Photo: direct2Florist (CC BY 2.0)
Job description
The day typically starts with selecting and ordering fresh flora from wholesalers, then moves into designing and cutting arrangements to a client's specifications, whether that's a standard bouquet or a custom order for a wedding or funeral. Designers also wrap and price finished pieces, refresh in-store and window displays to keep a shop's look current, and handle general shop upkeep between customers. Work gets busiest and most stressful around holidays like Valentine's Day and Mother's Day, when order volume spikes sharply and the pace turns frantic almost overnight.
Pros
- Low barrier to entry, just a high school diploma with on-the-job training or apprenticeship
- Creative, hands-on work designing and arranging each piece to a client's specifications
- Standard, predictable full-time hours compared to many retail-facing creative jobs
Cons
- Employment in this field is projected to shrink over the next decade (-5.9%)
- Entry-level pay can be quite low, with the bottom of the range near $29k
- Regularly deals with frustrated or demanding customers, especially around holidays and events
A typical day
The flower shop cooler gets restocked at 7:30 when the wholesale delivery lands — stems cut underwater, buckets cleaned, roses stripped and hydrating before the doors open. The morning book is production: two funeral sprays built with care and a dozen everyday arrangements for the case, hands moving fast while the eye keeps every piece balanced. Midday a bride-to-be arrives for a consultation, and the designer sketches a bouquet around her inspiration photos and her actual budget, diplomatically steering her from out-of-season blooms. The afternoon closes with delivery routing, order entry for tomorrow, and conditioning flowers for the weekend wedding that will start at 5 a.m. Saturday.
Tasks at the job
- Select flora and foliage for arrangements, working with numerous combinations to synthesize and develop new creations.
- Order and purchase flowers and supplies from wholesalers and growers.
- Plan arrangement according to client's requirements, using knowledge of design and properties of materials, or select appropriate standard design pattern.
- Wrap and price completed arrangements.
- Create and change in-store and window displays, designs, and looks to enhance a shop's image.
- Perform general cleaning duties in the store to ensure the shop is clean and tidy.
Workplace & working conditions
Work happens indoors in a climate-controlled setting, and most of the day is spent on your feet, and you work in close physical proximity to coworkers or the public for much of the shift.
The pace is often fast, with real time pressure to meet deadlines, and you're expected to exercise significant independent judgment day to day. The work is highly structured, following set procedures. You'll regularly deal with frustrated or upset people as part of the job, and almost all of the work is done as part of a team.
Education necessary or common
High school diploma; some on-the-job training or apprenticeship
Licenses & certifications
- AIFD (American Institute of Floral Designers) accreditation later in career
- State floristry certifications where offered
Career path
Related fields
Courses to take
- Horticulture or Botany — flower care and plant knowledge is the craft's base
- Art and Design — color theory and composition daily
- Business Math — perishable inventory margins are unforgiving
- Business/Entrepreneurship — many designers open their own shops
- Chemistry — flower food, hydration, and cooler science
Clubs, activities & competitions
- FFA floriculture career development event — literally competitive floral design
- Art club
- A part-time job at a flower shop or grocery floral department
- Design for school events: dances, banquets, graduation
First steps you can take now
- Ask a local florist about part-time or holiday-rush work (Valentine's week hires everyone)
- Learn the twelve most common cut flowers and their care
- Build three arrangements from grocery store flowers and photograph them
- Take FFA floriculture if your school offers agriculture
