Tuesday, September 27, 2011

Choosing the Perfect Wedding Flowers

Weddings require a lot of flowers be it for church decorations, at the reception site, for the bridal bouquet, corsages, or boutonnières, which are floral decorations worn by men.
The flowers used in the wedding will reflect your personality and taste. They bring color and a look of festivity and happiness into weddings however they are arranged, whether casual, classic, stylish or contemporary.

Picking the right kind of flowers for your wedding can be a time consuming task. The flowers must surely match your wedding theme. It will depend upon your budget, the scale of the wedding, the season when the wedding is scheduled and of course, your personal taste. Choosing seasonal flowers would help save money unless you particularly want something specific.

The initial step to selecting the best flowers would be to browse through samples of flowers and bouquets so as to get an idea of how they will look once put in place. The Internet offers a large collection of photographs that can help you with this. After choosing a style, you can decide the colors and kind of flowers to use. The flowers you choose must match the color of your wedding gown and the other decorations. The shape, size and texture of the flowers also matter.

The most popular flowers used for weddings are however roses. Lilies, tulips, zinnias, carnations, violets, daisies, orchids, peach and apple blossoms, irises and ivy are also often used. Hyacinth, tuber roses, gardenias and stargazer lilies are flowers with a heavenly fragrance. The colors can range from pure white to lavender, purple, pink, plum and so on and these suit every occasion.  For a romantic look, the wedding scene can be made up using flowers in warm and pastel shades with soft lighting. Lilac, creamy white, gold and pink would be the best tones. You can also set up a mix of flowers, herbs, and fruit blossoms to add bright vibrant colors with a light, pleasing fragrance. You must take care to choose flowers that fit into your budget too.

Flowers are also used to adorn the bride’s hair, as an unconventional veil, wrist adornment, in the groom’s lapel and for the bridesmaids and flower girls. They can be used as garlands, nosegays, table décor and as flowers for the guests. Care must be taken to find a good florist with enough experience to help you with the flowers. He is to be given a clear idea of what you want for the wedding. For traditional weddings, flowers are best arranged in conventional patterns while if you are a person with a modern outlook, an informal blend of design, style and flower aesthetics can be employed. The location, dimension, color of the wedding clothes, the details regarding the bouquets, their styles and number and the manner of conducting the ceremony must be informed beforehand.

Choosing the perfect flowers would surely make a difference in the wedding atmosphere at either the church or the reception site. They can add color and splendor and make your wedding day even more special.


Friday, September 23, 2011

Making Money From the Floral Business

Flowers have always been closely associated with our lives. We use various floral arrangements for many occasions such as weddings, funerals, birthdays, anniversaries and celebrations such as Valentines Day and Mothers day. The gift giving art of floral decorations is an age old gesture practiced all over the world. It is still a popular custom and will remain so for centuries to follow. Because flowers are a unique gift that will undoubtedly touch the heart of the receiver and make them feel special and loved.

The floral arts industry is a huge industry today. From small scale to large scale, from internet marketing to over the counter sales; the potential niche market is very high. Become a part of this popular income generating venture, start your own floral arrangement business and earn immediate profits doing what you love, making wonderful creations with these beautiful offerings of nature...

Where as a knack for the floral arts can take you places in this industry, basic skills can always be improved through experience to make your business the most unique in town. An eye for color, texture and a vivid imagination is always a plus. Master the skills of cutting and treating flowers, color coordinating them beautifully and marketing your products in the most eye catching manner, and your business is sure to succeed.

You can make various floral decors such as bouquets, centerpieces, potted flowers, corsages, garlands, boutonnieres, wreaths and posies. Different occasions call for different decorations and sometimes, different flower types. For example Valentines Day symbolizes red roses, and the variety you can create with them is endless. The trick is to make your creations unique and the most appealing to the customer. You can use various adornments such as ribbons, bows, creepers, sprigs, baskets, wrappers and various other artificial products to embellish your creations and increase the aesthetic value.

Most flowers are seasonal, so you can organize your selling themes according to their availability. But there is always more than a few varieties available at one time period, so your choice is never restricted to few. Most popular flowers used in the floral design industry that brings in high revenue are roses, tulips, lilies, orchids, daisies and gerberas. You can also sell gift baskets arrangements of fruits and chocolates along with your floral designs and expand your venture into other avenues.

The corporate world also makes a significant contribution towards income generation in this industry, with many companies ordering floral décor for special events such as meetings and conferences, as well as on a more regular basis to decorate their offices. Arrangements they require include decorations for entryways, reception areas, working desks and lounging areas. Commercial buildings, offices, shops, malls, hotels, hospitals, clubs and restaurants are a few such places that use floral décor on a daily basis.

