Holiday Florals: Beyond the Poinsettia

Poinsettias are the traditional holiday favorite and usually the first to come to mind. But if you're looking for something different this holiday season, try one of these alternatives!

There are many beautiful varieties of blooms available during the winter. Often flower arrangements are filled with holiday colors like reds and whites. Wintery touches like holly, evergreen and pinecones are also a nice touch.

You don't have to confine yourself to the traditional red though. How about a glacial white design featuring sparkling pure gerbera daisies, roses, mums, and evergreens for a beautiful winter floral arrangement?

Greenery has been associated with holiday decorating with trees, boughs of holly and fir garlands. A fragrant evergreen wreath always adds a festive touch to the front door. Add colorful blooming bulbs and any greenery can be dressed up!

Don't forget that festive holiday aroma associated with the scent of evergreen. A miniature Christmas tree adorned with pine cones, ribbons and ornaments is perfect for the home or office.

Or how about a bountiful basket of fresh evergreens and faux fruit as a reminder of the blessings of the season!

As you can see, there are many....

NEW BLOG LOCATION

Hello All!
If you are coming to this blog, it's the old location. How about joining me on my new blog hosted directly on the Bergeron's Flowers website? It just makes sense. New website-new blog too!

Come and experience life with me here.

Jessica Rada and Alan Ness-A Summer Dream Wedding

Jessica and Alan wanted a great wedding at a friend's house in Marshall, VA. It was a wonderous day, despite the humidity and heat! Whew~ over 100 degrees (which day this Summer wasn't?)!

Jessica's hand-tied bouquet was a lush mix of cymbidium orchids, sweet peas, roses,
baby green hydrangea, and hypericum berries with the handle designed with
chocolate brown satin ribbon, bullion and rhinestones. 

The boutonnieres were fashioned out of a delightful mix of uluhe and hypericum berries. 

 

I had the pleasure of working with other Bliss Collection vendors: Priscilla of The Finer Points and David of David Madison Photography.  As always, it was a fun and entertaining. 

Jessica, you were a pleasure and a sheer beauty for your wedding day!

Celebrating 90 Years with Pink Feather Boas!

This summer I had the awesome opportunity to celebrate with family for my grandmother's 90th birthday! She looked fabulous and had a wonderful time.

On a hot summer Saturday night in July, 45 family and friends gathered at a yacht club in Virginia Beach to bring birthday wishes to her. The night was filled with a live jazz band, dancing and a sumptuous plated dinner.

For as long as I can remember, her favorite color is hot pink and she has a penchant for feathers. So, along with the feathers, I created clustered contempo garden bouquets for the tables. Individual place settings were marked with a napkin wrapped in short feather boas and a deep pink mokara orchid bloom.

Momma Kimel~we love you! Keep bringing light to us with your smile.

Garden Roses and Mokara Orchids

Exciting Grand Opening of Mason Inn

Tonight was the Grand Opening of the Mason Inn on the George Mason University Campus.  The beautiful building boasts a large ballroom as well as a junior ballroom, several meeting rooms along with conference rooms. Guest rooms are fabulously decorated with a Presidential Suite that is definitely sure to please, especially for preparing the bridal party!

A sleek yet natural setting is ready to welcome all who walk through it's doors. The Grand Opening festivities included fabulous eats, George Mason jazz musicians, and the who's who of event and corporate planning!

Bergerons sent a congratulations flower delivery to them earlier in the day in preparation.

Congratulations Mason Inn! Bergerons wishes you much success~

50th Wedding Anniversary-Wedding Bouquet

It's not often that I get to work with people for their 50th wedding anniversary. A lady from Pennsylvania called the shop and said that she would like to re-create her mother's wedding bouquet for her parent's wedding anniversary. She sent us a photo of it via email and we discussed the possibilities. Well, it was a small, blurry photo, but from what I could see, it had one gorgeous cattleya orchid surrounded by stephanotis blooms and some smaller white flowers we couldn't make out.  Mrs Haon needed it by Saturday morning and she was calling on Tuesday! Flowers like these are generally special order since they are quite fragile and so specific.

