The demand for green wedding services is clearly on the rise (36% of couples now looking for green options). I am wondering if you are experience a bump in interest? Are your prices going up this year? if so, by how much?
I have had an increase in at least making one or two things a bit more eco-friendly than in the past. I also have the clients who are going all green if they can. I notice that I am able to offer more green choices to my clients at about the same price as years before from those vendors. Having more options at the same price is a wonderful thing these days. There is always going to be people who raise their prices because they think it is a trend but for a good green vendor, the price should remain the same since this is how they have always done business.
No,why would they charge,in my case for stationery that is tree free,and has been for years?We pay the same amount wholesale in general,the same goes for soy based inks,and most other papers,many papers have been green for years, people are unaware of this.Here is what I do with my customers,I have reduced my prices,particularly for expensive letterpress on the condition that the bride spends the money saved back into the economy,so we all can pull out of this mess.Letterpress is relatively expensive (www.invitationimagination.com)so that is a good deal for a bride who wanted letterpress but didn't think she could swing it.One bride rented a carriage with the saved money.
Yes, I have noticed an increase in sales and a rise in the general interst of 'green' weddings. But none of this has affected my pricing.
I keep my prices comparable to my non-green competition. Because I 'up-cycle' discarded materials I have the ability to give discounts to some brides in certain situations. It is the fact that I am a green vendor that makes me stand out- not that I have higher prices.
There are always those brides who like the feeling of exclusiveness, being able to buy things that the average bride can not afford. I see many vendors, especially green vendors, cashing in on this idea. But I think you really limit yourself as a vendor that way. You put yourself at the mercy of a specific high-income level, which is just not a bright idea in this economy.
In re: the dove release cage, it seems to me that reusing those artificial flowers over and over again is a form of being green. Might want to start explaining it that way to eco-conscious couples. Reusing and recycling is an essential part of sustainability and in your case I think this makes sense.
