Flower Shopping 101: Your Insider Guide to Smart Flower Buying
By your favorite Florist & Franciscan, AK
Valentine's Day is coming up, and as a Florist for over 12 years and a nightly listener of Quite Frankly, I'd like to offer you all, who I consider my "community," whatever insight, tips, money-saving tricks and inside baseball knowledge that I can to help you all navigate the sometimes-confusing process of ordering and sending flowers. So thank you ahead of time for reading my contribution, and I hope that it helps whoever needs it most. May the next time you order flowers be swift, painless & easy— and that the person who is on the receiving end tells you they just received the prettiest, most luxurious and thoughtful arrangement they've ever been sent in their life!
Whether it's for Valentine's Day, a Birthday, Anniversary, Get Well, "Just Because," or if I can offer tips for Funeral Arrangements, Prom, or whatever occasion, read on for all the insight I can give that I've learned throughout the years that will hopefully help you:
Understand Flower Pricing
Know what questions to ask when ordering
Get the most value for your money
Choose the right flowers for any occasion
"Do's" and "Don'ts" to help you avoid common purchasing mistakes
Tip #1: Don't EVER order flowers from an "Order Gatherer" site.
I cannot stress this enough. This was the main reason for why I wanted to write this article, because I've seen so many people get totally screwed over by these sites like Teleflora, FTD, 1-800-Flowers, etc. because they just simply don't care about your order. What I mean when I say "Order Gatherer" is that they are solely online sites--meaning they don't have a physical brick and mortar shop. So how does a corporation that has no physical shops get flowers delivered to you, you may be wondering? Oh well that's simple: They skim money off the top and wire your order out to a local florist and have them make it! I hate them. They sell arrangements for so cheap that local florists can't actually fulfill them sometimes. There is also fine print when you place your order that says florists have the right to substitute flowers they don't have in stock with "something similar." This is a pretty carte blanche term, which basically means that the florists they wire your order out to can substitute a pink tulip with a red tulip, or a yellow Gerber daisy with a sunflower--because that looks similar. They don't care. As long as it looks sorta similar and something was delivered, they got their money. One time I worked for a florist who told me to substitute an entire bouquet of tropical Bird of Paradise flowers with all Orange Lillies...and he could order me to do that, because he still got his money. And that's why the shop he owns has a terrible rating.
Tip #2: Order your flowers from a florist that has a stellar reputation. I will tell you exactly how you can find a reputable florist:
Google "Florists in (your city)" or "Florists that deliver to (your city)" or something similar
Google will give you a list of florists in that city, along with their Google rating, location, phone number, and website.
Pick one with a 4+ star review and click on their website
Browse through their website to find their hand crafted arrangements.
You can order right through their site, but I strongly suggest calling them and placing your order, that way you can physically speak to someone and they can tell you right away if they don't currently have something that you specifically wanted in stock.
Tip #3: If you are unsure about what to order or send, this is where calling the shop is your best option because they can put you in touch with the designer who can suggest something. Here are some questions you want to think about before placing your order:
Where is the arrangement likely going to sit?
If you're sending flowers to your wife's work, they'll likely be sitting on her desk which could be in her cubicle, in a formal office, or maybe she is a nurse and doesn't have a desk of her own. This is one of those times when it would be best to send an arrangement that is low and lush instead of tall and showy.
Not all bouquets HAVE to be Over the Top, Tall & Showy, or a Dozen Red Roses.
To be honest, A dozen red roses is so cliche. Plus I don't know one single female who says her favorite flower is a red rose.
I personally PREFER a low and lush arrangement--bright colors in a 5x5" cylinder or cube vase with a "gardeny" look is more my style.
Tip #4: Don't wait until the last minute to order!
Come on, you know the date of Valentine's Day, you know your wife's birthday, you (should) know your Anniversary date. Order them now! It doesn't matter if the date is 6 months out either. Just do it NOW if you can. Most florists have a computer system that automatically prints the orders out for them ahead of time so that they can plan out which flowers they need to buy for the upcoming weeks.
Especially don't wait until the last minute to place orders for high volume holidays like Mother's Day and Valentine's Day.
And especially DON'T call us 5 times that day after you waited ‘til the last minute and keep asking us when your delivery will be there. You're the last priority since you waited until the last second.
If you are planning a funeral, also do not wait until the day before to request all these big order things like casket sprays and standing sprays. Usually Funerals require their own separate orders of flowers that are different from the flowers the shop will have ordered for the week, just because so many flowers go in to making those kinds of arrangements.
Tip #5: Some Flower shops specialize in certain kinds of arrangements
If you're particular about what you're ordering, you need to convey this. Be as specific as you want. But if you want specific certain things, don't wait until the DAY OF to order it! Try to give us a few days notice if you want something specific so that we can order it in and get it processed and the flowers can get hydrated (because don't forget--lots of times these flowers are coming from South America or a much sunnier, warmer climate). Try to place your order at least 3 days in advance if you want something specific.
Always order ahead of time if you can. This way you can ensure that whatever specific flower you want can be ordered if they don't have it in stock. Also, unless you're a flower connoisseur, you might not know that there are certain times of the year when particular flowers just can't be ordered. Like Peonies. These flowers don't really travel well, so you will be hard-pressed to find Peonies and Dahlias in the wintertime. We might be able to get you some at Valentine's Day from Holland or South America, but just know that it will be coming from a far away, so it might not be in the best shape.
If you have NO IDEA what to order, also convey that! The person who answers should be able to help you choose something. Just tell them the occasion and what you're hoping to express with the flowers, and they should be able to recommend something.
A little known thing is called a "Florist’s Choice" which we always suggest to people who have no idea what to send. This is when you give the florist permission to do what they do best: Pick out and arrange flowers. We'll usually ask you if you know of any favorite flowers or colors, and if so we'll try to include them, but this is usually when you'll get the BEST arrangement, because, being a florist, this is what I appreciate most, and I always tend to hook up the people who trust me to do my job--just as a little "thank you for having faith in me" (wink wink).
Tip #6: Send a WRAPPED flower bouquet!
If she's anything like any other woman in America, chances are she has more than a few vases at home. You probably can scope this out ahead of time if you plan accordingly.
You will get more for your money if you forgo getting the flowers sent in a vase and opt to have them wrapped.
Vases can range from $10-$25 and will increase your overall expense.
The stems will be wrapped in a soaked sponge called a "wet wrap" specifically designed to keep stems hydrated.
They'll be arranged and tied so that alls she has to do is unwrap them, cut to preferred height, and plop them into her favorite vase.
Chances are her vases are cooler than the plain glass vase that they'd get put in from the florist anyways. Get more flowers for your money by opting to have your blooms wrapped.
Bouquets wrapped in that brown craft paper just look so sophisticated, beautiful and high-end. Chef’s (Florist’s) Kiss!