Sending Smiles ~

Funerals During Covid-19 You may be wondering what is appropriate to send to funerals during Covid-19 and we believe that anything you would have sent to the viewing/memorial/service is still appropriate. Just because the number of attendees is limited, it does not mean that your show of support through sending a floral tribute is not appreciated. As a matter of fact, we think it's more important than ever! Take for example this  funeral heart  wreath that we recently created for the tribute to a beloved mother and wife. Imagine how serene and soothing this design would be in an almost empty funeral home.  A vibrantly colored spray or wreath is just the thing to bring a soft smile and a little kindness during a very difficult time. Not exactly sure what to send? Our talented and thoughtful designers are here to help you decide what is appropriate.  Family funerals are not the same. Limited attendees, barren viewing rooms - just so sad. Floral tributes are appreciated...

FUNERAL FLOWERS TREND CONTINUES AT OUR SHOP IN NJ Funeral Flowers Trend Continues with many family funeral flowers being created and delivered by our shop in Princeton NJ this week ~ well, it's been a super busy week in the shop and it's not over. With 2 bridal meetings tomorrow, 2 large school functions needing flowers and balloons, a small wedding and another wedding on Sunday, we will be happy to be closed on Monday for Memorial Day. In addition to all that, we had 3 rather large family funeral orders come in. We consider them "Family Funerals" when the immediate family of the person who has passed orders the larger floral displays from us. These include the casket displays and larger designs such as wreath, sprays and hearts.  This design above was created to stand on a wooden easel in the shape of a heart constructed out of over 60 white Playa Blanca Roses. Aren't the gorgeous? This design below was created for a young man who passed that was very, very...

When sending flowers as a gift, we'll sometimes ask you if you would like for us to arrange the flowers or perhaps wrap them. It might sound confusing but it's just the difference between having us provide a "container" for the floral gift or wrapping the bouquet so that the person receiving the flowers can add them to their own vase. Even if the bouquet is just wrapped in pretty paper, it's still arranged in a way that makes it easy to put right into a vase. If you know the recipient would like to "arrange" their own flowers, we can wrap the flowers presentation style and they can have fun designing their own creations! Below is an example of a hand tied bouquet of fresh flowers. When sending flowers to a private home, this might be the way to go as many folks have plenty of vases to choose from in their kitchen cabinets. This also allows us to put as much money as possible into the value of the flowers.  When sending a gift to a nursing home, hosp...

Imagine walking in a funeral home or church. You are there to pay your last respects to a friend, colleague or even family member. As you enter, folks are sitting there, quietly talking but not mingling around. Well, it is a funeral so why would anyone mingle, right? As you enter and decide where to stand, sit or who to talk to you notice that the room is completely devoid of flowers. There's no plants either. Nothing. There's the memorial table or casket with the family sitting in the front but that is it. When you explore this vision, how do you feel about it? How do you feel about the environment? If it makes you feel empty or sad, imagine how the immediate family feel. No one sent flowers? Yes, they may have made donations if they could not attend but the room looks rather dark, sad and quite honestly, dull. That's not to say that churches and funeral homes are not nicely appointed but nothing is as uplifting in a space as fresh flowers. Have you noticed how when th...

It's summer and the weather outside is hot (with a storm brewing as I type this). In addition to lots of wedding and party flowers being designed, we've had multiple family funerals this week, including this piece for delivery tomorrow. Designing funeral pieces can be both rewarding and sad but we sincerely hope that the flowers we create bring comfort to the families who receive them. This wreath is being delivered to Fire Company for a memorial service. The sender requested a blue, yellow and white theme and Designer Alanna used an assortment of cremone mums, hydrangea, daisies, sunflowers and baby's breath. Measuring 28" wide on an elegant white wooden stand, this piece should look lovely among the other flowers at the memorial.

One of the most asked questions is "Should I send flowers to the service or to the home" and although either one can be appreciated, they are very different. With the time between the death and funeral services getting shorter and shorter (sometimes less than 3 days) it's becoming harder for folks to make arrangements to attend a service. Of course, most want to express their sympathy in some way, so sending flowers is a thoughtful way to do that. The flowers sent to the service are often highly personalized, especially those coming from direct family members. Favorite flowers and colors are often requested and personal items or even hobbies can be included. Flowers and plants sent directly for the funeral home or church help provide a backdrop and atmosphere for the service. They represent the person who has passed while gifts sent directly the home are meant to express feelings of support towards the survivors. The next question we often get is "What...

What a whirl wind in the shop this week! Who say's January is a slow time? Roses - Check! Food Baskets - Check! Balloon Centerpieces - Check! Beautiful Bouquet Pickups - Check! Party Flower Centerpieces - Check! Funeral Flowers - Check! New Gift Arrivals - Check! Want to see more of what is going on in the shop? Check out our Facebook Page Here or our Instagram Page Here !

