Exotic Flowers in Boston

 Meet Dave Greenberg, the owner of Watertown Main Street Florist in Watertown, Mass. Like many Boston florists, Dave is hard working floral designer who shares his craft and beauty with others. Dave is searching for a life partner, he is even offering $1000 reward to do so and has created his own website, www.marrydave.com along with reward posters, t-shirts and business cards to promote his cause.

Dave looks like a great catch and I truly hope he finds his soulmate. But this story caught my eye because it so much more than a guy looking for love. This is marketing at its best. Completely outside the box and viral. David's story is national news and he has been featured in print, online, the radio and television throughout the country.

Originial, fresh, innovative and exciting; as a flower buyer I am inclined to think his work will be similar. Exotic Flowers delivers our own flowers in Watertown, so I have not witnessed Dave's work. I can say one thing - I am envious of his marketing prowess. 

Congratulations this is one of the best florist marketing ideas I have seen.

Chapter 1: Setting the Date...

"A successful marriage requires falling in love many times, always with the same person"~Germaine Greere

Setting the date is the first issue of wedding planning that every Boston bride should initially tackle since this can very well determine every other aspect of her special day.  While the most popular months to wed have historically been during the spring of April, May and June, couples now have ample reason to investigate the benefits of reciting their "I do's" during the other nine months of the year.   Spicy color decor, Budget efficiency/availability and exciting wedding locations all provide an alluring incentive to sway from the traditional matrimonial season.   Flexibility can be your greatest asset when mapping out your bridal endeavor, often rewarding the savvy soon-to-be's with  higher economic efficiency,  essentially giving the couple "more bang for their buck."  Although spring weddings represent the blessings of new beginnings, beautiful blooms and pastel fabrics, there are several incentives to pique curiosity towards the possibility of reciting vows during the winter, fall and summer seasons of New England.  

Vibrant Color Splashes and Textures~ While the traditional springtime wedding often encompasses pastel linen and centerpieces filled with bulbed blooms, events which take place during the winter, fall and summer have a vast selection of rich fabrics, exotic flowers and fun styling potential!  Creep out of the ho- hum routine and dare to be different by implementing exciting colors and textures such as crimson table clothes accessorized with gold tableware.  Autumn weddings are stunning when we begin to experiment with large color spectrums of green, orange and red while incorporating the festivities of the season using brightly hued maple leaves and pumpkins to decorate rooms.  Summer soirees are equally impressive using tints of hot pink, yellow, orange, sky blue and lime green to create eye popping pieces whether seen throughout the dining area or worn as bridesmaid's gowns.

Buffering Budgets and Availability~ It is a true known fact that "off season" wedding events are generally less expensive and have a wider availability of trendy locales than those taking place during the spring.  Due to the higher rate of matrimonies occurring during this time, functions rooms reflectively become higher in demand causing the price to rise.  For example, the bride who books her wedding at a popular venue during June is almost guaranteed to pay anywhere from a 10% to 15% higher rate than the bride who chooses to tie the knot in the exact same place during January or July.  Friday night and Sunday afternoon weddings are also climbing in frequency due to the decrease in price compared to the usual Saturday night affair.  Couples who have their hearts set on a particular spot to recite their vows may run into issues of fully booked hotels and reception sites during peak season, making flexibility a key to nabbing a dream wedding location. One more thing to keep in mind for those considering the option of throwing an off season wedding, spring in New England is often unstable with frequent snowstorms and frigid temperatures so the more compromising bride may find more change in her purse as well as better agreeable weather patterns.

Fabulous "Alternative" Venues ~ There's no telling the interesting places where couples can be married by using a little imagination during the chillier or steamier months of the year.  New England is gifted with many blessings from Mother Nature which are easily transformed into sensational ceremonial and reception sites with breathtaking views and inspiring symbolism.  Marrying atop snow capped mountains, ice skating rinks and along lakeside shores are not only striking for your wedding photos, but are conveniently entertaining sites for winter and summer activities!  Other possibilities might include events thrown at carnivals , aquariums or apple picking orchards. The northeast is filled with natural treasures stunning coastlines so take advantage of the eclectic resources that she offers throughout the entire year.

Suzie Canale

www.beantowntales.net

On Twitter @SuzieCanale

I am huge baseball fan. Every July from 1979-1985, my favorite day was the Major League Baseball All Star Game. It was a rare treat to watch the best players in baseball all on one field. In every one of the those years, I got to see my favorite National League Catcher in the game. Gary Carter was even the All Star Game MVP in 1981 and 1984. He was a part of one of the greatest throws in All Star Game history when Pirates right fielder Dave Parker gunned down the Angels Brian Downing at the plate in 1979.

