Prom

Shop Talk: A Flower Shop Promposal

April 13, 2015 by Tanya Giraldo 1 Comment

With prom season upon us, we wanted to share this great story with you about a unique promposal! Our friends at Heather’s Way Flowers and Plants in Jonesboro, Arkansas, participated in a super romantic promposal that involved a fun scavenger hunt that had a big surprise!

1. How did you assist in this promposal?

We assisted in the scavenger hunt of the promposal and it ended up with a very special young man asking a lovely girl to prom.

2. Have you done this before?

No. It was a lot of fun and so sweet! We love helping out our community in these neat ways.

3. Why did you decide to assist in the promposal? Did you benefit marketing-wise from this?

We were just lending a hand to the community and any sort of marketing that occurred from that was purely by accident. It was a great way however to kick off the prom flower season.

4. What ways do you market your shop for prom?

I do radio. It’s worked very well. I target the kids and their moms.

5. What tips can you give teens when it comes to ordering their floral pieces for prom?

Bring the girl and the dress to match colors and to try on the wristlet to make sure it fits.

6. Any tips for florists during prom season?

Always up-sell. Show all the add ons like lights, stones, more ribbons, etc.

For more great tips on prom and other floral events, check back with the Bloomin’ Blog!

Marketing Tips for Prom

March 27, 2015 by Tanya Giraldo Leave a Comment

Unlike other floral holidays and weddings, prom holds a certain type of charm. Due to the fact that customers around this time of year are younger than the usual customer (most of the time not even 18), there seems to be a trickiness to designing for these floral newbies. We reached out to a couple of florists to offer insight on prom marketing, as well as tips on approaching the younger generation.

The Young Customer

There are a couple of misconceptions that come up during this time of year about the young customer. The first is that customer service shouldn’t apply to them since their parent’s are purchasing the corsage. Second, that these kids don’t know anything about flowers so why bother when they are looking for something cheap. While it is true that many parents help these teens purchase their prom florals, others have savings from their part-time job. Either way, it is important to acknowledge the teen as a paying customer as you would acknowledge a bride whose parents are paying for the flowers. As for their ignorance on the value of flowers, there is a solution.

According to Doug Bates of Designs by VOGT’s of Sturgis, Michigan, it’s very important to introduce high school kids to flowers.

“If you don’t hook the younger generation by the time they are 25, they will never understand the value of flowers,” Bates said. “When you get them interested you become a part of their life.”

Bates believes that prom is the perfect time to start making new customers. If you make their first time flower experience memorable, they will become lifetime customers.

“You need to foster these relationships because in 5 years these girls will be brides,” Bates said. Bates told the story of one couple who came into the shop for their prom and years later he did their wedding flowers and have become long-time customers for other events as well. “It’s important to make their experience fun. When it’s apparent that you don’t want to work with them, they notice that. Make it engaging or they will go to your competitors.”

Marketing Tips and Tricks

Marketing for prom is just as important as treating the customer. Here are a couple of ideas to market your shop!

Go To School

Bates said that the best advice he heard about prom was to get involved with the school in any way you can. Whether it’s donating an arrangement or offering a discount for an event, everything stands out. One tip is to give a couple of teachers at your local high school corsages and boutonnieres to wear the week before and the week of prom.

Social Media Contest

This tip from Bates is great to also amp up your social media traffic. Offer a “Prom Mom Contest” when someone makes a purchase for prom. They must like your Facebook page and post a picture of their corsage with their dress during prom. The one with the most likes wins a free bouquet to give to their mom on Mother’s Day.

“Last year, we had such a high number of posts that we ended up choosing more than one winner,” Bates said. “It’s a great way to get your name out there, get likes, more traffic, and people posting your designs online.”

Prom is the perfect time to introduce flowers to the younger generation. You never know who may become a lifelong customer! For more marketing tips and ideas, check back with the Bloomin’ Blog.

