Sending Smiles ~

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 wedding

"I'm on a budget of about $1,000 for my wedding flowers. What's the best way to spend my money"?  Sound familiar? I get asked that question all the time and so I was inspired to write this blog.  I know it seems like a lot of money but if you need a bridal bouquet, 4 brides maids, flower girl, boutonnieres and corsages, altar decor and even centerpieces... wow, it can be a hard one to maneuver! My advise in this budget range would be to concentrate mostly on the personal flowers such as the bouquets, etc. Keep the flowers to one or two colors so that you can keep the bouquets smaller and more chic. Also, be sure to keep to seasonal flowers. No, peony are not in season in October - come on, I know you were thinking they were!! I'm going to hang a sign in our consultation room that says "spring flowers are mostly in season during the spring"!  It's ok to want pink flowers in November but with a little research you'll find that roses, lilies, carn

This past weekend we created these lovely Phalaenopsis orchid centerpieces for our bride Carolyn. This morning she sent a thank you note and expressed that she was so happy with all her flowers and especially these arrangements. Well, who could blame her. Phalaenopsis orchids have to be one of the most beautiful cut orchids that a florist can design with. Most often we sell them as plants but for special occasions and certain design work, we order cut orchid sprays. Longer lasting and more sturdy than you might think, these cascading orchids are perfect for these "umbrella" style centerpieces. Not inexpensiveby any means, but so worth the money and effort. These lovely blooms might not fit everyone's budget but as a florist, I'm so happy when a client comes along who can both afford and appreciate these amazing flowers! To see these and more of our wedding designs check out our wedding website at www.perfectweddingflowers.com

Finally had time to down load pictures from the weddings we had on Mother's Day weekend and I had to share this one. Wow, this has to be one of my favorites of all time. Creamy white roses, deep purple lisianthus and lots of fresh lilacs, not only looked gorgeous but smelled like heaven! If only local American grown lilacs were available year round but alas, is it not to be. I guess that is what makes them so special.

Whenever I'm helping someone decide on what flowers to send for a birthday or what their wedding flowers should look like, I always start with color. Sending flowers for a birthday? Bold, dramatic colors really speak to the occasion and make it fun. Hoping to send a sunny smile to someone who is sick? Studies show that the color yellow speeds healing and makes people feel more healthy. I guess that's why many hospital rooms are painted yellow, huh? What I loved about this bouquet we created for our bride Kathryn was that she was not afraid to pop in there with some dramatic color and shake it up with some different textures. The mini callas and orchids mixed among the roses keeps the viewer guessing. I can't wait to see a picture of her walking down the aisle with this stunningly colorful bouquet!!

It's that time of year again where brides call and come in to talk about their wedding flowers. I thought I'd post a quick guideline of items to bring to your floral appointment. An organized bride who has given some thought to her floral desires before coming in will have a much more productive meeting than one who has not taken the time to give it some thought! Item #1 - Bring a list of the florals that you will need. Nothing is worse than a bride who answers the question "how many brides maids do you have?" by counting them on her fingers! Item #2 - Pictures of both bridal gown and brides maids dresses. The more we can get a feel for your style, the better. Items #3 - Floral inspiration pictures. This is really a must. Collect pictures of flowers that show your style. A picture is truly worth a thousand words and most brides do not know the name of many flowers. What better way to show the texture, color, style and size of each flower element than

I'm a firm believer that there are no "wedding flower mistakes" and I'm fond of telling my brides that there is no right or wrong way to go about choosing their wedding flowers. All flowers are beautiful and they are meant to be an expression of you and your special day. Now that being said there is one mistake that I notice couples making and it seems to cause them the most grief during the planning process. I'm sorry to be the bearer of bad news but yes, it's about money, again. Is there anything in life that isn't in one way or the other about money? I don't think that anyone that has ever planned a wedding can honestly say that they did not have to make changes and compromises along the way because of money. That being said... Couples do not always leave enough of their budget for flowers and that in turn causes the biggest mistake in that they do not leave enough money for their floral centerpieces. I usually think of the personal flowers suc