By Jeanette Shinn



Choosing a florist begins before you ever enter the florist's shop. Take a moment and consider your first impression. Remember, you are hiring a florist professional for their attention to detail and their ability to create an atmosphere that invites you in. If their shop doesn’t invite you in or seems extreme in relation to your personal style, most probably the wedding flowers they provide you won’t be satisfactory to you either. There are always exceptions, but the chances are that this rule will prove true in your case. Do you really want to gamble on your wedding flowers just because your cousin Freda insisted that you had to use this particular florist?

Show the florist the wedding flower pictures and the swatches of your wedding dress material (and any other prominent materials from your wedding i.e. bridesmaids dresses). Talk. Make sure the florist grasps the concept that you have in mind for your wedding flowers and understand your budget and any other constraints that you are operating under (i.e. facility rules, etc.), and then let them go to work. Resist the urge to micromanage. In most cases at least one of the florists you visit can make your ideas for wedding flower combinations come to life in a manner that you never dreamed of. At the same time, however, go over every detail of the proposal (including set up time and schedule – which will vary greatly depending on how much there is to set up for your wedding flowers and how many other weddings the florist has that same day) carefully before you sign the agreement to provide your wedding flowers. Get several proposals for your wedding flower needs before you decide. It’s your wedding so be sure that you are getting the best wedding flowers for your budget.

Though it can be difficult to do, try not to get your heart too set on a particular type of wedding flowers (the possible exception to this might be your basic red rose). Flowers are beautiful but being living things they can be temperamental. Some flowers, such as gardenias and lilies are famous for triggering allergic reactions. If you have someone in your wedding party with bad allergies it might be wise to steer clear of flowers like these. Likewise, hollow stemmed flowers, such as the daffodils can drip sap on your wedding dress. Yes, this is a problem that can be overcome, but you need to be aware and prepared so your wedding flowers don’t ruin your wedding dress. Other flowers, most notably the lilies will drop a yellow pollen stain on your gown if you don’t have the wedding flower professional remove the stamens before you carry them down the aisle.

Two last notes about your wedding flowers. First, remember that not all flowers fare equally well in all types of weather. Some flowers wilt quickly in warm weather while other flowers actually turn black in colder temperatures. Either way you won’t be happy with the flower’s performance if you take it into a situation for which it is not suited.

Finally, remember that despite the advances in horticulture around the world, flowers (even wedding flowers) are still seasonal. Sure, if your pockets are deep enough, you might be able to have the florist import them from the other side of the globe but that will be expensive and even at that, there are some flowers that just won’t be available to join your wedding flowers in celebrating your marriage unless it’s just the right season somewhere.

By Nadia Mikkelsen



A way to a woman’s heart is through flowers. Yes men, it can be that simple. Flowers can represent so many different emotions and it will make your special someone so very happy. It says I love you without having to say it.

Not only are emotions such as sight and smell affected, but it also shows you have a caring side, a softer side.

If you want to show your romantic side, ask your special someone what are her favorite colors, favorite flowers, and favorite plants. And most important, be sure to ask if she has allergies to any type of plant or flower.

A floral arrangement can be made special for your loved one. Visit your local florist for ideas and suggestions. A beautiful floral arrangement can be made with her favorite colors, flowers, and plants. The arrangement can be wrapped in beautiful paper, or arranged in a special vase.

Most large grocery stores are in the floral business. When shopping for that romantic dinner, stop by the floral department. You will find so many different floral arrangements. If you cannot find the perfect arrangement, you can ask the department florist to create something unique for the occasion.

Flowers can also be ordered by the click of a button. Today most people own a computer and have access to the internet. You can shop for ideas and tips before making your final selection. You can shop from the comfort of your own home or office. In fact most flower sales are made on the internet.

You will find arrangements for all sorts of occasions and price budgets. You will have pictures to choose from along with the price range.

Flowers are not only for romance, but also for making others feel good when it is needed. They can help to raise a person’s spirits when they are down. It has been proven that flowers can help the sick feel well. The colors and smell will heighten emotions in all of us.

