Starbright Floral Design: Our Press Kit

Hot off the press this is our updated Press Kit.  It will be distributed to all our friends, corporate clients and to all who consider us as  their florist in the years to come.  To share with our readers and to give everyone an idea of what the Starbright brand stands for, the accomplishments of our team and to let everyone know what we have been up to, we are posting our corporate resume on Blooming Thoughts…. Thank you to everyone for a wonderful seventeen years!

We raise our glass to everyone that helped us get here and contributed so much along the way.  Our clients, the concierges at the hotels we serve, the venues, the event planners, our corporate clients, those who have trusted us with sending flowers to your loved ones… AND of course the entire Starbright Team.  Everyone who has passed through our doors has left their mark.  Thank you for all you  taught us and the footprint you left behind.  Here is to a bright future to everyone we know… Thank you!

Nic Faitos, Senior Partner – Starbright Floral Design

“The Official Florist of the City that Never Sleeps”

“Located in the Heart of New York City’s Historic Flower District”

Flowers, Festivals & Celebrations… It is what we do!

 

A BRIEF HISTORY OF STARBRIGHT FLORAL DESIGN

Starbright was founded in 1994 as a corporate and institutional florist in New York City with a mission to serve the non-walk-in and non-retail trades.  The focus has always been to serve the corporate floral and decorating needs of our clients.

We occupy production and administration space in a loft on 28th street in the center of the wholesale flower market.  Starbright is open seven days a week from 8am to 8pm.

In the past sixteen plus years we have had the opportunity to develop relationships and execute events at the most known venues throughout Manhattan including most hoteliers and restaurateurs.  In excess of two-hundred of the city’s top concierges at the leading hotels of Manhattan use us as their go-to florist.

Today Starbright is positioned to execute its plans for growth into the future with exemplary customer service and a quality product at a fair price.  Protecting the standard of quality and service that we have set over the years is our priority.  We will always be known as a supplier that offers a customer experience that earns five stars at every level; from the first encounter on the telephone to the execution of our client requests.

‘’When the history books write the Starbright Story, we will be judged kindly if we remembered to always do our best, give everyone we meet a smile and lead our industry with innovation, creativity, quality and service.’’

Statement of Mission, Starbright Floral Design, 14 September 1994.

 

 

 

 

 

CAPABILITIES AND SERVICES

Sending Flowers Anywhere – Through our private network of florists we are able to send exquisite floral gifts (as well as gourmet baskets and plants) anywhere around the world.  From our own store we can deliver anywhere in Manhattan even if the order comes in late in the afternoon.  With about three or four hours notice we can send flowers anywhere in the USA during local business hours.

Weekly Flowers – Seasonal flower varieties in a vase that will alter in style from time to time. The floral varieties will vary with the season and in no two weeks will either the flowers or the design be identical.  The designs will be sculpted to blend seamlessly and complement your décor and replenished weekly.

Event Décor – No event is too big or too small to receive the personalized service and expertise of an experience Starbright representative.  From holiday parties, client hospitality events as well as events at any venue in New York City (or beyond) we can provide consulting services and decorations at any level. Most of the recognized venues in New York City are familiar with Starbright Floral Design as we have decorated at most places on multiple occasions (Ellis Island, Madison Square Garden, The Plaza Hotel, and many others). We welcome you to review a sampling of our work at www.starflor.com

Human Resources and Client Gifting – We are fully capable of delivering a gift of flowers, plant or fruit and gourmet baskets anywhere in the United States on a same day basis and with 48 hours notice worldwide. At any budget that you may have, we will be happy to provide gift flora at anytime and anywhere. As part of our commitment to HR we can either help implement or follow existing flower policies set by our clients.

Plant Maintenance – To many of our clients we provide lush phalaenopsis orchid plants for a pre-set monthly fee and we arrive at the office once weekly to take care of all the orchid plants. When the orchids are fully bloomed and start to drop their flowers we replace the plants with new ones (once about every six weeks) at no additional cost to our client.

Employee Discounts – We offer our services at a discounted rate to the employees of all the companies that we work with. Once our relationship is established, employee who calls upon us and identifies his/her affiliation will receive a discount on any floral (or related) gift that they send at anytime, anywhere to anyone. This is a benefit that they can use repeatedly and has virtually no limitations beyond a low minimum of $35.

We are also involved with many clients and PR firms to create a variety of Co-Branding, Continuity and Cross-Promotional Programs.

