Here is a Quick Guide to Sending Funeral Flowers for Sydney Locals

image of bouquet of beautiful lilies with spring flowers in a bouquet

The death of a loved one is undeniably a difficult and heart-wrenching experience in life. To show sympathy and solidarity during a time of grieving, we show our deepest condolences in many ways.

One of them is to have flowers delivered to a residence, funeral home or chapel.

A beautiful floral arrangement expresses heartfelt sympathy to grieving friends and family members know they are not alone during these difficult times. It’s not often that we send out sympathy flowers.

Flowers forever convey compassion, warmth, and hope to anyone who receives them. In this day and age, flowers not only honour the life and work of those who have sadly passed on, but they also provide comfort to those left behind.

You have a few choices when it comes to choosing the right type of sympathy flowers or funeral floral arrangements to accurately express your feelings, too.

 

Here are some useful pointers for sending sympathy flowers:

 

·     Funeral Floral Baskets

A funeral basket is a floral arrangement that comes in a myriad of shapes and sizes. They can be delivered directly to a funeral home where the wake is held, to a chapel during religious service, or to the grieving family’s home.

A floral basket is a general type of floral arrangement that is appropriate to be sent out at any time during a deceased’s memorial period.

 

·     Standing Sprays

Standing sprays are condolence flowers that are featured on a vertical base or easel. They are typically displayed near the casket and are sent to funeral homes during the wake or viewing period. The standing sprays may also be transported to the church during religious ceremonies before burial at the cemetery.

 

·     Wreaths

Wreaths come in all shapes and sizes. They are beautiful floral arrangements that are placed near a casket. The circular shape of funeral wreaths is a lovely representation of eternal life. You may also choose floral arrangements in the shape of funeral crosses that symbolise faith or in the shape of a heart which represents love. Funeral wreaths, hearts and crosses are usually delivered to the funeral home during the wake or to a gravesite during burial.

 

Express your message of love and sympathy to family and friends when they need them the most. Send a beautiful flower arrangement today by calling us on 02 9871 1666.

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Buy Local for Longer Lasting Flowers

When you make any purchasing decisions, what is most important to you?

Some people like to know where a product is grown,  how it was sourced…and with that I guess comes a domino affect of how the workers may have been treated and what conditions they work under. An article posted on Telesur details shocking working conditions where workers clock some 84 hours a week through busy periods, in flower factories near Bogata, Columbia.

The Project for International Accompaniment and Solidarity (PASO) visited the townships where the flowers were grown and conditioned, interviewing workers. Findings included union busting, sexual harassment of female workers and work related disabilities.

“Today, a flower is not produced with sweetness but with tears. Our product is used to express beautiful feelings throughout the world, but we are treated very poorly,” a flower sector employee from Facatativa said as quoted in the report.

With so many of flowers now imported and sourced from areas outside of Australia, it is understandable that we often do not have the whole picture. But, the reason so many of the imported products have become so widely and readily available is the demand. And the demand has been increased by the low cost of the product.

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Source: Telesur English

In an ideal world, it would be lovely to know that all our products were grown locally, by small businesses, and that by supporting a local business you were supporting several families. But I know that the reality is that every household has a budget, and people are making buying decisions based on their budget (as well as a whole host of other factors).

In many areas of our lives, people are beginning to be more conscious with their purchasing decisions. They are choosing to spend more, perhaps less frequently on quality products made or sourced ethically. What that means though is that often they choose NOT to purchase from brands renowned for poor working conditions.

It has also become more popular to source local foods, and patronise growers markets. Part of this is understanding seasonal produce, and buying what is best at a particular time of year. Part of this is ensuring we are eating fresh food from local suppliers. Why are we buying asparagus from Peru? I mean, how old is that ‘fresh’ asparagus by the time we eat it?

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Source: Sydney Chic

In that way, understanding what flowers are available naturally at a particular time of year, will help you determine what is local and what is imported. Imported stock can be substantially cheaper than locally grown items, and many imported varieties of flowers are now, no longer grown in Australia 🙁

If we are to reduce our carbon footprint, we need to adopt the same standards we hold to other purchases, to flowers. If we pay a little bit more (due to higher wages in Australia) we can ensure that the money is kept in our economy. We can also ensure a higher level of commercial standards, and safe practise. We can also be sure of the freshness of the produce we are buying. To me this is one of the most important factors when considering flower purchases. Let’s face it, flowers are a perishable item, so many consider them to be a luxury. What is more disappointing than buying flowers that are not fresh and do not last. But the reality is when you buy imported products, there is really no way to know, how long ago they were cut, packed, transported and then slowly made their way from the tarmac, and into customs, before being released.