Flowers can also make the perfect gift for any holiday. For those that have everything, it can be difficult to find the right gift. Flowers will make any holiday special.

Be sure to ask your florist how to properly care for your arrangement. Flower food is usually included in your arrangement or can be purchased separately. With the proper care, your flowers can look just as beautiful two days later as the day they were purchased.

Today it is becoming more popular for flowers to be purchased for men as well. So men do not be so surprised when you receive flowers from your special someone or even an admirer. It shows that women can be just as romantic as men if not more.

Flowers can also be used to brighten the home or office. Flowers offer so many different fragrances to make your home and office smell and feel fresh. When planning a special party, your florist can create the mood you wish to express to your guests.

In fact it is safe to say that flowers just maybe the world’s most perfect gift.

By Susan Vinci


If you are looking for exotic flowers for your garden, here are a few options to choose from:

Lobster Claw- Lobster Claw also known as Heliconia or False Bird of Paradise, are native to Pacific Ocean, tropical America and West Indonesia areas. The greatest and most distinctive feature to the flower is its beautiful, bright flowering bract, often so immense in size that flowers are hidden at times. Lobster Claw's are very popular landscape plants, growing to heights of between three to thirty feet. Heliconia's were originally named after Mount Helicon.

Orchids- Orchids are considered the most sought after of all the exotic flowers in the world and can be divided into three categories. Orchids can be grown anywhere in the world except Antarctica. Flower colors range from bright to neutral depending on orchid type. African Orchids are mainly neutral while Asian Orchids are multi-coloured.

Lotus- Lotus flowers, native to Asia and Australia, are regarded as a sacred Buddhist flower while also being the National Flower of India. Lotus flower colours are primarily white and pink. Lotus plants grow in shallow and murky waters of rivers and require plenty of sunlight to ensure large, strong blooms are produced.

Passion flowers- Passion flowers also known as Maypop, are beautiful vines with a tropical appearance, although not native to tropical regions. The name Maypop derives from the flowers' tendency to appear as soon as the month of May arrives. Passion Flowers are native to the south-eastern U. S. And are a common sight along roadsides, fields and wood areas. Passion flowers were named by missionaries, who believed parts of the plant symbolized the crucifixion of Christ.

By Jen G


As we know pressing flowers are a hobby with endless hours of pleasure as well as an opportunity to delight friends and family with your creations. It is so enjoyable and anyone can do it. It does not matter with age or season. It is easy to get started and cost very little.

Pressing flowers can be profitable for you too in addition to lots fun and joys. You can make profits by turning those delicate beautiful pressed flowers into pressed flower cards, pressed flower projects, pressed flower gifts and pressed flower jewellery, or by decorating pressed flowers into pictures, photo albums, picture frames, candles holders and etc. There is no end to the variety of ways in which you will add values for the all kinds of arts which you want to sell.

Pressing flowers is so easy and fun You will be surprised how quickly you are able to learn how to press those delicate flowers; as long as you know how, you can make all kinds of charming, lovely crafts as your imagination.

You will also enjoy your healthy outdoor time when you pick flowers, it is no stress. Furthermore, build beautiful pictures and arts with pressed flowers will make you money if you want to!

I think that it is a great idea to turn enjoyable hobby to profits. The tools for pressing flowers are cheap, not expensive at all and easy to prepare; the material of flowers can be free. Flowers can come from your backyard. And you don't need to have an office or a workshop to press flowers. You can press these flowers at your comfortable home as your own pace. All you have to do is to know how. You have to learn the basic information and steps. It is easy and fun.

First-Materials and Tools for Flower Pressing

There are only 4 items you need to start press flowers:
1.Thick catalogues
2. Plain paper
3. Large books for additional weight
4. Scissors

Second-Steps:
1. How to choose best flowers to press
2. What leaves and grasses can be pressed
3. How to press the flowers and leaves
4. How to preserve color in pressed flowers
5. How to design pressed flower to be fine arts

The press flowers' hobby are beautiful and pressed flower arts are more colourful. Want to learn how to press flowers to make extra money or just enjoy this wonderful hobby, Please get detailed information here: http://www.squidoo.com

By Adam B Motta


Are you new to the wholesale flower business and looking to use the Internet to build your flowers business? Today, not only can you sell arrangements "in house", but you can also buy and sell wholesale flowers online as a way to bring in more revenue. The Internet offers a new way to increase your sales.