 

STORE HOURS

  • We are open and delivering seven days per week.
  • Our Monday to Saturday hours are 8AM to 8PM.
  • Sunday we are open from 9AM to 6PM.

 

CREDENTIALS

Starbright Floral Design is a member of the following professional organizations:

  • NYC & Company – the tourism marketing arm of New York City. We have donated for all their events (including Annual Meetings, Galas, POW WOW, etc) since 1994.
  • Society of American Florists – This is the lobbying body for all florists and cut flower growers in Washington DC. Nic Faitos (our Senior Partner) has been an invited speaker on a variety of subjects with the organization’s conferences, annual meetings, etc.  Additionally, Starbright is regularly quoted in SAF’s industry magazine, Floral Management.
  • HSMAI – The Hospitality Sales and Marketing Association International.
  • Chamber of Commerce – New York City
  • Teleflora – a recognized leader in flower-by-wire services throughout the world. Starbright Floral Design ranks in the top 50 members in an organization of over 20,000 members worldwide.

 

Recognitions and Awards:

  • The highest rated and most reviewed florist based on user reviews online (five stars across the board) on sites such as Citysearch, Google, Yelp and the like.
  • Was awarded “Best of” by Citysearch users.
  • Selected as “best florist” for weddings by The Knot.

 

CLIENT ROSTER SAMPLING

  • The New York Marriott Marquis
  • All W properties in New York City
  • Gramercy Park Hotel
  • British Airways
  • Ernst & Young
  • BBVA
  • NYU Dental School
  • Baruch College of Business
  • Columbia University Teacher’s College
  • The Kitano New York
  • Open Hospitality
  • Axel Johnson
  • Edelman PR
  • Quintessentially
  • NYC & Company
  • Oscar de la Renta
  • The NBA
  • Jimmy Choo
  • Benjamin Steakhouse
  • Spirit Cruises
  • American Eagle Outfitters
  • World Yacht
  • VISA USA

 

NOT-FOR-PROFIT ORGANIZATIONS THAT WE SUPPORT

  • The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society
  • Big Brothers / Big Sisters of New York City
  • Jumpstart
  • Coalition for the Homeless
  • The Ronald McDonald House
  • Fashion Fights Cancer

TO LEARN MORE ABOUT OUR ORGANIZATION….

Our website:

www.starflor.com

Our e-commerce portal:

www.starbrightnyc.com

Our Web Log:

Starbrightfloral.wordpress.com

Social Media:

www.facebook.com/StarbrightFloralDesign

www.twitter.com/#!/starbrightFD

LinkedIn Profiles:

www.linkedin.com/ (search: Starbright Floral Design and Nic Faitos)

150 West 28th Street – Studio 201 – New York City – 10001

800.520.8999

Remembering: Our Grandparents

“To forget one’s ancestors is to be a brook without a source, a tree without a root.” Chinese Proverb.

National Grandparents Day is a national holiday celebrated the first Sunday of September after Labor Day of each year.  This year the holiday falls on September 11.

The holiday was created by former President Jimmy Carter by proclamation in 1978 (believed by many to be his greatest; some would say only; accomplishment as president). The statute cites the day’s purpose as: “…to honor grandparents, to give grandparents an opportunity to show love for their children’s children, and to help children become aware of strength, information, and guidance older people can offer”.

Grandparents are a family’s greatest treasure.  They are the defenders of our family traditions.  They are the foundation upon which a strong family structure is built.  They provide a special kind of love that sets them apart.   Grandparents have the ability convey knowledge while providing a seeming endless supply of cookies.  However, despite their wisdom, some answers still elude them.  For example, my mother told me that one of life’s greatest mysteries was how the girl who wasn’t good enough to marry her wonderful son (my wife) can be the mother of the smartest grandchild (my son) in the world.  I guess my gene pool won out.

The official flower of the U.S. National Grandparents Day is the forget-me-not.  Interestingly, forget about giving the official flower as a gift on Grandparents day, it blooms in the spring and is not available.  Accordingly, seasonal flowers are typically given in appreciation to grandparents.

Happy Grandparents Day to all!

This scribe is brought to you by all of us at Starbright Floral Design.  The Official Florist of the City that Never Sleeps.  Flowers, Festivals and  Celebrations… It is what we do!

To visit our website: http://starflor.com/

Our E-Commerce Portal: http://www.starbrightnyc.com/ (to send flowers in New York City or worldwide)

Our number is 800.520.8999 – we look forward to hearing from you and maybe meeting you one day soon!

