My florist won't talk to me- what do I do?

[TheNewZero]

Sorry, lengthy post ahead:

I accidentally blew off my florist for my wedding the other day. I was supposed to meet her at her house and she sent me directions in an email. We have a GPS system in our car so I didn't even look at the directions and just punched her address into the GPS and off I went. Well a half hour later down a narrow country road, I realised that I probably needed her directions. We drove up and down the street for a half hour trying to find any sign of a florist, but all of the houses were completely dark with no signs of life. Of course I didn't even think to put her number into my phone, so after a while we eventually just had to go back home.

I emailed her the second I got home explaining what happened and that I was really, really sorry and asked if there was a convenient time for her to meet me again. My fiance said I should've called her, but 1) I didn't think she would still be in her shop and 2) I knew that if I called her I wouldn't be able to get out what happened and why I didn't show up. So I emailed instead. It's been almost three days now, and she still hasn't emailed me or called me back, and she's always been really prompt with emails.

Is she mad at me? I understand being irked by having to sit around waiting for someone who doesn't show up, but I made it clear in my email that I didn't intentionally blow her off and apologised profusely. I'm not really sure what else to do, should I take this to mean that she doesn't want to do our flowers anymore? We haven't actually hired her yet, we threw a few ideas over to her via email and told her that we would really like to hire her, but this would've been our first meeting so she wasn't officially hired or paid. We both really liked her and her work and really wanted her to do our wedding!

I feel so bad, I hate it when people get mad at me! I feel like this happens all the time- people get so upset at me when I don't intentionally do anything wrong. I try so hard to be polite but I just seem to mess things up anyway. Grr!

 

[kihira]

Dont try to guess whats shes thinking, phone her. She is the one who will be getting the money, so dont feel so bad.

 

[Feathers]

Yup, call her, explain again. Some people just don't read e-mails, or don't read them so often as one might wish.

For next time, put the number of anyone you want to see in your phone. Find the address online and look on the map - online AND a REAL map! Make a cross on the map of where you need to get.. write down any instructions in 'easy to understand' form..
This is important! You can't always rely on technology.. GPS aren't perfect...

I'm not very good with finding addresses either, so I must do 'for dummies' approach like above

Alternatively, look for another florist. So even if this one would be too busy or cross, you'd have a 'back-up' plan.. This might make it easier to talk to her too..

 

[mmmm]

If someone was spending a whole bunch of money on something I was selling, I would be very careful of getting angry with them. Even if I was angry with them, I would still plaster a fake smile on my face until I had their money in my grubby hand. Don't worry about it. Business people deal with this sort of thing all day. You probably didn't even make a blip next to all the rudeness and stupidity she probably gets. I repeat DON'T WORRY ABOUT IT.

 

[Sial Axetder]

Yes, call.
Don't be me. Usually takes me a fortnight to call someone.

 

[WeirdyMcGee]

Really, it seems like the only option is to call her on the phone and apologize.
Alot of people don't take to emailed apologies very well because it's impersonal, same with texting or getting someone else to apologize for you--- the only way to go about it and show the person that you appreciate and respect them, is by doing it in person; or if you can't in person, then on the telephone.

That's just from my own experience, I mean. Some people are much more sensitive than others and some people brush something like this off in a couple of days.

She's probably a busy person and angry because you weren't able to keep the appointment; but you *are* a client and your relationship for the time being is important. You don't have to be friends, but you need to be professional about how you do things.

no harm done, I'm sure.

 

[coyote]

If it were me - i would avoid contacting that florist - or any other florist - out of fear of messing it all up again

then, when it was time for the wedding, and everyone asked where the flowers were, I would make something up like, "oh, I'm terribly allergic to flowers," or "oh, I wanted to be non-conformist and have a flowerless wedding"

and I would take pride in having dodged a bullet and making everyone think that I'm somehow unique and different and self-confident enough to stage a wedding with no flowers

when, in reality, i really wanted the flowers but was too weak to overcome my fear and avoidance, and I'll end up miserable, because I didn't have the wedding i wanted - but I won't be able to share this with anyone, because I kept it a secret in order to save face.


DON'T be like me

 

[Lea]

The main mistake you did in my opinion is (apart from forgetting to take the map and her number with you), that you didn´t call her straight away when you got back home. Maybe she thinks it´s rude and that you don´t care enough (or even try to make fun of her), if you only send email. The phone call would have helped both sides to clear the situation up.

Anyway, if I was her, I wouldn´t get offended and replied to the email too. But sadly many people are weird like this.

 

[coyote]

If she doesn't take your calls or answer your e-mails it's her loss, literally - she is losing a client and losing money - and potentially losing out on all the business that you would refer to her in the future

she's either a bad business person or she has soooo much business that she can afford to lose customers she never even had

 

[Feathers]

he he, I'd probably pick my own flowers or try to get them from family/friends/relatives' gardens.. In some places, there's a habit where the night before the wedding (or on bridesmaid's night?) young friends of the bride & groom go 'snatching' flowers from neighbours' gardens .. It depends what kind of neighbours you have, and if the flowers are worth snatching...

Also, if you have a bridesmaid, friend or relative that could help, maybe s/he could call the florist and sort things out?
I've watched the TV series Bridezillas and it's kinda normal that some brides can get very emotional & upset, it's the big day anyway... (Experienced it first-hand when a friend got married..) It's important to BREATHE... RELAX... Things will get better... This is just a small part in your beautiful story!! It's about LOVE and HAPPINESS, flowers are just a small part of this...

Even without flowers and beneath a tree, on a meadow, it would still be a beautiful wedding.. Cause it's about you and the man you love and the people you love... Even if your man 'stole' you away on a horseback, or you got married in Vegas by Elvis or something, it would STILL be awesome!!

We're cheering for ya!! Do tell us how it goes!!