Mom and I quickly worked on finding the orchids, which we knew might be difficult. Turns out that they were available, but cost prohibitive since they were only available by the stem instead of by the bloom. Mrs Haon and I agreed on using cymbidium orchids and the stephanotis with freesia. I had a wonderful time designing the bouquet and it was such fun to know that it was for such a special occasion.

Bergerons is happy to congratulate Dan & Kathy Clark on their 50th Wedding Anniversary! May you have many, many more to come.

Thanks, Mrs. Haon for giving us the opportunity to fulfill your floral needs.

Inspiring Work from a NY Florist

I was on Flower Magazine's blog and came across their blog about a florist in NY, Little Pheasant.
To say I was taken aback at the fabulous design is to say the least.

What gorgeous work. You'll have to read her blog to see the rest. You'll love it!

What a Day!

Okay, the life of a florist is by far NOT glamorous! I do agree that I get to enjoy the beauty of flowers, talking with brides about their fabulous weddings, customers who are excited to send flowers in celebration of someone or something, and employees that are too wonderful for words!

But there are some days where no matter what you do, you just feel like throwing your hands up and closing the office door and taking a nap!

Today, driving into the parking lot, I parked and got out of the car. Low and behold, someone had driven into the back of one of our delivery vehicles, cracking the taillight, scrapping the paint and evidently feeling no good sense of common decency to leave a note for their mishap. Obviously, it wasn't on purpose, so why not leave your number and be a nice person....come on, right?

Next hours were dealing with a whirlwind flurry of calls, returning emails, and planning take up the day along with countless drop-ins of advertising companies expecting your immediate sign-up with their "can't go wrong with our company" accounts.

Later on in the day one our a best corporate customers called only to inform us that the head boss had decided to cut back on expenses and the weekly flowers had to go. Understandable, but still a bummer! I know it will be okay, but it just put some icing on the proverbial cake. This economy has been very difficult for even the best companies.

At the end of the day, it always comes back to faith. My faith comes into play and I realize that this day is just a day and not the whole of my life. Thankfully, God is bigger than the crushed taillight and a cut-back on an account~ Whew! Bring on the morning....

Aahhhh.......beautiful flowers can be a respite. I needed that!

Flowers for a recent wedding centerpiece I loved!

Bergerons Flowers will be releasing a new website!

Well, after several years of our current website, Bergerons Flowers decided it was time for our online store make-over! We are in the transition period of creating the website with Strider, Inc. and are quite happy with the results so far......just wait and see! Not only will you be able to see our latest daily delivery options for Springfield, Fairfax County and Washington DC area, but our events website will be on the same pages as well as our blog....no more searching for everywhere Bergeron's is on the web.

Along with this, those of you who are signed up to receive emails from us, will start to see more information coming to you including specials and what's going on at the shop!

We can't wait so keep your eyes peeled or look at Bergerons Flowers & Events facebook page to find out when....

Have a blessed day!

MidAtlantic Florists Association-Bergerons Participates

This weekend Bergerons will be participating in the Middle Atlantic Florists Association (MAFA) Annual Convention. Representing Maryland, District of Columbia, West Virginia, parts of Delaware, and Virginia, MAFA provides education to florists in the industry.

I will be leading a demonstration on photography for websites as well as performing my duties at Vice President. It's always exciting to see and hear all that is going on in this fabulous industry. Dedication to education is key to surviving and thriving in today's economic climate.

Teleflora is sponsoring internationally known designer, John Hosek AIFD, CAFA,  MCF as he shows us his designs for The Eco-Party. Some of his designs were featured earlier this year in the international floral magazine, Fusion Flowers.

I hope to have some photos from the event, maybe even a video....we'll see.
Cheers everyone!

Announcing "Giving in Bloom"

Bergerons is proud to announce the newest category on our website, "Giving in Bloom"!

