Time to Reorganize and Refresh! 2012-01-20

Isn't January the perfect time to Reorganize and Refresh? If you are in retail, it really is! This January has been no exception for us. This year, right after new years, we did a complete reorganization of our Floral Design area. Not only was it our chance to really do a good cleaning but also look to at our space from a production point of view. We've always had space for 6 designers to work at one time but it was a bit more disjointed than I would have liked. Moving our storage units and flipping the design benches, now all 6 designers can work near each other, sharing flowers, design recipe books and other materials in a more efficient manner. Now the designers are all only steps away from the flower cooler, the sinks and everything else they need to complete their designs quickly.

Did you know that at our Princeton location that we have 2 large coolers - one that measures 12 feet by 15 feet and another that is 12 feet by 9 feet? Having the flowers stored and organize in a logical manner not only gives the customer the freshest, best quality flowers but also allows us to buy in a way that gives them the best pricing possible.

The design and storage area was not the only part of Monday Morning Flowers to get a face lift. Right now we are in the middle of having the retail area completed repainted, new light fixtures have been added and soon there will be new carpet. If you are in the area, come check out our new and improved flower shop!! Last but not least, if you haven't been to our website you need to check out all the new arrangement like this pretty arrangement below. Party Girl is a fun arrangement in bright, hot colors, perfect for any happy occasion, don't you think? Well that's all that's fresh and new and believe me, we're enjoying our new, clean and updated organized space. Let's face it, when next month rolls around and the shop turns back into it's usual zoo, we'll be happy for all the effort put forward now!

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Affordable Gift Ideas for Valentine's Day 2012-01-23

 I know, I know, there are some folks out there that absolutely hate holidays like Valentine's Day. They think they were invented by gift companies to take money out of their pockets. Well, I don't think that's true but whether you spend a lot on your Valentine or not, I do think it's nice to at least recognize the day with a special treat or gift. This year we've order in lots of thoughtful gifts that are not only cute but really affordable. I remember when I was in high school, all I wanted from my guy was a cute card that said he loved me. I can tell you for sure when I was 16 or 17, if I received this card, I would have been a happy girl. We have lots of cards to choose from priced from .99 to $3.50. Now that's affordable right?
 What about this sweet love picture frame. Add a photo of the two of you, wrap it up and imagine their surprise. This frame is priced right and comes in a really nice gift box.
 We love these little boxes!! We plan on making floral arrangements in them but can't you imagine filling this with chocolates or even a cute, tiny teddy bear? the box is something she can keep too done in a very popular pink and chocolate brown color theme.
 Give them this mug either by itself, filled with candy or even their favorite coffee drinks or a gift card to Starbucks. Not only will they enjoy whatever you put in it but they'll remember you love them all year long when they drink their favorite beverage out of it.  
Looking for a cute way to present a small gift such as a piece of jewelry? How about one of these little tin pocket books? Even a tiny plant or stuffed animal tucked in would bring a smile, don't you think?
Yes, yes, we sell those "expensive" Valentine's Day gifts too such as long stem roses but who says you have to buy them if you don't want. We have lots of other cute gift ideas and take it from me, even a card, lovingly signed is enough to show you care and remembered the day. Happy Valentine's Day Shopping!! (more...)

Wedding Awards for 2012 2012-01-26

It's not a secret around here that we do weddings, we love to do weddings and we do lots of them. So as you can imagine we were super happy to win both the Wedding Wire Brides Choice Award and to be a Knot Best of Wedding Pick for 2012 again this year.
Both awards are chosen because couples liked our flowers and our service. We could not be more proud! People often ask if we make a lot of money doing weddings and the answer I always give is: not really, but it is our claim to fame. It's our time to really shine, to show what we can do.
We love flowers and we love arranging them but weddings are special. You only get that one chance, that one day, to make the flowers perfect. Tons and tons of effort and time go into pulling off a wedding for a bride and groom and so although not one of the more profitable parts of our business, it certainly is the most gratifying. We think our flowers add something special to the day and we hope they are remembered long after the day is over. No two brides are the same and no two weddings we do are the same. To be honored with both of these awards means the world to us. So to our brides and grooms, we say thank you. Thank you for letting us be a part of your very special day. We are honored and humbled.
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More Affordable Gift Ideas for Valentine's Day 2012-01-30

 Who says you have to send red roses on Valentine's Day? If you ask the average woman if Red Rose are her favorite, most will tell you no. Don't believe me? Try asking them. Year round we sell lots and lots of red roses but we also sell roses in other colors such as peach (like above), pink, yellow, orange, white and even purple. What not think out of the box (and save some money) but sending something other than red this year?
 Speaking of doing something different, why not send a flower other than roses? A vase of colorful gerbers is fun and flirty. Add a card message like "I saw this flower this morning and I thought it was the most beautiful thing I ever saw, until I saw you". Ok, who wouldn't melt with that!!
How about adding a hand written note to the center of this frame and then below it a picture of the two of you?
These sweet champagne glasses are the perfect gift. Making a special dinner at home? Have these at each place setting and then bring them out every year to toast your love? To see this and more gift ideas visit our website at www.sendingsmiles.com !  (more...)

Remember to Budget for the Wedding Ceremony 2012-02-01

Decisions, decisions... planning a wedding is not an easy task not to mention expensive. With many weddings ceremonies today happening at the same place as the reception, many couples forget to include (or leave) money in their budget for flowers and ceremony decor.  Although it's nice to decorate a church or synagogue, I find they need a bit less done to them to transform them into a wedding location. In the case of Jackie and Donovan's wedding this past Septmeber, we concentrated the decorations to the pews and did not try to add anything to an already beautiful altar.
I think the hydrangea and ribbon accents on the pews showed that something special was about to happen. The brides color palate of simple creams and ivory helped tone down the colors already present in the church and not compete with them. We also chose not to put the flowers on every pew. Every third one was decorated and helped draw your eye down to the altar without costing a fortune. Simply tied on with an elegant satin ribbon, three stems of hydrangea made a nice sized accent on the pew and was noticable the moment you walked in. Although we often do one bloom, if budget allows, 3 really makes a wonderful show, don't you think? To see this and more examples of our wedding and everyday floral design be sure to visit our website at www.sendingsmiles.com or our facebook page at www.facebook.com/localflorist  (more...)