Whether for a wedding, banquet, or baby shower, buying wholesale flowers offers consumers the ability to save money. When purchased online, flowers are not only shipped straight to the consumer's door, but often times can be shipped as quickly as needed. This truly is the wave of the future for do-it-yourselfers.

The first step in selling wholesale flowers online is having a storefront. Create an inexpensive website with all your products listed. Use either a free site or one that allows you to actually list products, and then be able to sell them from the website. For a low cost merchant account, use PayPal, which allows you to sell products on your website without having to have a credit card portal. PayPal is easy to use, and most people either have a PayPal account or can get one with ease.

Get quality pictures from the wholesaler, and if no photos are available use a digital camera to take pictures of your wholesale flowers. Once you have downloaded the pictures online, you can upload them to the website. Consumers prefer to see pictures of the wholesale flowers. Make sure to also give vivid descriptions of the items.

Once your website has been created you can begin marketing your wholesale flowers website. To do this, sign up at websites such as Merchant Circle, which offer free memberships. Merchant Circle is a free service which offers a free way to connect with outer businesses. Create business cards that have your business information and then begin giving them out to everyone you meet. Word of mouth is a great source of advertising that can't be forgotten.

Another option is to create a eBay storefront. You will pay fees to eBay for all products listed and sold. The advantage to using eBay is that all you have to do is list the products. eBay is proven to be an excellent way to buy and sell. One of the first steps would be to search wholesale flowers on eBay, check out the prices of competitors. Then create prices that will be competitive.

No matter how you decide to market online, the key is getting the word out about your wholesale flowers business. Consumers want to save money. Remember this when doing promotions and sales. Most of all, remember that consumers love excellent customer service.

By Nadine Visscher


How many flowers do you buy if you are going to make your own wedding flowers? Draw a map of both the ceremony and reception locations. On that map, draw where you would like the flowers to go. Then make a list of all the arrangements, bouquets, corsages, and boutonnieres you will need.

If you are going to have simple arrangements on the tables at the reception, count how many of them you will need. Sit down and think of what will go in one of them. For instance, you may need 5 focal flowers, 15 transitional flowers and 1 ½ bunches of foliage. Multiply the number of flowers needed for each arrangement by the number of how many you need in total.

For your bouquets, sit down and draw them out. Looking at bouquet pictures will really help with this. Count out the flowers in your picture and write down the numbers. For example, your bouquet could have 7 roses, 9 carnations, 9 freesia, 15 miniature roses, ivy, fern, bear grass, and leather leaf.

Do the same thing for your bridesmaids bouquets. Draw them by looking at a picture, count all the flowers and write them down. For instance your bridesmaid bouquets could have 3 roses, 5 miniature roses, 5 carnations, 5 freesia, ivy, bear grass, and leather leaf. Take these numbers and multiply them by as many bridesmaids that you have.

Make a list of all the people who will need a boutonniere. Each of these will need 1 main focal flower and a sprig of foliage. Some people also like to add a small accent such as berries or tiny filler flowers. Calculate how many you will need.

Write down everyone that will need a corsage. Mother of the bride and mother of the groom corsages are usually a bit more special than the others and will therefore need a few more flowers and/or a bit more ribbon. Each corsage generally has a least 3 flowers, each a different size than the other. For example if you are using roses, you would need a tight rose bud, a partially open bud, and a fully open rose. You'll also need some sprigs of greenery and some ribbon. If you want different corsages for different people, draw them to help you write down the number and color of flowers you will need. Add up all the flowers you'll need for all your corsages.

Now add up all the flowers from all the bouquets, corsages, boutonnieres and arrangements to get your total. Be sure to hang on to the papers where you drew the pictures of the arrangements, bouquets, and corsages. You'll want these as your guide when it comes time to put them all together. You don't want to cram some arrangements full of flowers and then nearly run out and have others looking very sparse.

