Flowers have been a timeless gesture of love, affection, and appreciation for centuries. Whether it's for a birthday, anniversary, or just to brighten someone's day, fresh flowers can ignite a spark of joy in anyone's life. What better way to show your loved ones that you care than by sending them a beautiful bouquet of fresh, fragrant flowers? There is a bit of an art to ordering fresh flowers, from choosing the right blooms for your intended recipient, to using the best adjectives to communicate your preferred style. So, whether you're a seasoned flower aficionado or a newbie, get ready to discover the secrets to creating a truly unforgettable floral experience.
The Basics
In order for our team to get your flower order to your chosen recipient, we need a few very important (non-negotiable) details:
- First and Last Name
- Phone Number
- Current Address
- Business Name if Applicable
Custom vs. Academy Signature
We have an incredibly talented team of floral designers here at Academy Florist, so when deciding what to order for someone, we are very fond of our “Academy Signature” options, also known as Designer's Choice. This allows you to give us a budget (maybe a colour palette if you would still like a little bit of input), and then you let one of our professionally trained team members take it from there. This is a great way to get something extra special and unique as our designers are able to shop our cooler for the best and freshest items.
If you have something more specific in mind, keep reading to get some insight into what to consider when ordering a custom floral design. Keep in mind that ordering in a specific variety of flower might not be possible, or may be subject to a 2 week ordering timeframe.
The Recipient
There are a few things to consider when choosing what sorts of flower varieties to give. For example, you might know that your mother-in-law loves a certain flower, which is great, but does she have a cat that loves to nibble on everything? Or is your best friend sensitive to strong smells? Here are a few things to consider and inform us about when placing your order:
- Favourite colours and or flowers
- Any sensitivities
- Pets in the home
For a look into ordering pet-friendly flowers, check out this journal post.
Descriptive Words to Use vs. Those to Avoid
When describing the style, shape, and colour palette of your order, there are a few words that help us to achieve your vision, and a few words that we recommend not using to avoid confusion. This is because some adjectives are ambiguous or might have a different meaning to different people.
Words to use to describe the shape and style you’re after:
- “Garden-y” and “Whimsical” will get you a more airy and natural looking style
- “Compact” and “Round” will get you a more traditional style
- “Tall” and “Big” will get you a show-stopper (depending on your budget)
- “Short” and “Small” will get you something for a bedside table or desk
Words to use to describe colour palettes:
- “Pastel” will get you light, muted shades of pinks, blues, yellow, peach
- “Monochrome” will get you all one colour
- “Bright” will get you cheerful and vibrant flowers
- “Moody” will get you darker jewel tones
Words to avoid using as they are too ambiguous or might be interpreted differently:
- “Modern” and “Contemporary”
- “Funky” and “Artsy”
- “Architectural” and “Structural”
- “Unique” and “Cool”
- “Expensive” and “Rich”
When in doubt, send a photo of something similar to what you are looking for to info@academyflorist.com so that we can make sure we’re on the same page.
Another important thing to consider when ordering fresh flowers is the time of year and therefore the seasonality of flowers. You can check out our Flower Seasonality and Availability journal post for more specific information, but good practice is to tell us that you are okay with whatever varieties are in season at the time.
Hopefully this will help you to be more confident when ordering flowers from us, but you are also always welcome to give us a call at (204) 488 4822, or visit us at 925 Corydon Ave and speak with a team member about our absolute favourite thing, flowers.