Sending Smiles ~

Have you ever seen Mountain Mint? Well, this is the variety that we get here at the shop to design with and it's one of our favorite foliage's to use in the summer. With it's lovely mint fragrance and bright lime green foliage's and little balls of sunshine, it's missed when it goes out of season in late summer. Locally grown right here in New Jersey, we use it in just about every wedding we do all summer long. It's lush and full bunches are long lasting and very economical. As you can see from Designer/Sales Associate Alanna holding them - the bunches are huge! To see more of our floral designs be sure to check out our website at www.sendingsmiles.com and we'd love it if you liked our Facebook pages at www.facebook.com/localflorist (for our Princeton shop) and www.facebook.com/sendingsmiles (for our Yardley shop).

Ah, that is the question. Those who know me, know that I would answer that question with a resounding yes. Why? I love being Social. I love getting to know people and having them get to know me and my company. I was born to be a Social Media person but mostly what I love about it, is the fact that without having to leave my business, I can get to know others and they can get to know me. Years ago business was done by folks go out into a local business, seeing the owner, their staff, learning about what they had to offer. Years later, there was the phone and then next came website - a bit impersonal but still a wonderful addition. Did you know that on our website, the most often read page after the Homepage is our About Us page? That's because folks want to know more about us - know who we are on a personal level so they can determine if they wish to business with us. As a small retailer we've had great success in gaining new customers through social media such as blog...

  We all love fresh cut flowers! Well, you do, don't you? I love talking about flowers, writing about flowers, educating folks about flowers - all things floral - yup that's me. This week, we were excited when one of our photos was used in a National Floral Blog written by Flower Shop Network. To see that blog follow this LINK and thanks to them, I'm sharing a tidbit of information on how best to care for your fresh cut flowers.  Tips for Extending The Life of Your Flowers Avoid Extremes. Keep fresh flowers away from drafts and extreme temperatures, which can quickly dry out the flowers and cause wilting. Avoid The Sun. Avoid placing flower arrangements in windowsills and other areas with full sun where flowers can wilt due to overheating. Keep Cool. Most flowers will last longer under cool conditions. Keep it Filled. All flower and foliage stems should be submerged. Flowers stay fresher, longer when they can get a drink! Remove Wilted Flowers. Immediat...

Don't you just love these orchid plants that just arrived today? They are almost 3 feet tall came in the most amazing colors. These lovely plants are locally grown down in in South Jersey in a brand new green house. How about sending one as a house warming present or to say congrats on the new job? To see more of our plant selection visit our website at http://www.sendingsmiles.com/

I thought I'd share this photo of my hubby Kevin, doing a fantastic job routing the Valentine's Day deliveries. Looks like kaos but in fact everything was staged and routed depending on the town it was to be delivered too. Just about 400 deliveries left the shop in one day and all drivers returned by about 5 pm. Thank you too all our "extra" helpers - Donna, Steven, Donna (number 2), Alison, Mikey, James, Ed, Cory and Dave. Acting as drivers and shop greeters, these wonderful folks helped make our holiday the least stressful holiday in recent years!!

Ah, the age old question - do you schedule wedding consultations on the weekends? Well, maybe it's not that old a question but for those of us who run small floral shops (yes, even though I have 20 employees, we are still small) it's always tough to be in two places at once. I love meeting with brides and I reserve that  job to me and only me. Why just me, the owner? First off, I love meeting the brides. Secondly, I feel that for all the things we do in the shop, weddings are an area that truly can make or break our reputation. You only get one chance to do a great job for a wedding and after 22 years in the business, I'm just not willing to delegate that job to anyone but me. My talent is reaching into a brides mind and extracting her floral taste, even if she does not know she has one. On her wedding day I want her to feel that I not only listened to her but that I became one with her and created exactly what she would love. Now back to the question. Yes, we do weddin...

Not sure, what color to choose when sending flowers or even planning a party or wedding? It's so hard to decide but truth be told, classic white is always nice both because it can be clean and modern or traditional and elegant. We recently created these pretty wedding bouquets. They were so simple but they looked amazing for a summer time wedding. Need to send flowers for a sympathy? The color white symbolizes wholeness, openness, truth and kindness. The color of white in context of flowers means elements of innocence, humility, and reverence, white flowers evoke simple beauty. When asked, most people will tell you that white flowers are beautiful so why not send them for a get well, anniversary or a birthday? The next time you are in doubt of what color flowers to use or send, never forget the power of white! Would you like to see more examples of our wedding designs? Check out our wedding website at http://www.perfectweddingflowers.com/ or examples of our everyday floral desig...

Did you even know there was such a thing? I didn't but I know now that August 1st - August 7th is Farmer's Market week. How fun is that? What a wonderful reminder that during the summer months to take advantage of all the fresh fruits, veggies and even flowers being sold at local stands! My husband and I especially love the Trenton Farmers Market. What fun it is buying a bit of this and that and seeing face to face the farmers that grew these amazing crops. I know I look a bit strange arriving with my huge camera in tow but hey, it's worth it when I get great shots, like this one. Support your local community by buying local to where you live. Your local farmers and businesses will thank you for it!!