When you are starting your search for you wedding or event vendors, you might see the word "boutique" pop up from time to time. Boutique photography studios, floral studios, dress studios, even caterers, the word is a popular adjective often used by small businesses, but what does it really mean?
Well, the actual French meaning is "small shop" selling stylish clothing or luxury items, but when it comes to wedding vendors, the word takes on a slightly different context. When a business describes themselves as a "boutique" it means that they are a small part of a larger industry, focused on something highly specialized. Oftentimes, the service offered is customized, the number of employees is small, and there are only a handful of professionals or artisans involved in the product or service.
We consider ourselves to be a boutique floral studio because we are not a full service florist, meaning we don't do things like daily deliveries, have a storefront that sells different items serving walk-in customers, and our team is small. We focus exclusively on weddings and events, with the occasional holiday floral arrangement special here and there, and our arrangements are made almost exclusively by the people who our clients are actually interacting with; we don't have a staff that we regularly outsource the creation of our floral arrangements to.
So what is the benefit of selecting a boutique business as your wedding or event vendor vs. a traditional or full-service business? In the case of florists, it really depends on the preference of the client. If you're someone who wants a highly specialized, focused experience where you form a relationship with the actual person who will be designing and handcraft, for example, your bridal bouquet, then a boutique florist is an ideal choice. On the other hand, if you're more comfortable working with a larger company that has a bigger staff, perhaps has a storefront that you've shopped from in the past, or one that does a lot of weddings or events every weekend, a full-service florist or shop would be a good option.
When it comes to your wedding or event vendors, there is no right or wrong choice between selecting a boutique business vs. a larger business. All vendors work hard to please their clients, no matter their size or how they operate, it really just comes down to the individual and what type of experience they are looking for when planning their wedding or event. We encourage everyone to get to know their vendors as much as possible, ask for referrals, and maybe even see if other core vendors have recommendations or have worked with someone you might be considering in the past. No matter who you choose for your wedding or event, the process should be as fun and stress free as possible.