Always order extra flowers and foliage. It's better to have too many than to come up short. You can always use and extras to float in bowls, to make a decoration on the cake knife or to make little corsages to decorate the microphone or any solitary candles. You can always find places to fill in with little extras.

By Michael Paul Jr



Flowers express the emotions that words can't. When someone dies, there is grief, pain, and a full range of emotions. Giving flowers to the family and friends of the deceased is very comforting to them. But it is sometimes difficult to know what to do. Here are some suggestions to make choosing flowers easier:

Think about the deceased. Flower arrangements that reflect the personality of the deceased are always a good place to start. A very feminine lady that always wore pastel colors and never went anywhere without her pearls, is remembered with bouquets of soft pastel colors, or traditional designs of roses or gardenias. The gentleman that loved to hunt, fish, and be in the out of doors, should be remembered with arrangements of bold colored flowers, combined with grasses, berries, branches, and botanical textures.

Many times the flowers are representative of the relationship that existed between the sender and the deceased. If your childhood best friends mom dies, the lady that fixed pancakes for you after so many sleep-overs, your tribute to her, needs to reflect the importance of that relationship and what it meant to you. Tell the florist about the deceased and why you are sending the flowers. Designs can be created with something that represents a hobby or interest of the deceased. The use of something non floral as the focal point of the design always makes that arrangement something special. It doesn't have to be the biggest design in the funeral home or the most expensive.

Sending flowers is often required to reflect the relationship between the sender and the survivor. A business associate, who is an important part of your organization, experiences a death in their family. The sender does not know the deceased, but wants the flowers to reflect the importance of the relationship to the business associate. A traditional funeral basket or wreath that is full and colorful, communicates an important relationship.

Gifts of remembrance are appreciated. Wind chimes received in memory of a loved one, take on special meaning each time the wind blows them and makes them ring. A garden statue or stepping stone is appropriate for someone who enjoys their garden or out of doors. A woven throw is a welcome gift and can be displayed on an easel or embellished with fresh and or silk flowers. Religious statues, angels, and pictures give comfort to Christians who experience loss.

Work with a florist in the town where the flowers are going to be sent, or a local florist that belongs to a wire service that you trust. Explain the situation as much as possible. The more info the florist has, the more they understand the situation and can make appropriate suggestions.

Online websites are best used as info gathering for you. Pretty pictures do not always present as well in real life. Unless you are very experienced, you may not realize the true size of the item that you are selecting. Color will look different in the space where the design is displayed. A large funeral wreath in all white is breathtaking in a funeral home that has colored walls but totally looses visual clarity when displayed in the cathedral that is all white and gold, and not appropriate at all when sent to the home.

When sending a flower gift out of town, keeping your order less specific will be more successful. Flower shops across the country stock different items. Most flower shops carry a variety of merchandise in different categories. While they may not have the specific item you are seeing in your local flower shop or online, they can create a gift in that category. When you are very specific as to flower choice, variety, and color, you are more likely to be disappointed, for they simply may not have that item.

By Anya Richfield



Digital photography is one of the most loved hobbies that is now in existence and millions of people enjoy it either casually or as a more serious hobby. Although there are a number of different subjects that you can use in photography, the art of photographing flowers is one that many people enjoy. Because there are always going to be a variety of different flowers for you to choose from as your subject, it is an aspect of photography that you will not tire of quickly. Here are some things to keep in mind whenever you are photographing flowers.

A Good Camera Helps
The real key to the photographing flowers has a lot to do with the equipment that you are using. Although it certainly is possible for you to use a point-and-shoot camera to capture flowers quite nicely, it is always better if you have additional options available to you. You should also do a lot of experimenting with focus and lighting.

Other Useful Gear
One of the most important aspects of photographing flowers is making sure that you have all of your equipment together. This would not only include the camera, but also a various lenses that may be necessary in order to capture the subtleties that these flowers contain. You would also want a tripod with you in order to keep the camera as steady as possible, although it is possible that you won't be using this all of the time.