“…the grass is greener and flowers smell wonderful.” Bill Ludwig

All of us at Starbright Floral Design try to give back to our community as much and as often as we possibly can.  From time to time we find something that is newsworthy that involves one of the not-for-profit organizations that we work with.

Doing some simple surfing on the web (note to employers: let your employees surf!) found some very interesting articles, paraphrased them and is contributing to this blog entry.  Our comitment to the Leukemia and  Lymphoma Society is never ending.  We hope that this results in a cure… Please take the time to read on.  It is a great post that is full of hope.

Bill Ludwig is a grateful man today, a year after he was told that within weeks he would die from his leukemia. Then he received an experimental treatment.

Traditional therapies such as chemotherapy and radiation may hold the disease at bay, but are not cures and have significant side effects.   Until now the only known cure has been a painful, dangerous and ineffectual bone marrow transplant.

Research published by doctors at the University of Pennsylvania in the New England Journal of Medicine studying experimental treatment given to three patients says the treatment made the most common type of leukemia completely disappear in two of the patients and reduced it by 70 percent in the third. Each patient had up to five pounds of cancerous tissue melt away within a few weeks and a year later it is still gone.

HOW IT WORKS

Certain types of white blood cells were removed from the patients.  The cells were altered by using the HIV virus (modified harmless version) to insert of a series of genes.  The process produced white blood cells designed to target and kill cancer cells.  After developing large batches of these cancer targeting white blood cells, they were injected back into the patients.  The implanted cells then reproduced and relentlessly hunted and killed the cancer cells in the blood, bone marrow and lymph tissue.  As the white cells killed the cancer cells, the patients experienced the fevers and aches and pains that one would expect when the body is fighting off an infection, but beyond that the side effects were minimal.

WHY HAS THIS REMARKABLE TREATMENT BEEN TRIED ON ONLY THREE PATIENTS? 

The answer is funding.  Money for this research came from private sources.  Starbright is a firm believer in giving back to our community.  Each year we humbly donate our services to charitable organizations and causes as diverse as the great city for which we owe our success to.  Our objective is to assist, in a small way; these organizations raise the necessary funds to achieve their goals.  Among the organizations we have proudly contributed is the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society (LLS).  The mission of the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society is to cure Leukemia, Lymphoma, Hodgkins disease and Myeloma, and improve the quality of life of patients and their families.  Last year, LLS invested $72 million in 400 research projects in the U.S., Canada and 11 other countries, including $25.3 million in 38 research projects in the New York City area.  Every dollar is treasured, especially in these difficult economic times.  If it is within your means and wish to contribute to this great cause please visit their website at www.LLS.org/nyc.

This scribe is brought to you from all of us at Starbright Floral Design.  We are big supporters of all things to eradicate Leukemia.  We hope that you will join us in contributing to this fight.

If you would like to read more about Starbright, who we are and the scope of the work that we do, please visit our website.

If you would like to place an order for flowers (worldwide delivery), please visit our e-commerce portal.

Thank you!

The Starbright Team

 

Should baseball ban players from wearing Jasmine flower wreaths?

Every now and again we like to present the fun side of flowers and to inject a bit of humor into our scribes.  The last time we did this, we brought you the genetically engineered Pearl Rose on April Fool’s Day 2011.  See entry here.  There are many baseball fans at Starbright and many teams are represented here.  The New York Yankees take center stage.  Our very own Ted Dee has some thoughts about baseball and how flowers can enhance performance  and the game.  Read on!

Major league baseball has been battling an image problem for years.  The problem stems from steroid use by players seeking to get an unfair edge over their peers.  The public’s outrage over what were perceived to be cheaters was real.  Players were heroes one day and villains the next.  Major League Baseball reacted (a little too slowly) to the problem by implementing a drug testing policy.  Baseball claims its policies are designed to create an even playing field bringing the game back to its pure days.  The federal government jumped on this hot button issue and have spent millions of dollars trying to prosecute Roger Clemons and Barry Bonds.  Steroids have been proven to increase strength and speed.  However, their effect on hand-eye coordination is believed to be negligible.  If Major League Baseball’s goal is to level the playing field and allow us to fairly compare today’s players to our heroes of yesteryear, then shouldn’t they ban substances proven to enhance a person’s hand/eye coordination?

Baseball players are always looking for an edge over their rivals.  Thus the growth of the silly nylon wrapped titanium necklaces worn by many of the Boston Red Sox players.  Those necklaces have not shown any benefits other than a placebo like psychological boost.  Yet, Major League Baseball spent millions in deciding whether a ban should be proposed.

