Have you ever considered taking a floral design workshop? These workshops can be an expensive investment, but they can also be life-changing personally and professionally. 

These days, with so many floral arrangement classes available, it can be challenging to know how to choose the right workshop for you. After all, you want to invest your hard-earned money in a floral design workshop that will help your business move forward the most.

Sometimes I think that finding the right workshop might be more work than the class itself! It sure would be helpful to have something like Yelp for floral design workshops, wouldn’t it?

While I won’t be building a Yelp website for florists (let’s just say web development is not part of my repertoire…yet,) I have put together a guide covering my top tips on how to choose the right floral design workshop…

How much do you want to invest in floral design classes?

First, assess how much of a budget you have for a floral design workshop. Get really, really honest with yourself about how much you can realistically invest for the year. Are there other educational investments you need to prioritize?  If so, can you still make those investments and have the funds to attend an in-person workshop?

Choose a floral design workshop geared toward your specific needs

Next, take some time to determine which areas you need to grow in the most and what you want to learn from the workshop you attend. 

Here are some questions to ask yourself when figuring out how to choose the right floral design workshop:

• Do you need business coaching on a one-on-one basis? 
• Do you need community support? 
• Do you feel pretty confident in your business, but want to keep yourself sharp by getting fresh feedback and finding new areas to grow in?
• Are you feeling stagnant in your floral design, or are you struggling to achieve a certain look you are working towards? 
• Are you needing technical design support? 
• Are you needing mostly floral design inspiration and encouragement?
• Are you looking for a workshop that covers both business and design elements?
• Do you need a hands on learning environment, or, an online course where you can go at your own pace?

Taking this time to set realistic expectations for what you really need from an in-person floral design workshop is extremely helpful in figuring out how to narrow down your options. Now that you know what your priorities are, you can focus on learning more about the workshops that will be most beneficial to you. 

Don’t be afraid to ask questions about the floral design workshop

My next tip is about something that I think we often forget we’re allowed to do: ask questions! Before signing up for a floral design workshop, don’t be afraid to email the workshop hosts and ask your specific questions. 

Here are some important questions you should ask (and get the answers to) about a floral design workshop you’re considering attending:

• What topics will be covered?
• How in-depth are the presentations?
• Will resources be provided, and if so, what kind? 
• How much of the workshop is hands-on design time versus lecture time? 
• Will there be a styled shoot and styled meals as part of the workshop? If so, how much of the workshop is dedicated to that? 
• Is this floral design workshop more informational or inspirational?

Workshops serve different purposes and are all geared toward different audiences and business objectives. So, before attending a floral design school, you want to know that it will provide what you are looking for and will be a worthy investment.

Reading reviews will help you choose the right workshop for you

I can’t stress this enough: reviews are your best friend! Finding and reading reviews from peers who have attended the floral design workshop you are considering will give you tons of good, helpful information. 

However, there is always a risk of people’s reviews being biased, so, if possible, reach out to past students of the flower classes you are interested in attending. Hearing a real-world, conversational review is ideal! 

Most floral design workshop hosts are happy to send you some names of previous students you could contact, but a little Instagram perusing of past workshop attendees isn’t a bad idea, either. Just remember that everyone’s perspectives are different, so it’s best to try to connect with 2-3 people to get a balanced perspective.

Keep an open mind about whichever floral workshop you choose

Lastly, go into each floral design workshop with an open mind. We all have something to learn from each other, and none of us know it all! If something isn’t working for you at a floral design class you are attending, pull the host aside and ask for what you need. Be bold (and always gracious,) but don’t be afraid to do what you need to do to get the information you came for. At the end of the day, you chose this specific workshop for a reason!

Best of luck in your floral design workshop endeavors! There is so much to learn, and getting to choose and attend some of the amazing workshops out there is so exciting. I hope you feel inspired and more equipped to ask the right questions to get you a full return on your investment!

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