Smile Blog

Wedding Awards for 2012

2012-01-26T16:17:00.000-05:00

It's not a secret around here that we do weddings, we love to do weddings and we do lots of them. So as you can imagine we were super happy to win both the Wedding Wire Brides Choice Award and to be a Knot Best of Wedding Pick for 2012 again this year.

Both awards are chosen because couples liked our flowers and our service. We could not be more proud! People often ask if we make a lot of money doing weddings and the answer I always give is: not really, but it is our claim to fame. It's our time to really shine, to show what we can do.

We love flowers and we love arranging them but weddings are special. You only get that one chance, that one day, to make the flowers perfect. Tons and tons of effort and time go into pulling off a wedding for a bride and groom and so although not one of the more profitable parts of our business, it certainly is the most gratifying.

We think our flowers add something special to the day and we hope they are remembered long after the day is over. No two brides are the same and no two weddings we do are the same. To be honored with both of these awards means the world to us. So to our brides and grooms, we say thank you. Thank you for letting us be a part of your very special day. We are honored and humbled.

Affordable Gift Ideas for Valentine's Day

2012-01-23T11:42:00.000-05:00

I know, I know, there are some folks out there that absolutely hate holidays like Valentine's Day. They think they were invented by gift companies to take money out of their pockets. Well, I don't think that's true but whether you spend a lot on your Valentine or not, I do think it's nice to at least recognize the day with a special treat or gift. This year we've order in lots of thoughtful gifts that are not only cute but really affordable. I remember when I was in high school, all I wanted from my guy was a cute card that said he loved me. I can tell you for sure when I was 16 or 17, if I received this card, I would have been a happy girl. We have lots of cards to choose from priced from .99 to $3.50. Now that's affordable right?

What about this sweet love picture frame. Add a photo of the two of you, wrap it up and imagine their surprise. This frame is priced right and comes in a really nice gift box.

We love these little boxes!! We plan on making floral arrangements in them but can't you imagine filling this with chocolates or even a cute, tiny teddy bear? the box is something she can keep too done in a very popular pink and chocolate brown color theme.

Give them this mug either by itself, filled with candy or even their favorite coffee drinks or a gift card to Starbucks. Not only will they enjoy whatever you put in it but they'll remember you love them all year long when they drink their favorite beverage out of it.

Looking for a cute way to present a small gift such as a piece of jewelry? How about one of these little tin pocket books? Even a tiny plant or stuffed animal tucked in would bring a smile, don't you think?

Yes, yes, we sell those "expensive" Valentine's Day gifts too such as long stem roses but who says you have to buy them if you don't want. We have lots of other cute gift ideas and take it from me, even a card, lovingly signed is enough to show you care and remembered the day. Happy Valentine's Day Shopping!!

Time to Reorganize and Refresh!

2012-01-20T14:37:00.000-05:00

Isn't January the perfect time to Reorganize and Refresh? If you are in retail, it really is! This January has been no exception for us. This year, right after new years, we did a complete reorganization of our Floral Design area. Not only was it our chance to really do a good cleaning but also look to at our space from a production point of view. We've always had space for 6 designers to work at one time but it was a bit more disjointed than I would have liked. Moving our storage units and flipping the design benches, now all 6 designers can work near each other, sharing flowers, design recipe books and other materials in a more efficient manner. Now the designers are all only steps away from the flower cooler, the sinks and everything else they need to complete their designs quickly.

Did you know that at our Princeton location that we have 2 large coolers - one that measures 12 feet by 15 feet and another that is 12 feet by 9 feet? Having the flowers stored and organize in a logical manner not only gives the customer the freshest, best quality flowers but also allows us to buy in a way that gives them the best pricing possible.

The design and storage area was not the only part of Monday Morning Flowers to get a face lift. Right now we are in the middle of having the retail area completed repainted, new light fixtures have been added and soon there will be new carpet. If you are in the area, come check out our new and improved flower shop!! Last but not least, if you haven't been to our website you need to check out all the new arrangement like this pretty arrangement below. Party Girl is a fun arrangement in bright, hot colors, perfect for any happy occasion, don't you think? Well that's all that's fresh and new and believe me, we're enjoying our new, clean and updated organized space. Let's face it, when next month rolls around and the shop turns back into it's usual zoo, we'll be happy for all the effort put forward now!

