Scaling from 10 to 50 Weddings Per Year: When and How to Grow

You Have Proven the Model. Now Scale It.

If you have completed 10 weddings with happy clients and professional photos of each, congratulations. You have done what most retail florists who try weddings never accomplish. You have validated the business model.

Now the question is: how do you go from 10 to 50 weddings per year without destroying your quality of life or the quality of your work?

Signs You Are Ready to Scale

Before you start taking on more weddings, make sure these foundations are in place:

• You have a portfolio of at least 10 real weddings with professional photography


• You are consistently booking at a $5,000+ minimum and maintaining 65 percent or higher gross margins


• You have a repeatable process from inquiry to installation that does not require you to reinvent the wheel each time


• You are getting repeat referrals from at least two to three venues or planners


• You are turning away work because your calendar is full on key weekends

If all five are true, you are ready.

Phase 1: Hire Your First Team Member (Weddings 10 to 20)

You cannot do 20 or more weddings per year by yourself. The math simply does not work. A single wedding takes 30 to 50 hours of your time across consultation, design, sourcing, processing, arranging, delivery, setup, and breakdown. At 20 weddings, that is 600 to 1,000 hours per year on weddings alone, on top of running your retail shop.

Your first hire should be a freelance floral assistant. Not a full-time employee. A reliable freelancer who works your wedding days.

What to look for:


• Floral experience (even retail or grocery store arranging counts)


• Physical stamina (wedding setup is hard work)


• Reliability (they must show up on time, every time)


• Attention to detail (they will be placing arrangements in the venue)

Pay: $20 to $35 per hour depending on experience and your market.

Where to find them: Floral design school alumni networks, Instagram (post that you are hiring), local florist Facebook groups, word of mouth from other wedding vendors.

Phase 2: Raise Your Minimum (Weddings 15 to 25)

Once you have 15 weddings in your portfolio and consistent demand, raise your minimum from $5,000 to $7,500 or $8,000.

Why this works:


• You book fewer weddings but make more per event


• Your portfolio now justifies higher pricing


• Higher-budget clients are generally easier to work with


• You have more time per wedding for creative design

How to communicate it: Simply update your pricing. You do not owe anyone an explanation. New inquiries receive the new minimum. Existing contracts honor their original agreement.

Phase 3: Build Systems (Weddings 20 to 35)

At this volume, you need systems that run without your constant attention:

CRM or project management:


• Track every inquiry, consultation, proposal, and contract in one place


• Tools: HoneyBook, Dubsado, Aisle Planner, or even a well-organized spreadsheet

Template library:


• Proposal templates for different wedding sizes and styles


• Contract template (already covered in our contracts article)


• Consultation agenda template


• Wedding day timeline template


• Post-event follow-up template

Sourcing system:


• Preferred wholesaler list with account numbers


• Ordering timeline (four weeks, two weeks, one week before)


• Substitution reference guide by season

Financial tracking:


• Revenue per wedding


• Cost of goods per wedding


• Labor hours per wedding


• Profit margin per wedding

Phase 4: Expand Your Team (Weddings 30 to 50)

At 30 or more weddings per year, you need a core team:

• Lead designer (you or a trained senior): Handles consultations, proposals, and creative direction


• Two to three freelance assistants: Rotate based on wedding size and your team needs


• A coordinator or operations person (part-time): Handles logistics, ordering, scheduling, and client communication between your consultations

The leadership shift: At this stage, your role changes from doing everything to directing a team. You oversee design, manage client relationships, and ensure quality. Your team handles processing, setup, and breakdown under your supervision.

Phase 5: Specialize and Differentiate (Weddings 40+)

At this volume, you should be the known expert in a specific type of wedding in your market:

• The florist for vineyard weddings


• The florist for luxury resort celebrations


• The florist for large-scale installations


• The florist for garden-style design

Specialization lets you charge premium prices, attract your ideal clients, and become the obvious referral for venues that host your type of wedding.

The Numbers at Each Stage

| Stage | Weddings/Year | Minimum | Revenue | Team Size |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Starting | 10 | $5,000 | $50K-$80K | Just you |
| Growing | 20 | $7,500 | $120K-$180K | You + 1 freelancer |
| Established | 35 | $8,000-$10,000 | $250K-$400K | You + 2-3 freelancers |
| Thriving | 50 | $10,000+ | $500K+ | You + team of 4-5 |

The Most Common Scaling Mistakes

• Hiring too late. You burn out before you hire help. Hire when you are at 70 percent capacity, not 110 percent.


• Not raising prices. More volume at the same price is a recipe for exhaustion. Volume and price should increase together.


• Skipping systems. You cannot manage 30 weddings with sticky notes and text messages.


• Losing your quality standards. Growth means nothing if your work suffers. Better to do 25 excellent weddings than 40 mediocre ones.

The complete scaling framework is in Chic Academy, including our team training system and operations playbook.