Tips For Buying Flowers
For Valentine's Day

So, Valentine's Day is coming up soon. Everyone wants to express love. What do you do to express love to your sweetie? Give flowers and floral products of course!!!

But what exactly should you give? What are your options?

We hope that the tips and suggestions that are offered here will be helpful to you and make your life a little easier.

Some General Advice

Some Specific Suggestions

Some General Advice

1. First thing to remember, Valentine's Day is a great opportunity to express love to anyone you want to. It can be your lover, significant other, Mother, Sister, best friend, or even your pet poodle. The point is that you can express your affection to anyone you want to on that holiday, and it will be appreciated. So don't feel that it is only a holiday for your lover or significant other.



2. For some people Valentine's Day is the primary occasion of the year that floral products are purchased....And then they get upset when they learn that the cost of some flowers are a bit higher at that time.
   
   You must realize that the floral market operates on the law of supply and demand. If some flower prices are a bit higher, it simply reflects the fact that not only you, but also everyone else is anxious to buy product, and the market is reacting accordingly. When your florist buys his/her flowers from growing and wholesale operations, s/he finds that his/her prices are also higher than at slower times throughout the year.
   
   This constant price fluctuation is challenging for florists. We find that the price we pay for our flowers is not only influenced by flower holidays & consumer demand, but is also affected by earthquakes, snowstorms and all kinds of things that sometimes occur half way across the globe!!
   
   Don't let that alarm you. Let your florist know what price range you feel comfortable in, and s/he will try to find something nice to help you and still stay within your budget. Most florists are pretty decent people who want to help their customers meet their needs. They will have a variety of options in a wide range of prices. But you have to communicate clearly what your desires are.
   
   Keep in mind that some flowers are available in different grades & quality. If you shop around and come across prices that seem too good to be true, it could very well reflect that quality difference.



3. Don't wait until the last minute on the 14th to make your purchases. Your loved ones won't get angry if you give them flowers a day or so in advance, and you can make it easier on both yourself and your florist if you buy a little before the holiday.



4. Don't be upset if your florist isn't able to offer deliveries on Valentine's Day. While some may be able to accomodate you, others will not, simply because of the high volume of business at that time. This should not be a major concern to you. After all, there's alot of pleasure in personally giving your loved ones their flowers!!



5. I know that you are reading this to get ideas for Valentine's Day but how about considering sending her flowers at other times throughout the year, not just on a holiday when it's expected. Sometimes flowers and floral products just to say I love you, at nonholiday times can be quite effective!!!



6. It's also a good idea to buy at other nonholiday times so that you can develop a relationship with a florist. While every florist is happy to see you on Valentine's Day, any merchant feels a particular obligation to take care of regular customers.



7. Please refer to some of our consumer advice on telegraphing flowers. Many of the comments made there can also be quite helpful when sending flowers on a flower holiday.



8. Consider her tastes. Is her apartment very traditional, or very contemporary? What are her favorite colors? Does she have a special collection or hobby? Your florist can stylize floral art to suit any taste. Any attempt to get something special for her should be appreciated.



9. And Hey Ladies....Remember that HE likes flowers too. Giving flowers shouldn't be a one way street on Valentine's Day!! Consider getting him a design that incorporates a hobby (eg. a hard drive decorated with flowers would be nice....My wife to please take note!). A design with bright colors or exotic flowers is sure to make a splash!!



10. Above all, don't get too intense about all this. We have actually seen consumers getting into fist fights in flower shops, fighting over items to take home to their sweethearts. Remember, the whole idea behind this is to express your love and have a bit of fun!

Some Specific Suggestions

1. Roses, of course are the traditional choice on Valentine's Day. They are great!! You can buy your sweetie a dozen, two dozen or even more. Even a single stem can be romantic to the right individual (though we feel that more is better!)



2. Consider colors besides red. Most guys choose red roses because they figure its safe. But quite often she may like other colors as well. Hey, she's your girlfriend....By now you should have some sort of idea as to her tastes!!!



3. Consider arrangements incorporating roses mixed with other flowers. The sentiment of roses is there, but greater visual variety is imparted. In fact any lovely vase arrangement should be appreciated.


4. How about exotic flowers for the girl who is adventurous??? They can be in the same price range as roses, yet be novel, and different.



5. Concerned about longevity? You shouldn't be. It is true that flowers are a very transient media, but how long does that play or movie last? Or that lovely meal? Not as long as the flowers, but that still doesn't minimize our enjoyment of the experience.



6. OK. But if it still bothers you, consider giving her a lovely arrangement using exotic dried materials. Or, how about a really spectacular arrangement using permanent botanicals. Some of the permanent materials can be very realistic and expensive!!!



7. Gift or fruit baskets are another great choice. Everybody enjoys fruit. A fruit basket is a fun way to present a wide assortment to a loved one. Gift baskets can incorporate all kinds of things, ranging from fruit, to flowers, to candy, to fancy jams, etc. They can also be personalized to reflect your sweetie's hobbies or interests.



8. Does she like plants? Many folks love to collect them. They enjoy the natural touch that plants add to a home. Plants also can be pleasant to contemplate and visually enjoy. Perhaps she likes to collect a particular kind of plant (eg. cactus) or she feels great with all kinds of large floor plants giving her home a "forest effect." If you do give her a plant make sure it is big and fancy enough to make an impression!



9. Don't forget flowering plants. In that way she can have both the enjoyment of flowers and that lasting quality of plants!



10. What about a nice planter or dish garden? These can be very elaborate combinations of all kinds of great plants. You can get her one of these to grace her home, or perhaps one for her desk at work, or even several!!



11. Florists carry balloons as well as flowers. Consider a lovely vase arrangement with a cluster of balloons. Or how about decorating her apartment with a combination of balloons and flowers?



12. Stuffed animals are real sentimental favorites with grown ups as well as kids.Your local florist carries these too! Consider a combination of stuffed animals and flowers. They are sweet and romantic.



13. Today's flower shop carries all kinds of gift items. Consider a design in a fancy container that can later be saved as a keepsake.

O.K. Now you are ready to go shopping!!! There are many florists online with photos and descriptions of their products. This makes it easy for you to do some comparison shopping.

If you are more adventurous and would like to design the flowers for her yourself visit our Rittner Floral School Internet based Flower Arranging Lessons.

If you would really like to give her a wonderful Valentine's Day gift, consider giving her one of our great floral design workshop courses at Rittner's Floral School in Boston. Gift Certificates are available!!