Photo courtesy of Designs by VOGT’s.

Filed Under: Marketing Tips Tagged With: Customer Service, Marketing Tips, Prom, Prom Flower Tips

Corsage Inspiration: BLUE!

April 4, 2013 by Mandy Maxwell 4 Comments

It’s PROM SEASON! Time to get with your local florist to create a fab, one-of-a-kind corsage creation. Today’s prom corsages are nothing like they used to be — that’s for sure. These days florists capture the spirit of youth with playful, exciting and dramatic wrists corsages that match modern fun and funky prom dresses and other trendy accessories. Today we’re using BLUE as our muse as we take a look at last year’s hottest designs.

Beautiful blue corsage with a fun rainbow rose as it’s focus.

This fun and feathery prom corsage uses blue orchids and shimmery blue wire and mesh.

[Read more…]

Filed Under: Floral Design, Trends Tagged With: Corsages, Prom, Prom Flowers, Prom Trends, Wrist Corsages

Prom Inspiration: Fun & Funky Style

April 24, 2012 by Mandy Maxwell 5 Comments

Although for most, prom has come and gone, still teenaged girls everywhere are planning their ensembles for next season. We had the wonderful opportunity to meet up with a group of teens right before prom and snap some photos. So enjoy all the craziness and color of prom 2012!

Prom Corsages

Prom 2012 was all about COLOR and FUN!

Gotta love the vibrant colors of these prom corsages!

This prom corsage was created by Alvin Taylor’s Flowers in Paragould AR. It features a large Gerbera and is highlighted by mums, delphinium, gems, wire and feathers — perfect for her multi-colored dress.

Another of Alvin Taylor’s creations, this features a rainbow rose and all sorts of blue accents and feathers. This corsage perfectly compliments her sequined dress!

[Read more…]

Filed Under: Floral Design, Trends Tagged With: Boutonnieres, Corsages, Prom, Prom Flowers, Prom Trends

Prom Time! What Is Your Prom Style?

March 2, 2012 by Mandy Maxwell Leave a Comment

It’s almost time for PROM again! Time to find flashy dresses, sparkly jewelry, the perfect shoes and, of course, the right corsages to bring it all together! Let’s take a look at some of this year’s trendiest styles.

Fun & Playful
Unlike a wedding, and most other occasions to wear formal attire, prom is about happiness, hilarity and hoopla. This prom goer picked her favorite flower – Gerbera daisy – and the florist has enhanced it with additional white petals, wire and charms. Choose flowers and colors that match your dress.

Anther prom going teen has used daisies in a different way – LOVE those feathers! The big gem in the center is also a great look! Your florist can do way more than just a corsage at prom! Be sure to ask about matching hair accessories and other prom flower accessories.

Color Focused

Use your corsage as an accent to enhance your prom look. If possible, show your florist a photo of the prom dress you are wearing and have them create a corsage to bring out the colors and features of the dress. For instance, in the photo above, this prom goer is wearing a super-fun, blue zebra print dress. The florist has done a great job of choosing flowers in colors that really POP, but also perfectly match and compliment the dress!

[Read more…]

Filed Under: Floral Design, Trends Tagged With: Boutonnieres, Corsages, Prom, Prom Flowers, Prom Trends, Wrist Corsages

Frequently Asked Prom Corsage Questions — ANSWERED!

March 25, 2011 by Mandy Maxwell 4 Comments

What is a prom corsage? A prom corsage is a small flower arrangement that typically adorns a girl’s wrist or collar and is bought and given to her by her prom date. Most prom-goers, these days, prefer the wrist corsage. Flowers and accessories usually match or accent the girl’s prom dress.

What is a boutonniere? A boutonniere is the floral design worn by guys on their lapels. The boutonniere is bought for the guy by his date and often matches the colors and style of his date’s corsage.

