Poinsettias and Christmas
So… how exactly did the Poinsettia become associated with the Christmas holiday? I wondered, so I did a little research! Here’s what I found…
Poinsettia plants are native to Central America… mostly in the area of southern Mexico known as ‘Taxco del Alarcon’ is where they grow and flower in winter. The ancient Aztecs called them ‘cuetlaxochitl’ and they had many uses for them. Two important ones were the use of the flowers (actually it is not so much as a flower as the special types of leaves known as bracts). One was to make purple dye for clothes and cosmetics and the other is the milky white sap was made into a medicine to treat fevers. (Today the sap is called latex!)
Poinsettias didn’t arrive in the United States until 1828 when the plants namesake, the first U.S. Ambassador to Mexico, Dr. Joel Roberts Poinsett brought them here. After discovering it in the wilderness in southern Mexico, Dr. Poinsett, who dabbled in botony, sent cuttings of the plant back to his home in South Carolina. While it didn’t gain much attention at first, its popularity caught on over the years, and by the 20th century it became a holiday mainstay. So much so, that there is now a National Poinsettia Day which is celebrated on Dec. 12, to honor both the plant and the man who brought it to America.
Okay… But what does any of this have to do with Poinsettia being associated with Christmas? Well… I’ll tell you!
According to one interpretation, the plant is as a symbol of the Star of Bethlehem, the heavenly body that led the three magi, (wise men), to the place where Christ was born. There is also a Mexican legend which tells of a small girl named Pepita, who could only afford to offer weeds as a gift to Jesus on Christmas Eve. When she brought the weeds into a church, they blossomed into the beautiful red plants we know as poinsettias, ( also known as Flores de Noche Buena in Mexico, which is Spanish for “flowers of the holy night”).
Whether the Poinsettia has a special connection for you with the season or if you believe the story or not, it makes no matter. I say, lets just choose to admire the vibrant colors this plant shows off at this special time of the year and enjoy!
Brides N Blooms Wholesale & Design is offering some of these beautiful poinsettias at a great price. If you are local to the Tampa Bay Area, call today and find out how to get yours! 813.852.2052
Now go and have yourself a wholesale holiday poinsettia and fresh flower filled day!
Thanks & Giving
Since next week is Thankgiving, instead of blogging we’ll be stuffing ourselves silly with all the lovely treats we’re all so fond of for this holiday’s dinner. I would like to give a shout out and some thanks to all of our friends, colleagues, clients and family who honor us with their love and support.
So… to “give” first! Dorelle & I give our highest praise to all the wonderful people that have helped us get to where we are today. Our families (who have sacrificed much for our crazy business), our collegues who continue to refer and support us. Our friends… because where would we be without them!!
Now… the ‘thanks!” In particular Corey Miller of Corey’s Bakery, Melissa Marolla Brown with Calligraphia, Lindy Long (Lindt Chocolates), Jennifer Fuller Cummins with Melt Away Message, Beth with Honeymoons & Beyond Travel, Eric Abril & Jill Manthey from Yacht Starship, Jennifer Sanschagrin at 1930 Grande Room, Deb Kelley with The write one Creative Services, Jacob Smeaton with Music on the Move DJs, Yvette Rouse from Sarjade Jewelry, Barb Nelson-Fuqua from Barb Nelson stationary, and too many others, to list here, that we consider friends through networking groups, professional organizations and everyday business dealings. We cannot thank you enough for being there when we need support or help, for a generous heart and listening ear and most of all for being the kind of people we know we can count on.
We are truly blessed with all that we have, the friends we share and the family we hold dear and most of all for each other!
Now go and have yourself a wholesale flower filled, fabulous Thanksgiving Day!
Small Budget? No Problem!
So! You’re planning an event. Most people pick a budget based on what they’d be comfortable spending as a whole for their event and try to work everything into that number. Usually, after the venue is chosen and the caterer is picked you look at the costs of those and see what you have left to work with. Most of the time what things cost is an eye opener, and sometimes makes it necessary to pare down what you originally intended to do, simply because most of us cannot afford a David Tutera type of event.
Now its time to look at flowers. You go on pinterest, you look on facebook, you do all kinds of searches to build a look or theme. The beauty of today’s technology is that it is easy do so, the downside is that more often than not you have absolutely no clue as to the cost of what you are looking at. When you find out through consultation and quotes, it can be a daunting task to choose which items in your floral designs are the most important to you and which you might have to let go of.
One of the things we always ask during a consultation is what is your budget. If you don’t have one, we try to determine what your pricing comfort level is. Many times we are working with clients whose budget is very small. But, if you are careful, creative and willing to compromise, your flowers can be done inexpensively and still give you a lovely look. Especially using Brides N Blooms, Wholesale & Designs, because we are a fresh flower wholesale company working directly with the farms, and we get your flowers in bulk at a lower cost.
