Exotic Flowers in Boston

It's summer time and we are fortunate to live on the east coast where trips to the beach are regular. Some of our favorite beaches include Old Silver Beach, Long Beach and Minot. When our floral designers make beach trips, they cannot help but be inspired by the awesome beauty of the ocean. Why go to Pinterest when inspiration can be had on the beaches of Cape Cod ?

This beach like inspiration is catching fire with floral designers throughout the United States. As a long standing member of The Society of American Florists (SAF), Exotic Flowers in Boston is offering its full support to SAF's latest public relations program. The latest installment of The VaseOff! Challenge, Society of American Florist's (SAF) online floral design  competition series, went live to the public this week, flaunting florists’ talent for matching flowers to recipients’ personalities. The Challenge: Design an arrangement sure to delight a friend who loves the beach and can't get enough of the sun, surf and sand.

The VaseOff! Challenge is SAF’s latest public relations program designed to drive traffic to the blog and promote positive floral messages to consumers and the media.

“In this world that revolves so much around social media, consumers like interaction,” said Jennifer Sparks, SAF Vice President of Marketing. “This challenge provides a fun, interactive way to spread the good news about the benefits of flowers and the expertise of florists, with the capability of going viral very quickly.”

VaseOff! is part of SAF’s 2012 Consumer Marketing Program, which uses public relations and social media to promote positive messages about flowers, plants and florists. SAF marketing programs are possible thanks to the SAF PR Fund, made up of retail member dues and voluntary contributions by wholesalers, suppliers, importers and growers. Since its inception in 2001, PR Fund programs have generated more than 1 billion consumer impressions, according to Ogilvy’s measurements.

On Monday June 11th - Dedham florist Paul Gately was arrested by the Dedham police for allegedly stealing $30,000-$50,000 from an elderly woman with dementia. Gately has been charged with 13 counts of larceny and two counts of identity fraud.

At Exotic Flowers we believe in the justice system of innocent until proven guilty. Hopefully, Gately is not guilty and this Dedham florist can reopen his flower shop. Unfortunately for Gately and his alleged victim, there is a lot of evidence against him.

Stories like this one really put florists in a poor light. As florists, we are not only trusted with sending your emotions, we are also trusted with your credit card number as well. Please know that Exotic Flowers in Boston gives each employee a thorough background check and we also have a secure system in place where are all credit card numbers are encrypted.

#1 Holidays: Valentine's Day, Easter, Mother's Day, Thanksgiving, Christmas; most guys in Boston need to cover the bases on Valentine's Day and Mother's Day. These two holidays are the Super Bowl and World Series of flowers. Holidays are great for men, they get lots of national advertising and are always on a guy's radar. Holiday flowers are often the most memorable and can be tied into creating your own memories and traditions.

 #2 Funeral Flowers - You may not expect funeral flowers to be the number 2 reason guys send flowers in Boston. Funeral flowers have been scientifically proven to ease the grieving process. Funeral flowers are the backbone of our business at Exotic Flowers. Funeral flowers represent more than 30% of our sales.

#3 Anniversaries - Wedding anniversaries, first date anniversaries, anniversaries of your engagement; these special days are often commemorated with rose purchases. Although not a huge delivery item, most men will walk into our flower shop to grab roses for their anniversary.

#4 Adoration - Guys send flowers to men and women they adore. No mystery there. Some of our top clients order flowers for their favorite person more than twenty times per year. Of course adoration can be viewed in many ways. We also have a handful of clients who will woo love interests with flowers. We often have guys come in who only know the first name of the recipient and they will often include their cell # on the card message in hopes of getting that first date. 

#5 Apology Flowers - perhaps the greatest billboard ever created for the floral industry by the Society of American Florists (SAF), 'Exactly how mad is she ?' tells a story in three images. One of the reasons florists have stood the test of time is because guys screw up a lot and flowers are the peace pipe of our generation.

