As everyone knows, more marriages happen during from Spring thru Fall then the winter months, and the wedding season is quick approaching as I was reminded of when I was asked a very important question about wedding flower etiquette: Who is responsible for purchasing the wedding flowers, the brides parents, or the grooms?

Well this is a great question. Traditionally it is the bride’s side that pays for the wedding flowers. However, with today’s economy, many of the wedding traditions are falling to the wayside due to finances on everyone’s part. Traditionally, the bride’s side pays for the wedding and the grooms side pays for the honeymoon but more and more couples are either joining expenses and even more couples are funding their entire wedding and honeymoon. If one side of the new soon to be wedded couples’ parents is more strapped for funds, it is hard to ask for something they do not have to give. This is where it pays off for couples to have longer engagements in order to help off set some of the expenses by starting a wedding savings fund. However, if both families are financially capable, leaving you able to stick with tradition, then the bride’s side picks up the flower expense.

If you are newly engaged, it is smart to begin planning what type of flowers you wish to have at your wedding regardless of who is footing the bill. By doing so you have a good estimate on what you will need financially for the wedding flowers and can work it to fit whatever budget.

Florist flowers come from many different regions of the world, some variant upon what time of year it is. Many of the flowers used by Brant Florist come from the United States such as roses, lilies, iris, and gerberas just to name a few come from California most typically. However, roses and other flowers such as carnations, chrysanthemums, and alstroemaria can come from Central and/or South America. Depending on the type of rose can vary on region where obtained. The mountains of Columbia and Ecuador are known for larger headed roses so if a particular popular arrangement calls for such, Brant Florist will seek out the best florist farm regardless of local in order to give the customer only the very best the flower world has to offer. After all, if Brant florist can have flower arrangements delivered internationally, it only goes to say they would tap into what the entire world has to offer in flowers. Only the best for Brant Florist customers.

The European market offers florist the world of tulips, hypericum, hyacinth, and callas and Australia, New Zealand, Israel, Russia, and South Africa also have various cut flowers to offer the world of flower arrangements. A great florist will tap into what the entire world has to offer in flowers to better assist their customers. Brant florist prides itself in having an extensive variety of beautiful fresh flowers to make the perfect flower arrangements for any occasion just for you!

I came a cross and interesting article on Washington Post.com that I felt appropriate and important to share with everyone. It is in regards to sending funeral flowers.

Hints From Heloise
Posted Monday, January 25, 2010; 12:00 AM

An Address for Those Left Behind

Dear Heloise: You had a column about putting ADDRESSES ON FUNERAL FLOWERS. You were right on, and I’ll add a few hints.

My sister died, and her children had no idea who some of the people were, and neither did we siblings. People had signed only their first names to cards, with no return address of further identity. We would suggest adding a bit of a note with some extra information, such as “Jane Doe, a sorority sister from college,” etc. My mother received a card with a monetary gift signed only “Margaret.” We had no idea which Margaret, and the postmark was not helpful. We felt terrible that we could not return a thank-you. — Kathy H., Nebraska

My condolences on losing your sister. It’s a very hard time, and trying to take care of sending thank-you notes can be difficult. Readers, please sign your full name, especially if you are not a close friend or relative. — Heloise

The point made in this helpful hint in sending funeral flowers is an absolute truth. However, anytime you send flowers to someone in replace of your presence, may it be a funeral, baby shower wedding, or another event, the same information that were mentioned in the Washington Post Heloise column should be followed as well.

It is pretty obvious that flowers have to be shipped into florist from other states and even countries depending on the flower and the season. Nevertheless, how do the flowers arrive fresh, fresh enough to last any amount of time for gifting? That is a good question and one that is fairly easily answered. Flowers are shipped to florist through a process called “cold chain”.

Cold Chain is a process that keeps the flowers at a certain temperature from the moment the flowers leave the farms to the florist. As long as that temperature remains the same through out the whole transporting, the flowers will last longer. Before the flowers even board the transport, at the farm, directly after being boxed, the flower boxes are injected with cold air to quickly drop their temperature to correct transport temperature. The temperature is monitored and documented throughout the transport. This ensures that when they arrive at the florist, the flowers are at their freshest state possible with longevity. If the temperature documentation shows a drop in the temperature during transport, the wise florist will not purchase the shipment because their longlivity has been jeopardized.

Brant Florist offers florist gift delivery of fresh cut flowers, plants, gift baskets, balloons, tropical exotic flower arrangements, roses, fruits, chocolates, other gourmet candies, and a whole lot more. We have a 100% guaranteed delivery service.

The flowers you order online can be sent anywhere in the world for any occasion. Brant Florist covers all holidays or any occasion you could possibly ponder.

We send florist gifts for birthday, anniversary, wedding, get well, sympathy, funeral, business, corporate, new baby, thank you, or just because and so much more.

Brant Florist’s online flower catalog is full of great gift selections of flower basket arrangements, fresh cut roses, colorful floral bouquets, and florist designed floral arrangements for all occasions and holidays or you can create your own.

When you want to send nothing but the very best and be assured the recipient will get just that, trust Brant Florist’s to send your flowers and gifts anywhere in the world.

Do flowers improve ones mood? Yes, they do! So why wouldn’t they improve productivity? If an improved mood makes for a happier person, and a happier person is more productive, then it goes without saying that flowers can improve productivity in the workplace.

There was an actual study done just on this by some researchers at Texas A&M University called the Impact of Flowers and Plants on Workplace Productivity. During an eight month span, 101 participants were placed in controlled atmospheres (3 separate styles – one with fresh flowers and plants, one with abstract sculptures, and one with no décor at all) similar to a work office space and were required to perform a series of office tasks. During their time, the participants rated their mood at four separate intervals, executed two creativity tasks, and completed one intentional demand test.