Tips for Photographing Roses
One of the most popular flowers that is photographed is the rose. Of course, there are a number of different types of roses and each one is going to have its own personality when it is captured digitally. Although you can find lots of good advice about photographing roses, the best tips simply tell you what to avoid if you want to get good picture.

* Avoid direct sunlight on the flowers.
* Make sure that the background isn't too busy or distracting.
* Don't make the focus of the photograph directly in the center of the image.
* Take your pictures without flash to bring out the true colors of the rose.

This may sound like a lot of negative advice, but experienced photographers try to follow these rules whenever they take any kind of pictures outdoors.

Photographing flowers, especially roses, is something that many people spend a lifetime learning about and doing. By taking part in this hobby yourself, you will not only feel closer to nature but you'll be surrounding yourself with beauty.

By Patrick Simons



One would think a photographer with over six hundred flower pictures in his catalog would actually know something about flowers. Alas, this is not the case with me. I recognize common blooms, but I'm completely lost when it comes to anything exotic. I've thought a great deal about what it is that keeps me photographing flowers. After researching this article, I concluded people are attracted to flowers for many of the same reasons birds, butterflies, and moths are. It's all about seduction.

Just as in the animal kingdom, seduction is part of reproduction. Every species, whether plant or animal, tries to perpetuate its own kind. This is the most fundamental aspect of nature. Every species has the inherent right to exist. The endless cycle of birth, seduction, reproduction, and death provide we humans with our own survival. Without flowers, there is no food.

In addition to things like apples that begin as blooms, we eat actual flowers. Although you may not realize it, cauliflower, broccoli, and artichokes are all edible flowers. Flowers have been used as medicine for as long as there have been people. Even today, some flowers, roots, and leaves have pharmaceutical applications. Flowers have long been used to create perfumes, paints, dyes, and inks.

Flowers seduce, using a variety of methods. Each flower has a specific design that encourages the transfer of pollen. Form, color, scent, mimicry, and high calorie nectar are examples. Entomophilous flowers commonly have glands called nectaries that attract insects, bats, birds or other animals to transfer pollen from one flower to the next. Anemophilous flowers spread polen via the wind. Anyone who has seen a maple tree casting 'helicopters' to the wind, has seen this happen. Cleistogamous flowers are self pollinating. Self pollination increases the chance of producing seeds, but has a limiting effect on genetic variation.

Flowers have been used as decoration for thousands of years, as gestures of love or friendship, and served as the inspiration for artists and writers. Flowers are a common theme in romantic poetry, and the visual arts abound with flower images. The impressionists took flower pictures to an entirely new level. Flowers have great symbolic meaning in many cultures, often being identified with the feminine. Western culture associates flowers with weddings, funerals, and other special occasions.

The effect of flowers on people is well documented. Flowers can impact happiness in ways that are both dramatic and immediate. Flowers have long-term positive effects on mood and tend to make people fell less depressed, anxious and agitated. The presence of flowers can trigger happy emotions and have an effect on social behavior that goes far beyond what was once believed.

The preceding paragraphs delve into the 'why' of flowers. Lets turn our attention to taking good flower photos. Although its not always true, certain aspects of a particular bloom tend to stand out. Your eye will be automatically drawn to it. This is that seduction thing at work. This is where the focal point of your photo belongs. If it's a nice calm day, and the flower isn't bobbing and weaving, I like to go with maximum depth of field. Maximum depth usually means longer exposure times, so movement must be considered.

Some blooms look better very close. In this case, you may wish to use the micro setting on your lens if you have one. If the micro setting isn't an option, use a short zoom lens. This will allow you to get in tight on an individual bloom. The 28-85mm zoom is my personal favorite, but I have tried every lens in the bag. I've even used my 500mm on a tripod. The effects will differ with every lens. Years ago, I often used a 200mm telephoto mounted on a bellows. This unusal arrangement allowed me to get in tight on a flower, while standing a few feet away. This effect can also be achieved by using an extension tube with a longer lens, and it's a great way to photograph butterfly's.

