Spring flowers are here in NYC. For 41 years, Macy’s has welcomed spring with their annual Flower Show at their flagship location in Herald Square. It truly is a New York City event that is not to be missed. 2015’s event is themed, Art in Bloom and is running from March 22 through April 4. This year Macy’s has added an attraction that can’t be missed. Sure they will have dramatic showpieces, and breath-taking displays of flowers guaranteed to bring a smile to all, but in addition, Starbright is thrilled to have been asked to present a Macy’s floral seminar for the third time. Mark your calendars and set aside Friday, April 3 to come visit it us at Macy’s. This year’s selected topic is classical floral designs with a Starbright spin.
Spring Rapture by Starbright
Macy’s has long been a mainstay of both New York City and America at large. We are proud to have been included in their majestic and spectacular floral extravaganza. Not only does Starbright appreciate being included in this long-standing New York tradition, but we also join Macy’s in welcoming spring and saying thank you to the flora that makes this season sing!
Starbright Floral Design is the “Official Florist of the City that Never Sleeps” and most of the time we deliver flowers, love, passion and hope everywhere in Manhattan and worldwide.
Give us a call, visit our website or pop on in! We would love to meet you….
Passionately yours,
Starbright Floral Design
Located in the heart of New York City’s Historic Flower District
White cymbidium orchid with silver sprayed curly willow
Planning a wedding reception on a budget can be disheartening. But it doesn’t have to be! There are a host of options for couples with refined taste and a restricted budget. One area of the budget that can grow quickly is the tabletop centerpiece. These pieces come in all shapes and varieties and are generally placed at the center of each dinning table. The best centerpieces are designed to coordinate with the rest of the events décor; appropriate centerpieces will help your event’s theme suffuse the space and fill your guests with festive feelings. Many floral centerpieces are selected for their color, texture, or the time of year. They sometimes include decorative items like colored wire, glass beads, or river stones. The size and shape is also variable and sometimes an event may include a number of sizes to represent the guest’s status; the wedding party and family tables are pretty much always identifiable based on the size of the centerpiece.
Starbright Floral Design suggests following a few simple steps to create a stunning tabletop without breaking the budget.
Consider the size of your container
Think about Goldilocks when selecting the size of the floral container. Too small and the flowers may feel insignificant, too big and the flowers will just get in the way. Not sure what size you need? Ask you florist! Starbright’s design consultants and client satisfaction representatives will help guide you to success. Many styles and concepts can be scaled easily to just the size you’re looking for. One such arrangement from Starbright is Give Me Tomorrow. This arrangement features roses cut to fit and fill a square container.
Cut roses look good in any size container!
Consider the flowers
Centerpieces should mimic the overall floral direction. A great way to maximize the consistency is to select one standout bloom from the arrangements that captures the color and feel of the rest of the floral styling. Some of our favorite blooms for this purpose include cymbidium orchids, calla lilies, and amaryllis.
Green cymbidium orchid in small glass cube.
Or, for the adventurous and openminded, consider the unexpectedness of carnations. For outside weddings with a lot of green, one of our favorite potential centerpieces is this guy:
Green Trick makes for an unexpected twist on the classic centerpiece
Consider the style
Another way to keep your centerpieces elegant, on-theme, and within a budget is to consider modern styles; modern arrangements often have a clean look and fewer blooms than traditionally lush arrangements. These pieces can be soft and romantic…
Clean looking callas arranged to fit a small round container.
If you’re planning an event or wedding and thinking about centerpieces, give us a call today! Looking for flowers in New York City? Visit our Event Gallery for inspiration. Or see our daily selection at Starbrightnyc.com.
Planning Florals for a Valentine’s Day Wedding in NYC
Roses and Valentine’s Day are like Peanut Butter and Jelly
Is there anything more romantic than a Valentine’s Day wedding in NYC?
The story of St. Valentine is one of hopeful love. During the time that he lived, soldiers weren’t allowed to marry under Roman law. That wasn’t acceptable for ol’ Val who (as we like to think) believed that if any two people wanted to get married, they should have the right to do so. He married many soldiers despite the harsh laws and harsher punishment – it was the right thing to do – but ultimately, for this practice, he was executed.
