The Flower Blog

As with any special event, wedding flowers and décor can be quite an investment.  We have compiled the following information about the care and handling of wedding flowers to help you protect that investment.

Flowers are fresh produce- there is natural variation in color, size, and shape.

Flowers are a fresh grown product, sometimes certain types of flowers or specific colors are unavailable during different times of the year, usually predictably based on season but occasionally sporadically due to unfavorable growing conditions, holidays, etc. If a flower you have chosen becomes unavailable we will communicate with you as soon as we know to help you choose a comparable bloom to replace it.

Flowers are best kept in a cool but stable environment. All flowers should be kept away from warm or cold drafts, out of direct sunlight, and as cool as possible but always above 34̊. Outdoor temperatures in the summer are warmer than desired for fresh flowers; in the winter outdoor temperatures are usually too cold. Flowers should never be left in a vehicle.

Flowers should be kept hydrated. Different types of arrangements are hydrated different ways.

Hand tied bouquets and vased arrangements have stems that are drawing up water from the reservoir of the vase.  The water level should always be higher than the shortest stem.  While bouquets are out of water, the stems may seal; to allow them to rehydrate when returned to water a sharp pair of scissors or garden shears maybe used to give a fresh cut to the stems of the bouquet.

Holdered bouquets and arrangements designed in floral foam are drawing up water from the green foam they are inserted into. This foam is highly absorbent and acts much like a sponge. If the foam becomes very light it is likely dehydrated and should be watered. A bouquet holder is easily watered using a mister bottle of water focused on the foam not the blooms.

Boutonnieres and corsages do not have a water source.  They keep best when stored in plastic boxes or bags designed to trap in moisture.

Water tubes are used on some flower stems to provide a short term water supply. When the tube is empty the flower is out of water.

Always contact your florist if you are unsure or need additional information. 

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  How can you make this year's Easter Special?

Seems like everywhere you look there is a Easter celebration or Easter Egg hunt to celebrate Easter! So, How can you separate  this year's Easter bash from previous years? Flowers!

It's not just flowers.

Gillespie Florists carries a wide variety of products for the Easter Holiday, from plants, to gift baskets, to flowers! Here are a few examples!

We carry green house plants year round but at spring time we carry beautiful bulb plants! Pictured here is a basket with hyacinths and tulips that will come back year after year!

Product: Happy Spring!

Item #: 10E06

Price: $59.95

Easter Baskets are a great idea if you can not get home for Easter! Just order on our website or give us a call and we will do the rest! We fill up a basket with some of your favorite Easter treats: Peeps, Chocolate bunny, M&M's and Easter Eggs filled with Candies!

Product: Happy Easter Basket

Item #: 11E01

Price: $29.95

Don't forget the flowers! We have all sorts of bouquets to fit any gathering! We have fun and festive centerpieces like this adorable basket pictured to the left. We also have stunning tributes to the rebirth of Jesus Christ.

Product: Easter Time

Item # 09E09

Price: $29.95

Check out all of our great Easter Specials!

There are 19 different bridal bouquet types, so which style is perfect for you? Bridal bouquets are a thing of beauty and as they say, beauty is in the eye of the beholder.  Your wedding flowers are going to be centered around the style that you find most beautiful. 

Start by browsing books, magazines, and the web for different looks and offerings in your colors.  Below are the most common bouquet styles and a brief description.  

The Posy or Clutch Bouquet

The posy bouquet is round and small and can easily be held in one hand.   The natural stems are wrapped in a beautiful satin ribbon and can be embellished with pearl pins and beads and other accessories.   The clutch type of bouquet consists of a simple gathering of flowers, bound and tied with ribbon with stems left exposed.  This is a beautiful choice for an outdoor wedding with that just picked from the garden look.   This style is a favorite with our brides. 

The Arm Sheaf Bouquet

They are long stemmed flowers and foliages that the bride carries cradled in her arm, also known as a presentation bouquet.  It is a lovely alternative to more traditional styles of bouquets.  It can be simple or elaborate.

