Ask A Woman: Are expensive florist bouquet deliveries worth it?
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Beth:
I need a woman’s perspective on this one. My wife and I have been married for going on five years. No kids (yet) we both have solid careers going on, and we love to be around each other. We’re both in sales so although we’re moving up the ladder, money is tight thanks to the economy.
My question is: What means more to a woman? Spending $15 on some nice grocery store flowers and bringing them home to her, or, dropping $50 on almost identical flowers from a flower shop and having them delivered to her work?
Here’s the extra spin: she’s been leading the charge when it comes to saving money since finances are tight. So I don’t know if she’d be real cool with me blowing half a grocery bill on things that’ll be dead in a week.
Marcus
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Hey Marcus,
Another question in the spirit of giving! Nice to see so many generous readers here at Ask a Woman.
So, fun fact about me: I nearly became a statistician for the U.S. Census Bureau. So many days I dream of what could have been–me and a Texas Instrument graphing calculator alone in a cubicle, the fluorescent lighting casting a chartreuse glow over everything, my rear shaping itself in the flat mold of my hard, plastic chair. Sigh… This is relevant here only because somehow I ended up with numbers and equations in my answer below. Just go with it, mm-kay? There are four considerations:
- flowers for big, special occasions–birthday, anniversary
- flowers for no reason
- flowers for someone you’re dating
- flowers for your spouse or long-term partner.
Let’s do some math!
1 + 3 = delivery from the florist. It’s a romantic gesture; all her coworkers will see it; her affection for you will grow every time she looks over at the vase.
2 + 4 = grocery store flowers. Forgive me, but by the time you get married, routinely spending $50-$100 on a bouquet and delivery seems a bit foolish. I am NOT saying that romance dies with the marriage vow, only that with marriage comes a certain amount of practicality. Plus, there is something lovely about coming back to the home you share, after a long day at work, to find your handsome man clutching a bouquet of flowers–it’s intimate and touching in a way that a public delivery is not.
1 + 4 = could go either way. The occasion could warrant more expensive flowers, but it’s not a given.
2 + 3 = could go either way. I fully endorse being yourself when you’re getting to know someone, but there is a certain amount of impressing that goes on when you are wooing someone. She shaves her legs on a more frequent basis than later on; you remember to put on cologne on a more frequent basis than later on, that sort of thing. So you might choose to have them delivered, but it certainly wouldn’t be a faux pas to bring them home to her.
3 + 4 = you evil, two-timin’ snake
Let me also say that grocery store flowers can be just as beautiful and last just as long as flower shop flowers. Sure, from time to time, you’ll happen upon a crummy grocery store bouquet and within two days those things will be brown and wilting. But I bet you can find a store in your area whose reasonably-priced flowers you can trust.
Next week: SAT analogies.
-Beth
Got a question for Beth? Send them to: askawoman@dappered.com
OK as general rules, but it’s gotta depend on her. As Marcus says, she may be the penny pincher in this. However, try it out and see what reaction you get. If she’s horrified by the non special occasion delivery at the office, OK, you did it once and now you’ve learned something.
I am in favor of the grocery story flowers if they look nice (some are crap) or going to a farmers market. Yes it is nice to pay a florist for delivery, but for the same price you could buy her flowers at the store and get her dinner. But then again, I can be really tight with my money.
Personally, I’ve found that on average large department stores get flowers that are just as good or better than most small florists because of their buying power. Just ask the florist when they get their shipment in because sometimes it’s just once a week. Also if you get to the store before the grocer’s florist leaves they’re pretty decent at making you flower sets and they love to do it. The only thing actual flower shops have advantage over groceries is that they usually have unique flower types and have some kind of delivery service like Beth pointed out.
I also have hardly bought pre-made bouquets for my girlfriends because my Grandmother thought me enough about arrangements that I was able to pick some pretty good groups by myself. Just put them together in a glass vase with a ribbon tied around it with a bow, brilliant. Oh and get a card, it’s ridiculous how much girls like them.
I wasn’t trying to rain on your parade Beth, I think the math set up is great and right on for when to use either, just thought I would give a little more detail on other parts of flower buying.
As a woman, I appreciate flowers of any sort, if they’re “just because”. I say grab a couple bunches from your local grocery store, arrange them together, and stick them in a vase that you have at home. She’ll be delighted when she walks through the door and the flowers are already arranged and placed nicely. It’s always a thoughtful gesture.
My only contribution to this article would be a word of caution about ordering online. There is nothing lamer (more lame?) than a girl’s flowers showing up in a shipping box with a vase tucked neatly beside them. A lot of the websites make it seem like they come from an actual local florist (and some do!) but most actually end up in a shipping box. I admit to having done the online thing once in my life, and I have since seen it done by others many more times… never again. Not to mention all it shows is that you did no more than pay some money and take 30 seconds to click-click-click your way to her heart. Not romantic 🙂
Man you guys are good. Had been debating for a week or so whether to bring flowers home or have them delivered to her work. Been together 2 1/2 years and it’s “just because” so I stopped by the grocery store on the way home from work today to pick up a dozen roses. She was excited to see them on the coffee table when she got home. Good call Dappered 🙂
I would suggest picking up a (really nice)bouquet of flowers from a grocery florist and then add the personal touch of delivering them to her job yourself. Gives the co-workers a little bit more to talk about and enables you to stack brownie points for yourself.
I also agree with bryan about avoiding online flower purchases. I was cool with my ex-girlfriends co-worker who let me know that the rosed I ordered weren’t the best, but that my ex was happy about the effort.
Pick them yourself to ensure quality.
The math is even simpler Beth…
1. flowers for any reason
2. flowers to make everyone she works with jealous
1 = grocery store
1 + 2 = florist delivered
Boom. Done.