KC Events & Florals: 10 Questions with Sherronda Scoggins

Florist - Sherronda Scoggins

Business: KC Events & Florals
Location: Houston, Texas TX
Experience: 17 Years
Profile: KC Events & Florals
Website: www.kceventsandflorals.com

1. Introduction: What's your story?

"Hi, I am Sherronda Scoggins, an Air Force Veteran who is the founder and creative director of KC Events & Florals. KC Events & Florals LLC is a unique floral, design and rental company offering specialty rentals, hotel and event floral installations, custom fabrication, prop styling and event design! We specialize in Event Design, Custom Creation, and Floral Installations.

I always say that this flower business found me. I use to decorate for my church for free to help out. One of the ladies, whose kids were in elementary and middle school at the time, would always say “when my kids get married I will call you”; I was thinking, "sure you will". When her daughter was finishing Medical school, she called and asked me to do her daughter's wedding. I did two weddings in one weekend; a traditional Nigerian ceremony and an American ceremony, both with florals and decor. One referral led to the next and here I am 17 years later loving what I do!"

2. What's your experience as a wedding florist business? How many weddings are in there in your portfolio?

"I am a self-taught florist with no formal training; just a God-given talent with a determination to multiply that skill and an eye for details. We have performed several hundred full-productions and hundreds of floral installations for weddings. I have a background in Fashion Design and a Bachelor's degree in Leadership. My specialization was in wedding gowns and formal wear. I have taken what I have learned in fashion design and have applied those skills to floristry. I no longer dress the brides, but I now "dress" the inside of the venue, including the altar, walkways, foyers, chairs and/or tables!"

3. How far in advance do couples need to secure your services?

"We prefer brides book us one year to six months out, but certainly that is not always possible. We have been known to pull together a full-scale production in less than a week. The more time we have, then the more time we have to design with all the little details in mind to make our client's vision come to life! For those clients who really want us, they book as soon as they have a venue; usually is one year to six months out which limits the number of dates we have available for brides who decide to wait. It is always better to book your preferred vendor sooner rather than later to have a better chance of them having your date available."

4. How do you price your floral arrangements? What are the different packages that you offer and which one is your most popular package?

"Every client is unique and has different needs, so we customize and tailor every quote to that specific client. We are a full-service florist, so we are able to design the entire event from start to finish based on the client's needs, but our extensive rental inventory gives us the ability to allow the client the see their vision become a reality. Pricing will be determined by the size of the arrangements, flower choices and style. We do not have minimums, but our average weddings range from about $6,500.00 - $12,000.00 plus (florals + rentals + decor). I'm super grateful that we are able to service low-budget clients to spare-no-expense clients, as well!"

5. How many meetings will you have with the couple, and how will they be involved?

"We have all clients fill out a Pre-Consultation Form, where they can share all their details including their love story and inspiration pictures. We then schedule a quick chat phone interview to make sure we understand all their needs before scheduling an in-person visit. In the in-person visit, we have a table to pull out linens and other rentals to pull the tablescapes together. In many cases, we do a mood board or a rendering for the client so they get a visual of their overall look. They can request a paid mockup of flowers and rentals in our studio, as well. On a rare occasion, we have a second visit. Most clients don’t need a second meeting unless there are major changes. We try to cover all the bases with renderings, tables setups with rental choices, so the client is comfortable with what their event will consist of in the first visit."

6. Who else is in your team and how many people on your staff will be at the wedding?

"In addition to myself, KC Events & Florals typically has a team of 14. During COVID, we have been operating with a smaller team, but a very efficient team. Madison is our Office Assistant helping to schedule deliveries, coordinating logistics with our warehouse team and setup crews. Shawn is our Events & Logistics Manager who ensures that all rentals are pulled, loaded, trucks are routed and delivered. Aaron manages the warehouse to ensure all rentals are properly stored, organized, pulled for events and checked in after events. There is a team member responsible for processing all the flowers, caring for the flowers and pulling them to be used for designers. The design teams make sure that each event's designs are met and are accurate for each event. The 'Dream Team' that shows up on-site can consist of 4-14 people depending on the event size, the event intricate details involved and/or the amount of muscle needed for large equipment or large installations. I am always on-site to inspect the final details and give my brides their bouquets (unless we have multiple events on the same day, but it is my goal to always give the bride her bouquets in person)."

7. How would you describe your design style? (e.g. traditional, modern, rustic, organic)

"My design style typically leans toward classic-traditional, but I consider myself one who is versatile enough to design to the client's specific vision and needs. I am also a hotel and restaurant florist that has to adapt to the style of the client. Therefore, I am capable of designing many different styles. I am an artist and tend to not lock myself in a design box. This allows me to push my skills to the limits to meet the demands of my clients, so my skills are always evolving. As a designer, my assignment is to bring the vision to life for the client while giving them something beautiful and timeless."

8. Who will handle setup and delivery? What other services do you offer?

"The 'Dream Team' will handle the setup with the assistance of our supporting team members. Myself, the Office Assistant (who has been a part of the planning from day one), the Warehouse Manager and Logistics Manager are all on the scene making sure the client's vision is executed and that no detail is overlooked/missed. We are also a full-service rental company offering, linens, place settings, lighting, draping, bars, tables, chairs, trendy furniture, glassware, tableware, custom seating charts, photo booths and much more!"

9. What happens to the flowers after the wedding?

"After the wedding, flowers go back to our shop where they are broken down to smaller bouquets for nursing homes and cancer wards. Most times, the flowers go with the client or some of their designated persons (minus our vase rentals of course). Since we are a daily floral division, we are thankful to our daily flower customers who will donate back their vases for this cause so that the recipients get a vase, so their flowers can last longer and look professional."

10. What is your cancellation and/or refund policy?

"We require a 50% retainer of the total amount to secure the Event Date. The retainer is non-refundable for any reason. All payments are due 30 days before the Event Date (the “Final Payment”). Contract cancellation must be made in writing. Cancellations made less than 60 days prior to the wedding date will receive no refund. Failure to make the 30 day final payment is interpreted as a cancellation."