Photo By Bella Fiori Florist

The Internet has added a twist of which many unscrupulous businesses have taken advantage. Yet few consumers are aware of any pitfalls with this method of gift giving.

At lunch recently with friends, I asked the question: How would you send flowers for Mothers Day? Most replied that they would simply call or go online to order from a national 800-number or website. Several sets of eyes widened when I explained that, by using one of those companies, they would likely spend an additional 20 percent to 30 percent more for their Mother’s Day flowers than if they simply contacted a florist directly in the town where their mothers lived.

How do you find a trustworthy florist in another town? Here are a few dos and don’ts:

Don’t Use Directory Assistance to Order Flowers

Asking the 4-1-1 operator (or your country’s equivalent) for the name of a florist in, say, Concord, Mass., won’t necessarily connect you with an actual florist in that town. Instead, you may be sent to an order-gatherer—that is, a company that takes orders for flower arrangements and adds fees that amount to as much as 30 percent of the price before sending the order to a local florist. (Thus, an arrangement listed as $39.99 can actually end up costing you $60 with the extra fees. Yet the national company doesn’t pass any of these extra charges to the florist who makes and delivers the bouquet. Thus, once that florist deducts another $10 to $15 to pay a driver to deliver it, he will only receive about $25.99 to $29.99 to create your floral gift.)

These companies list themselves as being local florists, but they aren’t. (Some even fraudulently list physical addresses that don’t exist or are for other businesses in an effort to be appear as legitimate floral retailers.)

Kale Roses, Hypericum, Dahlias, Thistle, Poppy and Scabiosa Pods | Courtesy of Bella Fiori Florist

Do Go Online to Order Flowers — But Be Wary

When you perform an Internet search for a florist, what you see is not always what you get. Many order-gatherers try to look like legitimate local florists. You’ll even find online directories that allow you to search by ZIP code or city — but the search findings actually result in “cloaked” names of these national floral-brokerage firms.

You can easily identify whether an online listing is for a legitimate florist shop simply by calling the number listed and asking, “What’s your street address so I can come look at your arrangements in person?” If the person to whom you are speaking can’t — or won’t — give you a street address, you know it’s not a real florist. So keep calling until you find one.

Another option for online searching is to look for a florist association in the state to which you want to send your mother flowers. Most state, city or regional florist associations offer a listing of their members. These are all real-life florists with brick-and-mortar shops who can fulfill whatever order you send their way.

A website that helps direct consumers away from order-gatherers, Florist Detective, also lists a few other options for finding a local florist online.

Carnations for Mother's Day | Credit to DeShow.net

Don’t Unwittingly Use a “Drop-Shipper” to Send Flowers

A drop-shipper is a company that packages flowers in a box, overnights them using a freight firm, such as FedEx or UPS, and drops them at the recipient’s door. These companies—such as ProFlowers.com — advertise nationally on radio, TV and in magazines. Their websites show lovely flowers arranged in a vase. But what you are actually sending is a cardboard box filled with flowers and a separate vase — if you pay extra for it.

The recipient has to prepare the flowers by cutting off the bottoms of the stems, stripping off foliage that falls below the water line, adding floral preservative to the vase water and then arranging the flowers herself.

Some of these companies include cool packs and water tubes on each stem to help maintain the freshness of the flowers during their logistical journey. But others do not, and all are subject to being delivered when the recipient isn’t home. That means flowers are left at the door in weather that can be extremely detrimental to their longevity. The result is a box of dead flowers that is more of an insult than a happy surprise.

Pink Roses for Mothers Day

Do Call Your Local Florist to Send Flowers (But Don’t Ask for Referrals During Superbusy Holidays)

Florists are slammed with business during holidays. So asking your local florist to recommend or provide the name of an out-of-town florist is like asking a dentist in the middle of an oral surgery to look at your chipped tooth.

Gerbera Daisy for Mothers Day

Of course, if you love your local florist and don’t mind paying an extra fee for her service, call and ask her to handle the request for you. She will be happy to do so and usually can guarantee delivery of your order. Most florists either have a network of national florists on whom they rely for these situations or they belong to a wire service (floral relay companies), such as FTD or Teleflora. As mentioned, you may pay an extra fee to have your florist send the order for you, but to many busy consumers, the convenience is worth it.

If you call your florist during less busy times of the year, he is likely to be happy to help you by providing the name of an out-of-town florist. However, make sure you do him a favor, in return, by using him the next time you need flowers delivered locally. (Remember to save the name and number of that long-distance florist, though, for the next time you need to send a bouquet.)

Don’t Fall for National Advertising or Daily-Deal Discounts When Ordering Flowers

Those wire services mentioned earlier — FTD and Teleflora, for example—legitimately connect local florists with one another to aid them in sending orders to out-of-town customers. However, their dot-com equivalents — FTD.com, Teleflora.com and other big-name firms such as 1-800-Flowers.com—are not the same. These online affiliates are among the order-gatherers mentioned previously. They add those extra fees to the cost of an arrangement, send the order to a “receiving” florist to fulfill it and charge you a boatload of extra fees in between.