Researchers measured the number of ideas participants generated, their ideas’ originality and flexibility, and other responses, using data extracted from the tests, which included Torrance Tests of the Creative Thinking and Profile of Mood States. Results showed higher productivity as well as creativity for those employees in designated workspaces decorated with fresh flowers and plants with second place – abstract art.

So when productivity starts to drop in your office, consider bringing it back to life with some fresh flowers or plants. Or if you work in an office, improve your mood and decorate your space with some fresh flowers or a plant.

Poinsettias play an active role in the holiday season, and because of that you want to keep them just as fresh and beautiful as the day you got them. Here are some do’s and don’ts of poinsettia care to help you extend the longlivity in the beauty of your poinsettias.

Do’s:

Your poinsettia plant should be placed in indirect sunlight for at least 6 hours a day.

For the longlivity of your poinsettia, keep the room temperatures between 68-70 degrees.

Water your poinsettia plant when the soil feels dry to the touch.

If you need to transport your poinsettia outside of your home, cover it in a large roomy plastic bag. Kitchen garbage bags work nicely.

Fertilize your poinsettia plant only after the blooming season. Use a general all purpose fertilizer. Never fertilize your poinsettia while in bloom.

Don’ts

Do not place your poinsettia plant by cold drafts or excessive heat sources such as heating ducts, space heaters, or fireplaces. It is understandable that poinsettias can set off a fireplace mantle beautifully, but if it is a working fireplace, your poinsettia will not be able to withstand the heat.

Do not leave your poinsettia out in the cold. Just because poinsettias are considered a winter plant, does not mean they fair well in cold temperatures.

Do not overwater you poinsettia or allow it to sit in standing water.

By following these few simple do’s and don’ts, your Brant Florist poinsettias will not fail you.

At BrantFlorist.com you can choose an overseas destination and have flowers delivered next day by Interflora to most countries. This is a great way to give distant loved ones a tangible reminder that you keep them close despite the distance between you. We make it easy for you to pick exactly what you want to send from our high quality gallery. Look here for a selection of international destinations. We think you will be surprised at all of the options!

Wedding Flowers: When it comes to flowers, Weddings are one of the largest events.  More flowers are used on a single wedding day than any other day of the year.  Weddings are big occasions for everyone involved; from the bride all the way down to the caterer – and the flowers are no exception.  The flowers are an important part of the wedding.  Without the flowers a wedding would be a very drab affair.  The flowers add decoration to the wedding location, but they also give the wedding energy and life.

Many times the wedding flowers are made up from the favorite blooms of the bride-to-be along with other flowers for the color of the bloom, which will fit in with the dress colors chosen by the bride-to-be.  The flowers and the colors of the wedding theme will go hand in hand.  It has been said that many look at the wedding flower arrangements online, but most never buy their wedding flower arrangement from the web.

Many brides-to-be don’t really have a clue as to the type of arrangement or how they want their bouquet arranged, so they must look at pictures.  Because weddings take so much time to plan, and in almost all parts of the planning the bride-to-be must be present, so it stands to reason the bride-to-be does not have a lot of free time when the wedding is in the planning stages.

In order for them to have some ideas regarding the wedding arrangements, the bride needs to look at pictures.  Her options there would be to visit the florist and look at the pictures they have in books, or they can look on the web.  The web can be accessed at all hours of the day or night. Many smaller florists close by 5 or 6pm and don’t open again until 9 or 10am the following day. The bride-to-be will find it easier to find time to look on the web.  She will be able to look at the pictures several times before making her final decision.  She can then print out the pictures to take to the local florist or to give to her wedding planner.

It is unclear why more brides-to-be don’t order their wedding flowers online.  Maybe they are not aware of how an FTD florist works.  Maybe she believes the UPS or the FedEx driver will be the ones who will deliver her wedding arrangements to the chapel.  However, if she lives in the Burlington, Ontario area of Canada, the florist on the web she is looking at could also be the local florist she chooses for her wedding arrangements.  Brant Florist in Ontario has an extensive web site, which includes wedding arrangement as well as a location close by in Burlington.

Silk flowers are made from different types of material, which make them look very real.  Many people in the past have opted for artificial plants and flowers for a number of different reasons.  Some were to avoid the hassle of taking care of the real things, some because of the allergy sufferers, while some because they want the arrangement of flowers to last.

Years ago, florist would promote the silk flower arrangements for the bridal bouquet as a keepsake.  The silk flower arrangement was also more expensive than real flowers.  To have your wedding done in all silk arrangements would have cost you a lot more than having it done in real flowers, but times have changed since then.

Today, silk flowers look more like real flowers than they did back then, and the price of the silk flowers for your wedding will typically be cheaper than with real flowers.  More and more weddings are selecting silk flowers today, but this may be because of the allergy sufferers or maybe it’s a budget issue.

Silk flowers do have their advantages. They have a life-like appearance, and they will never wilt or die – regardless of how much you neglect them.  Silk flowers are beautiful for ever and they can be kept as keepsakes and passed on to others in the family for their weddings.  If you wish, you can even re-use some of the flowers in your home décor, with a few minor design adjustments.

Because time is not an issue with the silk flowers they can be made well in advance of the wedding for pre-wedding photos, or to check the whole order before the big day.  There will be no surprises on the special day, which is probably every bride-to-be’s fear.  There is a wide variety of flowers, so you don’t have to worry they one have the type of flower you want for your wedding.

Silk flower and plant arrangements can also be made for the home.  For those who are not sporting a green thumb or have allergies, but still want the beauty of plants and flowers around their home, silk arrangements are perfect for these people.

No matter what the type of plant or flower you are looking for, you will be able to find it in a silk variety.  They won’t need any maintenance or care and they will last you a lifetime.