The Crescent Bouquet

The crescent bouquet appears in the shape of a quarter moon, a soft arch, using distinguished flowers with definite shapes, often orchids, wired together to form a slender handle that you can hold in one hand.  This style is perfect for sophisticated and contemporary weddings.

Cascading Bouquet

A cascading bouquet, which is the most formal and most traditional of bouquets, is designed to spill gracefully over the bride's hands as it flows downward for a sophisticated and stylized look, almost any flower can be used in this style.
The modern smaller version is called the teardrop bouquet or trail bouquet.

The Pomander Bouquet or Kissing Ball

The pomander bouquet is also known as a kissing ball. A pomander is a ball of flowers suspended from a loop of decorative ribbon.
Adult attendants can carry pomanders, but young attendants such as flower girls and junior bridesmaids most often carry them.

Come in and talk with our Wedding Specialist for more information. 

According to the Bridal Association of America, the average cost of a wedding in the United States in 2006 was $30,000, not including the engagement ring and honeymoon.  The average wedding flower cost was $1,970.  55% of the weddings for the same year were traditional weddings and 20% were casual weddings and 25% were unique or extravagant weddings.  With these statistics, it can be determined that the average wedding flower cost of $1,970 was for traditional wedding flowers using roses, lilies, and other traditional types of flowers.  It can also be determined that if you are planning something more unique or extravagant, the average wedding flower cost will be quite a bit higher.

Determining Your Wedding Flower Cost

The cost of wedding flowers is determined by many factors.  These will include the time of year you are getting married.  Valentine’s Day wedding flower costs are much higher than any other time of the year.  The flowers that are in season will also determine your wedding flower cost, particularly if you have your heart set on a flower that is not in season.  Whether the types of flowers you want are grown locally or will need to be imported is a large determining factor in your wedding flower cost.  And, of course, how many flowers you intend to use will be the biggest determinant of how much your wedding flowers will cost.

The Florist You Choose Can Save Money or Cost You More

The florist you decide on will be a large part of the final cost of your wedding flowers.  Let’s face it, some florists will do a wedding for next to nothing while others will cost so much that you’ll expect to find diamond chips lining the lace hanging from your bouquet.  Finding the right florist who can give you the best flowers and stay within your budget is very important.

Once you think you’ve found the perfect florist, confirm your choice by asking several questions of the florist and of yourself.  How do you feel when you walk into the florist’s shop?  Do you like what you see or are there mostly designs that you just don’t get.  If you don’t see floral designs in the shop that are pleasing to you, then the florist’s style may not be a good match with your wedding flower ideas.

How many weddings has the florist done?  This is an important question to ask of your floral design candidate.  Yes, every florist will do their first wedding at some point, but you have to ask yourself if you are willing to let the first wedding be yours.  Ask to see a portfolio of past weddings that the florist has designed.  How many weddings does the florist have booked or plan to book for the week of your wedding? 

Making sure that you and your florist are on the same page can really help to determine your wedding flower cost.  Find a florist who will work within your average wedding flower budget and book them early.  A great wedding florist on a budget is hard to find at the last minute.

Contact us today for a complimentary consultation.

What Flowers would a Vampire wear to Prom?

Prom season is upon us and we have been making new designs for prom this year. With recent books and movies focusing on Vampires, I couldn't help but wonder: What flowers would a Vampire wear to Prom?                    

The Countess might wear a corsage like this, elegant with a twist of mystery. Blood red roses, Contrasting ethereal black and red ribbons entwined with glitter hanging off the side, ruby red rhinestones and a timeless silver and rhinestone wristlet is sure to draw out her fangs!

Of course let's not forget about the man of the night, his sophisticated boutinniere complements the vampress's look without overshadowing it. This boutonniere has passionate blood red roses, black leaves a few red rhinestones and a jet black magnetic boutonniere holder ensures the wearer will not have to worry about pin pricks or being attacked by their date before their prom night even begins.

Vampire or not, Gillespie Florists is here to help your special evening look not be eclipsed by anyone else!