Similarly, take care when you see advertisements for discounted offers, particularly on the daily-deal websites. Recently, the floral industry has seen instances where the company offering the deal sent consumers to a different website than its regular one — a website where the prices were higher. Thus, consumers actually got a worse deal using the discount. (Of course, the regular site still charged hefty extra fees. So avoid these sites no matter how tempting the discounts look.)

Pink Carnation | Credit to DeShow.net

Do Ask Friends for a Referral in Sending Flowers

With so many social-networking sites available today, it’s easy to find a friend or friend-of-a-friend in the city where you want flowers delivered. Go on Facebook, LinkedIn, Twitter or another social-media site. Ask if someone can recommend a local florist that you can call.

Once you have the name of a quality-minded florist you can trust, keep it in a safe place for future use. Then, whether you are sending an order today, tomorrow or next year, you can ensure you are spending money on a bouquet for which you can be proud — and that your mom will be proud to show off.

Written by

Gina Kellogg

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Her taste in flowers probably is just as fashionable. She wants a floral arrangement that—when delivered—will make friends and coworkers “Ooooh!” and “Ahhhh!” with heart-felt envy rather than merely polite admiration.

Mothers Day Flower Ideas

Stylish Ideas for Mother’s Day Flowers

What do the most fashionable flowers for Mother’s Day look like that will make mom the envy of her office? Check out this review of some of the trendiest styles that you can request from your local florist:

Mother’s Day Flowers With Pavé Passion

The pavé look is an especially high-style option. Pave designs feature short-stemmed blossoms, all arranged at the same height in a tightly packed design. Usually, you’ll see them in a short container, often square or rectangular in shape. Some florists get even more creative and place them into unique containers such as hinged-lid boxes. If the mom in your life has a favorite flower, ask whether it would be appropriate for a pavé design. Request colors that will complement her home’s décor, including a base or vase that reflects her style.

Sweetheart Rose Pave Flower Arrangement | Credit to ShannonsShanonigins

A Worthy Mother’s Day Wreath

Wreaths are not just for hanging on doors, and they don’t have to come only in round shapes. Florists can create them in squares, triangles, ovals or any silhouette you desire. Wreaths are especially beautiful set flat on a tabletop with tapered or votive candles nestled in the center.

Give your florist some design free will, and you’ll be more likely to present mom with something especially memorable this Mothers Day. For example, tell your florist whether the recipient loves a cottage-garden style or sleek, modern look. Using varying heights of flowers and textures, your floral designer can create a one-of-a-kind wreath that will leave your mom speechless.

Contemporary Wreath | Credit to Herta Vasiloudis

Mother’s Day Flowers With Ikebana Accents

Ikebana is the Japanese art of arranging cut flowers in rhythmic, decorative designs. But even if your loved one isn’t an Asian enthusiast, she will still appreciate the delicate shapes and textures that Ikebana designs evoke. Again, tell the florist of the recipient’s favorite flower so that the floral designer can incorporate that blossom into the arrangement. And request a container in which the flowers can be designed that will work well in the mother’s home décor.

Fabulous Underwater Flowers for Mother’s Day

One of the most elegant and chic designs you can request for a Mother’s Day recipient is the tall cylindrical or square vase in which flowers are “suspended” underwater. These designs can last an especially long time, depending on the type of flowers chosen for display. Orchids and callas are especially elegant, and the florist can incorporate twisted and spiraling wire as a sculptural element, along with other bling, such as colored or natural stones or glass pebbles.

Submerged Orchids | Credit to Elaine25

While mom will appreciate any flower arrangement you choose for her, taking the time to order something that reflects her personal style is a route destined to bring back fond memories of your thoughtfulness for a long time — or at least until next year.

For more creative ideas for Mother’s Day, take a look at our Mothers Day Gift Ideas: 10 Great Ways to Spoil Her.

Written by

Gina Kellogg

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Ancient cultures certainly recognized the phenomena involving the connections between human experience and flowers, which explains the consistent presence of flowers at important societal ceremonies, such as births, marriages and funerals.

Bouquet of White Roses With Yellow Calla Lilies | Image: PhotoRack

Besides the symbolism flowers represent (the German philosopher Goethe claimed that when he looked at a flower with the naked eye, he could instinctively experience our whole cycle of existence), as well as the “meanings” associated with individual flower varieties or colors, there is certainly much more. Flowers truly do touch us profoundly and mysteriously.

Flowers, Feng Shui and Positive Welfare

Flowers help us achieve improved health, happiness and productivity. For instance, for those who practice Feng Shui, flowers help balance the energy between natural and manmade objects that is central to Feng Shui.

Rose Bridal Bouquet | Image: Magnus Rosendahl

Drawing from science, several universities have released similar studies finding solid links between flowers and human health, happiness and workplace productivity, confirming what many have observed intuitively — and seeming to verify what ancient cultures have emphasized for thousands of years.

For example, Rutgers University’s study revealed “the presence of flowers triggers happy emotions, heightens feelings of life satisfaction and affects social behavior in a positive manner far beyond what is normally believed,” according to Dr. Jeannette Haviland-Jones, professor of research at Rutgers and lead researcher on the study. “What’s most exciting about this study is that it challenges established scientific beliefs about how people can manage their day-to-day moods in a healthy and natural way,” explained Haviland-Jones.

