Professional Florist

Decorated Rice Holder

In these times of economic challenges it is even more important than ever to carefully select the suppliers you need for your special events. How much something costs should be reviewed based on what you will receive from the floristin terms of product but also customer service. As a professional florist I’m often asked about my pricing. I carefully explain to the client the importance of evaluating more than the price. Dedicated service is also a part of the price that cannot always be measured.

Recently I was booked for a wedding in the center of Rome. During our designing session we decided that the trees outside the church looked fine as they were. On the actual day of the wedding I noticed that the tree vases were damaged. In a case like this there is no time to consult the client. It is the responsibility of the professional florist to make an intelligent decision without worrying about payment. We were prepared with the materials necessary to decorate the unsightly vase.

Choose a prfessional you can trust. Your special day can't be repeated.

all the best,

Debra

Flowers for the Mother's

A very specail gift idea!

Often I receive requests for bouquets to be delivered to the reception to be given as a gift to the mothers, to thank them for their support and love. Flowers are really one of the best ways to say thank you. But one of the problems that I have with making this delivery is that there isn’t any place for the mother’s to keep their flowers for the rest of the event. Also there isn’t a way to make a long lasting impression.

For this reason I designed a floral arrangement in a box with the added touch of an inscription on and inside the box that will last forever. The box itself is a nice item. In addition there is no need to look for any type of vase because the flowers in the box are inserted into wet floral foam. The other wonderful aspect is that it can easily be taken back home if your mom has flown to attend your wedding. Just think of the presentation of the lovely personalized box with long lasting floral arrangement inside that can easily be transported. It’s great!!

Just this past weekend I donated an arrangement to the Celtic Ball that I attended in honor of St. Patrick’s day. The lucky winner had flown into Rome for the event and was pleased to be able to take a floral arrangement home to show all her friends.

So for those brides getting married in Rome, be sure to consider this lovely option as a gift for the Mother's.

Cheers, Debra Maireann croi éadrom i bhfad! Happy St. Patrick's Day

P.S. On Saturday 14 March I attended the Celtic Ball, early celebration of St. Patricks Day. It was an absolutely lovely event. Learn more about the Ball and see who attended from Ireland on http://www.irishclubofrome.it/

Here is a picture of me with the ambassador and his lovely wife. Another picture is of me and my date for the evening. Very special company indeed!!

Floral Designer

Abiti "Gattinoni Couture"

When I first received the telephone call that the high fashion house of “Gattinoni” wanted me to design bridal bouquets for their fashion show and their customers I was elated. After a few hours the reality that I would be working for Guillermo Mariotto set in and I was terrified. Terrified that I would not be able to create for such a demanding artist. Fortunately, those feelings lasted long enough to motivate me to grow professionally and create some of my best work. Guillermo was so encouraging. He reminded me to design from heart and use my skill as a floral designer to execute my designs. These are the words that repeat like a mantra in my head whenever I am designing whether it be for an email customer or a client in my shop. What a wonderful opportunity it has been to work with Guillermo Mariotto at “Gattinoni”.

Working in this profession continues to give me many rewards. I'm so blessed.

Debra

Irish Brides

The Bride and groom The bridesmaids
Over the past two years I have been contacted by a number of irish ladies who are planning their destination wedding in Rome, home of the Pope. Although this is a very romantic idea for any catholic, planning at a distance with people who don't necessarily speak your language is not easy. I've learned recently that so many irish ladies come to me not only because I am a trained florist but also because of my attention to the needs of a bride trying to design and plan from a distance. When a bride sends me a request I immediately begin to create a file that contains photos of the bride, her bridal gown and the style and color of bouquets that she likes. I make an effort to ask questions that I know will help in chosing the florals that reflect her style. The brides that chose to work with me are usually interested in doing most of the planning themselves as opposed to using a formal wedding planner but may need a local person to assist with certain wedding details or language barriers. I always offer to assist in any way necessary to ladies who have chosen to have me design their wedding flowers. Some brides send their wedding favors directly to me and I make sure that they are delivered on time to the reception or contact a local vendor for information. Other brides have asked me to assist with the coordination of the reception activities.