Below are pictures from a recent wedding where the bride decided in order to keep her costs low, to forgo the bridal party flowers and just had her bouquet done. She chose her table decorations as the most important items in her floral budget. She went to craft stores and thrift stores to find interesting and inexpensive table decor. (We encourage our price conscious clients to do that… the more YOU find and buy, the better for your budget.) In the end her decor was very personal and unique, she was able to get a good amount of flowers for her money and she was willing to compromise in certain areas.
Wedding flowers do not have to break the budget, with a little bit of ingenuity these wedding flowers and designs were done for a party of 50-60 people and included table decor & centerpieces, cocktail tables, escort table & bridal bouquet all for $500.00.
Here is a sample of items from the event. If you’d like to see everything, check out our facebook page at: http://www.facebook.com/bridesnbloomsdesigns
Now go out and have yourself a wholesale flower filled day!
“Marriage doesn’t make you happy…”
Have you ever asked yourself what being married means? (Or, for the more modern and less traditional couples, being in a committed relationship).
I always find people’s comments to a bride and groom very interesting. We always wish happiness, joy, and love. But really… they are all completely different ideas, and come from within, more than from marriage itself. Happiness, as we all know, is fleeting. Usually a momentary event that comes and goes in between the daily grind. Joy is something that comes from within. Something that grows from contentment and peace in your life. Love… now love is a totally separate entity from those other feelings and emotions. Love is something you feel for someone else. Yes, its important to love oneself. But love in a marriage or relationship is all about giving, sharing, and doing for someone else.
Awhile back I remember reading a quote a friend gave me. It said “Marriage doesn’t make you happy. Marriage makes you married.” Marriage is a partnership, a team effort and just like with any team you have to practice. So for those of you who might be getting married soon remember a few things:
1. The more you give, the more you get back. That goes for love itself, acts of kindness, compassion and forgiveness.
2. Communication is key. Hiding or holding something back is like a little black worm in your relationship. Learn to say what you need to…even if its scary, even if its something you know your partner may not want to know or hear.
3. Learn about yourself and give your spouse space to do the same. You may grow together, but you are also separate human beings that need to realize you’re own potential and then you can value each other.
4. Patience… be patient with each other. People grow and change at different rates. People do the things they need to when they are ready. Pushing and trying to change someone will only frustrate you. Your spouse is a whole package. You cannot pick and choose the pieces you like and try to change the rest. Love who they are fully and compassionately.
5. Stay best friends. Always….
Being married should create the space for you to choose to be happy. It should create a place for you to have a wonderful home and friendship, both of which can bring you happiness. The institution of Marriage itself does not do that… You do.
Remember when you are choosing the right spouse, Don’t choose the one you think you can live with, choose the one that you can’t live without!
Now, work together and have yourself a wholesale flower filled life.
A Great Team
What does it take to make a great team? Who do you look for when putting together a great team? When you were in school, teams were usually chosen by who was the most popular, the strongest, the biggest, the scariest kids. Unless you were creating a Math team, then, those qualities didn’t matter quite so much.
Fast forward, you’re no longer in school. You are choosing a team. A team to work with, and a team to grow your success. Now who do you choose? The requirements have now changed, but, who changed the rules? We are still going to look for strong people (strong personalities, strong interpersonal skills, strong convictions) We are still looking for Big people, (big names, big followings) We are still looking for Popular people (those who have lots of friends, lots of connections, lots of personality) I do think that we have put aside the scary people, for the most part, but, we will always need an “enforcer”, someone who gets the “dirty stuff” done. When you are planning an event, you want a strong team working together to help you make your event the very best it can be, with the least amount of stress.
Below are some of our team mates, these are the folks that we know can do a great job, and play nice with others. (After all, isn’t that what life is all about anyway?)
Event planner: Brenna Taylor… www.an-elegant-affair.net
Photographer: Roger Slater… www.ccsphotography.net
Venue: 1930 Grande Room…http://www.granderoom.com & The Yacht Starship (Channelside) www.yachtstarship.com
Caterer: Stone Chef Catering…www.stonechef.com
Bartending Services: Spunky Spirits…www.spunkyspirits.com
DJ…(We have a few that we love)… today we will only list one, Jacob Smeaton… www.musiconthemovedj.com
Baker: Corey Miller… www. coreycooks.com
Linens: Custom Linens… www.customlinenrentals.com
Stationary: Barbara Nelson-Fuqua… www.nelsonfuquadesigns.com
And of course, Flowers…Brides N Blooms Wholesale & Designs, www.bridesnbloomsdesigns.com
Now, go, form your team, play the best game you can play, and have yourself a wholesale flower filled day!