Could it be science is finally catching up to this power that flowers possess, much like the medical field has come to accept acupuncture as a viable, mainstream solution to a wide range of human health problems?

Real-Life Affirmation

You don’t have to convince Dianne Morgado, Morgado Nursery (Keaau, Hawaii). Diagnosed with breast cancer in 1991 and having left a career in banking and finance behind, Morgado was invited to help a friend with an orchid-growing operation he was starting up. Stressed out, feeling down and without much self-confidence, Morgado discovered that growing and just being around orchids was a “life-affirming and life-changing” experience.

She was so taken by the experience that she decided to start her own orchid farm in 2002. Today, it has three greenhouses and is still growing. Not surprisingly, Morgado credits orchids with helping make her a cancer survivor. Listening to her speak so lovingly of orchids is much like reading the noted 19th century French author Marcel Proust, who — when thinking of the silk-and-satin texture of orchids — spoke of “the passionate longing one feels sometimes for a particular flower.”

White Wedding Bouquet | Image: PhotoRack

Flowers’ Energetic, Magnetic Attraction

What seems to be the unifying theme here with acupuncture, Feng Shui and the therapeutic and uplifting effects of flowers, is energy. Perhaps the Ancients were right and the secrets of health, happiness and productivity is the flow of energy within us, within our environment and the recognition that flowers enhance connectivity between the two.

It is fitting that the flower industry is now in the position of offering consumers a range of products, not just for their beauty and artistry, but more importantly because they provide that valuable connection and balance between the natural world and our own stressed-out world.

This makes it even more important for anyone who cares about flowers to work toward supporting a goal of providing the freshest, longest-lasting flowers that will encourage everyone to make flowers part of their daily lives.

Written by

Terry Johnson

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Cake decorations that feature candied flowers combine the beauty of real blossoms with the deliciousness of sugary sweets. And the technique is easy.

Sugar-Frosted Flowers & Cup Cakes | Image by Christies Corner

Sugar-Coated Flowers Are in Again

Decorating with sugar-frosted flowers isn’t new. The practice was popular as early as the 18th century. Today, however, interest has been renewed with the popularity of bakery-inspired specialties. And for anyone who already loves flowers, the combination is that much more irresistible.

Flower Choices Are Abundant

Most people’s first impulse with a rose is to sniff it—not to bite it. But roses, along with a wide and abundant variety of flowers, have a delicate flavor that pairs well with a sugary coating. Specifically, edible flowers include: calendula, carnation, chrysanthemum, English daisy, gardenia, gladiolus, hibiscus, hollyhock, honeysuckle, impatien, jasmine, lavender, lemon verbena, lilac, marigold, nasturtium, pansy, primrose, snapdragon and violet.

In purchasing posies, ask your florist for organically grown plants. If your florist doesn’t have pesticide-free flowers in stock, he or she can special-order them from farms that follow chemically free practices. You can also find edible flowers in many specialty grocers’ produce departments or online.

Sugar-Frosted Flowers for Weddings | Image by Crystallized Flower Co

Frosting Flowers Is Easy

The supplies required for creating crystallized concoctions are simple: egg whites, sugar (regular, colored or superfine) and a small paint brush.

Step 1:

Daisies & Roses | Image by Candied Flowers

Dip the brush into the egg whites. Holding the blossom just under the flower head, lightly brush egg white onto each petal and all other parts onto which you want the sugar to adhere. Don’t use too much egg white or the petals will become heavy and droop.

Step 2:

Hold the flower over a plate and sprinkle the sugar on it. Recycle the excess sugar that falls onto the plate as it collects.

Step 3:

Place each blossom onto a flat surface, such as a cookie sheet. Allow the flowers to dry, for overnight or longer, depending on the size of the blossom.

Step 4:

To store, stack the dried blossoms in an air-tight container with sheets of baking parchment between each layer. While stored flowers can last for up to two months, they will taste and look their best if you use them within several days of creation.

Cup-Cakes & Sugar-Frosted Flowers | Image by Crystallized Flower Co

Create a Floral Artwork

Use your sugar-frosted flowers to decorate cakes, cupcakes and other desserts, as well as in high-end cocktails for special occasions such as a Mother’s Day brunch, bridal showers and weddings. And be prepared for requests to make some for your friends, because the unique beauty of these crystal creations is likely to inspire lots of interest.

Written by

Gina Kellogg

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Traditional Red Rose Valentine's Bouquet

Unfortunately, many givers this past Valentine’s Day (as in holidays past) didn’t understand the importance of buying flowers from a local florist. Instead, they saw and heard ads on TV and the radio. They noticed banner advertisements alongside their Facebook profiles. And they called or clicked and ordered.

Flowers for Sale From Faraway

Most of the ads in the national media were for companies known in the florist industry as “order-gatherers” or “wire services”. In other words, they are not florists. They are simply companies that take orders. These companies hire thousands of individuals sitting in cubicles all over the globe to accept and handle these orders.