The Candy Roses of Cape Care is the third installment in The Beantown Tales: Green Series where a group of six cousins rally together to save a magical beach's candy sprouting roses from extinction. Growing every sweet treat imaginable from lollipops to gummy bears, the team must work fast to clean up their sandy shores before pollution threatens to halt the production of an enchanted potion produced by the sea. Keeping in theme with the prequels, The Land of Chocolate Cosmos (winner of the 2011 Green Difference Book by the Massachusetts Green Schools Org and 2011 Honorable Mention by the New England Book Festival) and The Popcorn Hydrangea of Poppingtom, Suzie Canale, the author educates while empowering readers to make key changes within their communities. This book tantalizes tummies with yummy imagery nestled in fantastical worlds. Suzie is also an Exotic Flowers' blogger and our poet in residence.

A surprising and moving novel of fathers and sons, forgiveness and redemption, set in the world of Major League Baseball… A quick read, kind of like a good short story; vintage Grisham. Cannot wait for the movie.

 On vacation but feel like you should be building your business ? Marketing guru, Lou Imbriano sets forth an ideal blue print for growing your business. Many of Lou's ideas are cost effective and easy to implement right away. 

No mystery why this novel remains a best seller. Now in paperback, you have no excuse but to pick up a copy. This is one of the best books I have read in years. If you enjoy baseball and have always wanted to find a great novel, you cannot miss with this book.

Micah Solomon's latest book really hits the mark. He lays a great foundation of customer service applications in the first seven chapters. With real world companies used as models, Micah provides a foundation that businesses of all sizes can implement.
Great takeaways include the importance of a company culture and showing how it really defines your business. Micah's book addresses an important need of creating on line loyalty. This question is asked by brick and mortar stores every day. Micah really understands the importance of quick response, anticipating a client's needs and the need for standards.
From his principles of on line self service to his theme of 'let customers hear from you before they have to ask for anything themselves.' This book will remain on my shelf as a reference/ customer service text book for years to come.
I highly recommend this book to anyone who has a web presence of any type, no matter how big or small.

: Transportation...

"Two such as you with such a master speed cannot be parted nor be swept away from one another once you are agreed that life is only life forevermore together wing to wing and oar to oar"~ Robert Frost

The type of transportation that you choose depends on several aspects of your wedding planning including the couple's personality, location and time of year.  The exit of the bride and groom from their ceremony and reception is often a memorable one for all in attendance, giving importance to the issue of selecting mobility that reflects both the essence of your matrimonial gathering as well as the symbolism unique to the two people starting their journey together.  Another factor to be aware of  is New England's predisposition to temperamental weather patterns, which although adored for her changing face throughout the year, can sometimes be unpredictable when it comes to precipitation and temperature changes.  Coupes reciting their "I do's" within the Boston area should always take into consideration this safety factor as well as choosing a desired means.  By referring to the following guidelines, you will find that this city offers an extensive array of solutions perfect for whisking the new "Mr. and Mrs." off onto their new adventure. 

The Limousine~ The limousine is a classic choice, assuring passengers a safe yet luxurious ride to each destination.  Generally equipped with mini bars, adjustable temperature controls, moon roofs, comfortable seating and a driver, this type of transportation is the best option for most newlyweds.  Not only is the limo appropriate for anytime of the year, it is also reliable for any type of New England weather forecast.  Although ancient lure believes that rain is a sure sign of good luck on a wedding day, the bride who is stuck in a sudden downpour without a roof overhead might disagree!

Horse Drawn Carriages~ Horse drawn carriages provide a romantic exit within a fashionable elegance and historic grace.  Appropriate for those travelling short distances during the more temperate times of the year, the bride and groom will enjoy a relaxing and soothing ride in the back of a coach, comforted by blankets, champagne and the exquisite views provided by the surrounding scenery.  This type of transportation is particularly sensational for countryside or metropolis located affairs.