It is undeniable, based on numerous studies, that flower scents have a real and quantifiable effect on the people smelling them.  Dr. Alan Hirsch, director of the Smell & Taste Treatment and Research Foundation, has conducted numerous studies of the effect of various flowers scents on humans.  According to Dr. Hirsch, “Jasmine’s scent triggers beta waves in the front of the head…” and thereby increasing hand/eye coordination.  The scent of Jasmine has been proven to enhance athletic performance in sports requiring concentration and hand/eye coordination.  As a baseball fan eager to avoid another black eye on the face of the game’s legacy I urge the league to be proactive.  Waiting until a player dripping in Jasmine oil hits 100 home runs is too late.  Thus far, my warnings have fallen upon deaf ears at the commissioner’s office.  I hope something is done soon.  However, until something is done I will continue to send a bushel of Jasmine flower branches to the NY Yankees weekly.

Starbright Floral Design is located in the heart of New York City’s Historic Flower District.  We are in a second floor loft space from where our customer’s orders get dispatched.  To learn more about our organization and the work that we do, we would like to invite you to visit our website at www.starflor.com or you may call us at 800.520.8999.  Either way, we will be thrilled to hear from you and to be of service.

Starbright delivers flowers in Manhattan (our home city) as well as world-wide.  In addition to flowers, plants, fruit and gourmet baskets, balloons and the like we are also a go-to florist for events both corporate and personal.  Flowers, Festivals & Celebrations…. It is what we do!

Wishing you a wonderful  day!

Starbright Floral Design

The Official Florist of the City that Never Sleeps.

website: starflor.com

to order flowers: starbrightnyc.com

by phone: 800.520.8999

150 West 28th Street, Studio 201, New York City –

August Birth Flower: Gladiolus (U.S.) or Poppy (U.K.)

Gladiolus

Gladiolus has been dubbed the flower of the Gladiators.   It represents strength of character, sincerity, generosity.  In the Victorian age with its secret language of flowers it was said to represent “love at first sight”. Gladiolus derives its name from the latin word for sword and is sometimes called the sword lily.  As a member of the iris family it contains about 260 species.   Only about 10 are native to Europe the rest are native to southern Africa.  The species vary from very small to the spectacular giant flower spikes you see in floral designs. The flower stalk of the Gladiolus contains an extended row of trumpet-shaped, fragrant flowers, all of which face in one direction. Their colors include pink to reddish or light purple with white, contrasting markings, or white to cream or orange to red.

 

Poppy

All species of poppies are attractive and most are cultivated as ornamental plants.   In Europe the poppy is a common weed and found in many locales including Flanders, the setting for the famous poem by the Canadian surgeon and soldier John McCrae “In Flanders Fields”.  However, A few species are cultivated as sources of drugs and foods. The opium poppy is so widely used, for both drugs and food, that its worldwide production is monitored by international agencies. It produces opium, opiates, poppy seeds and poppy seed oil.

Poppies have long been used as a symbol of both sleep and death.  Sleep because of the opium extracted from them, and death because of the common blood-red color of the red poppy.  In Greek and Roman myths, poppies were used as offerings to the dead.  Poppies used as emblems on tombstones symbolize eternal sleep.

In the United Kingdom poppies are traditionally worn on lapels each November in remembrance of those who died serving their country (symbol coming from Flanders Field).  In November 2010 the U.K.’s prime minister and his aides wore the poppies on their lapels during a visit to China nearly causing an international incident and damaging relations between the two countries.  The Chinese took offense because the poppy reminds the Chinese of the many Chinese who died at the hands of the English during the Opium wars fought in the 1800’s.  The Chinese insisted the Poppies be removed.  The Prime Minister informed the Chinese that poppies meant a great deal to them and the English people and refused to remove them.

Artificial poppies (called “Buddy Poppies”) are used by the Veterans of Foreign Wars as a source of financial assistance to disabled veterans who assemble them.  VFW conducted its first poppy distribution before Memorial Day in 1922, becoming the first veterans’ organization to organize a nationwide distribution. The poppy soon was adopted as the official memorial flower of the Veterans of Foreign Wars of the United States. Today, VFW Buddy Poppies are still assembled by disabled and needy veterans in VA Hospitals.   The minimal cost of Buddy Poppies to VFW units provides compensation to the veterans who assemble the poppies, provides financial assistance in maintaining state and national veterans’ rehabilitation and service programs and partially supports the VFW National Home for orphans and widows of our nation’s veterans.