Although most floral businesses run on a large scale, many small scale entrepreneurs run very successful ventures that are almost as popular. It doesn\'t take much initial investment to begin your own floral design business, especially since it is a business that can easily be operated from the comforts of your own home, cutting down on expenses such as office space rentals and overheads. It is so much easier to run a flower delivery service from home, with basic equipment, on your own schedule as opposed to running a floral boutique. You will be surprised to learn how easily the money will flow and be amazed at the net profits you can make within a short period.

Based on your talents, available resources and time allocations for the business, you can choose an area of specialization. A few examples are below:

o Wedding arrangements

o Family events and functions such as funerals, christenings, baby showers and birthday parties

o Commercial or business events

o Retail florist shop

o Home floral/home decoration business

Whichever field you select, what matters is that you give it your best spirits, and success is not hard to achieve. Think about it, start today and make your floral business the best small scale décor store in town.

Summary

The floral décor business is a sure way to succeed in the home business industry by converting your artistic ability with flower arrangements into a money making venture, catering for various sectors and occasions such as weddings, family events, corporate events, office/commercial décor and home décor.

Floral Designing Supplies and Tools


Sharp tools are a must in floral designing.   A sharp knife used for cutting flowers stems will make clean cuts without crushing the stems.  A clean cut is imperative in aiding water absorption by the flower stem.  A folding pocket knife with a quality blade is the best, longest lasting knife.  Other cheaper knives with plastic handles won’t last as long nor will they cut heavy stems.

Sharp scissors are necessary to cut ribbon cleanly and neatly.  Ribbon scissors must be used only to cut ribbon and fabric.  Cutting just one wire with your ribbon scissors will ruin them.   Serrated scissors are heavy duty multipurpose scissors that can be used to cut wire and woody stems.

Wire cutters with a spring are easier to operate when cutting wire and corsage stems.  Wire cutters have a short blade and are ideal for cutting heavy materials. 

Floral tape is waxed crepe paper that will stick to its self when stretched.  It is used to cover floral wire for use in corsages and bouquets.  Waterproof tape is used to secure floral foam in a container.  It is available in green, white and clear colors in ¼ or ½ inch widths.

Florist wire is usually green and comes in precut 18 inch lengths.   Sizes vary from #16 (the heaviest gauge) to # 30 (the lightest gauge).  Several gauges are necessary in design work to make corsages and bouquets, strength stems and to bind materials together.  The most common gauges used in floral design are #18, 20, 22 and 24.  Paddle wire is on a spool in a continuous strand that may be used to create garlands and wreaths and to bind together heavy materials.  It is also available in a variety of gauges.

Greening pins are u-shaped wire, much like a hairpin, and are used to hold moss to foam.  Wooden picks have a wire attached to one end and are used to cluster dried materials together in foam, attaché bows to plants and to extend the length of a stem.  Chenille stems come in a variety of colors and are used to secure bows.  Chenille stems look like large pipe cleaners. 

Floral foam comes in heavy or light weight depending on the flowers being used.   To soak the foam place it in a sink filled with water, do not dunk it under the water.  Let the foam float and fill naturally, thus assuring you will have no dry spots in the middle of the foam.  It will sink to the bottom as it absorbs water. 

Ribbon comes in a rainbow of colors and a variety of widths.  The bigger the number the wider the ribbon will be.  # 3 ribbon is generally used in corsages and bud vases.  Plants are usually dressed with #9 as are most pew bows.  Funeral work requires a wider width such as a #40.   The most commonly used ribbon is satin, however, there is a great variety of ribbon available today.  Wired ribbon holds its shape for use in decorations, wreaths and Christmas trees.  Printed ribbon has a wide range of uses in decorating.  Lacey, silky ribbon is available for use in wedding bouquets and corsages.  

Tools and supplies may be purchased at crafts stores, fabric shops and department stores as well as your local florists. With the variety of tools and supplies readily available today you are limited only by your imagination.  So imagine away!

Article Source: http://www.articlesbase.com/home-and-family-articles/floral-designing-supplies-and-tools-680326.html

Elements of Basic Floral Design

 
1.       Line creates the line of movement for the eye to follow when looking at a flower arrangement.  Lines in floral design are not necessarily straight or uninterrupted.  Lines may be: vertical, horizontal, s-curve, zigzag, or diagonal.  An s-curve design may need to be wired to allow the flower stems to maintain a lazy s.  In the zigzag the flowers radiate back and forth from the center line of the arrangement with the flowers getting smaller as you near the top.  The diagonal lines radiate out from the vertical and horizontal lines at 45 degree angles.


