Alice, I had this recently with a bridezilla who had blown us out for her 'friend' last year (wedding this Sept), she came crawling back to us a few weeks ago with these 70cm martini glass vases (see post on the other side) wanting them doing with arrangements in the top all white including roses and calla lilies, totally clueless as to the cost, after advice from other posters I went in just under £100 per table, I heard the thud as she fell off her chair, but she has paid her deposit on the hire of the vases now (to another company) so can't (read won't) compromise. Her fiance called a couple of days ago to say they couldn't afford us. This is one where I was actually glad we had lost the booking, felt whatever we did it wouldn't be right for her.

If your bridezilla won't pay for a mock up can you instead call her in to view the flowers the morning before the wedding, perhaps when she sees they look pants she will find some more cash to pay for you to make them better. Or if she really only wants 3 roses per vase could you float them in water with candles rather than using the gel stuff, or even just float the petals not the whole rose heads. You are totally right about the guests only seeing the arse end of the roses though, the pity is that some brides know exactly what they want and will not listen to the voice of reason or experience.

On the other hand if the wedding is only a week away she has little option but to go with you and you seem like a straight talkin kind of girl, have you tried putting your foot down and telling >her< what >you< are going to do, rather than you trying to accommodate her crappy ideas?