This scribe is brought to you by your friends at Starbright Floral Design… We are an enthusiastic bunch that spends our day making really cool compositions of flowers. Bright colors,  great designs and  amazing service to our clients is what we are all about.  Starbright is located in the heart of New York City’s Historic Flower District in a second floor loft space.  We spend our days making flower arrangements that we send as gifts on behalf of our clients.  People call us for a bunch of reasons (1 800 520 8999)… Sometimes to say “sorry”, other times to wish someone well during an illness or to congratulate on one of life’s major milestones.  Sometimes people call us because the caught the romantic influenza and they think someone is super sexy! We even get some really shy customers that don’t know what to say on  the card and need lots of help!

For world-wide delivery of flowers, be sure  to visit our website at www.starflor.com.  We would love to hear from you!

To place  an order for amazing flowers online go to:  www.starbrightnyc.com

Our warmest regards,

 

The Official Florist of the City that Never Sleeps

Starbright Floral Design, 150 West 28th Street, New York City.

We are on the SECOND floor!

1 800 520  8999

www.starflor.com

 

 

Spin the color wheel! Dos and Don’ts of Wedding Colors

To be bold or subdued; bright or muted; classic or trendy… should the colors complement the venue or your complexions?  Does my mother have to wear a matching dress?  Invitations, bridesmaid dresses, table linens, vests and neckties and of course the flowers are just a sample of items affected by the color scheme a couple chooses for their wedding.  Since color can set the tone, it is best to choose wisely.  Through my years as a designer, I’ve seen some fun combinations.  Some color schemes have been more successful than others.  Over time, I’ve developed some dos and don’ts that I have shared with countless couples.  Although I contend that there are no rules when planning a wedding, I’m always willing to share my opinion on choosing a winning color combination. 

Don’t Go for Complements:

Most brides and grooms are familiar with the idea of complementary colors.  The three primary colors of red, blue and yellow are placed opposite their corresponding complementary color on the color wheel.  Blue is paired with orange, yellow with purple and red with green.  You will notice that the primary color is paired with the secondary color that is made by mixed the other two primaries.  This creates a bold and loud contrast between the colors.  These color combinations are often used for things like gas-station logos, or sports team uniforms.  The contrast between the colors catches the eye and forces the viewer to take notice.  When trying to use these colors together in floral design, it’s very difficult to fight off thoughts of the Mets or the Lakers.  Red and green together also bring their own unique challenge of constantly conjuring thoughts of Christmas for many of us.  For these reasons, I suggest trying to avoid using complementary colors as the basis for wedding décor. 

Do Go for A Bold Statement:

While complementary colors may be too bold a choice for most, it is a great idea to choose at least one bold color to inform the design.  Purple, fuchsia and orange seem to be the go-to colors these days for couples looking for a pop of color.  Vibrant and rich tones such as these can provide a warmth and personality to the occasion without detracting from the proceedings.  When choosing a bold pop, I suggest limiting the palette to just one bright tone.  This brings me to my next tip.

Do Go Green:

Green is your friend.  I frequently suggest adding lime green to the floral arrangements we make for weddings.  If a bride or groom favors a brilliant tone such as purple or orange, adding a touch of green into the mix tends to heighten and embolden the arrangements.  Green is a neutral color and is found in abundance in nature.  Green “goes” with everything!  (Although it’s good to keep in mind the challenges when pairing red and green, Jingle Bells…)  It’s soothing and calming qualities pair beautifully with the lush colors found in the floral world. 

Don’t Count out the Classic:

A white wedding seems to have become a less popular choice these days.  Perhaps with all the fantastic color options found both in fabrics and flowers, couples would rather have more fun with the color palette.  This is understandable, however white has been the traditional wedding color because it’s clean, pure, and simple and it allows for the couple to be the stars of the day.  There are also so many flowers available in white; it’s easy to make arrangements interesting by using different textures, shapes and scales.  This is another instance when lime green can be helpful.  It’s also a good idea to choose one color to add into the mix of white.  One of my favorite weddings used all white flowers with accents of huge and lush coral colored peonies.  Simple and chic, this color scheme still resonates with me all these years later.  It was unique and yet remains a classic and elegant choice.