In order to understand what this category is, we need to introduce the charitable organization that we have chosen to give to~ Jill's House. This organization is dedicated to providing care and support to special needs children and their families through overnight respite and therapy programs. We believe that these children and families are in need of this type of help.

Each season, Bergerons will design a special arrangement that will be featured in this section. When our customers chose this arrangement, 20% of this price will be donated to Jill's House. So, how exciting is it that those customer who choose to give flowers, will also be giving to such a worthy cause. So, go on now to the Giving in Bloom category on the website and see our seasonal pick for August-September.

Greg (my husband) and I have been looking for ways to give back and we think that Jill's House is the perfect opportunity. The House is set to open in the Fall and we look forward to providing them flowers weekly to greet the families that come through their doors. We know how much flowers brighten the spirits of those who are around them. It seems like the perfect way to add to their time at Jill's House.

Join us in this great way to give back~
Thanks for the opportunity!

Bergeron's Eye Candy: Aubergine Composite Bouquet

Although we'd love to think that there are roses this lush and big, this bouquet is made up of several blooms. Ornamental kale composes the edge of the bouquet. Then individual rose petals are added to create this voluminous piece.

The stems of the ornamental kale are perfectly adorned with a sheer and satin ribbon accented with pins.

This bouquet is not for the faint of heart~ We love it! Great for summer into fall.

Bergeron's Eye Candy: Crescent Bouquet

A stylized crescent bouquet of schwartzwalder calla lilies, kale, roses, china berries signifies the updated color hues in a formal classic design.

The handle treatment on the bouquet gives the sophisticated, updated look and surprises the bride with something that would give her a personalized look.

Flowerhandler's Bulletin Features Christi

Dottie Harrigan joined Middle Atlantic Florists Association (MAFA) workshops in May. We had a day of hands-on training at Paul's Wholesale in downtown Washington, D.C. Dottie owns Flowerhandlers, a company that has a website promoting flowers and floristry.

Check out her bulletin on the workshops and the how-to's that she included from each workshop!

Thanks, Dottie!

Wedding Trends: Hot & Spicy

A bold mix of reds and salmon/orange hues are a stunning mix for summer and fall. Sophisticated reds provide a formal backdrop.
Orange has emerged as an adventurous color when added to a hot and spicy mix of reds.

Besides roses; dahlias, berries, cockscomb/celosia, zinnias, along with orchids can add the rich, vibrant hues to this wedding color trend.

Bergeron's Eye Candy: Summer Rose & Hydrangea Bouquet

The simple elegance of antique roses and voluminous deep purple hydrangea is fashioned with a classic hand-tied pearl pin handle treatment and a delicate brocade ribbon. This bouquet is perfect for the summer bride especially who wants a classic look without a lot of varieties of blooms, but loves the combined textures. What size is perfect for you? The average rounded English hand-tied bouquet varies from 8-11 inches.

Bergeron's Eye Candy: Diana Pedestal Bowls

Simplicity in a centerpiece? Candles floating in tinted water with pink rose petals scattered at the base. Classic accents are achieved with a band of ribbon on the pedestal.

Bergeron's Eye Candy: Unity Candle Design

Lush blooms of hydrangea and accented with dianthus (carnation) provide this gorgeous unity candle display. Perfect to use at the church and then take to the reception on the head table with or without the candles.

Bergeron's Eye Candy: Cascading Crescent

Love at first sight! Individual blooms of dendrobium orchids threaded onto bear grass in varying lengths create this beautiful cascade. A delicate woven center made of ribbon and foliage add to it's beauty.

Gracefully carried by holding inside the hands or held in open palm, this bouquet is a true essence of elegance.

Photography by David Madison.

National Hospice Foundation Annual Gala: Founders Ball

Having the opportunity to bid for the Annual Gala of The National Hospice Foundation is a highlight for us. We won the bid again this year and provided the floral decor for the 2010 Founder's Ball.