Classic Cars~ For the past several years, the popularity of classic cars within event planning have grown considerably, appealing to those looking to shake up the wheels of their wedding.  Rolls Royce's, Bentleys, Mustangs, Corvettes, and Model T's  are both stylish and fun for a fast getaway to the honeymoon.  Bon Voyage decor such as streamers, "Just Married" signs and strung cans looks particularly adorable when trailing the tail lights of one of these beauties.

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• With the current rainy weather in Boston, now is a great time to do some weeding. Weeds come out of the ground a lot easier when they are hydrated. Drier weeds tend to grasp onto the ground making it much more difficult to pull out.
• Incorporate easy care vegetable plants and herbs into your Boston landscape. Nestle your rosemary, thyme and beans amongst your day lilies. This combination gives you a nice textured garden while also bearing delicious additions to your meals. Plant some thyme along your walk way. Fragrant herbs are a great addition to roast chicken, are resilient against footsteps and many will return next spring, (perennials).
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• If you are stretched on time and enjoy flowers in your garden like most Bostonians, then seek out easy care annuals like coleus, impatiens and begonias. These easy care annuals provide instant color, just ask for regular watering and little maintenance. These annuals will bloom in your garden until late October.
• If your tomato plants are now planted and outside, do not forget to stake them or even better put tomato cages on them now. You do not want to wait until they are too big.
• Container gardens; probably the best investment you can make if you live and work in Boston. A mixed pot of annuals on your front steps not only increases your home's appearance but makes a huge difference for your neighbors as well.
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"In all of the wedding cake, hope is the sweetest of plums."
~Douglas Jerrold

It is the pinnacle of the wedding planning process, one which you must denote serious thought and scrutiny to. What size, shape, style, variety, and color will justly represent your affair? Should there be icing replicas of the bride and groom? Should the design use sugar or real flowers such as gerberas, roses or chocolate cosmos for decoration?  Perhaps the couple is looking for an altogether different theme such as seashells? Is the white vanilla frosting the ultimate in taste tantalization or is the dark chocolate mousse the fork-full that will make your guests melt in their seats? How about the question of buffering your budget by making it yourself or splurging on one of Boston’s award winning bakeries? Have you guessed what this mouth watering bridal task is? Planning your wedding cake of course!

One important issue which is critical towards completing this mission successfully is to solidify a set budget of expense for this sweet desert. Wedding cakes can cost anywhere from a few hundred dollars to a few thousand depending on the bakery making it wise to do a fair amount of investigating before committing to a vendor.  If this is an area where you are willing to tighten the belt buckle in regards to expenses, there are numerous recipes for making your own cake with step by step directions on baking and decorating. One resource worth checking out in your local library is the  book, “Wedding Cakes That You Can Make: Designing Baking, and Decorating the Perfect Wedding Cake” by Dede Wilson. Not only are you given clever baking tips, but you are also shown explicit directions on baking, decorating and icing. A second useful resource are specialty wedding sites such as allrecipes.com or lovetoknow weddings which give easy and descriptive recipes for just about any cake imaginable.  If you are interested in previewing your "sweet" ideas, visit Designed by the Bride which allow visitors to design a "virtual" cake to encourage creative thinking within this area.

If your baking skills are somewhat challenged and you own oven mitts which are for display only, consider Konditor Meister of Braintree, Ma or Montillio's of Quincy, Ma to fulfill all of your wedding desert needs. Holding a long standing reputation for their decadent wedding cakes, these ingenious bakers can pretty much replicate any idea, object or theme into edible bridal art. Beach themed weddings can be represented with sand dollar or starfish pieces added to their cakes as well as a sugar constructed sand castles.  Outdoorsy couples can serve guests a forest inspired desert incorporating pine trees or mountain landscapes into the design while the history lovers can marvel at a reconstruction of famous Bostonian landmarks such as the Freedom Trail, the Boston Public Garden or even Paul Revere's house. Taking a picture with you for model purposes is a helpful tip and try to remain open to options suggested to you by the professionals. The possibilities are endless so let your "sweet tooth" creativity run wild. Have fun with this project and indulge in the romance of a scrumptious wedding cake!