What's New for 2012

2012-01-13T17:57:00.001-05:00

With Valentine's Day just around the corner and spring beyond that (yes, I'm thinking towards spring) it's always nice to freshen up our website and add new floral offerings. Starting off 2012 right mean adding some fun, colorful arrangements to our product mix.

Below are just a few of what we added to our website this week - www.sendingsmiles.com.

Oh and don't forget to order your Valentine's Day flowers early!! Save $5 anytime by using promotion code SMILE2

Sweet Love

Bright Smiles

Island Elegance

Citrus Crush

Loves Rush

Party Girl

Sunflower Fantasy

Seashore Centerpiece

Birthday Float!

Just a Bit of Purple

2012-01-10T17:03:00.002-05:00

Over a year ago I wrote a blog that focused on the Color Purple (hey, wasn't that a movie with Whoopie Goldberg and Oprah) and here we are beginning a new year and the color purple is still hot, hot, hot!! I've been meeting with brides left and right and the color purple is still showing up as dominate color for this year in wedding designs. The above centerpieces were created for our very own Sheryl's sisters wedding. Everything was purple, including the floral centerpieces that were made from hydrangeas in a variety of shading.

This bouquet being made by designer Rocio has pops of purple statice along with rich red roses and deep blue delphinium.

These simple brides maids bouquets were just the perfect shade to match their deep purple/fuchsia gowns.

Bride Naomi wanted a Royal feel to her wedding day and so we took apart purple hydrangea blooms and sprinkled them down the aisle at the Nassau Inn.

Two different shades of purple daisies created these elegant kissing balls for an outdoor wedding ceremony.

We love, loved, loved these bouquets created for bride Suzan's fall wedding. Shades of purple accented with browns and pops of green made for a stunning color combination, don't you think?

Bright and vibrant, these bouquets would not have looks so flirty without the purple carnations.

This engagement party at Salt Creek Grille really had the purple theme going on, especially with the deep quartz purple linens that really helped pick up on the purple flowers in the table arrangements.

Purple stock and roses paired with Picasso mini callas and pops of yellow solidago really were a pretty combination.

The bridal bouquet added a touch of ivory.

Purple anyone?

The color of Royalty and you can see why, purple really was a strong color for 2011 and I predict will be much loved and used going into 2012. To see more of our floral designs, check out our website at www.sendingsmiles.com or our wedding page at www.perfectweddingflowers.com. Let us know what you think of our designs on our Facebook page at www.facebook.com/localflorist

What's New at the Shop - January 2012

2012-01-09T11:25:00.000-05:00

I have to say, that this past year we had lots of fun bringing in new giftware items. The different gifts we brought in for Christmas sold so well that we decided to really punch up the volume of gifts at the shop this spring. That being said, it didn't take me long to hop on my favorite gift websites and stock up. Coffee mugs sold extremely well for Christmas and so these mugs above should be popular to. My favorite one is actually hidden in the back and says "Stop me before I volunteer again". :o)

These little kitty banks are so cute and will be affordable additions to flower arrangements and goodie bags for birthdays and new babies, don't you think?

The wine glasses we had this past holiday sold completely out and so having these everyday styles will be a great additon to our giftware. These glasses have funny sayings and colorful designs. Personally, I love anything with poka dots!

I brought in these lanterns for the spring and couldn't help but display them now. Imagine having these light your entrance way during a summer party?

The pitcher to the let is absolutely stunning in person and I especially love the positive thoughts and sayings that go all the way around. It also comes with a very elegant gift box. The bee, honeycomb vase is just too cute and I love the antique feel of it.

Lots of product arrived for Valentine's Day and so I'll probably blog about that later but don't you love these mugs? Imagine filling them with little chocolate kisses and adding a balloon. What a fun gift to give your Valentine.

Last but not least, how cute are these wine glass. I love the little stars on the stems. What a fun item to give as gift for a 30th or 40th birthday. Perfect for that wine lover who is celebrating a BIG birthday! To see these and more of our giftline visit our facebook page at www.facebook.com/localflorist and our website at www.sendingsmiles.com

Party Themes

2012-01-05T09:50:00.001-05:00

Having a party or wedding in 2012? How about considering having a theme? In the case of these wedding centerpieces, they fit the overall summer beach theme and didn't have to be complex. Imagine how pretty these looked when the sun went down and the candles were lit. An easy do it yourself project or in our case something we created and set up for the couple and only $25 per table. Bigger is not always better and choosing a theme allows you to be creative without breaking the bank! To see this and other design ideas visit our wedding website at www.perfectweddingflowers.com or check out our facebook page at www.facebook.com/localflorist

Five Dollar Friday

2012-01-02T17:39:00.001-05:00

Did you know that every Friday we have a $5.00 flower special? Each Friday morning we decide as a team what we want to offer and then we post it on our facebook page at www.facebook.com/localflorist and www.facebook.com/sendingsmiles.