A day of setting up on Friday, with five staff members on-site was fun and exciting! Bergerons help set the stage for an awesome event with SofiEvents. Among the group of vendors was Doc Scantlin and the Imperial Palms Orchestra and CCR Events. 

We also provided the centerpieces for the Gratitude for Giving Dinner on Wednesday night. Although a busy week at Bergerons, it was so much fun!

In the Community-PRS

The excitement of Churchill Downs comes to Northern Virginia on Saturday, May 1st, with the 15th Annual PRS Kentucky Derby Benefit Party.  The area’s most festive celebration of the Run for the Roses will feature live music from the Wayward Street Players, delectable heavy hors d'oeuvres, mint juleps, a fabulous shrimp & oyster bar, exciting live and silent auctions, raffle drawings, a wagering table, and the viewing of the 136th Kentucky Derby.  The event is Saturday, May 1, 2010, from 4:30 PM to 8:00 PM, at the elegant private home of Fairfax County Supervisor John Foust and his wife Dr. Marilyn Jerome, in McLean, Virginia (address and directions provided upon purchase of tickets).  Tickets are $125 each.  Proceeds from the event benefit PRS, the premier nonprofit 501(c)(3) organization in Northern Virginia providing community-based support services and skills training needed for men and women to recover from mental illness.  For more information and to purchase tickets, visit www.prsinc.org or contact Tammy De Martino at tdemartino@prsinc.org or 703-531-6321. 


Bergeron's will be providing a floral piece for the event and is proud to be a part of helping PRS succeed.

Groundbreaking Event!

Event: Groundbreaking Party for Jill's House in McLean, VA

Theme: Bridging the Gap

After the ribbon cutting to break ground for the new site of Jill's House in McLean, Virginia, guests were invited to a celebration time where Bergeron's provided the floral designs.

Our thought was to bring the theme to life by creating designs that would signify the "bridge" theme.

Events: Corporate Holiday Party

Who: Peterson Institute for International Economics

What: Holiday Party

Where: Ronald Reagan Building, Washington D.C.

Theme: Winter Wonderland

Planning the Perfect Wedding: Ceremony Flowers

 So you've completed the major task of choosing a ceremony site, now what?  Well, now you get to think about flowers for the ceremony! Flowers are an essential part of the decor for the aisle and altar, and can help transform any ceremony site into your own personal vision.

The choice, of course, is personal, but many weddings feature a very simple aisle, with one or two flower arrangements at the opening or even a light sprinkle of rose petals running the length. Others feature ribbons, simple swags of ivy, or wreathes on pew ends. To keep costs down, remember that the bridal couple is the centerpiece--several floral accents may be unnecessary.

The altar, or bimah in a synagogue, is usually the focus during most of the ceremony. Wedding Ceremony Flower Arrangements should be large enough for all to see, but, again, they can also be simple. Depending on the particular tradition, flowers may decorate the unity candle or Bible. If the wedding is Jewish, flowers are often used to decorate the traditional chuppah canopy.

If you're tying the knot in an unconventional setting, flowers are often used to decorate arches or trellises on a beach or patio. Again, these should be large enough to be seen, but can also be kept simple.

Wedding Ceremony Flowers are a great way to personalize the ceremony site! In fact, the same flowers can often can be used at the reception site after the ceremony.

Say it All With Flowers!

Not only roses convey the Meaning of Love. Many other beautiful flowers have significant relevance and have been used to communicate feelings of love throughout the ages. So why not personally select something different to send to that special someone this year?

Consider these romantic alternatives:

Red Carnation: Aching heart, Admiration
Gerbera: You are the sunshine of my life 
Holly: domestic happiness
Lilac: First Love
Lily: Purity
Orchid: Delicate Beauty
Red Tulip: Declaration of Love
Yellow Tulip: Hopelessly in Love

Not sure or looking say something else? Just ask. The staff at Bergeron's can help you select a thoughtful and unique gift to show how much you care. You really can say it all with flowers!