Once they process your credit-card number, these companies begin contacting florists near the recipient’s home to try and fulfill the order. In handling the transaction, these businesses either add a fee to the cost of the original bouquet, increasing the price substantially over what a local florist probably would have charged for the same arrangement. Or the company offers to pay the florist a low-ball fee to create and deliver the bouquet — often at such a reduced rate that the florist makes little to no profit if he or she accepts the order. As a result, many reputable florists simply say no to such requests. However, some florists do accept these orders, and because those florists receive such a decreased reimbursement for the bouquet, they may include fewer and less expensive flowers than the giver originally ordered.

The resulting floral arrangement often looks nothing like the original design ordered.

Flower Blossoms in a Box

Then there are the companies who advertise prolifically with images of gorgeous, bountiful bouquets in stylish vases overflowing with massive blooms. It’s only in the fine print that the purchaser may discover that these bouquets are sent in a box, without a vase, without water, without cold packs and without any of the other tools that a reputable firm uses to prolong the life of fresh-cut flowers. Recipients simply receive a box of flowers — often drooping, wilted, broken and faded.

Pink Rose

Flowers, Failure and Facebook

This Valentine’s Day was no different. Well, actually, it was different in that it was worse. It turns out that at least one of the major order-gathering firms, ProFlowers, was accused of allegedly sabotaging small local floral shops by placing ads on Google that proclaimed the retailers were “sold out for Valentine’s Day” when online shoppers went searching for local florists. Thus, consumers who might have used local brick-and-mortar stores ended up turning to the online order gatherers because they believed they had no other option for their last-minute orders.

Rose and Ribbon Heart

On Valentine’s Day and the days after, the Facebook pages of some of the biggest floral advertisers in the world blew up with messages of disgust, regret and disappointment. Many of the people posting comments vowed they would never buy from those companies ever, ever again.

Unfortunately, many of them may also decide never to buy flowers ever again — from that company or any other. And that’s a crying shame. Because respectable, trustworthy, honest and talented florists all over the world will never be able to prove to those people that sending flowers doesn’t have to end with a recipient embarrassed to show off the otherwise thoughtful gift their loved ones went to the time and expense to send them. And those people will never experience the long-lasting value of buying quality flowers from a florist who doesn’t lower his or her standards to deliver a subpar product.

The Ease of Becoming a Floral Connoisseur

It’s a lesson you don’t have to learn if you buy your flowers from a florist with whom you’ve developed a trusting relationship. Even if you want to send flowers to some other city, you can find reliable, responsible florists you can call to create your bouquet. One of the easiest ways is via www.Yelp.com or a similar site that offers consumer reviews. Simply search for a florist in the city in which you want flowers delivered. Another option, especially if you need to send sympathy flowers, is to find the name of a nearby funeral company and ask its director what florist he or she can recommend.

Stacked Red Roses

Reputable florists are in abundance, but most are independent businesses without the high-dollar marketing budgets to advertise on TV, radio or the web. So, the next time you see those expensive, ubiquitous ads, see them as a reminder that flowers are a lovely, thoughtful and appreciated gift. Then call or visit a local florist to discuss a custom-prepared bouquet that will perfectly fit your budget and reflect the recipient’s personality.

Whether it’s Valentine’s Day, Mother’s Day, an anniversary, birthday or “just because,” the result will be a loved one with a smile of absolute adoration and pure, unadulterated delight.

How about you? Have you had a good or bad experience with a wire service or local florist? Tell us all about it or share your own view point on the florist industry in the comments below…

Written by

Gina Kellogg

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Valentine's Day Flowers and Chocolates

The celebration of Valentine’s Day began long before Joyce Hall—the founder of Hallmark Cards—created his first greeting card. In fact, the oldest-known valentine still in existence was a poem that Charles, the Duke of Orleans, wrote in 1415 to his wife while imprisoned in the Tower of London. And long before Charles put a passionate pen to paper, at the end of the 5th century, Pope Gelasius declared Feb. 14 to be St. Valentine’s Day.

Valentines Day Flowers: Pink-Roses

So forget all the naysayers who bash us starry-eyed philosophers as we wait breathlessly for the amorous day’s arrival. If you have even a sliver of a romantic bone in your body, you can support this holiday of love without an ounce of guilt.

Once you’ve wrapped your arms around the day, however, what is the best way to celebrate it? Giving loved ones a card is obviously a lovely gesture—and lots of folks do that. (In fact, about 150 million Valentine’s Day cards are exchanged annually.) But wouldn’t you rather gift your sweetheart with something scientifically proven to enhance his or her life? A present that lifts the mood and encourages positive thoughts? No, not medicinal marijuana! We’re talking about the time-proven, sweetheart-swooning tradition of giving flowers.

Yes, it’s actually true that researchers have studied the phenomenon of flower giving and discovered it creates a measurable physical reaction in recipients. According to behavioral research conducted at Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey, the presence of flowers triggers happy emotions, heightens feelings of life satisfaction and affects social behavior in a positive manner.

“What’s most exciting about this study is that it challenges established scientific beliefs about how people can manage their day-to-day moods in a healthy and natural way,” said Jeannette Haviland-Jones, Ph.D., professor of psychology at Rutgers and lead researcher on the study.