Don’t Tempt the Humor Gods:

If you’ve never seen your color combination used at a wedding, there might be a reason.  Sometimes when a couple chooses to be unique, it can backfire.  I’ve had to explain to a bride and groom why yellow and brown is not a great choice for a color scheme.  Without going into the specifics of why, (think about it people, yellow and brown… really?) certain color combinations elicit subconscious responses or connotations.  It’s the same reason why yellow and black can be difficult to use together; taxi cabs and bumble bees!  Yellow and red always makes me think of Ronald McDonald and ketchup and mustard.  These are not thoughts I want to have at your wedding! 

Don’t Over Indulge:

No matter what colors are finally chosen, don’t fall into the trap of thinking that everything has to be covered in these tones.  You don’t have to dye your Maltese puppy to match the bridesmaid’s dresses.  It will be just fine.  Choose key locations and items for the colors to be used.  You don’t want your guests to feel like they just stepped into a Pepto-Bismol bottle if your color happens to be pink.  Touches here and there will suffice.  Also, everything doesn’t have to be the exact same shade or hue.  I have learned to beware of the bride who carries the Pantone chip!  Relax! 

Do Listen to Our Advice but…:

We have seen it all… or close to it anyway.  Your vendors have been involved with hundreds of events and weddings.  Most of the time, our advice is free and is often given weather you ask or not.  We will tell you if your colors won’t work or if they should be rethought.  Although we can offer some sage wisdom, remember that it’s your day and your decision should be the final word.  You write the check so ultimately you must be happy with the colors you chose.  Maybe you are both huge Lakers fans.  So go for it!  Don’t let us get in your way. 

This scribe is brought to you by Tom Sebenius.  Tom is a longtime Starbright employee, team leader and Creative Director.  More brides have written online reviews about Tom’s work after their wedding than anyone in the industry that I know.  We are proud to have Tom on the Starbright team.  He is anal, demands a lot from me (I am his boss) and I put up with as much as a restauranteur puts up with from his Chef.  Truth be told, I know that at  the end of the day, Tom’s work is what built our brand and what has helped maintained our Gold Standard in customer service.  Tom will always do what is right for our client and knows that preserving our reputation is the most important function of all.

Starbright Floral Design is located in  the Heart of New York City’s Historic Flower District in a second floor loft space.  We offer all the services that a traditional florist would except that our home  is not a store  front that you would walk on by.  Our focus has always been on providing the highest quality flowers (we import directly from really exotic places), amazing customer service and really cool designs.  When you have a free moment please visit our website at www.starflor.com where you will be able to gain a clearer perspective on our organization and the work that we do.  You may also call us at 800.520.8999 – we would love to hear from you! 

Warm regards,

The Official Florist

Starbright Floral Design – www.starflor.com

Located at 150 West 28th Street, Studio 201, New York City

(between 6th and 7th Avenues)

1.800.520.8999

Marriage Equality: (More) Cause for Celebration!

I know exactly what I want my wedding flowers to look like.  Considering that I have met with and executed the flowers for at least a hundred brides during my career as a floral designer, I’ve definitely had the opportunity to formulate my own ideas about my big day.  It was only until a couple of weeks ago that the fantasy was granted the chance to become a reality.  The New York State Assembly voted to extend the right to marry to same-sex couples, thus allowing the dreams of countless loving couples to finally come true.   No, I haven’t recently become engaged.  I will still have to be content with making other people’s boutonnières and centerpieces.  However, now my pool of potential brides and grooms will include a lot more grooms and grooms and brides and brides!  Talk about a reason to celebrate!

Many times I am asked what the differences are between a same-sex wedding and the standard wedding we have been accustomed to.  Truthfully, there isn’t a difference.  Of course, if two men are getting married, it is likely I will not need to make a bridal bouquet.  Other than that, the differences are hard to find.  The emotions, politics, logistics, and ultimately the flowers are practically the same.  Color schemes are agonized over, seating charts are adjusted and the merits of orchids and roses are debated by couples no matter their gender or sexual orientation.

It’s important as a wedding vendor to keep compassion and equanimity in mind when dealing with gay and lesbian couples.  This new marriage equality should inspire equal treatment and consideration across the board.  Most couples will be looking forward to meeting and speaking with a vendor who is as excited about the big day as the couple themselves.  Florists would be wise to be inspired by the joy and new sense of validation and empowerment that their same-sex couples will exhibit while planning their wedding ceremony and reception.  What a beautiful gift our care and enthusiasm will be for these formally disenfranchised pairs.