2.       Form may be one sided or all the way around in floral design.  The three basic forms are circle, square and triangle.  The square is not often used in floral design because it lacks movement in its shape.  The circle is used more often as it is found in nature and has a pleasing movement.  The crescent is a section of the circle that lends grace and beauty to an arrangement.  The oval is another variation of the circle which can be used in floral designing. However, the most often used form in flower arranging is the triangle.  The triangle can be used in a symmetrical fashion or to add more interest to a design it may be asymmetrical. 


3.       Texture includes the physical and visual feel of the components comprising your flower arrangement.  Texture is often used to create gender appeal in a design.  Hard, rough, woodsy textures are popular for men, while women may prefer softer, airier textures.  Texture is important in creating interest, but be careful not to overdo it and disturb the unity of the design. 


4.       Color may be the most important element in floral design.  Humans respond to the colors around us in a variety of ways.  Soothing greens and blues can make us happy and relaxed, while bright yellows and reds can excite and stir up emotions.  Color is light and we need light with which to see color.  When we see all the colors reflected on an object we see white and when an object absorbs all the colors we see black.  Being familiar with the color wheel will help you as you coordinate color harmonies for that perfect eye pleasing design.  

                  
Article Source: http://www.articlesbase.com/home-and-family-articles/elements-of-basic-floral-design-680332.html About the Author: Ellen Skiles

Sunday, September 4, 2011

Wedding Flower Designs



Wedding flower designs is always been the symbol of beauty and happiness. The normal concise explanation flower is life. It's extensively useful for decorations. Different flower designs convey different moods and emotions. Each flower specifies certain meaning. Perfect flower designs can speak volumes after we lose words.

Wedding flower designs on a wedding is actually a milestone in everyone's life. We use flowers to exchange joy happiness and wishes on such occasions. Wedding ceremony tradition the truth is today have their own roots in ancient civilization thin wedding flower ideas even offers ancient basis. Greeks were the first to possess the wedding flower ideas per records. Flowers represent the bride to be, beauty, youth, freshness and also fertility are when compared to those of a flower. The young bride is known as like a beautiful rose. Roses would be the most expressive symbol of love. The beautiful wedding flower bouquets in bride's hand speak the deep and fragile emotions, wishes and desires.

Wedding flower designs for decorations needs to be chosen according to its availability, in order that we obtain fresh flowers in plenty. Areas wedding flower ideas for a summer wedding. Spring flowers offer a a feeling of gentle freshness in soft colors and pretty fragrance. Anemones, tulips, hyacinths and daffodils are perfect methods of wedding flower bouquets in spring. Tulips are beautiful plus they come in different colors and shapes. They offer a contemporary feeling towards the wedding, but they wilt easily so watch out for it with all the in bouquets.

Flowers are beautiful and add color to any occasions however it is costly and perishable too. Using some situations the location where the decorations aim at a longer time the silk flower arrangements is best alternative. It's got a benefit that it are so durable without spending much on maintenance and ascend keeping. There are several floral websites from where we can easily purchase silk flower arrangements online.

If you think to deliver flowers to some friend or relative far away, to make them feel special, you need to use the net flower shops. There's a huge collection of online flower shops accessible to deliver the coffee quality flower bouquets one's wish. There are numerous online flower shops providing fresh flower arrangements or silk flower arrangements. In a few online flower shops also enable you to chose personalized decorations. Another interesting factor is always that as being the no of online services increase you will find there's competition on the market, which supplies the paramount services with the earliest. You can put and order plus the flowers might be delivered with hours to some more about 24 hrs. duration.
Article Source: http://www.articlesbase.com/home-and-family-articles/wedding-flower-designs-4060394.html. Wedding flower designs">About the Author Noel McGraw

Flower Magazine

Wedding Flowers (Victoria Magazine)

Brides Magazine - Pink Flower - 40-Count Wedding Invitation Kit

Budget Weddings For Dummies

Weddings for Less: How toStylish Plan Your Dream Wedding on a Budget

The Dream of a Flower Shop


Anywhere you go in the United States you will find a lot of various flower shops which has its own banner that can help in catching a customer\'s attention. There will probably be at least one flower shop in a certain town and there will be a lot of floral shops within a particular city. You may ask why people are so into flower shops when they could easily pick flowers from their backyards. Well, the answer to that is quite simple. A flower play an important role in everyone\'s life and this is definitely a good gift for birthdays, holidays, courting, for congratulating, sympathy and is widely being used for saying sorry. Because of the different symbolic tokens that you will find in any flower shop, it is important for you to have some form of research as to what each flower means so that you can convey your feelings correctly to the person you are giving the flowers.


