Sometimes you deserve the best. When it comes to your wedding, your anniversary, or other occasion, why not use the best florist? How do you know a florist is the best and would also be the best for you? I recommend a simple set of criteria to evaluate florist: customer service, flexibility, reliability, and product. Selecting a florist for a big event can be stressful and it does not have to be. If you use the three steps that I recommend, it will become very easy. For my wedding, I chose the best florist in Northern Virginia ? who coincidentally was the best choice for my wedding.



Customer Service

The list of clientele is impressive. Does that mean the florist is right for you? A high priced set of customers is not always a good indicator for how the florist would treat you. In many businesses, when a customer with a 7 figure income or a celebrity status comes in to make a purchase, they are given preferential treatment. That is understandable. My question is how is the average customer treated? When I walk into a good florist shop, they are always busy but not too busy to handle my business. The owner or another florist will come over to greet me and handle my business. Everyone that deals with the customers knows flowers. My purchases are generally small ? a dozen roses, some orchids, or a bouquet of something that they recommended. Despite the size of my purchase, I am always treated well.

Product

Do they have what you want? If not do they suggest something that is reasonable to your budget and your taste. Do they have variety? If a florist can service high volume customers or the very rich, does not mean that they can service the average customer. On the other hand, if some of the more prestigious restaurants in the area or some of the local celebrities use a florist that can be a good sign. A four star restaurant would only deal with the top florists in the area. A four star restaurant could not afford to be supplied by an unreliable florist as their restaurant rating and their business depends upon appearance as much as it does on their food. However, even if the florist has high volume prestigious customers, does not mean that they are flexible enough to provide the same high level of service to the individual customers. A florist shop should provide the same high level of service to all its customers.

Reliability

Only one thing is more devastating than having flowers delivered to the wrong building or on the wrong day. That is having flowers delivered that are dead, petals falling off in your hand with only the stems remaining. I have had flowers delivered to the wrong state, wrong person, a week late, and flowers delivered that were clearly dead (as they sat overnight in some garage in August before they were delivered a day late). If something did happen that was unfortunate, I need to know that they would try and make it right. Occasionally, my floral mishaps have been made right by either resending the flowers or a refund. Mistakes happen. Why not go with the best? If a problem occurs it would be very rare and taken care of very well. If their restaurant clients use them, they know the mistakes are very rare.

These three guidelines should help you find a florist for those special occasions. I recommend a test run. Order a bouquet to be delivered. If they give you good customer service, have what you want in your price range, and deliver it without a problem, than those are good signs.