My vote is for local. And my belief is that our purchases determine our future. If we continue to support imported stock, local growers in operation will  continue to decline and our industry will suffer. By buying seasonal, local produce, your blooms will be more beautiful and last longer….why would you consider anything else? 😉

Fwf x

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Tips to Choose Flowers Before Calling a Wedding Florist in Sydney

image of Beautiful flowers on table on wedding day

Flowers are an important part of weddings. Not only are they a traditional element of wedding aesthetics, but they help in expressing the personality and creativity of the soon-to-be married couple.

The task of choosing wedding flowers is generally entrusted to the bride. It is an enjoyable activity that requires thorough planning and coordination with a reputable Sydney florist. Hiring an expert florist will make wedding flowers selection less daunting to the bride.

 

Here are helpful tips that will help you get started in selecting flowers for your wedding:

 

–      Identify your personal preferences and favourites

There are no special rules to follow when it comes to selecting flowers for a wedding. It’s your special day so you can choose whatever flowers you prefer to walk down the aisle with. Although this is the case, it’s also equally important to choose flowers that complement your existing wedding colour scheme as well as budget.

 

·     Minimalist Beauty

Less is always more. Flowers are not the focal point of your wedding ceremony and neither should they be the centre of attention at the reception. Flowers add to the festive mood of the wedding venue and reception halls but should not be the star of the occasion.

 

·     Strategic Arrangement is Crucial 

Good positioning and placement of flowers in combination with affordable foliage is an excellent way to create an illusion that you have more flower decorations that you actually do.

 

–      Determine your budget

Before you start shopping for wedding flowers, you need to have a budget and stick to it. You don’t need to spend thousands of dollars on the floral bouquets and arrangements for the venue in order to make your wedding memorable. You have to be smart in selecting flowers so you don’t go over the budget.

Talk to your florist and be honest not only about your preferences but also about how much you have set aside for wedding flowers. This will be helpful in setting a realistic budget and finding beautiful flowers at the same time.

Let us make your day extra memorable with our expertise wedding flowers. Book an appointment with us by calling our direct line on 02 9871 1666 today.

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Scarcity of Quality Florists

Ever thought about being a florist?

If the conversations I used to have in the shop daily are anything to go by, almost every second person has thought about becoming a florist at some point in their lives….that, or they know someone who ‘used to be’ a florist.

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Source: Kochie’s Business Builders

For a profession that seems so pleasant, at least from the outside, believe it or not it is becoming increasingly hard to find suitably qualified and experienced staff.

This isn’t an entirely new problem, floristry has always attracted a younger crowd, some, new school leavers who work whilst studying for their ‘real career’. But the trend has been and continues to be that the industry burns and churns through staff, working them hard and failing to offer something worth staying for. Finding qualified, experienced, seasoned professionals is hard.

There are so many things about working within the industry that are attractive. For a creative soul, you get to create new designs and arrangements everyday and keep yourself constantly challenged artistically. That in itself is a pretty incredible opportunity for anyone who wants to make a living out of making and creating.

Working with nature is also said to have countless health benefits in terms of lowering stress levels and anxiety.

There are jobs within the industry that can be relatively stress free too, which can be appealing, and there are of course opportunities to specialise in weddings, funerals and events, which do include some level of stress and pressure.

Hands of florist making a beautiful bouquet
source: Bloom College

Physically, the job is not easy on your body, with long hours spent standing on your feet. And I dare you to ask a florist to show your their hands up close….coz they are not pretty, and we can be pretty self conscious about them.

But the biggest problem I believe with the industry attracting and retaining quality candidates is the fact that even after you have undertaken your training and received your qualification, you can only expect to be paid as a retail shop assistant. That’s the same wage you can expect as a sales assistant in a clothing shop or a corner store….yet you had to train for a minimum of 2 years.

The problem with that is that with no experience, a newly qualified florist can expect the same wage as a highly experienced florist. And by no means am I suggesting that the newly qualified florist isn’t entitled to this minimal wage, but instead, what is required is a clear grading system based on responsibilities and experience.

If that isn’t the case, what is there in place to retain staff?

That is why I believe we also see such a huge age divide in the industry. The older florists who continue to work in the industry have been working as a florist for such a long time, they perhaps lack the transferable skills or confidence to try something new. The newly qualified florists make up for their lack of experience with their confidence, however sometimes seem unwilling to ‘start from the bottom’. We are then left with a massive gap right in the middle; where the staff with enough experience and innovation would slot in. They would have adequate knowledge, but be flexible and open to new ideas.

🤔

I don’t think the grass is always greener, as I have tried other careers and don’t feel half the satisfaction I do when working with flowers…BUT I feel like we have lots of room for improvement in the industry.

What was the best thing about your job or industry?