Allow me to introduce you to one of the hottest, trendiest wedding flowers for 2011 – the Anemone.  Specifically, the white anemones with rich black centers have been tagged as a bridal favorite. 

The story behind the anemone flower’s name is a sad one.  Anemone comes from anemos, the greek word for wind, thus giving Anemone the name “wind flower.”  It is said in Greek Mythology that the anemone flower sprang up from the blood of Aphrodite’s slain lover, Adonis. The name “windflower” signifies that the wind that blows the petal open will also, eventually, blow the dead petals away.

Anemones grow wild throughout Japan, North America and Europe, and vary in their growth patterns. They come in colors of red, blue, white, purple and, infrequently, yellow.

The anemone flower is unquestionably one of the more delicate and beautiful blossoms grown today; however, they are also deeply steeped in myth and touted for their uses. The anemone flower is regarded as a medicinal plant. Although these flowers can be poisonous to both animals and humans, they are thought – in small doses – to aid in a variety of ailments.

Anemones have a wide assortment of symbolism tied to them. They are thought to represent anticipation and unfading love, good luck and protection against evil.

Whether or not the anemone flower really did spring up from the blood of a goddess’ slain lover is highly debatable, but the fact that anemones are beautiful leaves little to debate. Add this lovely flower to your wedding and you will be rewarded with its winsome beauty.

Contact our wedding specialist for more information today!

  What is an Order Gatherer?

Order Gatherer.  What is an Order Gatherer?  In the Flower Business, it is a company that is largely in the business of advertising a Product and Service that it does not actually produce.  This company is nothing more then a “middle man” that increases the cost to the consumer and reduces the level of efficiency, quality of service and therefore consumer satisfaction.  It also reduces the customer base and profit of the Local Florist.

This company could likely have no Design or Delivery Staff, no Inventory of Fresh Flowers or Live Plants, no Vases, Baskets or Pottery, no Delivery Vans, just office space.

How Does this Effect Me?

This company might charge you, the consumer a fee of $10.95 or more, just to accept your order.  That company then might use a Wire Service to forward the order to a real florist, with Design,  Delivery, Sales and Processing Staff, with Inventory,  Delivery Vans and Refrigeration and the Thousands of Dollars of investment and expenses that go with operating a flower shop, who will fill your order discounted by 27% or MORE, loosing money on each order that the florist is foolish enough to accept.

The Order gatherer on the other hand most likely collects a large Sending Rebate from the Wire Service plus a Large Percentage of the Price of the Product you purchased.

What can I do?

So take a minute next time you want to send flowers, if the flowers aren’t to be delivered in Marion or the 6 surrounding counties that we service, simply type: “florist, city, state or zip code”  and you should see Real Florists with local addresses and unfortunately most likely, the order gatherers you want to avoid.

Want to learn more about order gatherers? Check out this article from our old blog! Click Here!

If you consider yourself a unique, amusing bride who wants to plan a more cheerful, vivacious wedding perhaps you would like to incorporate Craspedia or "billy balls".  They are available year round with limited availability in March and August.   

These unusual blooms add wonderful texture and visual interest to floral designs.  They are very eye catching and truly original for a wedding.   More and more brides of today are choosing it as an inspiring and funny alternative to roses or other classic flowers.  

 Every guy ends up in the Doghouse at one point or another in their lives and the big question is always: How do I get out of the Dog House?

Where does the phrase "in the Doghouse" come from? 

Its origin is from the old custom of banishing a bad dog outside to its doghouse. Though many believe that the phrase was coined after the story of Peter Pan. In the story, Mr. Darling treats their family dog badly by chaining her to the doghouse outside while the children fly off with Peter Pan.  Mr. Darling then feels so guilty that he lives in the doghouse until his children return home.

This phrase was also used as a railroad term in the late 1800's. The railroads had built a small windowed shelter on top of the engine tender because of union mandates. It was called a doghouse since it was so small and uncomfortable.

How do I get out of the Doghouse?

Let us help you get out of the doghouse with our easy 6-step guide! These are tried and true actions that work quickly and effectively! 

Click below to sign up for the Guide!