Red Roses and Chocolates

What’s more, the moment your loved one sets eyes on the colorful blossoms you bestow upon them, little chemical fireworks go off in their brains to create an immediate improvement in his or her happiness. Even better? After all the chocolates are devoured and your loved one is wallowing in a sugar-induced coma, your gift of flowers continues to have a long-term positive effect on your sweetheart’s mood.

So when you hear some cynic pooh-pooh the idea of giving flowers on Valentine’s Day, nip that naysayer’s negative analysis in the bud. Pull a posy from the bouquet intended for your honey, hand it over to that skeptic and watch his or her pessimistic attitude drop away like petals on a puff of air.

Written by

Gina Kellogg

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Dark purple flowers mimic the look of black flowers Photo: Michael Daigian Design/Trisha Dean Events

Some flowers give the illusion they are black because their blooms are extremely dark red or dark purple, such as the Schwarzwalder calla lily. But if you want a truly black flower, you can’t rely on Mother Nature to deliver the color. You have to give her a little help.

Easy Steps to Create Black Flowers

You can create the black flower of your choice by following one of three techniques, none of which is complicated. You can dye the flowers by placing the stems in dye-enhanced water, dip the blooms in colored stain or spray the blossoms with floral paint.

#1 How to Dye Flowers Black

The Internet offers tips on dyeing flowers using food coloring or ink, but that advice is misleading. Such methods may work to a degree, but they aren’t as effective as using professional floral dye, such as Design Master’s Absorbit. Plus, professional dye products won’t inhibit the flowers’ water uptake, ensuring you get the longest vase life for your blooms.

Dyed Black Rose

To purchase floral dye, ask your florist to order it for you. (He or she can advise you on which colors will mix to achieve the deepest black.) Then ask your florist what blooms work best. Some experts recommend choosing white flowers, but others suggest choosing a dark color, such as red. You may need to experiment with both to determine which one to choose for your project.

Follow these steps once you’ve chosen your flower variety:

1. Leave flowers out of water for at least three hours once you get them home from your florist. When flowers are a bit stressed, they will absorb the dye-enhanced water more quickly.
2. In a container large enough to hold the flowers, add 2-3 teaspoons of floral dye to each quart of warm water (100-110 degrees Fahrenheit/37-43 degrees Celsius). Mix the liquid thoroughly.
3. Remove lower foliage from each stem. Cut stems at an angle with very sharp floral shears or a floral knife.
4. Place the stems into the dye solution. Allow them to sit in the water for 30 to 60 minutes.
5. While you are waiting, prepare a vase for your flower arrangement. Add floral preservative as indicated on the packet’s directions, mixing with the appropriate amount of water.
6. When enough time has passed, remove the flowers from the dye solution and rinse the dye off the stems.
7. Transfer your bouquet to the prepared vase.

The color of your flowers will intensify as the dye continues traveling up the stem. If dyeing different varieties, don’t expect the color to be absorbed at the same rate. Woody stems, like roses, take longer to uptake the dye than green-stemmed flowers, like carnations. Black roses also may not achieve even coloration unless you maintain the temperature of the dye solution while the stems are in the liquid. With those blossoms, place your container into a water-filled slow cooker on medium heat throughout the soaking period. If color is spotty, transfer roses to a separate container of warm water. Allow them to soak up the plain water overnight to further hydrate and spread the color throughout the petals.

Dispose of leftover dye solution by pouring it over newspaper to absorb it. Then toss out the papers with your normal trash.

Dyed Black Rose

#2 How to Dip Flowers for Black Blossoms

A faster option is the dip method. The same company that sells the floral dye Absorbit makes a product for this technique called Dipit. Directions are simple:

1. Choose flowers with fully opened blooms so the dye will more easily be able to coat each petal.
2. Pour the liquid dye into a container or bucket with a large opening to ease the dipping process.
3. Dip each flower into the solution for about 2 seconds.
4. Shake off the excess dye, allowing the extra liquid to fall back into your container.
5. Rinse each flower head under a faucet and shake again to remove the excess water.
6. Allow flowers to dry before handling so that you don’t stain clothing or skin with wet dye.

If your flowers aren’t as dark as you would like, you can redip them once they are dry. Simply repeat the steps above. As with Absorbit, pour any excess dye over an absorbent material, like newspapers, and then dispose of the papers in the trash.

#3 How to Spray Flowers to Create Black Blooms

Spraying flowers with floral spray paint is the easiest way to ensure a deep, dark, consistent black color. It’s also the messiest, so be prepared before you start by using drop cloths or newspapers to protect your work area from overspray. Also, make sure the area is well-ventilated, at a moderate temperature (about 70 degrees Fahrenheit/21 degrees Celsius) and not humid.

If your local craft store doesn’t sell floral spray paint, ask your florist to order it for you. Design Master makes a line called COLORTOOL that is specifically designed for use on fresh flowers. Regular spray paint is too harsh and heavy for delicate flower blossoms.