It’s been an exciting few years, but just because we all can get married in many states doesn’t mean everyone can get married everywhere yet. This Valentine’s Day, we’ll be looking to St. Valentine as an inspiration because we know there’s nothing more inspiring than watching two individuals embark on a lifelong journey of love and partnership.
So, flowers. Here’s the thing about Valentines Day and flowers – flower shops are pretty-much going to be jam-packed with roses – and sometimes, very little else. If you’re having an an event on Valentine’s Day and you don’t want roses, you need to let your florist know a few weeks in advance. Valentines Day is a bit of a stress on the gears that keep the industry moving – for about 96 hours, all anybody is going to want when they call up the shop is a dozen (or more) roses. All these roses get the shelf space that usually goes to the rest of the inventory – while other flowers are around, they’re in a bit of a short supply compared to the rest of the year. Flower biz is like any other biz – if you let your vendors know what you want with as much “time to go” as possible, you’ll get the flowers you want without any stress.
But, this is Valentine’s Day – you probably totally do want roses. They’re a great choice – your grandma and aunt will think they’re lovely, they’ll smell nice but not too strong, and when the event is done you’ll have a whooooooole bunch of rose petals to strew about everywhere. When you’re designing your rose centerpiece, keep in mind that roses come in lots of lengths, some on very long stems – this is great for creating arrangements with with a lot of height variance. Roses also come in many, many colors – it doesn’t have to be all red and white! You’ll find oranges, pinks, purples and yellows – again, just make sure to mention this to your florist a few weeks before Valentine’s, so they can order what they’ll need and schedule your event into their busiest time.
Composite Rose bouquet by Sokratis
One of Starbright Floral’s amazing designers, put together this composite bouquet to match the latest floral trends walking down the runways. This is a carefully crafted piece made by wiring individual rose petals and arranging them into one giant rose. It’s high on impact, but deceptively low on fuss (in actuality, this takes a long, long time!). While this would make an amazing centerpiece, the time it takes may be prohibitive to the budget. For an alternative rose centerpiece, these pave styles are flawlessly refined.
Pave roses sparkle as a centerpiece
Whatever is in your centerpiece should also be in your boutonniere (you can read all about boutonnieres here). If you’ve got a wedding party, make sure the folk getting wedded are in a different boutonniere from the folk standing up with the couple.
Looking for flowers in New York City? Visit our Event Gallery for inspiration. Or see our daily selection at Starbrightnyc.com.
Starbright celebrates the holidays with Teleflora in New York City!
Hanging on various walls and scattered throughout the shop, are a number of plaques proclaiming Starbright Floral Design as one of the top 50 sellers in the Teleflora network. It’s a great place to be – in the Top 50 of a network including more than 15,000 member florists in the US and Canada. For over twenty years now, Starbright Floral Design has filled and sent orders to this network of talented florists. We’re all unique shops, many of us with our own unique styles, but together, with the stellar design direction of the Teleflora team florists all over are able to send exactly what you’re looking for.
Earlier this week, Jasmine Corzo, a familiar face from the Teleflora design team, stopped into Starbright Floral Design with a camera crew, some clippers and a plan to introduce us to the Telefora holiday centerpieces and seasonal lineup collection for 2014.
The Teleflora arrangements this year remind us of being home for the holidays. The designs include traditional premium floral varieties, which bring out the colors of the season. Pieces like Teleflora’s Candy Cottage and Thomas Kinkade’s Meet Me Under The Mistletoe include winter greens like white pine and noble fir with snowy bright whites and velvety deep reds. Frosted pinecones and peppermint carnations, and big red berries are playful seasonal favorites that add great texture to these lush pieces. But it’s not just about the flowers!
Many of the Teleflora holiday arrangements are made to fit a special seasonal keepsake. While the premium flowers used in these arrangements have a great vase life, the vase they come in will surely be a longtime favorite. You’ll want to bring these cookie jars, mugs, and decorative vases out year after year and reminisce about when Aunt Ana, Grandpa Redd, or your nephew Hugo sent you flowers.
But Wait! There’s more!
As if the fancy flowers and festive vases aren’t enough, sending any item from the Teleflora Homemade For The Holidays Collection comes with a chance to enter their Holiday Sweepstakes to win a trip to NYC!
Looking for flowers in New York City? Visit our Event Gallery for inspiration. Or see our daily selection at Starbrightnyc.com.