What wrist do your wear your corsage on? It is generally recognized as proper etiquette to wear the wrist corsage on the left, although a left-handed date may prefer her wrist corsage worn on the right arm.

Do the corsage and boutonniere have to match? Not necessarily, but it usually looks more stylish and put-together that way. Talk to your local florist about your choice of formal wear for prom, both for the guy and the girl, and discuss what corsage/bout options would work best for your combined look. (Also check out: Matching Prom Dress to Prom Corsage!)

How do I get my guy to buy the perfect prom corsage for me? Make sure the florist sees your dress. Your florist is sure to make something that accents your specific style. Seeing the dress ensures your flowers and prom accessories will match perfectly. Give your guy pictures of prom corsages you like to get him heading in the right direction. He can also show these to his florist. Why not go into your local flower shop together? You can buy both the amazing corsage and boutonniere together!

If I wanted something special, would a florist work with me? Absolutely! Florists love a challenge! If you’ve got something special in mind, talk to your florist about how they can customize your corsage just for you! May you’ve got a dark dress and are thinking of a Black Swan style? No problem! Love bright and playful? Your florist can fix you up with wire swirls and colorful daisies. Just don’t be afraid to ask!

Many florists are starting to offer Corsage Bar events in their store. This is a buffet-like setup where prom-goers can go down a row and pick out all the separate elements of their corsage. No guessing as to what it will look like when YOU’VE picked it all out!

When do I need to order my prom flowers? Order right now! It’s always good to plan ahead and get your order in as soon as possible. The spring is a very busy time for florists, with wedding season just beginning and Mother’s Day right around the corner. At any rate, order at least two weeks in advance.

Why do I need to use a florist, can’t I make my own DIY corsage? Not only do corsages have to look great, but they must hold up throughout the night of dancing and celebration. It’s always a good idea to buy a corsage from your local florist, rather than try to create one yourself. Corsages are not easy to make; the flowers have to stay ON the corsage, and stay looking fresh for long periods of time. Just talk to your florist about your budget and your options, it might surprise you what they’ll come up with!

What if I’m on a tight budget, can I still get a great-looking prom corsage? Yes, talk to your florist about your situation and ask what suggestions they might have. Often times by using seasonal or flowers your florist might have in excess can cut down on costs and still give you a great-looking corsage!

What do I need before I visit my local florist? Be sure to bring a picture of the dress you are wearing. It doesn’t have to be elaborate, even a picture from a cell phone will do. Bring any pictures of prom corsages you like from the internet or magazines for your florist to look at.

What are the hottest prom flower trends to date? Bright and bold colors that really make a statement, mixed with a variety of textures and details. We’ve seen a lot different uses of wire and other accessories. Another prom accessory we just love this year is the reusable wristlets. Instead of a cheap corsage holder for the wrist, invest in a beautiful corsage bracelet. Not only will your corsage look amazing, you can wear the bracelet for years to come and always be reminded of your big night.

I also have to talk about body flowers! Florists can do WAY more than just wrist corsages, ask your florist what body flowers would look best with your dress! One of our favorite looks is a strapless dress with over-the-shoulder flowers — a stunning look! You can also have flower rings, necklaces and even flowers for your shoes created! It’s all about using flowers to add color and style to your prom look.

Get MORE Prom Inspiration »

This post is brought to you by local Casper WY florists.
Not in Wyoming? No worries, Flower Shop Network makes it easy to find your local florist with our real local florist directory.

Filed Under: Trends Tagged With: Prom, Prom Flower Tips, prom flower trends, Prom Flowers, Prom Trends

Promoting During Prom Season

March 18, 2011 by Mandy Maxwell Leave a Comment

First off, if you rely on teens to come by corsages at your store because you’re the only flower shop in town, you’re missing out on A LOT of opportunities. If these kids don’t know what is available to them, they won’t expect anything more than just a rose and ribbon for their wrist. Let’s make it our job as a florist to SHOW them what’s out there and exactly what we can do!