What makes it special is the price! At a retail value of usually $10 to $25, the $5 price tag gives our customers an affordable way to have flowers in their home every week. Feel free to call ahead to reserve your bouquet or just to find out what flowers are being offered! We'd love to see you this or any other Friday. 111 Main Street, Princeton Forrestal Village (just up from the Westin Hotel) and 45 E. Afton Ave, Yardley, PA.

A Sneak Peek at a New Years Eve Wedding

2011-12-30T15:59:00.000-05:00

I don't often post wedding bouquet photos before we deliver them but in this case I had to make an exception. The days leading up to a wedding are busy for us here at the shop and this weekend having 3 weddings is no exception. I'm really looking forward to the ceremony being held at the Nassau Inn Ballroom tomorrow night. Design Manager Holly just finished her bouquet and it's a beauty. Using flowers in a combination that we often use - roses and mini callas, this one is speaks to the occasion and the holiday with the addition of silver hypericum berries and winter foliage's.

Tomorrow nights New Years Eve wedding will be alive with lots of candle light and wisps of silver. The last wedding to be done in that ballroom before it goes under renovation, I can't wait to post photos for you to see of this and our other two spectacular New Years Eve Weddings!!

To see this and other photos of our wedding designs visit our facebook page at www.facebook.com/localflorist and our regular website at www.sendingsmiles.com

Flowers After Hours

2011-12-27T18:35:00.001-05:00

We hope you all had a fantastic Christmas. For us it was a busy time in the shop, lots of hours working but lots of laughs too. Have Christmas Day off from the shop was so wonderful for the hubby and I. Slept in a bit later than usual, had a nice breakfast and then what did we do??? We hopped in the car for our annual trek out to Longwood Gardens so that we could be surrounded once again with flowers!

Nobody does Christmas like Longwood Gardens and this year was no exception. Gingerbread cookies were the theme throughout and what an amazing display it was!

Everywhere you looks there was lush foliage and poinsettias!

My personal favorite area is the orchid room. With so many orchids growing up the wall in every color of the rainbow. These orange ones were one of my personal favorites but can you really have a favorite when you faced with such loveliness?

Hehehe, this one makes me laugh. When I see him I see a smiling mouth, a funny little nose and huge eyebrows. Andy Rooney, is that you?

It's hard to believe that this amazing flower is real, isn't it? I loved the colors with all it's shading. How perfect.

Here's me in the Herb area. I loved this herb wreath with it's parsley, sages, oregano and pops of red kalanchoes.

On to the succulents and bromeliads. I loved this plant but for the life of can't remember it's name. Can you believe those colors?

Just a touch of the tropics, this lone Bird of Paradise was blooming so vibrantly!

On to the rose house... ah my favorite flower in the whole world. Not as many roses were blooming as last year at this time but gorgeous never the less!

This is my favorite photo of the day. Just next to the roses are the hibiscus. I love these flowers so much with their vibrant huge headed flowers. Too bad we can't use these blooms in wedding designs. Sorry Brides, they only bloom for a day and then they are gone. Not a good choice for your wedding day!

This was my favorite color theme of the day. These grayish coleus plants with pops of chocolate brown undersides mixed among light pink kalanchoe....... wow, can't you image that as a wedding color theme?

Wow, don't you want these in your back yard? Pink cyclamen, white kolanchoes, blue salvia and pink poinsettias... so lovely, soft and romantic, don't you think?

Christmas trees were everywhere, decorated in natural greens and ginger bread. Longwood Gardens is one of the most magical places to me. The perfect way to spend my day away from the Flower Shop! I hope you enjoyed the photos as much as I enjoyed taking them! Merry Christmas and Happy New Year everyone!!

Flowers and Food

2011-12-23T11:11:00.000-05:00

It's that time of year again and as has become the tradition, Shop Coordinator Sheryl has made my favorite sweet for us to share at the shop today! Email me at g@mondayflowers.com if you'd like the recipe but lets just say there is butter and chocolate involved so the yum factor is over the top! Thanks Sheryl, you make all the hard work during the holidays bearable!