Questions brides usually ask me:

Can you (DebraFlower)do a particular design?The answer is always "YES". I am a trained florist. I have been trained in all of the basic as well as advanced techniques in floral design.

When do you (DebraFlower) deliver the bridal flowers? Always 3 hours prior to the ceremony. I believe that a bride should have her flowers for the first picture she takes. I do not ever deliver flowers in front of the church. My flowers will easily last for days so there is no need to worry about them wilting.

How much does a bridal bouquet cost? Normally the cost of a basic handtied bridal bouquet starts at about 80euro.

Why does a bridal bouquet cost more than an ordinary bouquet? A regular bouquet is normally constructed from whatever flowers the florist has in the shop. The flowers for my bridal bouquets are purchased specifically for each bridal bouquet and carefully selected for perfection. Normal bouquets don't require matching ribbons or "Bling" treatments.

Which flowers are in season at the time of my wedding? I make a point of suggesting flowers that are in season at the time of the wedding. My reason is because I know that the flowers in season last longer and look nicer throughout the wedding day.

If you have any question at all about planning your wedding in Rome, please feel free to contact me. I'm always available to help my irish brides.....

Cheers, Debra

P.S. Come back on March 15th to see photos of the Celtic Ball here in Rome.

Valentine's Day

The celebration of lovers is just a few days away. Like so many other parts of the world, Italy is no exception in the celebration of “San Valentino”. My most important role for this event is to find the highest quality Red Roses at the very best price. Believe me this is no easy task especially since I love rich red roses whether they be long or short stem. I so agree with Preston Baileys view on flowers, “you never have enough flowers….” And I so totally agree on his view on sending flowers, “if you’re going to send flowers, send six dozen and not two”. Recently a celebrity customer of mine did just that, he sent 123 long stem roses to his girlfriend. She wasn’t the only one emotional by this extraordinary gesture of love.

I wish you deep love and six doezen red roses.

Debra

Boutonniere /Buttonhole

Everyone forgets the groom. Fortunately at DebraFlower the groom gets a lot of attention. I believe that the groom should be involved in the designing process of the wedding decorations. It’s his wedding too. Some of my best ideas have come when a groom has expressed his likes and dislikes while designing the wedding decorations.
The Boutonniere or Buttonhole as some call it is the floral decoration for the groom. I make a point of creating with great care this small group of flowers that will be placed in the grooms lapel hole or even in his pocket. The design is always something that looks as if it had been picked from the bridal bouquet. Many years ago the groom would in fact pick a flower from the brides bouquet and place it in his lapel, now I design it that way so we don’t have to ruin the bridal bouquet that took so long to prepare. It’s actually an art to design such tiny and beautiful bouquets for the groom.

Debra

Flower Purchasing

Rome Flower Market

Where do florists get their flowers? This is one of the questions that people ask me the most about my work. I enjoy answering this type of question because it quickly reminds me of one of the most exciting activities that require me to get out of bed at 4am two mornings each week. Then again it also reminds me why my work is NOT as glamorous as people think.
There are basically three ways I buy flowers for my business here in Rome, the Floral Market, Importers and direct purchasing from producers. I personally believe the most important is the Floral Market. Here in Rome it is a large building where producers from all parts of the Lazio region come to sell their products. Unfortunately for florists here in Rome this operation is not at all modern or efficient but I still love going there. It’s loud and colorful and how business was done in Italy for hundreds of years. Producers bring all kinds of things including flowers that they grow in their hot houses or fields. At the market you can find every type of tree limb, bark or foliage. You can buy all types of flowers grown locally. You can also buy odd things like grasses or small fruits. All of these items look lovely when inserted into a floral arrangement. I personally arrive at the Floral market at least two times each week at 5am. This allows me to have the widest selection to choose from amongst the many producers. The best part of going to the market is establishing personal relationships with people who have been working with flowers for generations. They are willing to share their knowledge of flowers and the floral industry in general. What a wonderful group of people.

I feel blessed to have entered this business.

May you also realize your dream, Debra