Tag: floral design

Our Flowers Fly (even out of the garbage can)!

Our Urban Flower Series… Brought to you by Starbright Floral Design

Occasionally we will sweep the internet for reviews and postings about Starbright just because we want to see what folks are saying about us, about the flowers that Starbright delivers and about the service we provide.  Some times a review will stand out either because of the story that is shared, the testament that is made about who we are or because it is cute (funny)…  This one falls into that catogory.

There is a website out there called in-habitat.com that is devoted to all things green, the envoronment, architecture, urban design and the like.  It turns out that this website is more than a fad, there is information here even where to get “green booze”.

Starbright Floral Design can be found under their listings section, with a description which praises our wide variety of floral skills. Even more notable, however, is the reader review posted by Lori Zimmer. She states that sometimes she will go through our discarded flowers to make a quick bouquet. While at first that may sound odd, it is actually a pretty strong testament to the freshness of our flowers! We thank Lori for her enthusiastic post, and look forward to creating super fresh arrangements for our readers!

Starbright Floral Design is located in the heart of NYC, one of the most progressive, green cities in the U.S. We pride ourselves on the ultra-freshness of our flowers, on being worthy of being included as part of the green movement in NYC, and the variety of skills our talented staff offer. We look forward to serving our customers with the freshest flowers available, 365 days of the year! We are always grateful to every person who takes the time to share a review. It is our customers, and their feedback, which inspires us to maintain our standard of excellence and customer satisfaction!

Among friendly reviews and listings, Starbright can also be found online at http://www.starflor.com/ or you can call us at 800.520.8999.

December Birth Flower: Poinsettia

Poinsettias and Christmas seem to go together like peas and carrots.  This association hasn’t always been the case.  Its roots stem from Mexican legend.  As legend has it, a child who could not afford a proper gift to offer the Christ child on Christmas Eve was left to pick weeds from the roadside. The child was told that any gift given in earnest and with love is valued in God’s eyes. When the child placed the weeds onto the church altar, they miraculously bloomed into a poinsettia with its bright red flowers.

Poinsettias are native to southern Mexico and Central America, where they may reach heights of sixteen feet. They are named after the first United States ambassador to Mexico, Dr. Joel Roberts Poinsett.  A physician, politician and an avid amateur botanist, Dr. Poinsett sent samples of the plants to the U.S. in 1825 and by 1836 the plant had become commonly known as the poinsettia.

The Aztec Indians prized poinsettias (pronounced oohahargh-do in their native tongue) and considered them a symbol of purity because of their brilliant red color.  The Aztecs made a reddish dye from the flowers of the poinsettia.  They also made a medicine said to fight  fevers from the sap of the plant.  One common myth of the plant is that its sap is poisonous.  Although not tasty, it has not been found to be poisonous.

Today every festive holiday party is sure to contain the popular plant.  Its brilliant colors are sure to brighten any venue.

Shop for Poinsettias in NYC here.

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.

Happy Holidays to all!

The Starbright Team

October’s birth flower: Good for the Eyes and Good for the Soul

The Marigold is the October birth flower.  Its list of uses is as long as its rich history.  However, its use in floral arrangements is not advisable.  Marigolds do not survive for long when cut.  Accordingly, birthday flowers for October babies play off the rich color of the flower and autumn floral arrangements are the norm.

The Marigold is native to southern Europe but do well in North America as well.  Seeds planted in April take root in any type of soil in full sun or medium sun locales.  Practically no care is required other than weeding and pruning. Marigolds bloom from June until the first frost kills them.  However, their death is short lived reappearing with young plants in the spring.

Religious Worship:

In India, the marigold is considered a sacred flower.  Hindus devote the marigold to gods and goddesses in religious ceremonies.

Medicinal Uses:

Plant pharmacological studies have indicated that Marigold extracts have anti-viral and anti-inflammatory qualities.  Marigold solutions have been used topically to treat acne, reduce inflammation, control bleeding, and sooth irritated tissue.  The petals are edible and can be used fresh in salads or dried or used as a replacement for saffron.  Eaten in salad, Marigold petals have been shown to relieve abdominal cramping and constipation.

Demonic Evictions:  Sixteen century herbalists used the marigold to remove evil spirits from one’s head while simultaneously strengthening eyesight.  According to folklore, all Linda Blair and Emily Rose needed was a blossoming marigold plant placed in her bedroom (ironic that a marigold is needed in a rose bedroom).  Once the girls stared at the marigold petals their demons depart and would return to the wonderful little girls they were before their demonic possessions.  Coincidently, children throughout the New York area have been growing marigolds in classrooms and day care centers as classroom projects since I was a kid.  The stated scholastic reason is that it teaches the kids about germination.  However, many teachers have been heard branding our children as “little devils” (mine of course, can only be mistaken for angels).   Perhaps there’s something else going on.

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

September Birth Flower: The Aster, Beware!

The Matsumoto Aster

The September flower is the Aster which in the language of flowers means love, faith and wisdom.  However, since 1918 the Aster worn on your lapel signifies something entirely different and could lead to unforeseen consequences.  An Aster on the lapel signifies your unity and membership in the insurrection.   Its revolutionary symbolism originated from the Hungarian revolution of 1918 dubbed the “Aster Revolution”.

Revolutionaries in Hungary wore it as sign of solidarity with the rebels of the revolution.  The revolution was short lived but the Aster’s symbolism has lived on.   Rumor has it, an Aster worn on your lapel today will generate and FBI probe and possibly a trip to Guantanamo (note to those with no sense of humor: this is a joke!)  The Aster is known as a hardy flower but surely does not do well under water boarding conditions.

Certain varieties of the flower have been used medicinally for their pain relieving qualities.  According to ancient lore the burning of the Aster leaves protects against snake attacks.  Perhaps the use of the Aster by revolutionaries was not a random act but a calculated survival tool.

Regardless of its meaning, Aster flowers provide a beautiful addition to a fall flower garden. When so many other flowers are at the end of their growing season, the hardy asters continue to thrive.  Their brilliant colors and scent brighten up any landscape or floral arrangement.

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 –

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