Before You Order Valentine’s Day Flowers, Consider These 8 Mistakes

Valentine’s Day is the busiest holiday for florists. Thirty percent of a shop’s annual transactions are made during the holiday, according to the Society of American Florists.

With so many people buying flowers for their loved ones, there’s bound to be some serious snafus taking place. Here are some things you should never do if you’re hoping to get the best value while also making your Valentine’s day special with flowers.

You’ve probably heard this before, but we’ll say it again: The earlier you order flowers for Valentine’s Day, the better. Your florist will love you if you order a couple weeks ahead of time, and some may even offer discounts if you order far enough in advance. If you wait until the day of, you’ll only get what’s left over, and you’ll pay a premium for it as well. 

Even if it may be obvious to the recipient that you’re the one that sent the flowers, it’s still best to include a note. Not only does that mean there’s no question who sent it, but it’s a personal touch that means a lot. Take the time to write a short, meaningful note, which will be appreciated just as much as the flowers. 

More than 250 million roses are produced for Valentine’s Day each year, according to an estimate from the Society of American Florists. So you’ll have plenty of roses to pick from, but you’ll also be paying a lot of money for them. There are plenty of less expensive options that are still gorgeous, including bouquets that have a few roses included instead of a full dozen. And pay attention to hints from your sweetheart; they might not even like roses very much. 

It’s great to have an idea of what you want in mind, but don’t be dead-set on a specific arrangement or flower. You might find out that what you want is out of your budget, or that birds of paradise won’t be available for Valentine’s Day, for example. It can’t hurt to find something equally beautiful that’s more readily available.  

Cut flowers are a gorgeous little luxury for most people, but they only last so long. Potted plants, however, will last much, much longer. There are many blooming potted plants that will be for sale for Valentine’s Day, and they’ll be less expensive and a better value than long-stem roses.  

You get what you pay for. Sticking to your budget is important, but if you simply go with the cheapest option, chances are you and your Valentine will be disappointed. If you have to stretch your Valentine’s Day budget to get the cheapest bouquet from the florist, consider picking up flowers from a grocery store or Costco instead (we love the affordable bouquets at Trader Joe’s!).  

Though it may seem like everyone would love flowers for Valentine’s Day, there are people who wouldn’t, including those with pollen allergies. If you get the idea that they have severe allergies, it might be best to skip the flowers all together, or get silk flowers.  

This one is especially true for local florists, who will deliver flowers themselves, as opposed to flowers that are shipped via mail. If your loved one lives in a confusing apartment complex, make sure you give them some direction, or a code for the mailroom if it’s a locked space. Your florist will appreciate any information you can give in order to make their lives easier on Valentine’s Day.  

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