How to Send Bereavment Flowers

When you receive news that someone has died it is customary to send flowers for the funeral. Funeral flowers are a touching way to share your sadness and grief with those who have recently suffered a loss. There are many different types of funeral arrangements, and different cultures have very different positions on funeral flowers, so your best option is to talk to someone close to the bereaved if you aren't sure about their specific customs.

Funeral arrangements were traditionally made up of white flowers but it is also common to see a mix of flowers and colors. Some types of flowers used in sympathy work are lilies, calla lilies, roses and dianthus (carnations) but it is perfectly acceptable to send another type of flower. If you know what the person's favorite flower was, it is a nice gesture to send a personalized floral arrangement, one including his or her favorite flowers or colors, or an arrangement that incorporates his or her favorite things (golf, gardening, favorite location, for example).

One of the first and most common questions after deciding to send funeral flowers is where should the flowers go? While many people choose to send the flowers to the funeral home for the viewing or church for the service, the attached cards are not often seen by the family. Sending flowers to the family's home is also an excellent option. Also, often a gift of a potted plant is even more appreciated than cut flowers, which fade and die over time. The potted plant can later be placed in a memorial garden or even planted on the grave site.

It is most important to remember when purchasing funeral flowers that you want to bring comfort to the mourners, so make sure that your choice is something that will bring them comfort. If you are unsure, the staff at Bergeron's is, of course, always available to help you make a selection.

Win a Dozen Valentine's Day roses!

Fan Bergeron's on Facebook for exclusive sales, contests & giveaways!
Our online community is growing, and we want you to grow with us!  Our Facebook page provides you the daily scoop on what's happening at Bergeron's. Don't miss out - become a fan of Bergeron's to learn about exclusive news, happenings, products, sales, contests & giveaways!

Bergeron's is giving away a dozen red roses for Valentine's Day!
This month, Fan us on Facebook and win a delightful arrangement of roses! Perfect for that special someone, that friend you've been meaning to thank, or even for yourself. To instantly be entered in the drawing for a dozen free Valentine's Day roses, simply go to the Bergeron's Facebook page and become a fan. One winner will be drawn at random on February 10, 2010. The winner will be contacted via Facebook. Roses will be delivered on February 12, 2010 to destination of winner's choice (in the Washington DC metropolitan area). See below for rules and details.

TO ENTER: No purchase necessary. Contest begins Wednesday, February 3, 2010 and ends on Wednesday, February 10, 2010. To enter, go to Bergeron's Facebook page and become a fan. If any dispute arises concerning the identity of an entrant, the owner of the Facebook account (owner of email registered with Facebook) shall be deemed the entrant.
 
DEADLINE: Giveaway entries include ALL Bergeron's fans on Wednesday, February 10, 2010. Fans received after this time will not be considered.
 
WINNER SELECTION AND NOTIFICATION: One winner will be selected by Bergeron's via randomized selection, from among all eligible entries, on or after Wednesday, February 10, 2010. The winner will be notified at the Facebook account used to enter the contest. If a selected winner is ineligible, declines the prize, or if Bergeron's is unable to make contact with a selected winner after reasonable effort and time (48 hours), the prize shall be forfeited and may be awarded to an alternate winner selected by another randomized selection from all remaining entries.
 
AWARDING & DELIVERY OF PRIZE: Subject to eligibility verification. The winner will receive one dozen arranged roses, to be delivered to destination of his or her choice in the Washington DC metropolitan area.  
 

Planning the Perfect Wedding: Floral Consultation

Congratulations, he popped the question and you said yes! So now what? As for the wedding flowers, the first step is to arrange an appointment with Bergeron's for a complimentary wedding consultation. This is best done at least six months prior to the wedding date.

During this first meeting, we like to get to know you and your ideas for your perfect wedding day. To get the most out of your wedding consultation, be sure to bring along any ideas, notes, magazine clippings and photos you may have. We also recommend your bring fabric swatches and pictures of the bridal gown and attendant dresses. If you have any important keepsakes or memories you would like included in your bouquet, such as your grandmother's brooch or special handkerchief, bring those along as well.