1. Shake the can well, before and between uses.
2. Turn the paint can nozzle to line up with the black dot on the rim.
3. Hold the can 15 to 18 inches from the flower head.
4. Spray each blossom, turning the bloom in your hand to get all sides and inside the petals.
5. For darker color, allow the paint to dry. Then apply another coat.

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Spooky spider webs, black flowers, creepy creatures, ghostly ghouls … Yep, it’s time to get your “scare” on and get in the Halloween spirit!

If you are among the many planning Halloween parties – whether you organize an elaborate Halloween horror show – (popular among serious celebrants) or arrange a relaxed gathering with lighthearted Halloween crafts or ghoulish Halloween party games – you can affordably create an ethereal theme.

Creative Homemade Lanterns

We’ve focused on providing some Halloween recipes that will allow you to create budget-friendly holiday fun. These Halloween ideas are easy and mainly require items you already have – no need to spend a lot at that temporary Halloween store at the mall. Other ideas involve affordable items you would likely buy anyway or can reuse for future projects. (And, okay, we do offer up a couple of suggestions for spooky centerpieces that cost a bit more – but these otherworldly options will give your Halloween party theme oomph!)

#1  Halloween Crafts for Candy-Corn-Chic Style

Candy Corn Vase | Photo by Paula Deen

You may have seen a holiday flower arrangement for sale with a candy corn-filled vase and matching mix of orange and yellow blossoms. If you’ve got the budget, call your florist and order one for your party. You’ll free up time to focus on other tasks and ensure you get a professionally designed focal point for your festivities.

If cash is limited, create one of the Halloween flower arrangements yourself. To duplicate the look, use a clear-glass container already hiding in your cupboard. Place a smaller container of about equal height inside your larger clear-glass vase. (The smaller container need not be clear but must be waterproof.) Fill the inside vase with fresh water and flower preservative. Carefully pour candy corn between the two containers to fill the space. Add orange, yellow and white flowers – the colors of the ubiquitous candy corn.

#2  Green Halloween: A New Holiday Trend

Want to follow the reduce-reuse-recycle theme this Halloween? Have some time to get extra creative? Create some funky flower vases using old soda, beer or wine bottles. Simply paint the exteriors with white, yellow and orange spray paint to duplicate the stacked colors in a candy corn piece. Then fill each vase with a single stem of red gerbera, yellow dahlia, orange aster or another favorite flower. Line them up along a windowsill or ledge, stack them on a stairway or set them together for a centerpiece.

Orange Gerbera Daisies are perfect for Halloween

#3   Pumpkin Crafts: Carve out a Halloween Vase

Pumpkin Basket | Photo by Martha Stewart

Kids and adults alike adore pumpkins. So focus on the unique varieties of gourds available today – smooth, knobby, variegated and more – to create natural vases (which also hold over well as Thanksgiving decorations in American households). Martha Stewart ingeniously carves pumpkins into basket shapes that she fills with burgundy roses, kale and protea. (She recommends choosing a lopsided pumpkin for this Halloween craft. Draw a handle that extends over the top of the pumpkin with the stem in the area you will carve away. Cut along your markings, remove the pumpkin’s interior flesh and seeds, set a waterproof container or floral foam inside, and insert flowers to create your arrangement.)

If you prefer something longer lasting, choose from the variety of manmade pumpkin baskets available and consider using mums instead of fresh flowers.

For a more high-style look, Stewart pares out the interior of a white pumpkin, fills it with white dahlias and places it on a white cake stand. Halloween ooh-la-la!

Halloween Decoration Ideas With Spookier Themes

If you are planning a party for adults or older kids, opt for some nail-biting accessories. Here are a few suggestions for fearsome fun:

#4  Halloween Party Food? Not! These Posies Are Poisonous!

Poison Bottle Vase | Photo by Oliver Gruener

Want to continue the recycling theme? Create an apothecary of lethal liquids.

Soak the labels off some bottles. Cut a black-paper label for each. Using white chalk, mark an “XXX” on one label to represent poison. On another, draw a skull and crossbones. Write the word “Poison” on the third. You can also download images, size them to fit your bottles and print them. Affix a label and insert an individual flower stem in each. (Choose anemically pale white flowers to complement the deathly theme.)

Then group the bottles for a focal point or line them up to show off each caustic caution.

#5   Black Flowers Create Ghostly Glamour

Black flowers don’t exist in the natural world, but that doesn’t mean you can’t find them. And it doesn’t mean you have to turn to artificial flowers. Instead, use dye or spray paint to create a look that Mother Nature can’t.

Black Roses are perfect for Halloween

Dye: Esprit Growers in California has created “Twilight” black roses. These dyed-black beauties offer an unearthly look that is pure gothic glamour. Call your florist to order some.

Or create your own Black Flowers (choose a light-colored flower, such as white carnations or hydrangeas; add dye or ink to the water; cut stems at an angle and insert into the water; let stand and allow the stems to uptake the color to the flower head). For more specific instructions, read this article: 3 Easy Techniques to Create Black Flowers.

Spray paint: Floral spray paints can give you the Goth look, too. Your craft or hobby store sells colors ranging from flat black to dark blackberry and ghostly gray. (Your florist can also order flower paint from local wholesalers for you.)