Design Manager Holly also had the idea to treat us to some sweets today and stopped into a brand new cupcake company near her home in Columbus to bring us these beauties. I haven't had one yet but the hubby said the chocolate/peanut butter one was delish.

Yes, we are in the flower biz and the designers have been busy refilling the coolers as the shop has been a revolving door today of folks stopping in for Centerpieces and Floral Gifts. We are sufficiently sugared so the energy level at the shop is "high".

We'd love for you stop in if you are in our area. Today is $5 Friday at both shops (Princeton Forrestal Village and 45 E. Afton Ave, Yardley) and the special is 10 Dutch Tulips for only Five Bucks. Merry Christmas and hope to see you soon - oh and we just might share some of our sweets with you if you ask nicely. :o)

Ice Cream Cone Flowers

2011-12-21T09:38:00.001-05:00

"Hi, I need a floral sympathy piece shaped like an Ice Cream Cone to send to a woman who used to own an Ice Cream Store, can you do that"? Yes we can! How cute is this arrangement that Designer Norman made for a recent viewing. Funerals are no laughing matter but how sweet (not pun intended) was it for someone to remember this woman by having this created. Not only is it thoughtful to come up with the idea of sending these particular flowers but the card read "She made the best ice cream in town". I'd imagine her family will remember this tribute for many years to come. Our designers always take pride in what they do but you can imagine that pieces like this are the ones that really make us proud. Great job Designer Norman!! To see this and other samples of our sympathy designs, visit our website at www.sendingsmiles.com or our facebook back at www.facebook.com/localflorist

Selling Not Helping

2011-12-16T13:07:00.000-05:00

I'm inspired to write this blog because of an experience I had this week. A woman, from a company that I will not name, contacted me via email. She knew we did some on-line advertising (pay per click) with them. She offered free help for 4 weeks to look at my account, make suggestions and make any necessary changes. I was so excited that I wrote back right away and scheduled a phone meeting. Knowing that it might turn into a "paid" service later, I was undaunted because I figured that if what she did helped me, I'd be happy to pay for future service.

That is where this story goes wrong. Not more than 1 minute into the conversation, it became clear that this specialist was not looking to help me with my existing accoutn but wanted to make an additional sale. My husband saw my face while I was on the phone so I wrote out on a big piece of paper: "Selling Not Helping"

Yikes, the lesson I learned.... well, there was no lesson. I'm not going to assume the worst when someone offers help but it really did make me think about myself, my employees and my own business. I thought long and hard, do I ever do that to anyone? Is there ever a time when I promise help but then not really come thru for them? I tried to be honest with myself and the answer is no. Do things sometimes go wrong? Of course they do. I've put in my request for a perfect world but it's still on back order. But day in and day out, I feel we are honest and upfront about what we can do, what we will do and what it will cost.

It reminds me of a saying that the hubby and I learned from Larry Winget. If you have never heard of him or read his books you are missing out on both a unique perspective and a good chuckle. Larry says that in all things in life you should follow this golden rule: Do what you said you would do, when you said you would do it, the way you said you would do it.

She sent an email offering help to entice me to respond and had no intention of doing so. As a matter of fact, she seemed a bit nervous when I read the email back to her. Shame on her and the company she works for. I believe in the long run, an attitude like that will never result in good sales for them. Even though it put me in an awkward position it was worth the thought it inspired. I need to make sure that my staff and I are always helping first and selling second. In the long run that's good business.

Not more than a day later, we were presented with an award for outstanding achievement. We are only 1 of only 2 stores in New Jersey to receive it. You can imagine that we were all pretty excited about the honor. Yup, good old Larry has a great lesson, one that we'll continue to follow.

Did that sales rep sell me any more advertising? Nope, as soon as I got off the phone, I actually lowered what I spend with them by 1/2. Was it a good thing to do for my business right before the holiday? Probably not but it sure did make me feel good!!

Sending Sympathy Around the Holidays

2011-12-13T13:13:00.000-05:00

What is it about the holiday season? Mixed among the poinsettias deliveries, boxwood trees and holiday party decorations, we always seem to have more than our share of family funerals to create flower tributes for. As if the holidays are not stressful enough, imagine loosing a loved one at this time. Actually, I don't have to imagine it, I lost my own father on Christmas Eve 19 years ago.

