I am well known for being a loyal and consistent person. When I found my favorite wholesaler years ago, I honestly stopped looking for any competing information and just purchased everything I needed through them. As far as I was concerned, if they didn't have it, it wasn't to be had. Their prices are quite fair. Their staff, phenomenal. Why WOULD I look elsewhere?
Answer: A bride.
Amy wanted tulips. Easy enough. I get tulips all the time and they're lovely. But, no. Amy wanted LONG tulips. She had a grand vision of three foot long stems supporting lovely bulbs of white all throughout her reception. It was her only request. I called my wholesaler, and for the first time in about five years, they had to tell me, "No." Tulips they could get, but the longest stems they could promise were 12 inches, and they just had no other alternative to that. I was stumped. It was my brilliant husband who looked at my confused face and asked if I couldn't just call around to some other wholesalers and see what they might be able to do for me. Huh? Call someone else? That's crazy, right?
Well, for the most part, every other wholesaler I called either tried to tell me that tulips didn't exist at lengths of three feet, or that, more honestly, they just couldn't get them in that length. I did finally find one wholesaler who took a pause. She asked if she could call her grower directly and get back to me. Sure. When Nikole called me back, she said that that they still couldn't PROMISE three foot stems, but she had secured a section of the garden for me, had the farmer put my name on that square of tulips, and that he had promised not to cut them when they would normally be cut...he'd just let them keep growing for another few weeks to the date that I would need them, and then at least I could have them be as long as his corner square would allow. SOLD!
I'm still a loyal person...I just happen to be loyal to two wholesalers now. They both have limitations, and they both have amazing strengths...which usually overlap so that my needs are met by visiting both of them consistently. Amy's wedding was the first of many combinations of supplies from both wholesalers to my own little neck of the industry, and it was a smashingly beautiful start to a polygamous relationship. Thank you, Amy for expanding my horizons, abilities, and connections. Your beautiful tulips stand for so much to me. And we both enjoyed being told that your wedding made the top five of favorites for the staff at the Old Meeting House!
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