Of course I am totally biased on this subject.  Growing up, I would have never thought that gay marriage would be a reality.  That certainly never stopped me from contemplating what color peonies I would match with purple Dutch hydrangea for my centerpieces.  I’ve also been blessed with a loving boyfriend who I know wouldn’t judge me for wanting to hold a bridal bouquet if we were to ever get married one day.  (Do you know how many bridal bouquets I’ve made???!!!  I get to have one of my own!!!)  I’m lucky that I’ll never have to risk meeting with a vendor who would try to talk me out of what I want and what I’ve dreamed about for my wedding day.  I hope and pray that the same will be true for all the other gay and lesbian couples who wish to celebrate their union with their friends and families.  Best wishes, Mazel Tov and congratulations to us all.

This scribe is brought to you by Tom Sebenius.  Tom is Starbright Floral Design’s Creative Director and has a part of the Starbright team for most of the modern history of our company. Tom has made countless brides happy and has created some truly magical Starbright moments.  Tom is our most published contributor to floral industry publications and probably the most reviewed floral stylist on all the major online review sites.  We consistently earn five-star reviews on the likes of Citysearch mainly through Tom’s insistence on quality and attention to detail.  A proud member of our team and  a true artist.  Everyone  at Starbright is thrilled that we will one day witness Tom’s ceremony and cannot wait to see  what his creativity brings out on THAT special day! Stay tuned….

Starbright Floral Design is located in the heart of New York City’s historic flower district in a second floor loft at 150 West 28th Street.  Our services include local, national and worldwide flower delivery as well as consultation and execution of social and corporate events.  To learn more about us and the type of work that we do, please visit our website at www.starflor.com.  You may also go directly to our online portal for ordering gifts at www.starbrightnyc.com or to our Event Gallery to see thousands of photographs from our recent work. You may also call us at 1.800.520.8999.  We are always thrilled to hear from you and to be of service in every way possible….

Our warmest regards,

The Official Florist of the City That Never Sleeps

Starbright Floral Design

 

July Birth Flower: Larkspur

The Larkspur

Never heard of it?  Ask a cowboy and chances are you’ll get an expletive filled description of this beautiful flower.   The flower is low maintenance and grows freely in the wild.  It’s when it makes its way to grazing pastures that cowboys have a problem with the larkspur.  It is highly poisonous to cattle and has led to untold numbers of deaths.  The larkspur is a tall beautiful flower variation of the delphinium.  The long spike of the flower reminded people of the nose of a dolphin.  Delphinium is Greek for “dolphin”. The spike also reminded some people of parts of the lark, thus the name larkspur (Shakespeare referred to it as lark’s heel).  Like characteristics of the people born in July the flower stands for lightheartedness and levity.

The larkspur is a great addition to any tall floral arrangement.  Its tall, beautiful spikes come in a variety of colors and accentuate the beauty of all its surrounding flowers or can stand on its own.   The flowers typically bloom in the summer months between  June and September.  Found throughout the world today, its origin can be traced back to the birthplace of civilization, Greece. Shortly after the death of Achilles, at the behest of Athena (Achilles’ mother) it was decided that his armor was to be given to the bravest Greek warrior.  Having proven himself in battle repeatedly and even personally rescuing the armor and body of Achilles from the Trojans, Ajax was the odds on favorite.  To the dismay of most, particularly Ajax, the armor was awarded to Odysseus instead.  Dejected and disgraced, Ajax killed himself.  The Scarlet larkspur began to grow where Ajax’s blood was spilled.  Today, the scarlet larkspur occurs naturally in coastal climates. Canyons and its surrounding areas are a favorite for the Orange larkspur. Blue larkspur is common in the southeastern United States.

Aside from its aesthetic qualities, larkspur has medicinal value as well.  The seeds are ground to a powder and used to treat toothaches.  In the civil war, soldiers used the powder in their hair to kill lice.  Transylvanians used the blue variation of the flower to ward off witches.  New Yorkers include it in their floral displays to ward off the blues.

These scribes are brought to you by Starbright Floral Design.  We are a premier florist in New York City located in the heart of the Historic Flower District.  We deliver flowers for any occasion worldwide.  Our loft is located on the second floor (Studio 201) at 150 West 28th Street.  You may visit us online at www.starflor.com or you may call us at 800.520.8999.  Or better yet, you can pop in and visit us in person!  We would love to meet you and hear from you as well!

Don’t forget to “like us” on Facebook so that you can keep up with all that is happening in our world and see all kinds of beautiful floral compositions form right before your eyes!

We are thrilled to be of service to you….