For most of the special occasions that people has or have attended in his or her lifetime, flower arrangement has indeed been part of someone\'s life. From simple being the centerpiece of the dining table to the wedding bouquet, flower arrangement will be known and remembered.


If you are dreaming of putting your own flower shop, there are a lot of things that you need to consider and one of those things is to how you can create peculiar and unique flower arrangement that your clients will surely love. When trying to put up a beautiful flower arrangement, you need to make sure that you are using the right kinds of flowers which have almost the same meaning and significance. Yellow roses are very beautiful and to one culture this could symbolize loyalty and friendship but this could also mean remembrance or a sign of loss and mourning to another culture.


Aside from the meaning of the flower itself, the number of flowers can also affect what the bouquet of flowers mean.Flowers –no matter what kind of flower arrangement had been use to them—can still take on different meanings that range within literature and culture. And the literature of one place can be spread to another culture and those two different traditions can become entwined with each other. It is also possible that one tradition could make another\'s tradition become discarded. You cannot combine flowers that signify love and compassion to the flowers that signifies death because it will not go hand in hand and this is definitely not good for the eye.


However, you can combine flowers with the same meaning even though they have different shades of color and most people think that those colors do not blend well. There are some people who think that orange and purple should be combined but there are certain instances wherein purple and orange can create a more attractive flower bouquet than any person can ever imagine. You can also include other materials such as artificial flowers, cute mini stuffed toys and you can place your flowers in any containers that you think is able to create a beautiful bouquet.


Article by Jules. http://www.articlesbase.com/business-articles/flower-shopthe-dream-of-a-flower-shop-4108418.html


Selling and Designing Wedding Flowers


Floral designs: The art of designing with flowers


Celebration Flowers: Designing and Arranging


Selling and Designing Party Flowers


Friday, September 2, 2011



The Flower, the Florist and the Flower Shop


What do these words have in common: flower, florist, flower shop? Apart from all containing the root of the word "flower", there is much more that they should share. Naturally, tied by the human force of the florist, the flowers and the flower shop are intricately connected. Beyond knowing that they're connected, it's important to ascertain that the connection is a good one that you, as a client, will want to involve yourself in. What to look for will be a combination of the three. Make sure that on top of providing the flowers you love, the flowers are also of top quality. The florist should be a willing accomplice in ensuring that you get exactly what you ask for, exceeding your own expectations. The flower shop is vital to exceed the expectations. If the flower shop is good and reliable, you will not only get a beautiful bouquet, but it will arrive extremely fresh and on time. Be sure the florist you choose works mutually well with both the flowers and the flower shop. This will ensure a happy customer with a product that is better than imagined.

Flowers, which have been and continue to be the symbol of natural beauty throughout the ages, are one realm of fashion that has not dramatically evolved. This speaks strongly in favor of flowers, indicating their timelessness and perfection that needs no improvement. Thus, when ordering flowers, what you need to consider is not the fashion of flowers, but the preference of the receiver. Once you have decided upon the type of flower, you must find a flower shop that provides your desired selection at optimal quality. A flower's quality depends very much on the care the florist gives, but beyond the florist's care, it is optimal that the flowers come straight from the growers or from a flower auction. This ensures their freshness, as the time spent in travel is diminished when flowers make fewer trips to reach their flower shop destination. Flowers are known to positively influence the human psyche, so be sure to go all the way with this positive influence by buying the freshest flowers you can find on the market.



Knowing of this positive effect of flowers on people, you should expect your florist to be an optimistic and friendly person - in short, the positive effect of the flowers should not be lost in the worries of their job. A talented florist is not only capable of creating a beautiful arrangement, but also willing and interested in making arrangements with you to ensure the arrival of the bouquet you envision. While the florist is an artist, who must use creativity as a tool of the job, the florist has many more roles to fulfill.


One of the most important of these additional roles is the sensitivity of the florist: the florist is not merely putting flowers together, but understanding what event you need the flowers for, what type of person the flowers are directed to - the florist must have the capacity to understand and sympathize with the difficulties and joys in life of every occasion, demonstrating this capacity in the end result: the flower arrangement. If the florist deals directly with the grower, either at the grower's location or through a flower auction, this is a good indicator of the florist, showing someone who cuts the chase directly to the source, lowering prices for himself and his client, by being more direct. The florist, as aforementioned, is a person who creates the connection between flowers and flower shop, between grower and consumer. A person of vital importance, the florist is a person who is impressive and establishes a good rapport with you, his client.




