Robert At South Pacific Florist Cancelled florist services 5 weeks before wedding!!! Patronizing florist doesn't like clients that aren't rich!!! Rehoboth Beach, Delaware
This letter is regarding my recent experience with a local florist. While there will always be times that things don't work out exactly as you may wish, this is the first bad experience I've had where I've actually taken the time to write the local paper. The following is a brief explanation of what happened.
My fianc and I are on a very limited budget for our upcoming wedding in Fenwick Island this September. After a number of other florists were booked, we found South Pacific Florist in Rehoboth Beach. In May 2008, my parents and I went to check out the store. When we arrived the owner, Robert, was incredibly short with us and said the only way we'd be able to move forward would be to reserve our wedding date with a $500 deposit. We agreed to put the money down without even speaking about our event to ensure the day was booked.
When we went back to the store for our first consultation, Robert said he was tired and didn't seem eager to sit through a lengthy talk about our wedding. A few days later he sent us the proposal and it was unfortunately outside of our budget. I emailed Robert to say we couldn't afford all he had quoted asked if we could possibly scale down the centerpieces. He said I'd be hard pressed to have anything of quality in my price range, but to call and we'd discuss over the phone.
During the phone conversation, he seemed appalled and aggravated that I would want to edit his ideas. He rudely informed me that his price sheet had prices for a reason and he could not go any cheaper if I wanted quality. I asked if it was possible to have loose flowers delivered and I would arrange myself. He was not happy to do this but that if that was all I could afford he would.
After coming to a resolution, I told Robert that my mom would call to coordinate payment arrangements. When she called to discuss final payment, he informed her that he wanted full payment in advance unlike any of the other vendors we are working with. My mom told Robert that she was surprised by his payment terms and he became very annoyed and ended the call. Robert then called me and left a voicemail saying that he has decided to NOT provide flowers for my wedding and he'd give a full refund of my deposit since he doesn't want to do business with people like that (I still have the voicemail saved). He ended the unprofessional and rude call by saying good luck finding a florist. I believe was taking a shot at the fact that I had only 5 few weeks to do so. Robert was incredibly condescending, arrogant and unprofessional.
Rehoboth Beach is a beautiful place with great locals and we have had the pleasure of working with a great group of people otherwise for our wedding: Nage Catering, Angie Moon Photography, Marci Urgo Make-up, Make My Day Event Planning. The common thread with the other vendors was that they are willing to work with a budget, did not in the least bit belittle me or my family and are just nice people providing a service in something they love, in short everything Robert from South Pacific is not.
Bride-to-Be
Columbia, Maryland
U.S.A.
1 Updates & Rebuttals
South Pacific Florist
Rhoboth Beach,Delaware,
United States of America
South Pacific Florist Rebuttal
#2REBUTTAL Owner of company
Thu, January 19, 2012
This letter is sent to you regarding a complaint issued against my business regarding service issues by Columbia Wedding. Columbia Wedding arrived at my shop on May 9, 2008 on Mother's Day weekend, the busiest of holidays for a flower shop. In addition to our many orders we were also in the process of doing a wedding that weekend. We did take the time to explain to her that we were very busy that day and gave her some information about our services, including basic pricing and an organizational sheet to help her get started with her wedding flower planning. This information was also sent to her via email. We also explained that September is a very busy time of year here at the beach for weddings and that our standard procedure to hold a date for a wedding was to make a $500 deposit. A follow up consultation is provided at a mutually agreeable date. You just don't walk into a busy flower shop on Mother's Day weekend and sit down for a wedding consultation. Columbia Wedding seemed impressed enough with what she saw to make her deposit and we agreed to schedule a consultation for a later date.
Columbia Wedding being from out of town was not able to meet with me until July as she was not often at the beach. I agreed to meet with her on July 12 at 5:00 PM after our shop had closed for the day and after completing one of our biggest weddings of the season. Understandably I was tired and not overly anxious to speak to her about wedding flowers after just completing a wedding. I explained this to her with apologies and met with her for well over an hour for which I received no compensation. Our initial consultations are provided free of charge. She was extremely ill prepared for the wedding consultation and was absolutely clueless as to what she wanted or needed even though I had sent her an organizationsl sheet to help get started. Columbia Wedding had a rather large wedding party and I did explain to her that providing a bouquet for each attendant was a substantial expense. She also had our "starting" price sheet - 10 bouquets for 10 attendants at $85 minimium is $850. We have determined this to be an average cost for our bouquets based on the cost of flowers and preparation time. After considerable wrangling - the proverbial nickle and diming - I can up with a simple bouquet for $25 each. You can't even get anything that inexpensive in a grocery store flower shop. A written proposal was sent to her after a considerable amount of preparation time on my account. To quote her email reply to the proposal - she "loved, loved everything" - until she saw the prices. Columbia Wedding is the type of person who wants it all until she has to pay for it. For someone on a budget she has rented out a very expensive house for the ceremony, hired the services of a wedding planner and one of the most expensive caterers at the beach. I really have no problem with were a bride wants to spend her money and was most accomodating in cutting the flower proposal. I agreed to provide flowers for her to arrange instead of the elaborate centerpieces proposed. I also asked if I had permission to apply the balance due to her credit card for the remainder of the revised proposal.
Columbia Wedding's mother returned my inquiry about the balance of the bill. She found it unbelievanle that she would have to pay the balance prior to the ceremony even though it was clearly stated in our policies. She questioned what would happen if she didn't like what we provided at which time I stated that we stand by our product and would make good on any problems. It was at that time that I decided to terminate my obligation to provide Columbia Wedding's wedding flowers. Her mother's rudeness to me on the telephone and her complete lack of confidence in our ability to provide a good product were enough for me. I am a three time recipient of the Best of Delaware award for florist and can provide many commendations from satisfied customers. You can check out our many glowing reviews on weddingwire.com. Yes, the business also has the right to select their customers and I elected not to work with Columbia Wedding and her mother who would never be satisfied no matter how hard you tried to please them. A full refund was issued to Columbia Wedding's card. Thank you for listening to the business owner's side of the story.