#6  Halloween Ideas for Eerie Embellishments

Accessorizing your bouquets is another option for enhancing your haunted-holiday tabletops. Stretch faux cobwebs over a bouquet of red roses; choose a black urn or vase for an air of macabre. Or sprinkle plastic spiders across the top of a bouquet of cream-colored roses for stark drama. Allow rubber snakes to slither among blossoms of orange and crimson chrysanthemums.

Flower Arrangement with Spider Web | Photo by Will Folsom

Halloween Party Ideas for Kids

If you don’t want to build a full-fledged Halloween town that will give little tourists sleepless nights, no worries. You can create a funky-spirited celebration that foregoes the traditional spiders, snakes, bones and blood. Here are some clever ideas to consider:

#7  Crafts for Kids

Kids love to help decorate, so give them the task of making some cute creatures that they can insert into your Halloween bouquets. Gather up a supply of pipe cleaners, wiggly eyes, paint and glue. Then, show the kids how to construct the Halloween crafts. Curl the pipe cleaner bodies or bases around wooden picks or straws and nestle the mini monsters into your flower arrangements.

Spider, Pumpkin & Black Cat Crafts for Kids

#8  Monster Hands Craft for Kids

Want some more Halloween crafts for the kids? Show them how to make gruesome monster hands. Whip up some green gelatin and spoon it into latex surgical gloves. Tie the wrists closed, paint on black fingernails with black marker and let kids place the plastic appendages into flower planters and other containers in your home.

#9   A Halloween Idea for Some Spooky Chic

If you want to create a more low-key but ultra-stylish look for your Halloween get-together, add subtle touches of black and orange to your tablescapes. Wrap low, white ceramic vases with wide black ribbon and layer a white, slightly narrower ribbon on top. Add a thinner ribbon in orange on top of the white. Fill the containers with orange roses in low, rounded masses. Placemats and other accessories that pick up hints of orange and black complete the look.

Witch Costume Idea | Photo by Bosela

Once you’ve decided on your Halloween decorations, you have one more chore, of course: Considering all your Halloween costume ideas. You could follow the crowds and choose a trendy Snooki or Lady Gaga Halloween costume. Or you could save that money (for more flowers!) and join the frugalistas with a sense of humor. You know the ones; they never buy costumes. Instead, they create their own cleverly funny Halloween costumes (like the guy in regular clothes with the sign that says, “Nudist on strike”).

Then again, I can probably scare my guests silly simply by not wearing any makeup and adding a witch’s hat.

Hmm… I think that could be among my best Halloween costumes yet! Broooo ha ha!

Written by

Gina B. Kellogg

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Rose & Calla Lily Silk Flowers

Why Silk Flowers?

Choosing flowers as the focus of a wedding is always popular because flowers create a natural, charming and romantic aura for an already beautiful event. But choosing wedding decor that includes flora can have certain drawbacks, such as the cost of favourite flowers that may be out of season, the expense and difficulty of incorporating live plants, wilting and dropping leaves, etc. If any of these factors affect your wedding, you may want to consider incorporating silk or artificial plants into your event.

(Consider the couple who longs for a summer or spring wedding with the perfect climate and a bounty of gorgeous blossoms — but, for whatever reason, must plan a wedding during winter or autumn. That bride and groom can still create a gardenlike setting — even an indoor forest with a canopy of trees such as those that adorned Prince William and Kate Middleton’s wedding at Westminster Abbey — for their special event by taking advantage of the benefits that artificial offerings provide.)

Lots of Accessorizing Options

A stately entrance of artificial topiaries at your wedding.

Because they are unaffected by seasonal influences, silk flowering trees or artificial flower trees, wreaths, garlands, trellises, topiaries and table arrangements can be the perfect answer to accessorizing your wedding. And forget about the days of tacky-looking faux plants. Silk offerings today have undergone a renaissance; their quality is far superior to the materials used in the past. In fact, you can easily mistake today’s artificial options for the real thing.

Ambiance From Romantic to Royal

With so many choices of designs, styles and colors, silk florals can adorn your wedding venue just as beautifully as real flowers. Consider some of these options:

• Fuchsia or lilac bougainvilleas overflowing on reception tables.

• Cherry blossom or rose artificial topiaries lining the aisle for a romantic theme.

• Purple wisteria trees surrounding the bridal table with a royal aura.

• Lush, flowering hedges that greet guests and create a country ambiance.

• Sumptuous arrangements of orchids, lilies or other exotic flowers bedecking the altar.

• Lavish garlands of jasmine or magnolias draping the pews.

• Quaint grapevine and violet wreaths decorating the church and reception doors.

Lush silk arrangements will brighten up any event.

Faux Plants, Real Solutions

Despite their very real appearance, artificial plants offer the distinct advantage of not wilting or dropping leaves. Thus, you can be assured that your wedding’s setting won’t be spoiled. You can also customize flowering plants according your choice and preferences, thus giving you the opportunity to plan any desired theme. Another bonus? After the wedding festivities have ended, you can use the silk trees or flowers to decorate your home or office interiors.

Let your imagination soar as you discuss all the floral options with your florist, no matter what time of the year it is. Today’s sophisticated artificial flowers offer the perfect option to create the wedding of your dreams.