Carter was much more than a Hall of Fame baseball player. He was a Hall of Fame person. From his countless autograph requests that he fulfilled, to an infectious enthusiasm and impeccable character. Carter was someone you would want your kids to look up to.

 "Today, the world of baseball lost a Hall of Famer, and I have lost a treasured friend. Anyone lucky enough to have been part of Gary Carter's world will agree ... nobody loved life in a bigger way than Gary. He seized every opportunity to savor what mattered most to him: his close-knit, loving family; meaningful, enduring friendships; an unbridled passion for baseball; and the fulfillment he felt from making a difference in his community. Gary's brave battle has ended, but his from-the-gut laughter will be heard and his vitality and spirit will be felt forever. I loved him very much, and I know he is finally at peace." 
-- Davey Johnson, Mets manager from 1984-90, now manager of the Nationals

For Gary's funeral, Carter's family made a simple request that in lieu of flowers a donation be made to a select charity for children with autism. A noble gesture, but I feel they are missing a key component of the grieving process. 

Research indicates that sympathy flowers may not only brighten and warm a funeral or memorial service setting, but also have a positive impact on the emotional well being of the bereaved, according to the Society of American Florists (SAF). The national floral trade association cites a 2006 behavioral research study conducted by Nancy Etcoff, Ph.D., of Harvard University, that underscores the importance of flowers in our lives and reveals some of the calming, fortifying feelings they can create.

The Harvard study reveals that flowers feed compassion and chase away anxiety and worries. The research participants lived with fresh flowers for just a few days and reported increases in feelings of compassion and kindness for others. Overall, people simply felt less negative after being around flowers.

The flowers are not only for the family, but also for the guests. The Carter family has been kind enough to share Gary with us all for decades. I feel that being able to send flowers would have helped ease many of his legions of fans grief. As you can see on stage, a few corny flower arrangements in baseball shapes and homeplates. 

As a Boston florist, I would have chosen to put all those odd and mismatched flower tributes outdoors to greet guests. Each piece would have had its own significant position of tribute. A funeral tribute means so much to guests and the bereaved.

 As a Boston florist who knows funeral flowers and felt like I knew Gary Carter, I would have created a stage scape of flowers going from one end to the other. The colors for Carter's funeral would have been bright just like the person. I would have chosen varying heights along the stage. I would have used roses and lots of them. Gerbera daisies and sunflowers too as they exude happiness, just like Carter.

I was fortunate to have Carter sign this card for me in 1984. Thank you Gary Carter. You will be missed, but not forgotten.

If you ever delivered flowers in Boston or any city before, you have heard those words. It shows how much people love to receive flowers. Of course 999 times out of 1000, the flowers are often for someone else.

Exotic Flowers in Boston feels everyone deserves flowers. So we have supplied our drivers with the perfect weapon when someone asks if that Boston flower delivery is for them.

Welcome to the "Are Those for Me ? " card.

Next time you see an Exotic Flowers delivery person delivering flowers. Ask him, 'are those for me ?' That driver will say, 'not quite but these are.' He will then hand you a coupon for three free roses at Exotic Flowers in Boston.

On Monday February 6th, 2012 Exotic Flowers in Boston is proud to sponsor The Improper Bostonian's Top 20 Bachelor/ettes in Boston. The event will be held at Mistral on 223 Columbus Avenue in Boston. Along with Joseph Gann Jewelers, VisitFlorida, Equinox, Celebrity Series of Boston and St-Germain, Exotic Flowers allies itself with Boston's hottest and most captivating.

The Improper's list features the fun, the smart, the artistic and the beautiful. From the affable Chief Cheese Griller James DiSabatino of Roxy's Gourmet to the striking Julia Harte Owens of Ridgeway Philanthropy, the Improper lets Bostonians into the lives of these engaging personas. For example, meet Joselin Mane.

Joselin attended Holderness and Northeastern, climbed the ladder at IBM and is now the Cofounder and CEO of BostonTweetUp. Joselin's Twitter stream alone is worth knowing him. He is fun, engaging and informative. Check out this shot as he digs into his goodie bag after being named a top bachelor. (ed. note the beautiful cymbidium orchid in the gift bag is courtesy of Exotic Flowers in Boston).

On the night of the event that honors these charismatic twenty, Exotic Flowers will fill the room with flowers and also create one of a kind corsages and boutonieres for these icons.

Exotic Flowers in Boston - we are always partnering with those who share our vision statement, Reaction Guaranteed.