The Official Florist of the City That Never  Sleeps

Starbright Floral Design

1.800.520.8999

starflor.com

Our Work: Our Latest in Floral Compositions

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Check out the photos in this album they are the latest additions to our website in our Event Gallery.  We invite you to visit our site at www.starflor.com where you can click on  the EVENT link to see our entire portfolio of over 2000 photos of our actual work.

By clicking on the GIFTS link you will go to our e-commerce portal where you can select from a wide array of gifts to send to your friends and loved ones.  Some of the flower selections that are in our gift section  are available for delivery on a national level, while others (Starbright Exclusives – Modern and Starbright Exclusives – Traditional) are available in our own delivery area of Manhattan.  Looking for something but cannot decide what flowers to send?  Designer’s Choice is a great alternative!  Here is a link to a past blog entry that talks about why Designer’s Choice is your best selection and why this is where you get the best value in flora.

About Us: Starbright Floral Design is located in the heart of New York City’s Historic Flower District.  We are located at 150 West 28th Street (between 6th and 7th Avenues in an amazing loft space – Studio 201).  We have been serving the corporate, special event and hospitality industries since 1994.

To gain a broader perspective on who we are and the work we do, we invite you to visit our website at www.starflor.com.

See you soon!

Nic and the entire Starbright Team…

Flowers: The Feel-Good Medicine Series. Part One: Color

Many theories have been put forth trying to explain the relationship (the cause and effect) between flowers and the blissful emotions they generate.  Today we begin a blog series that will take us on a journey through the therapeutic world of flowers in search of the answer to the question.  Why do flowers make us feel good?

Seeing flowers in every color is an uplifting experience!

COLOR:

The first theory of why flowers make us feel so good is rooted in the psychological effects of color.  Several ancient cultures (the Chinese, the Egyptians) believed they could heal ailments using color.  This is known as Chromo-therapy.  Still used in today’s holistic medicine, color has been shown to have  an impact on one’s mood…

Blue brings calmness and serenity.  There seems to be a mental association between night and the color blue.  Several municipalities have even seized on the theory and installed blue street lighting.  In 2000 Glasgow installed blue lighting to improve its landscape.  It was later reported that the crime rate was reduced in areas that had blue lighting!  In a similar effort to reduce agressive driving, Tokyo installed 152 blue lights on a stretch of highway in 2001.

Pink is associated with love and romance.  There is even a shade of pink called Drunk Tank Pink.  Click on this link to read all about this shade of pink!

Green is the color that symbolizes nature and the natural world.  Researchers have found that green can invoke feelings of good fortune, health and tranquility.

Red is a  bright, warm color that evokes strong emotions.  Red is often associated with love, warmth and comfort.  Red is also considered a strong, even angry color, that creates intense feelings, even excitement.  Consider the many ways that the color red is used in a phrase or colloquialism: red-neck, red-hot, red-handed, paint-the-town-red, seeing-red, the-red-eye.

Every color imaginable is represented by one flower or another. Although it is clear from study after study that color has an effect on people’s moods, these effects are not always positive.  What is certain is that any flower in any color will have a positive effect on those who receive and enjoy them.  It might be a bit of a leap to say that flowers of one particular color have a more positive  effect than flowers of another color.

The moral of the story?  Send someone flowers! If you know their favorite color, then that is great! If not, all the colors are beautiful and you can send those.  Flowers do make people happy and the bright vivid colors bring us joy and happiness.  They lift us up, the help our spirits rise and most of all they make us smile. Send someone flowers today and sit back and wait for the phone to ring.  The enthusiasm that comes through the telephone line will astound you!  What other research do you really need in order to prove  the point?  That loud over-the-top, super-giddy “thank youuuuuuuuuu!” is research enough!

No matter the reason, no matter the occasion, no matter the moment, all of us at Starbright Floral Design are standing by waiting to hear from you  and ready to help lift someone’s day.  We are the feel-good experts!  Helping people smile all over the world every day.  Starbright Floral Design (that is us) is  located in the heart of New York City (in the historic flower district) and because of our ties to hospitality in our great city we have been dubbed “The Official Florist of the City that Never Sleeps”.

You can visit our second floor loft at 150 West 28th Street (Studio 201), you can call us at 800.520.8999 or you can learn all about who we are by going to our website at www.starflor.com.  No matter where or how you reach out to us… We would love to be of service.

Happy Days to All!

The Official Florist.

Starbright Floral Design

www.starflor.com

To place an order on-line, visit the e-commerce portal of our site at: www.starbrightnyc.com

You can also find Starbright on Facebook by CLICKING HERE.