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Related posts:

1. Make Gorgeous Flower Choices for Your Wedding
2. The Ultimate Wedding Flower Guide
3. Wedding Flowers: Gerbera Daisy – The New Rose

For these brides, here are some ideas for non-flower/ flowerless centerpieces and bouquets:

Goldfish & Gerbera Centerpiece

Table Centerpieces: A Fish Focus

For a fin-tastic centerpiece, use Goldfish or Siamese fighting fish (also known as bettas) or any fish that suits your color scheme. Fish are available in a wide selection of bright and exotic colors. But do understand that this choice is not as simple as putting fish in a bowl. For example, with some fish, such as the Siamese fighting fish, you can’t mix more than one in the same container. (Male bettas are beautiful but aggressive. They can mix with other fish but not with each other.)

You can purchase fish from your local pet store or breeder, and then give them to guests as gifts after the wedding. Or you may even be able to “rent” the fish from the retailer and then return them after the wedding.

Floral décor, is completely optional, you can mix your fishbowls with coordinating glassware of floating gerberas or other flowers.

Preparing and Caring for your Fish:

You will need:

1. A bucket, dechlorinating drops, fish food, oxygen tablets and a small fish net.
2. Mix dechlorinating drops with fresh water (follow instructions on the packaging) to remove chlorine from the water, which can kill the fish.
3. Fill each container half full of water from the bag containing each fish and half with the dechlorinated water.
4. Add oxygen tablets to each bowl.
5. Use the net to catch the fish and place them into the fishbowls. (Don’t use your hand to catch the fish or you can damage their fins.)
6. Feed the fish a small amount of food just before the wedding and then again after the wedding.

Betta | Blue Malawi | Red Siamese Fighting Fish

Crystals and Candles

Candelabra with Candles and Beads

If your guest tables will be lavishly furnished with embossed table cloths, runners and gifts, focus on crystals, candles and candelabras rather than elaborate flower arrangements for your table decor. Consider simple dessert dishes as an elegant finishing touch as we did at a recent wedding. You can use any flower of your choice: gerberas, orchids or lilies, for example. Add some ivy, which is a symbol of fidelity, friendship and affection. Or add in some baby’s breath, a sign of sincerity and innocence. By combining flowers with some texture, you create table centerpieces that are not simply beautiful but also meaningful.

TIP: When using lilies such as Casablancas, St. Josephs or Stargazers, remove the stamens from each bloom. Doing so will prolong the life of each flower, can prevent allergies and will eliminate staining of the flower or tablecloth.

Fruity Florals

Fruit Centerpieces | Gerberas & Lemons

The bright colors of fruit beautifully complement wedding color themes today. And they can work well with flowers, if you want an extra dash of color. For example, we placed shiny, juicy-green apples in a cylinder vase with three or four bright-colored gerberas tied with ribbon.

See this article for more Gerbera Centrepiece Ideas

Or use lemons or limes for a citrus-centered theme. (With a pinch of salt and tequila, your guests can use them to get the party started, too!)

Main Table Arrangements: Mirrored & Modern

Mirrored Modern Bridal Table Arrangement

Instead of turning to the long, flat, traditional “coffin-spray” types of floral arrangements for the bridal party’s table, jazz up the décor with a modern feel using mirrored boxes and silver boat dishes. For smaller main tables we combined white roses and baby’s breath with funky orange gerberas in the shiny, sophisticated boxes. For a larger bridal party, with a longer table, we had lacey runners beneath each arrangement rounded off with votives, candles and individual lily blooms.

Modern Bridal Table Arrangement

A Buttoned-Up Bridal Bouquet

Bridal Bouquet with Buttons

Bridal Bouquet with Buttons

A bridal bouquet with no flowers? At one wedding, our bride refused to have flowers in her bouquet. We tried to convince her to add just a few, but she didn’t bite. We did, however, persuade her to include some roses in the bridesmaid’s bouquet. The result turned out to be something quite special and unique that used a mix of fantastical buttons and crystals. This could be a project you can start long before your wedding day, collecting buttons, beads and other trinkets far in advance. Then, like our bride, you will easily be incorporating the “something old” tradition into your wedding; for this bride, that came in the form of using some buttons which came from her granny. No matter what unusual items you include, you’ll definitely create a bouquet you can keep forever.

Buttons & Roses Bridal Bouquet

In considering the suggestions here, always keep in mind that your wedding day is your day. No matter whether you want flowers or not or whether your ideas might be a little off the wall, all you need is a wedding florist with vision that will help make your dreams or ideas a reality.

Please share your thoughts and ideas with us in the comments below. And stay tuned for our next article…

Written by

Lizé Williams

PS: If you enjoyed this article, help spread the word by clicking the “Like”, “Tweet”, “+1” buttons or sharing it using the share icons below. Want to read more articles like this? Then Subscribe to our Updates, and get our articles directly to your inbox or RSS reader.

Related posts:

1. The Ultimate Wedding Flower Guide
2. Wedding Flowers: Gerbera Daisy – The New Rose
3. Make Gorgeous Flower Choices for Your Wedding