Sending Sympathy This year has held major changes for everyone ~ that include the loss of a loved one. The loss of a family member or friend can be emotional and something we do not take lightly. It's trying to share beautiful floral arrangements during a ti me of loss.  We know that floral pieces help bring family members closure and we wanted share. Arrangements get showcased on Instagram and Facebook  because we know most people are at a loss of what to send and we are here to help.  We work closely with many local funeral homes, J Allen Hooper Funeral Chapel , Mather-Hodge Funeral Home  - to name a few.  Below is a large full casket piece. All white flowers including roses, gardenias, orchids, hydrangea and other flowers: All white floral designs are a popular theme due to their elegance and natural look. This piece below is the matching basket to the above casket piece:   Colored flowers help bring brightness to a somber set...

We've been having so much fun posting on Instagram and sharing our world here at the flower shop. Alanna has been doing a wonderful job and it's fun to take a look back at some of our favorite and popular posts from October.  A few highlights from Jennifer and Darren's wedding at the Westin hotel. We loved all the purple! This months design class was a fun time had by all - making spooky martini floral centerpieces! This photo was part of the "Instagram Takeover" with Princeton Online . Feel free to link here to see more of our design classes that are coming up!  We love the autumn shades with lots of rich reds in the designs we created for Jennifer and Jim's wedding at the Nassau Inn.   October is a super busy month for balloon work like this balloon arch for the Leukemia and Lymphoma light the night walk in Morris Plains. This was a team of George and Alanna while Kevin built the same exact displays in Sewell and Long Branch. Now that...

In Lieu of Flowers  - What Does It Mean The death of a family member or close friend is one of life's most painful experiences. Those in mourning need support and most of us are anxious to find some way to comfort them. One of the most appreciated and accepted ways to express sympathy is by sending flowers. Occasionally, the obituary announcement includes the phrase " In lieu of flowers , contributions may be made to...". Often times, this terminology is used to encourage charitable gifts but not necessarily to discourage other expressions. Most families sincerely appreciate all personal expressions and may later regret having too few flowers at the funeral . It is important that each giver make their own choice and many people are choosing to send a floral remembrance to the service or family home as well as a donation to the charity indicated. While a monetary donation is a worthy tribute, there is really no substitute for beautiful flowers at a sympathy se...

In the floral industry we hear all kinds of stories; some joyous, some somber. A few weeks ago I received a call from a man who worked at another flower shop .  He needed to send a personal floral gift and he needed it in a hurry. Through the conversation he told me that the recipient of the gift was on her death bed… terminal cancer and did not have much longer to live. He wanted to send a few mixed orchid plants in a large glass or ceramic container and said it needed to arrive the next day as early as possible. As promised, we delivered the orchid arrangement just before noon. I called him back to let him know the delivery had been made so that he would not worry.  He thanked me for taking care of this so quickly and I thanked him in return for trusting this important personal order to our shop to fill. I told him that I hoped the gift helped her to know that she was thought of in a special way.  I hung up and went on about my day, as usual.... A week la...

Creating custom floral designs is time consuming but very gratifying. Here Designer Norman makes a police officer shield for a memorial service. First he creates the shape out of foam board then adds color, ribbon and fresh flowers.  Custom designs like this are a very respectful way to show your sympathy while incorporating elements to the day that truly represent the person who has passed.   Norman shows off his latest design.  To see this and more of our funeral and sympathy designs, be sure to visit our sympathy specific website at www.sendingsympathy.com  

Nothing makes a florist cringe more than reading those words in an obituary ~ In Lieu of Flowers. The death of a family member or close friend is one of life's most painful episodes. Those in mourning need support and most of us are anxious to find some way to comfort them. One of the most appropriate and appreciated ways to express sympathy and compassion, as well as respect for the deceased, is by sending flowers . Occasionally, the obituary announcement includes the phrase " In lieu of flowers , contributions may be made to...". Often times, this terminology is used to encourage charitable gifts but not necessarily to discourage other expressions. Most families sincerely appreciate all personal expressions and may later regret having too few flowers at the funeral . It is important that each giver make their own choice and many people are choosing to send a floral remembrance to the service or family home as well as a donation to the charity indicated. Whil...

Here at the shop one of the hardest elements to give advise on is funeral flowers . Whenever I have written a blog about the subject, I notices that it seems to draw many readers and I think it's because folks find it so intimidating.  Not only is it something that you don't have to do every day (thank goodness) but flowers can express so many sentiments, that knowing what to send can be difficult to determine. This blog will break it down in understandable part so read on!  This is a Casket Spray . Usually sent by the family, the Casket Spray can sit on or above the casket and is most often sent by immediate family. The Casket Spray can be a wonderful way of representing the person who has passed. As in this example of a loving wife and mother, her favorite color was purple and she loved daisies. This piece really represented who she was and what she loved.  Another piece often sent by immediate family or the spouse in particular is the Broken or Bleeding Hea...