The list of shortages the pandemic is causing just gets longer and longer, now you can add flowers. Brides are revamping their bouquets and centerpieces because florists can't get enough of some of the most popular flowers.
Like any other bride, Terra Clark had a vision for her wedding. Fake Cherry Blossom
"I wanted live flowers within my table centerpieces. I thought that would be a cute accent," Clark said.
But after four florist visits and a limited supply of blue and purple flowers, Clark decided to scrap her plans.
"I ended up having to cut that whole thing completely because of the shortage in the flowers," Clark said. "I actually found a lady on Etsy that did the silk roses."
"A lot of white roses, blush roses, lavender roses, simple things like white carnations are hard to come by," General Manager of Jennie's Flowers of Tampa Bay Mike Sladicki said.
Sladicki and his team have been churning out orders non-stop, even with few resources. They've been without floral spray paint for a year and cases ordered eight months ago just came in.
Between now and Christmas, they're catering to 200 brides. That's above normal.
"You have everybody from last year and all the people planning to get married in 2021 there’s almost been a doubling of weddings," he said.
Florists and event planners like Janet Decker, who owns Decked Out Diamond Events, had to have some hard conversations with clients.
"There's nothing like seeing a bride so happy and crying on her day when she sees her flowers and her decorations. If we can't give her that, it's really disappointing to us," Decker said.
Decker told ABC Action News some flowers are on backorder until October. She advises brides to be flexible.
Artificial flowers "Realize that there [is] still the ability to make some beautiful things out there. Yes, things are in short supply, but they still can make beautiful things," Decker said.