The flowers above were delivered today for a very good customer who was having a memorial service for her mother. Soft pinks, seasonal but feminine made for a striking display at church and the pink marble poinsettias could be given away to family members after the service as a remembrance. There is no substitution for the personal touch needed to create flowers like these. Meeting with the family and discussing their wishes is both an honor and duty that we take very seriously.

Above is an arrangement we created a few years back for man who had a special bond with his dog "Lady". How sweet was the person who had this made for him? I've always thought this flower doggie bone must have made everyone smile when they saw it.

We sincerely hope you won't need it, but if the need arises and you need to send sympathy flowers during the holiday season, please call your local florist. Please don't use a company that will drop ship a box of flowers the church or funeral home. Your local florist will hand arrange and hand deliver a floral tribute worthy of the personal receiving the flowers.

Simple but Elegant

2011-12-08T13:09:00.000-05:00

"What is your wedding flower style?" When I ask a bride that question, 80% will tell me, simple but elegant but what does that really mean? When you look in the dictionary the definition of these words, what do you find?

Simple means:
Free from ostentation and vanity, easy to understand and humble in origin.
Elegant means:
Tasteful in design, dignified and graceful in appearance and cleverly simple.

Take the bridal bouquet above? More than any other bouquet we've ever made, this one seems to strike a cord in certain brides. To me it's elegant but simple. It's natural but not wild. It has texture that stands apart from the wedding dress but does not compete with it. But this type of bouquet only accounts for about 20% of the designs we create.

Do I think that 8 out of 10 brides really want simple but elegant floral designs? Actually, it's probably the other way around. I think that 80% want complicated, cool, colorful, even funky flowers. For me, it's a matter of understanding what these words mean to them. Words are just words but their meaning can be clarified. Perhaps they are afraid to tell me that they want: to stand out, be unique, make a show of it? YES! Never fear ladies, I'll ask you and you'll tell me but I'll go deeper until I really know. They are just words after all and I don't think I have ever seen a bride walking down the aisle holding a dictionary. :o)

Scottish Tartan Wedding

2011-12-06T16:07:00.001-05:00

Had to share these lovely photos from Kyo Morishima Photography of last months Scottish wedding. I have to say this was a favorite of mine, only because it was so different and fun to create. The grooms flower was a mixture of a pheasant feather a loop of willow, a touch of red hypericum and seeded euc berries and some blue thistle. A tiny piece of the grooms Scottish Tartan finished the look. The brides bouquet also had all those elements but large red tea roses made a very textured but elegant bouquet. Thank you Kyo for the amazing photos and to the Nassau Inn who hosted this amazing wedding. To see this and more of our wedding designs visit our website at www.sendingsmiles.com and go to the wedding link to view our gallery.

Our New FloralApp in Time for Christmas

2011-12-05T20:30:00.000-05:00

Those times, they are a changin'. Is that a song? I can hear the melody in my head but I don't remember the exact words. But wow, if that is not the truth these days, I don't know what is. Years ago, if you owned a retail floral shop, you prepped your flowers, made them into pretty arrangements in your display coolers and lined up buckets and buckets of loose flowers for customers to choose from. The phone rang and you talked to customers about their needs and hung up by telling them you'd make pretty arrangement and have it delivered in a jiffy.

Then supermarkets started adding floral departments, making it less likely that you'd pick up flowers for your home at your local florist. Need flowers delivered? Yup, the florist is the best for that as most supermarkets don't deliver and so you started to gravitate towards floral services and retailers that had websites. It was important to be able to shop online and see what you were sending.

Computers are great but in come the smart phones which can fit in your pocket. Not only keep you in touch with home, work, family and friends but they are a wealth of information at your finger tips. GPS, Google Searches and now shop for flowers, all in a few flicks of your fingers. Yup, there you go... Those times, they are a changin' and lucky for me, that I'm changing with it. A website - yup we've had that for years and years but now we even have our very own FloralApp that you can download onto your phone for free. I'll take credit for the categories and the selection of gifts offered but not for building the application. That is way over my head but darn if this gadget isn't convenient I don't know what is. I don't think that ordering flowers, plants and other goodies can be any easier than this.

