Bigger weddings can mean bigger revenue—but they can also come with bigger expenses.
Studio rent. Coolers. Ladders. Lifts. Rental inventory. Delivery vehicles. Equipment. Staffing.
And if you are not careful, all of those expenses can start eating away at the profit you were hoping to make by taking on larger events.
In this episode, Jeni shares some of the practical hacks she has learned after more than 20 years in the floral industry for scaling into larger weddings without feeling like you need to buy everything first.
She starts by challenging the idea that a successful florist needs a beautiful commercial studio. Jeni has operated as a home-based florist throughout her career and explains why keeping overhead low has allowed her to protect profit while still building a workspace capable of handling large-scale events.
She also talks about one investment she does believe can dramatically change the experience of taking on bigger weddings: a cooler. Having proper flower storage can reduce stress, protect delicate product, and give you more flexibility during busy wedding weeks.
From there, Jeni dives into renting instead of buying.
Need a 12-foot ladder for one installation? Rent it.
Need a lift for a massive hanging installation? Rent it—and understand exactly what kind of lift the venue has before assuming it will work.
Need Harlow stands or specialty event equipment that you may only use once? Check with event rental companies before adding more inventory to your studio.
Jeni also shares why she continues to rent U-Hauls instead of investing in an expensive branded cargo van. For her business, paying for transportation only when she needs it makes more financial sense than adding another major fixed expense.
The goal is not to look like the biggest floral company.
The goal is to build a profitable business with the tools and resources that make the work easier—without unnecessarily increasing your overhead.
In this episode, Jeni talks about:
- Why bigger weddings can quickly eat away at your profit margin
- Why you do not need a commercial studio to have a successful floral business
- The financial reality of adding thousands of dollars in monthly rent
- How a home-based studio can support a large wedding business
- Why having a cooler can become a game changer as you scale
- Finding more affordable used or commercial coolers
- Why you should consider renting equipment before buying it
- Renting ladders for large installations
- What to ask venues about their lifts before wedding day
- How the wrong lift turned one installation into a seven-hour project
- Why renting specialty event equipment can make more sense than owning it
- Asking rental companies about wedding-vendor discounts
- Why you do not necessarily need an expensive branded delivery van
- How Jeni uses U-Haul rentals for large wedding weekends
- Why transportation costs need to be built into delivery, setup, and teardown fees
- How controlling overhead helps protect profit as your business grows
Key takeaway
You do not have to own every resource your business might someday need.
Before adding another major expense, ask:
Do I actually need to own this—or do I simply need access to it?
Scaling does not have to mean piling on overhead.
Sometimes the smartest way to grow is to rent, borrow, optimize what you already have, and spend money only where it genuinely makes your business easier and more profitable.