Fwf x

 

 

 

 

 

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Choosing the Right Corporate Flowers Sydney for Every Occasion

image of corporate flower arangement on a meeting room

One challenging activity that entrepreneurs face is selecting the right gifts for suppliers, partners, and clients. Sending corporate gifts is a tradition that many companies still observe and is an integral element in maintaining good relations with other businesses.

There are a few important things that business owners should consider when giving clients, suppliers, and partners gifts. It can be tricky to choose the perfect gift, but it is undeniable that sending corporate flowers along with special gifts are an excellent way to retain clients, partners, and customers.

When sending out corporate flowers and arrangements to Sydney businesses, here are some things that you need to remember:

 

 

  • Signed a deal?  send them flowers!

 

When you sign a successful deal with a client, a memorable gift that symbolises appreciation is a lovely flower bouquet or floral arrangement. This should be coupled with personalised gift items that are useful to intended recipient.

 

  • Have flowers delivered during major business milestones

Corporate flowers should be a staple in a professional’s career milestone. Boosting morale at the workplace may be as simple as sending employees flower bouquets for each year worked in your company. Using corporate floral arrangements to celebrate an important milestone in your company such as closing a major deal also raises productivity as well as confidence among employees.

 

  • Beautiful token of appreciation

An excellent way to express your appreciation for maintaining a solid relationship with clients, suppliers, investors, and employees is to send them a token of appreciation. They have invested time, money, effort, and hard work into making your business profitable, organised, and productive, too.

If you are going to send corporate flower arrangements to a team rather than send gifts individually, pick flower species and shades that are gender-neutral. You can add a gift basket with your floral arrangement and included wines, cheeses, chocolates and other treats to make them more appealing to recipients.

To check out beautiful corporate flower arrangements, simply give us a ring on 02 9871 1666 today.

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Spring Wedding Checklist

Most people I know are counting down the final month of Winter. It seems that after an incredibly looong Summer, we skipped Autumn altogether and had an extra long and extra cold Winter.

Spring is one of the prettiest times of the year. The gardens are in bloom, fruit trees are beginning to sprout, trees are showing all the signs of fresh growth with light green tips at their tops.

Spring also marks one of the busiest periods for weddings as the temperatures are more moderate, there is less rain and of course, there is an abundance of gorgeous flowers.

Like anything popular, if you fancy booking your wedding during peak season, you need to get in early.

Saturday is still the most popular day for weddings, with some venues offering more competitive pricing for Friday and Sunday events.

Have you considered having a Friday wedding and in turn giving your friends and family a long weekend?

Things to think about before conceptualising your wedding flowers:

  • have you set your venue and the date
  • what coloured elements have you finalised
  • do any of the pieces you have bought/hired/chosen have a clear style or period elements that will dictate the overall aesthetic
  • what kind of textures are present
  • do you prefer a complementary or contrasting colour palette
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Source: Etsy
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Source: Hey Wedding Lady
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Source: Wedding Topia

Venues in peak wedding season (September to March) are often booked approximately 12 months in advance. When you start planning a wedding approximately 12 months in advance, it gives you the opportunity to pay close attention to the temperature, and the surroundings at your venue. Are the grounds lush and green? Are there any large trees that will provide a fabulous backdrop for photos? Are they dramatic and moody as the branches are bare? Or are they pretty and in bloom?

Take the opportunity to look at what is available in the florist shop at the time of year. It is perhaps a little early to make a final decision on what flowers you want a whole year out, however being able to see what is seasonally available and start noticing what you are attracted to is invaluable.

Spring blooms include scented garden roses, stunning lilac, sweetly scented Daphne, Lily of the Valley, Peonies, roses, lisianthus, rhododendron, Calla lilies, Ranunculus, Queen Anne’s Lace, Iris, Tuberose.

I know I have said it before, but by choosing flowers that are naturally available at the time of year that you get married, you are able to transport yourself back in time every time you see or smell them.

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Source: Josie England
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Source: Anna Delores Photography via Style Me Pretty
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Source: Cavenders

Your colour scheme is going to dictate what flowers will or will not work from you. The basis of your colour scheme will be the gowns you choose for yourself (bride) and your bridesmaids. The bridesmaids gowns and the accessories you choose for the gentlemen often has more weight than the bridal gown as they are often fairly neutral in colour.

Once you have purchased your bridal gown and bridesmaids dresses, it is much clearer what styling will tie it all together and what colours will complement.

While trying to work out what kind of look you are attracted to, Pinterest is a fabulous search engine. You can create a variety of mood boards that you can come back to and reconsider as your vision becomes clearer.

Wedding colour consultations are in depth, personalised meetings, and for that reason you want to make sure you make the most of your time. Being clear on the aesthetic you want to create allows your florist to recommend different ways to achieve that.

Fwf x

Feature Image: Everence Photography

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