Our goal at prom season is, of course, to make money. The best way to make MORE money this prom season is by producing quality, creative designs girls will instantly fall in love with! Go the extra step to dazzle her with the details.

Ahh! Prom — Where do we begin?

The key to creating the perfect corsage for a teen is by complementing their own, particular style and the dress they’ve picked out. This is a problem because, for the most part, the guy buys the corsage. Don’t be discouraged, with technology and teenagers today you can possibly get a picture of the dress in just a few minutes. If the mom of the boy calls ahead of time, ask her then to somehow send a picture of the dress in order to match the style and colors. Have the pictures sent through text or email them to the shop. Let them know it’s not necessary, but it is a way to get the very best results! It may be easy if her dress is black and white, but some colors are a little more fuzzy. Your idea of blue-green maybe totally different that someone else. The dress also gives you a good idea of the price point for the customer.

The next thing to consider is the style. Is the girl going for a classic, vintage look; perhaps it’s more of a playful, colorful look? She may be into a more edgier, Lady GaGa style. Whatever the look, have fun with it!! This is YOUR TIME to show your talents! Suggest flowers in complementary colors instead of perfect matches. The prom corsage should make the dress POP and really complete the over-all look! Don’t settle for just a rose-and-ribbon corsage when you can have so much more!

Extra Selling Points For Prom

Corsage Bar: A great way to spike your prom sales this season is with the new and popular Corsage Bar! Bring out all of your fantastic prom accessories, ribbon, and gems for display in a buffet-like setting. This allows corsage-buyers to pick and choose their favorite accents. Everyone loves customization, and allowing the customer to personalize their corsage their way, it really makes them feel even more connected to the design. As they are looking through your prom accessories, suggest interesting options that they might not think of that really work great with their look!

Body Flowers: Who’s to say flowers belong only on the wrists? We’ve seen prom flowers for the hair, prom flowers on the shoes, prom flower rings, over-the-shoulder flowers… the list goes on and on. This is another feature that depends on the style of the dress. If it’s short, make flowers for the shoes and ankles; is it off one shoulder? — adorn it with flowers! Remember to do everything tastefully and fashionably. We want them to look stylish, not decorated. Show them your talents for matching color and style, they won’t soon forget it!

Beautiful Bouts: Boutonnieres can be just as fun and funky as corsages and body flowers! This can be the selling point to really get the guy’s mom into it. Show her masculine options to complement the date’s corsage.

On Display: Pre-make a few creative and over-the-top styles. With all of the playful prom styles out this year, you’d be surprised what the teens go for! If you have a local formal-wear store in your town, call them to ask what styles and colors are most popular in your area. You might have to use silks to ensure they last through the prom season. If you can’t pre-make corsages for your store, create a prom inspiration flip-book with past designs, magazine clippings, printed pictures from the internet, etc. Remember, if they can’t see it, they won’t ask for it. [Read more…]

Filed Under: Florists Only, Marketing Tips Tagged With: Marketing Tips, Prom, prom flower trends

Trend Alert: Pocket Squares Taking The Place of Boutonnieres?

October 15, 2010 by Mandy Maxwell Leave a Comment

The boutonniere and the pocket square have long been part of a gentleman’s formal attire. Creative florists have recently began to combine the fresh-flower look of the boutonniere and the placement of the pocket squares for something new and festive!

But Honey…. do I *have* to wear a boutonniere??

The biggest complaint we hear from guys about boutonnieres is that they don’t want to wear flowers that close to their face. Most men are just picky, but some have allergies that genuinely prevent them from wearing a bout’. Having flowers farther down in the pocket can be a big relief for men with this problem.

Often times the groom’s boutonniere gets practically destroyed during the activities of your wedding reception. Pocket squares tend to be a little more sturdy than boutonnieres because they aren’t pinned to your tuxedo. The bride is able to comfortably wrap her arms around the grooms neck without fear of crushing flowers or getting pin stuck.