We encourage you to download our new FloralApp and when you do, you'll be entered to win a $250 gourmet goodie basket. If you like sending gifts from our shop, we just made your day a bit easier. The link is below and there is an option for both iPhone and Droid. Our industry might be an old one but the times are changing and we are keeping up with it!

Monday Mornings Floral App

http://www.floralapp.com/floralapp/download.cfm?memID=351&o=5952295 http://www.floralapp.com/floralapp/download.cfm?memID=351&o=5952295

What Are These Cool Berries?

2011-12-02T13:25:00.001-05:00

If you read our blog often and see our wedding designs, you are sure to have seen these cool little berries that we us in our arrangements. What are they? Coffee beans? Holly berries? Nope, they are called Hypericum Berries and they are actually a cut flower used in many florists shops. In the case of these red ones, the look is quite seasonal and really adds a pop of color, just like they do in the bridal bouquet below. This is a sneak peek at bride Amanda's wedding bouquet for tomorrow.

What about these green ones below? Added among cream and white flowers, they add a touch of green with a spring or summer feel.

Add light colored red ones among deep red flowers for a bit of contrast and color.

They come in so many different colors such as green, peach, orange, brown and red, they fit into just about any season. Add their deep green leaves into the mix and you can see why we design with them so often. To see more of our floral designs, visit our website at www.sendingsmiles.com or our wedding site at www.perfectweddingflowers.com

It's Almost December at the Shop

2011-11-29T16:57:00.001-05:00

What a wonderful Thanksgiving we had at the shop. Over 100 floral arrangements and centerpieces were delivered the day before the holiday and everyone seemed quite pleased with their fresh flowers. Now, with December 1st just around the corner, how thoughts turn towards the holiday. Don't let the 60 degree temps fool you, it definitely time for Christmas cheer and gift shopping.

This year we added a new balloon bouquet to our offerings. This bouquet of 6 helium filled mylar balloons is super festive and a fun gift for kids of all ages only $34.95.

When you walk in the front door of our Princeton shop you are greeted by our Christmas tree that is loaded with tiny stuffed animals, lolly pops and many different styles of Christmas ornaments. Each and everything on the tree is for sale, of course and many make great stocking stuffer's.

Winter Welcome, this slate hanging sign is so pretty and can be displayed for years to come, only $14.95.

What

In a rush and need to send holiday gifts? Try out our new mobile app for your smart phone and shop or mobile gift center. Search FloralApp on your market, download and use keyword "MONDAY" to shop our selection.

Waiting for a new home.

This years Thomas Kinkade arrangement by Teleflora features music and lights up. For those who collect Thomas Kinkade, this makes a great gift.

Poinsettias are in. The most popular color worldwide is red with over 80% of all poinsettias sold being red!

Designer Norman decorates the inside and outside of the Princeton shop.

The Princeton shop glows at night thanks to our friends in the window that light up! To see our selection of Christmas gifts check out our website at www.sendingsmiles.com and the Christmas Gallery on our Facebook page at www.facebook.com/localflorist and www.facebook.com/sendingsmiles

Food Bank Donation Matching

2011-11-27T10:45:00.001-05:00

Let's face it, it's been a tough few years and local food banks have suffered. Inspired by a TV Food Network program that Kevin saw recently, he really wanted to do something to help out. In an effort to spread the cheer at this time of year, we've put into place a matching donation program to help support the local New Jersey Food Bank. When you place an order and donate $3.00 to the food bank, we'll match your donation. Our hopes are to raise a few hundred dollars and if all goes well, we'll continue into the New Year. Help us to help those having a tough time right now. Remember, there a folks who need our help who live in our communities and no one should be hungry in America.

Peach Flowers

2011-11-25T13:23:00.001-05:00

I love noticing trends as they come and go and I have to say, peach has been a hot trend this year in event and wedding designs. I've always adored peach but with orange being the hot ticket, it seems like peach was just pushed aside. Well, not any more! Looking over our wedding designs from that last few weeks peach was a color we saw used again and again. It's also that time of year when I start meeting with many new brides for their 2012 weddings, a peach remains a strong color theme. I'll keep you posted as the trend into 2012 start to become more apparent but from my point of view - I'd be on peach being a bigger next year!

How Many Different Ones are There?

