague before you buy anything. She may not realise how expensive it'll be, & it's up to her whether she wants to pay that much or not.

You're already doing her a favour by investigating all this, so don't feel you have to make the wreath if it's not viable. It's actually more polite NOT to make it first & spring the price on her as a surprise. So tell her, & let her make her own decision.

Always beware of people who think things are virtually free if they get someone else to make it for them. I've known a few & it's never ended well.

I'm going with the mindset that she won't buy it.