Regardless of what you're photographing, remember there are no absolute rules. Go with what works. It's almost always a good idea to avoid subjects that are strongly back lit. Some back lighting may be acceptable or even desirable. Too much back light will give a washed out look to the shot. Take shots at different distances, using different depth of field settings. Walk around the subject and look at it from all angles. I have a theory that nearly anything can make a good picture given the right perspective and lighting. This is especially true for flowers.

Strong back lighting can be overcome, by inserting a backdrop. A backdrop can be just about anything that will look good in the picture. A piece of matte black paper, or matting material, can produce dramatic results. A black background can effectively separate a particular flower from it's surroundings. A translucent white backdrop can soften and diffuse the light. Experiment with different combinations, that's how you learn.

If the subject is only slightly, and acceptably backlit, try using a flash to fill in the center. The built in flash on most SLR's is adjustable and nearly all detachable flashes can be adjusted. Add just enough light to fill in the middle. Bracketing is still a good idea. First, take a shot using the setting you think is correct.

Take at least two more shots using both more and less depth of field. I like to go up and down a full f-stop, in one half f-stop increments. If you have the option of shooting in the RAW format, I strongly encourage you to do so. With RAW, parameters are not fixed as they are with the more common JPEG format. The range of adjustment possible in RAW is far greater than with JPEG. Convert your finished result to JPEG for posterity.

The soft diffused light of a cloudy day, is a great for photographing flowers. Shadows are softer, and some colors become more vivid. After a rain, with the blooms dripping wet, is even better. Using the flash when it's cloudy can produce great results. The opposite condition is around noon on the longest days of the year. In my experience, this is the worst time for about any kind of outdoor photography. At mid-day the sun is at it's most vertical, and natural light is at its harshest. This is an especially bad problem when trying to capture subtle hues of a flower. Under exposure helps, and using an overhead screen works. In early summer or late spring, it's best to shoot just after sunrise, and just before sunset.

Watch the insects. Butterfly's and bees know exactly what they want. Let them be your guide. Let your eye be drawn where the flower wants it to go and remember the three basic rules - composition, composition and composition.

By Ashley Moran



As you plan your wedding, you should remember that the flowers can be the first impression that you make on your guest. Your flowers should be a representation of your personal taste and represent the style of you wedding.

Bouquets are no longer just the traditional white rose nosegay ties with white streamers. Today's market provides you with an unending variety of color and style. What was once considered "seasonal" flowers are oftentimes available year round. Today's bride may choose to have a hand-tied bouquet of wildflowers or a cascading bouquet for the longer, more elegant line.

Choosing a florist will be one of the biggest decisions you will make in planning for your wedding. If you are using a wedding coordinator, perhaps he/she could offer suggestions of florists that they have worked with in the past. The final decision will, of course, belong to you and your fiancé. Your flowers will be an integral part of your wedding budget, so shop wisely. Make notes and jot down questions that you will present to each florist so that you can compare them once you are ready to make your final decision. Compare the same number of flowers at each florist. Remember that creativity and years of experience are not always the defining factor in the price quoted. You will want to see pictures of their work and references from former clients. Reputation is a very important criterion in selecting a florist.

The color of your bridesmaids' dresses will greatly influence the color scheme of your wedding. Take a color swatch of the material with you to assure that the flowers you choose will be a complement to your color scheme. You also want to keep in mind that your flowers will be a great way to make your wedding photos pop! However, it is still perfectly acceptable to choose the pure white flowers if this is what you want.

If you will use fresh flowers, remember to ask the florist for instructions on handling the bouquet. You want to make sure that delicate flowers are not bruised before the ceremony. Also ask if they need to be kept in a cooler or refrigerator until time for pictures. You might also want to ask about preserving your bouquet after your wedding. Your florist should be able to guide you in the process that would best prepare your bouquet to be preserved. Remember that the fresher the flowers are to begin with, the better the finished bouquet will be.

After you have chosen your florist, ask about the requirements to reserve your date and time. With such a large decision made, you will have more time to relax and enjoy the days leading up to your big event.