The flower shop is the last, but not the least important, of our floral trinity. The flower shop completes the picture. The flower shop is the entity which makes the talent and efficiency of the florist possible; it is the florist's workshop and tool bench, if you will, while also serving to keep the flowers in fresh and good condition. It is the flower shop that ensures delivery of flowers to their final destination not merely as a beautiful bouquet, but as fresh, lush, and blooming living creations - as alive as a rainforest. In addition, the flower shop plays a role in influencing the consumer and shaping his judgment as regards the whole package of the shop. Online photographs of available bouquets do more than indicate the variety of flowers and caliber of the florist. The photographs, as well as the whole website, are indicators of the organization and professionalism of the company. The self-expression of a company speaks loudly. Reading testimonials on websites is also an indicator of the combination of the flowers, the florist, and the flower shop. It takes a strong performance from each of the participants to make a client happy.


Flowers are, without doubt, a classic, and yet exquisite gift. Unique and living, they are different from all other gifts, and manage to convey emotions at the same time as they are serving a role as a present. Thus, to optimize and reach this potential of emotion that flowers can induce, it is important that you buy your flowers from a flower shop that is professional and serious, with a staff of florists who love their work and consider their flowers as alive as we are, and lastly, with flowers that are as fresh and expressive as you are, to share exactly your thoughts through their understated and clear beauty.





 Education is the Key to Success!!

Read!!Learn!!
Study Flower Shops!!
Be Fearless and Listen to Your Heart!!
Gather Your Ideas and Go For IT!!
Good Luck and Have Fun!!


 Here are Some Resources to
 Learn the Flower Business!!


Start Your Own Florist Shop and Other Floral Businesses (Start Your Own Florist Shop & Other Floral Businesses)


How to Open & Operate a Financially Successful Florist and Floral Business Both Online and Off: With Companion CD - ROM


Flower Shop Florist Start Up Business Plan NEW


One Hundred Flowers


The American Horticultural Society Encyclopedia of Plants and Flowers (American Horticultural Society Practical Guides


The Reason for a Flower (World of Nature) 


Microwave Flower Press Is Fast And Easy To Use!

Rachel Schartz:

The Story of My Flower  Shop Success

As a kid, I loved to go to the beach, go hiking, fishing and camping. Those were on top of my vacation list. The wonderful views of nature never fail to amaze me. So when I grew up, I wanted to work with something that has to do with nature. After I graduated from college, I took a few more courses on botany, flower arranging and farming. Then it was time to apply what I learned. As a fresh graduate, I had no capital to start my flower business. So just like any entrepreneur, I resorted to loaning the capital. Because of my knowledge and expertise, I was able to start my mini flower garden. I also put up a flower shop in one of the busy streets in our city. Before I knew it, I was delivering flowers all over town and getting orders from other places, too.


After a year of business operations, I had to put up another flower shop and hire more employees. The truck I was using for flower deliveries started to have engine problems. Probably just normal wear and tear since I had that truck for 5 years already. It was a gift from my dad, just so I had something to use when driving around town. It was really helpful when I started my business. Anyway, adding another shop meant shelling out money, I had to also set aside a budget for my truck.


I went online one day to check for truck financing options and I came across a website of a bad credit company. It\'s been awhile since I applied for a loan and through this site, I found out that there are now more specialized kinds of loans. There were home loans, car title loans, auto loans, payday loans and truck loans – just what I needed. Over the years, I managed my finances pretty well and I had no problems getting loans. So I read further and found out that it was really easy to get approved for a truck loan.


I went ahead and applied for a truck loan and got my money the next day. That was fast! In the next few days, I went around town to look for brand new trucks. Once I found the truck of my choice, I drove away with it on my way home. It was another great investment to keep my business running, making sure that my clients got fresh flowers when they needed it. Thanks to financing via loans, I wasn\'t pressured to pay the whole amount upon acquisition of my truck.


So basically, my flower business worked this way:


-          I studied additional courses on what I was passionate about


-          I started my garden and flower shop with the help of loans


-          I acquired a new truck using a truck loan


-          I am still enjoying the benefits of my flower business and have countless satisfied customers


-          With the profits I have, I make sure to budget it so I can pay my loans on time and keep a good credit history


About the Author
Rachel Schwartz is the Marketing Manager of BHM Financial - one of the most trusted names in the bad credit loan industry. This company may be able to help you reach your financial goals. Please visit our Bad Credit Loan website or our Blog and find out today.