Hydrangea, peonies, roses, and orchids get extra dressed up with gilt leaves and golden colored wire. The ruffled texture and rich rosy shades are the type of holiday lush you want to bring home for dinner. The wine and gold coloring of this arrangement makes it suited for the season, without a holiday theme.
There’s nothing like New York during the Holidays and one of the best places to celebrate – Rockefeller Center. Whether you’re planning to visit for the tree lighting (Wednesday, December 3rd!), seeing the 41st annual Merry Tuba Christmas performance (Sunday, December 14th) or going to the Top Of The Rock Rockefeller Center will show you a great time. This arrangement with berries, calla lilies, anthurium, pinecones and winter greens echoes the hustle and excitement of one of our favorite centers of commerce here in NYC.
“Central Park”
This dramatic piece echoes the natural beauty of Frederick Olmsted’s Central Park design. With the arrangement’s classic tribute to the holiday designs of yesteryear you can transform your space into a seasonal winter wonderland…without having to step outside!
Looking for flowers in New York City? Visit our Event Gallery for inspiration. Or see our daily selection at Starbrightnyc.com.
Thanksgiving is just around the corner! How are you dressing up your table?
What’s on your table?
Whether your’e planning the traditional turkey or untraditional take-out, why not get the party started with a festive atmosphere? While the family, the friends, the food, and the football may be Thanksgivings main attractions, it’s amazing what a few additional decorations can do to put people into the holiday mood. Here at Starbright Floral Design we’ve had over twenty years of experience helping hosts and hostesses in New York City find just the right floral spin for their parties. Here are some of our favorites :
1. The Centerpiece
There’s no doubt that the main attraction on any Thanksgiving table is the food. All manner of dishes – roasted, baked, broiled and steamed – somehow need to squeeze onto a table between the place settings. While all the delicious food is a sight for hungry eyes, a floral element will keep the mood going even after the food is all gone. In past posts, Getting Back to Happiness and Scent and Memory – Starbright explored studies that tested the effects flowers have on mood and memory. The findings were pretty conclusive and crucial for any host or hostess to keep in mind. Not only do flowers make people smile more often, they also tend to make experiences more memorable (especially for your elderly guests).
When you’re planning florals for the table, begin with how much room there will be, what the color theme is, and what kind of style is preferred.
Some ideas to consider :
Roses, dahlia, hydrangea and calla lilies
Long and low arrangements are fantastic for a rectangular table. These arrangements look great when they’re filled with lush, colored flowers with a lot of texture.
If you have a more intimate evening planned, an arrangement in a square vase, like the one above, can pack the same amount of presence as it’s long and low cousin. The best part, these centerpieces are still low enough that they won’t get in the way of conversation.
Hosting a party can seem intimidating. One of the tips we often share with nervous dinner party planners is the power of a name card. A hostess or host’s duty is primarily to make their guests feel welcome – their ultimate tool for accomplishing this? A little place card that helps guests identify their “space” for the evening. Whether the seats are assigned or open to whoever lands there first, guests will appreciate the chance to mark their spot for the evening.
In the twenty plus years that Starbright has been working in the floral industry, we’ve seen all manner of fun place card holders. Some of our favorite techniques have involved holding the cards up in the quills of a pincushion protea, between the lobes of a living succulent, or cleverly attached to apples or mini pumpkins.
Matching the cardholders to the centerpiece will keep things looking consistent.
3. Around the House
It can also be fun to play with placing other floral elements around the house. Bud Vases like the below, can be filled with flowers that match you centerpieces and set around the home.
Bud Vases are a great way to subtly stretch your floral theme beyond the dining room.
Or for the traditionalists – the true symbol of the season, a cornucopia, is a great way to dress up a coffee table of sideboard.
Here in New York City, it’s easy to forget about the fields that have been harvested, the geese migrating south for the winter, or the smell of leaves. One of the best ways to remind people of the season is with a fall wreath to greet guests at the door. We like to welcome our seasonal visitors in a BIG way!
Starbright Floral Design’s BIG seasonal welcome wreath
Whatever your theme or floral strategy – Starbright Floral Design is looking forward to helping you dress up your dinner!
Looking for flowers in New York City? Visit our Event Gallery for inspiration. Or see our daily selection at Starbrightnyc.com.