2011-11-17T16:26:00.001-05:00

My friend Patti always cracks me up... "I'm going to return in another life and sell widgets!" She's my friend but also the person who finds the flowers I need for the shop and they come from all over the world. I love my job, I love flowers but sometimes I completely understand Patti's battle cry to sell a product that is not:
Made by Nature

Perishable
Subjective and....
Misunderstood

Don't get me wrong, the flower biz is just about the best career ever but it can be a bit of an uphill battle. Take for instance a call I had 2 weeks ago.. Ring, ring, ring...

Georgianne: Hi, How can I help you?
Customer: I just got yellow roses delivered and I think there is something wrong with them. I think they are old.
Georgianne: Oh my, what's wrong with them, are they wilted? Are they drooping?
Customer: No, but they are brown along the edge and they look bumpy and they don't look like the yellow roses I've gotten before. The petals look weird.
Georgianne: I've looked up your order and the roses you received today just came in from our wholesaler and they are called "Gelosia". That ruffled edge is natural to the rose. So is their beige/green tip. That is what they are supposed to look like.
Customer: No, these are old. They are going to die right away. They don't look like the yellow roses I've gotten before.
Georgianne: Well, there are many different varieties of roses. Would you like me to replace those with a more traditional variety of yellow rose, perhaps one that does not have as many color variations?
Customer: These are going to die soon. I want fresh ones. I want ones that are closed.
Georgianne: Many of our roses are what is called an "Open Cut" roses. This means the blooms are left on the plant longer to slightly bloom at the farm. This gives the rose more time to mature. Harvested this way, they tend to bloom more fully and last longer in the vase. This cut is considered a premium product because of the extra care that is taken during processing at the farm and shipping.
Customer: Well, I'll keep these but if they die, I'm going to tell the sender, I'm sure he spent a lot of money on these.
Georgianne: I'd be happy to replace them with a more traditional variety for you if you'd like. If you'd like to keep them, just call me if they don't perform as you expect them to. We'd be happy to deliver you a whole new dozen.
Customer: Ok, I'll call you when they die.

Yikes! Now, if you see the photo above, the roses used to make that little flower girl wedding bouquet on the left is the variety that was sent to this recipient above. Gelosia roses are my new favorite rose because the color is so vibrant, it has an amazing about of petals and they seem to last forever. The customer did not call back most likely because they lasted a full 5 - 9 days which is what you would expect.

Back to the title of this blog... How many different ones are there? If you are talking about flowers and plants, most of the time there are thousands of varieties of each type. For example, we had a customer call and say the plant she received is yellow but it's supposed to be orange. What was it? It was a Bromeliad, it was a yellow one, not a variety that is red or orange but a variety that is yellow. After much discussion and offering to order her in an orange one, she agreed to keep it but she still was not convinced that it was "right". After doing a google search I learned that there are over 3,000 varieties of Bromeliads which also include the Pineapple and Spanish Moss!! Wow, even after 23 years in the biz, I'm still learning new, cool things.

The point of the blog, if you have read this whole thing (poor you!!) is CHOOSE TO LEARN SOMETHING!! Instead of assuming someone is trying to pull something over on you, listen and learn. Do you think the customer above learned anything? Do you think she even heard what I said? Actually, I know she didn't because when she threatened to tell the sender, I had to reminder her that at the beginning of her call I offered to replace those Gelosia roses with a more traditional variety. If she wanted that she should have said "Yes, that would be lovely and thank you so much". How discouraging it is for me to have someone not hear my excellent customer service of offering to fix it for her, but then to not believe what I was telling her. I'm thinking that she still doesn't know that there are 100's if not thousands of yellow rose varieties and each looks a bit different, with different characteristics. See the mini calla in the bouquet below? That is natural, not dyed and yes it's supposed to be purple!The ruffled edge, that's the way it grows.

Even a flower still attached to it's plant has some blemishes. You don't get any fresher than that! When did we expect a fresh, live plant or flower to be perfect. Is anything in nature, including people, perfect? Brown doesn't always mean old, it's just the color brown. How can you look at those roses and gerber daisies above and not be truly awed by their beauty? Maybe in our next life Patti and I will come might back to sell widgets but it wouldn't be nearly as much fun as selling flowers. Widgets? Bah Humbug!!

Scottish Themed Boutonniere

2011-11-12T13:52:00.001-05:00

This past week we had the pleasure of working on a small wedding with a cool twist. The groom, who is Scottish was able to provide us with a bit of his very own family tartan! His flower, pictured hear included lots of natural elements such as deep blue thistle, seeded eucalyptus, a loop of curly willow, a pheasant feather and red hypericum berries. A light accent of his family tartan was added, which matched the brides bouquet that also had the fabric wrapped down her flower stems. Who said boutonnieres have to be boring? This one certainly helped the groom express his family history and his personality!