This consultation provides you and your florist with one-on-one time so you can both get an idea of your wants and needs and theme of your wedding. We will also go over details such as style, color, size and shape of your bouquet, number of corsages and boutonnieres you will need, and the style of each. Ceremony details will include how do you want your nuptials area framed? Do you want decor for the seating? If so, how many rows does the site have? Does the venue you've chosen have items for use on your day, i.e. candelabras or pedestals? What about how the reception is set-up? How many tables are you going to have? Are you and your fiance going to sit at a sweetheart table or have a head table with all of your attendants seated with you? Each wedding is different, so why not have your style captured?

We have many books here at Bergeron's for you to peruse. In fact, feel free to stop by and check out our library any time. Just give us a call at 703-455-0220 -  you are welcome any time the consultation room is not in use!

We look forward to getting a clear vision of your perfect wedding and making your ideas a reality!

What is the Length of a Long-Stem Rose?

Ever wonder, with all the information out there, what the real definition of a "long-stem rose" is? This link is the best description I've found and since I couldn't say it better, click on the link below and find out the real scoop!

http://thefloristblog.dragonflyflowers.com/2009/03/15/some-real-florists-perspectives-on-long-stem-roses.aspx

Know what you are ordering. So many just throw around the words, "long-stem", but aren't really sure what that means.

At Bergeron's we carry 60cm "Long-Stem" roses on a weekly basis in a variety of colors, so please call us, your professional, "real" local florist, and let us deliver some beautiful long-stem roses for you!

Ordering from a Local Florist: What to Expect

When it comes to ordering flowers, many consumers go to websites such as 1800Flowers or Teleflora. These sites seem quick and easy and seem to display a lot of different arrangement options to view. However, these orders are sent to shops who sign up to receive them. Often times the florist who actually receives and completes the order does not even have the flowers or vases shown in the pictures!

Also, have you ever noticed that after you select the arrangement, only then do you have the option of  choosing the size of the arrangement you have chosen? This is because the picture shown is usually the price of a small arrangement and does not include size upgrades or your delivery charge. By the time you reach your final check-out, your total will probably increase $20 or more.

So… what is the alternative?  Call Bergerons of course!  Our process is a lot faster and much more personal. We keep all of your information, including past orders, and can pull it up in our secure database as soon as you call. We can discuss exactly what you want and tell you exactly what we have available to create a special arrangement for you. Once we get all your information and collect payment, your order simply prints out in the back of the shop and is ready for creation!

Don't Bust Your Budget: Wedding Flowers Calculator

Planning your big day? The last thing you want to do is bust your budget. Wedding budgets are about as diverse as the people who are making them – from the simplistic to the extremely extravagant.

Looking for a simple way to find flowers that fit into your budget? Check out our Wedding Flowers Calculator - an easy tool to determine which flowers fit into your budget.

Our Wedding Flowers Calculator allows you to get an idea of how much you’ll be spending on flowers for your wedding, before you even come into the shop. The spreadsheet will automatically calculate total costs according to the quantity you estimate for each item. The spreadsheet includes categories for economy flowers, most popular flowers and more expensive flowers.

Many of you ask, "Which flowers fit into each category"?  Well, that can depend. If you were concentrating chrysanthemums, dianthus (carnations), alstroemeria (Peruvian lily), or asters~these would more or less be considered in the lower price point. So, if at any point you mix these flowers with some of the more expensive flowers, then you would be lowering the cost of your flowers. Roses, freesia, gerbera, tulips, etc. are considered among the medium price point. And, just to name a few of the higher price point flowers~we have orchids, calla lilies, peonies, and hydrangea to round out the list. Although, there are hundreds of flowers to choose from, this will give you just a snippet of what each category includes.

Keep in mind that while the Wedding Flowers Calculator is a useful tool for estimating and calculating a floral budget, it doesn’t take the place of an in-depth consultation with our knowledgeable bridal designers. It is, however, a good place to start when determining cost options.