Starbright Floral Design is excited to share a post from our friends over at Project by Project.
16th Annual Tasting Benefit presented by Project by Project
Plate by Plate 2014
The ultimate foodie event of the month is here!
On the evening of Friday, September 26th, not-for-profit organization Project by Project will be hosting it’s 16th annual tasting benefit – Plate by Plate – at the Metropolitan Pavilion! With the generosity of Starbright Floral Design, a returning donor and supporter, the South Pavilion will be decorated with amazing florals to set the mood for this decadent tasting event. Plate by Plate showcases the city’s premiere restaurants in which you’d be getting the chance to mingle with top chefs while tasting some of their finest dishes. Participating restaurants at Plate by Plate includes Thalassa Restaurant, The Sea Grill, Fung Tu, and Yerba Buena Perry–just to name a few. What’s more, aside from satisfying your watering taste buds, net ticket proceeds will be going to one of our nation’s most historical landmarks – Henry Street Settlement.
Founded in 1893 by Progressive reformer and nurse Lillian Wald, the Henry Street Settlement has been a focal point of continuing social services and health care services provided to New Yorkers of all ages. More recently, the Henry Street Settlement has been supporting mental health needs of those facing mental illness, related stigmata, and those that are too culturally and linguistically challenged to address those needs on their own in our diverse community.
So come one, come all and sample some fine cuisine while benefiting such a worthwhile cause that hits the heart of home. Click here for your tickets!:http://platebyplateny2014.eventbrite.com/
Special Discount Code for you: starbright2014
A bonus – guests can take home a wonderful Starbright Floral Design piece after the event!
Tom Sebenius, Creative Director at Starbright Floral Design at the Macy’s Flower Show.
For 39 years, Macy’s has welcomed spring with their annual Flower Show. A celebration of all the joy that flowers and plants bring to our lives, the Herald Square flagship store is decked to the gills with blooms and greens. This year’s event was themed, The Painted Garden and featured arrangements and displays of plants native to South Asia. The dramatic showpiece for this year was a life size elephant, elegantly draped with a blanket of flowering vegetation.
The other highlight of the Flower Show was the second appearance of Starbright Floral Design. We were thrilled to be asked again this year to participate in one of the live floral design demonstration given throughout the two week long show. Starbright’s resident performer/designer, Tom Sebenius lent his flair for the dramatic once again to the cause. This year’s selected topic was succulents.
Tom is demonstrating different floral varieties and how we use them at Starbright Floral Design.
Tom demonstrated how to make a desert inspired planted garden to a knowledge hungry crowd gathered in the Fine China department on the eight floor of Macy’s. Showing how sand, moss and stones will complement the strong and bold architecture of the unique succulents, Tom explained that succulents have become increasingly popular among Starbright customers. Because the Flower Show is a celebration of spring, Tom also demonstrated how he often includes succulents in wedding flowers. Much to the delight of the attendants, Tom fashioned a chic and modern bridal bouquet using orchids, arabicum, folded leaves and succulents that he showed how to wire and tape appropriately.
Macy’s has long been a mainstay of both New York City and America at large. We are proud to have been included in their majestic and spectacular floral extravaganza. Not only does Starbright appreciate being included in this long standing New York tradition, but we also join Macy’s in welcoming spring and saying thank you to the flora that makes this season sing!
Creating a magical garden of succulents before everyone’s eyes!
Starbright Floral Design is the “Official Florist of the City that Never Sleeps” and most of the time we deliver flowers, love, passion and hope everywhere in Manhattan and worldwide.
Give us a call, visit our website or pop on in! We would love to meet you….
Passionately yours,
Starbright Floral Design
Located in the heart of New York City’s Historic Flower District
New York City is filled with choices. Everything you need or want is within the city limits. Some would say NYC was Al Gore’s model of what he envisioned the internet to be; endless choices within minutes. Restaurateurs are keenly aware of the competitiveness of the NYC restaurant market. In view of this market saturation, the finest restaurants in NYC have long since fused culinary arts and interior design with the art of floral design to deliver a dining experience worthy of the discerning customer’s dollar.