To see this and more of our design ideas can be seen at our website at http://www.sendingsmiles.com/

An Employee Gathering

2011-11-10T13:48:00.000-05:00

We would be less than truthful if we said that the last 2 years or so have not been a hard time for our company. The recession took it's toll and with other flower shops closing around us, we are grateful to not only be surviving but thriving. This week we brought together almost our whole team (driver Joe and sales associate Kristine we unable to attend) for a business celebration event! We had a great time and thank you to Salt Creek Grille here in the Princeton Forretal Village for doing a fantastic hosting our meeting!

It's always fun getting a group shot as we are rarely in the same place at the same time! Mom and Dad Vinicombe even made an appearance (Arlene works in our office part time assisting Kevin) and they even brought the grandkids - our niece and nephew Mary Ann and Markie!

Shop Coordinator Sheryl, Driver Jeff, Sales Associate Melissa and holiday driver Kyle pose for me!

Driver Allan, who has been with our company for over 6 years attempts to win the Monday Morning Flowers trivia contest!

Is it ok to admit that the wine was flowing and we were all feeling mighty good by the time this photo was taken? Driver Jeff, Sales Associate Heena, Design Manager Holly, Melissa and I all smile for the camera.

Designer Norman with his two favorite girls - Designer Rocio and Shop Staffer Tina.

Part timer Brendan poses with me. Brendan is our "man about town" on the weekends as he often assists Design Manager Holly on wedding and event setups!

If you have never had these at Salt Creek Grille, you are missing out. Shrimp wrapped in bacon - YUM!

Kyle and my hubby pose for me!

Designer Sam and Design Manager Holly toast to a great 2011 and an even better 2012.

For anyone that has spent any time at the shop, you'll see that Driver Christina and Designer Rocio have a very special bond. They are also practical jokers so it makes it even more interesting to watch them together!

Well, there you have it. A sneak inside our little party and of course, we had flowers. A fun time was had by all and for those of you that are our current or past customers, we thank you for giving us a purpose!! We love our jobs and we hope it shows! To see more photos from our event visit our Fan Page at www.facebook.com/localflorist

A November Wedding for Brides Andrea and Suzan

2011-11-05T17:35:00.000-04:00

What a difference a week makes. Last week it snowed and this week, although chilly, the sun was out. Today we created and delivered 2 weddings, one for Suzan and David and the other for Andrea and Kyle. Above is the hand tied bouquet we created for Andrea. What lovely color, don't you think? What I loved about what she chose is that her bouquet not only contained a very cool mix of flowers which included Heart garden roses but also purple carnations, yellow mini calla lilies, Tango pincushion protea accented with chocolate cosmos and foliage's. From there we jumped to each of the 3 brides maids who carried a single type of flower but all different ones.

This bouquet is all obviously all roses but what a rose it is. You've heard me talk about my love for Circus roses and this time is no exception. Don't they look like a fiery sunset all bundled into one small package?

The second brides maid carried a bouquet of all yellow mini calla lilies accented with seeded eucalyptus foliage and ruscus. How sweet and simple.

The third brides maid carried all Tango pincusion protea. Tips of reds, oranges and golden yellows, they were a wonderful compliment to the bouquets created above. I sincerely hope that Andrea sends us photos of her and her maids. Imagine how they must have look in the outdoor setting of the Centre Bridge Inn in New Hope. The perfect day for a fall wedding!

Next we move on to Suzan's wedding. Above are the amazing bouquets we created for her brides maids. Deep purple lisianthus, Charlie Brown cymbidium orchids, lavender roses and purple mini callas. Accents of lime green freshen up the whole color palate and must have really popped against the brides maids gowns.

Below is the bouquet we created for the bride and we just loved the combination of purple carnations, brown orchids, Vendella and Quicksand roses with a pop of buplurium. What a lovely early fall wedding bouquet, don't you think?

My dear hubby and business partner was kind enough to report back from both bridal drop offs that each bride appeared to be delighted. With a little luck I'll be getting that thank you notes very soon!!

To see this and more of our wedding designs visit our website at www.perfectweddingflowers.com and our facebook fan page at www.facebook.com/localflorist