Floral Pocket Squares — Boutonniere Alternative For Proms & Homecomings

Not only will the pocket square stand up to all of the festivities of a wedding reception — just think how perfect this trend is for teens going to homecoming or prom! I don’t know what it is about boys, but they love to take things apart. By the end of prom night, a guys boutonniere is often in 5 different pieces and the pin is stuck in his buddy’s arm. (Hopefully not, but you get the idea.)

With the floral pocket square, there are no pins. The design is attached, usually with glue, to a long insert that fills the pocket. Prom-going teens tend to leave them alone because they are further down on their chest — out of side, out of mind. The pocket square is a great boutonniere alternative, especially for prom, homecoming and other teen events.

Replacing Boutonnieres?

A boutonniere has long been part of the fashion-forward gentlemens fashion. Although the floral pocket square is a trendy up-and-comer, you will never replace a good, old-fashion boutonniere. The key is to find the style that is right for your look and your attire. Consult with your local florist, they are the BEST place to turn when it comes to this decision.

If you are looking for pocket squares, boutonnieres or corsages, contact your town’s local florists. She will help you choose the right floral accessories to fit your event!

This post is brought to you by local Independence MO florists.
Not in Independence? Use Flower Shop Network’s handy directory of real local florists to find a florist near you today!

Filed Under: Trends Tagged With: Boutonniere Alternative, Boutonnieres, Floral Pocket Squares, Homecoming, Prom, Prom Flowers, Prom Trends

FSN’s 2010 Prom Recap

April 27, 2010 by Mandy Maxwell Leave a Comment

Unique Orchid Masterpiece

Do you LOVE prom? We do! Flower Shop Network has really got the school spirit this prom season! We have gone to several proms to take corsage photos. We have interviewed, videoed and photographed florists all over our area doin’ the prom thing. We have also written lots of articles in our blog about prom! (Check here and here.) Not to mention all the [Read more…]

Filed Under: Floral Design, Seasonal Ideas, Trends Tagged With: Corsages, Floral Photography, Prom, Prom Flower Tips, Prom Flowers, Prom Trends, Wrist Corsages

Match Making: Matching Prom Corsage To The Dress

April 19, 2010 by Mandy Maxwell 30 Comments

Friday night, we visited a local prom to get the scoop on this years hottest 2010 Prom Corsage trends! The result? Matching, matching, matching!

A prom corsage is an accessory just like jewelry, shoes, purses, etc. Why would you want a boring, red-rose-and-babys-breath corsage when you’re prom dress is super-fab psychedelic colors? (Which they were. The biggest trend in prom dresses was bright, bold colors!) Fashion savvy girls have really gotten involved with their own prom corsages by attending corsage bar parties.

Another great way they’ve been using technology to help their prom coordinating, is by using cellphone cameras. They can easily go to their florist and show them a picture of their prom dress on their phones. Many florists even let the girls text them the picture so they will have it when they are ready to build their corsage. (Most people now have free picture texts with their phone plans, make sure you are able to receive multi-media messages at no charge before you try this.)

You can see from the above picture, the florist knew her color theory! Blue’s complement is orange, however with the addition purple, the best choice for this vibrant, bright dress was yellow. Love that orchid corsage!

This florist went ALL out for this wild prom corsage! The girl is wearing a pink with black, sequin, polka-dot dress. Obviously, this girl has a [Read more…]

Filed Under: Floral Design, Trends Tagged With: Corsages, Prom, Prom Flower Tips, Prom Flowers, Prom Trends

Shop Talk: A Flower Shop Promposal

1. How did you assist in this promposal?

2. Have you done this before?

3. Why did you decide to assist in the promposal? Did you benefit marketing-wise from this?

4. What ways do you market your shop for prom?

5. What tips can you give teens when it comes to ordering their floral pieces for prom?

6. Any tips for florists during prom season?