Starbright’s unparalleled service and award winning designers have proudly assisted some of the finest restaurants in New York City in delivering a memorable dining experience. No matter what the décor, Starbright’s team is able to complement it with floral designs. Our efforts have led to many accolades from our clientele. We were recently thrilled to be mentioned as the go to florist for the restaurant industry by 4Q Consulting, LLC. 4Q Consulting is a distinguished restaurant consulting company based in NYC. Such an honorable mention by a recognized authority in the industry is truly high praise. I’ve included the full text of the 4Q’s blog piece as an informational piece for all our restaurant clientele. Here it is:
Our clients often ask us if they should have fresh flowers in their restaurants and cited their budget as a reason to forgo them. Fresh flowers that complement your restaurant’s décor and color scheme will instill a warm, welcoming, and hospitable environment. Placing a small, artistically-made arrangement of fresh flowers on each table can raise your diners’ spirits and make them feel welcome, which in turn can help drive repeat business, especially for your local clientele.
The expense of fresh flowers can be mitigated if they are if managed and handled correctly to extend their use. Here are some tips to manage the cost of your floral arrangements:
Choose Wisely – Choosing hearty flowers that last relatively long will be most cost effective. For example when watered regularly, flowers such as hydrangeas and chrysanthemums can last five to seven days. While other flowers might look pretty, replacing them every two or three days can get costly. Work with your florist to select bunches that will bloom, as these can live for up to two weeks if cared for.
Keep Arrangements Simple and in Line with your Overall Décor – Choosing a suitable vase and flower arrangement will depend on your restaurant’s design and theme. If your budget is limited keep it simple: a single stem can go a long way. For instance Cymbidium Orchids come in a variety of colors and can compliment your color palette.
Maintenance – Simple maintenance will help to extend usability. Remove any wilting or discolored flowers as the buds start to blossom. Add water to the vases every day to ensure a fresh supply of nutrients. When not in use, store the flower arrangements in the fridge. Work with your florist on how to make your flowers last even longer. Some florists suggest using a flower preservative or placing two drops of bleach into the water to preserve the petals and to prevent bacteria growth; check with your florist as methods depend on flower type.
Build a Relationship with your Local Florist – Build a rapport with your florist. When you have a strong working relationship with a vendor they are more likely to work with you on price, advise you of new stock or product and perhaps offer services not normally available (i.e. on-site servicing of arrangements, changing out vases, etc.). When you have a friendly rapport with your florist, you will receive a higher level of service. Once this relationship is established, the local florist is much more likely to work with you on payment terms, recommend your restaurant to their clients, and be open to cross marketing and promotions.
Fresh Flowers in your restaurant need not be expensive if done properly and can even help drive business. Cut fresh flowers can set you apart from your competition, drive repeat business and give you opportunity establish a beneficial vendor partner.
Tulips are at that peak of their season. The Dutch varieties come in amazing colors!
New Yorkers it is time to rejoice. Spring flowers are here to whisk away the winter blues. Bright colored blossoms a plenty. A plethora of flowers to choose from. Where do I start? A good place would be with perhaps the most symbolic and popular images of spring; the Dutch Tulip.
Originally a wildflower growing in Central Asia, the Tulip was introduced in Europe and the Netherlands in the 17th century. Colors, textures and shapes never seen before contributed to the Tulip’s meteoric rise in popularity amongst Europe’s elite.
Today they are commercially available all year long but their vibrancy and quality are peaking in springtime.
Starbright is fortunate to be situated in New York’s Flower Market making every variety and color Tulip available to our clientele. Let Starbright Floral NYC help liberate those spring smiles from the winter blues with flower delivery in NYC. Choose from a vast array of springtime NYC flowers from Starbright’s Springtime Collection.
For pictures follow this link. Click here for another blog entry on Dutch Tulips!
This scribe is brought to you by Starbright Floral Design, NYC, Voted NYC’s “Best” florist. Along the way we try to find and write about the fun side of flowers. Starbright NYC delivers flowers all over the world for the endless romantics everywhere.
Starbright Floral Design is the “Official Florist of the City that Never Sleeps” and most of the time we deliver flowers, love, passion and hope everywhere in Manhattan and worldwide.
Give us a call, visit our website or pop on in! We would love to meet you….
Passionately yours,
The Official Florist
Starbright Floral Design
Located in the heart of New York City’s Historic Flower District
Looking for flowers in New York City? Visit our 
Blooming Thoughts 