Monday, October 5, 2015

Festive Fall Floral Decor

Fall is here! For many, this is the time of year that conveys joy and anticipation of the winter holidays. Trips to the country to see the fall foliage, lazy days spent walking around a small town in Vermont or the Adirondacks, and memories of cider doughnuts and apple picking. With all the wonderful things to see outside, it's easy to forget the many ways to make home just as warm, welcoming and colorful.

The easiest way to add color to your home for the fall is hardy mums. They are easy to display, and will stand up to the cool fall temperatures here in the northeast. The most popular was to decorate a home with them is to either plant them directly into existing plant beds, say around your walkway, porch or light post, or, alternatively, to display them in nice planters that hold enough soil to keep the mums moist. A word of caution on planters: Be sure to choose a heavier design, as when planters become too dry, they tend to be tipped over by wind. However, a simple fix for this is often crushed stone at the base of the planter beneath the soil to weigh them down. Also, be sure to make sure they have proper drainage.





Wreaths are also a great way to make your home warm and inviting. They are also the perfect gift for your hostess when you are over for a special dinner or visiting! Silks are best, as they withstand every condition. Our designers can customize a wreath to make sure it fits your taste, and compliments the decor of your home. Door wreaths, indoor wreaths, wall swags. You name it, we can do it.

Last but not least, fresh fall arrangements are a wonderful addition to any home, and they also make great gifts for any occasion. In an era where social media reigns, people often appreciate the gift of flowers so much more than a get well, congratulations or thank you message on you page or wall. We are a member of Teleflora, so we can send arrangements both locally and across the country as well.                                                                                                       
Also, we carry a wide variety of gift items including fabulous fall candles, candies, vases and more!
Stop in today and visit any of our 3 locations. 

Saturday, September 12, 2015

Ordering Sympathy Pieces

Sympathy pieces are an important part of the work we do. The death of a loved one or friend is never easy. Flowers allow you to send a very personal message, especially in cases where you are unable to attend a wake or other service.

Casket Mounds/ Casket Sprays
The casket mound is generally ordered by the closest family member. Usually, Spouse, children, siblings, or a significant other. This piece sets directly on top of the casket. It usually will have a custom ribbon, which says something to the effect of Husband, Wife, Mother, Father, Son, etc. Each one is unique and reflects the taste of the family or individual that it is for.
Casket Inset Pieces
The pieces are most commonly sent by the grandchildren or children of the deceased. The inside of the casket is generally reserved for family members, however there are exceptions. Common pieces for the inside of the lid are satin hearts or crosses, corner pieces, or rose presentations. 















Easel Spray
These are large pieces that are put on stands. They are usually oval or diamond shaped, but can also be stylized to a person's unique tastes. They are one of the most popular pieces that people send.
Assorted Set Pieces
There are a number of large pieces that are meant to be put on easels. These include crosses, wreaths, heart wreaths, to name a few. If a person was religious, a cross would be a good fit. Or, if someone was an avid gardener, a wreath of garden flowers would be appropriate.




Traditional Funeral Baskets and Pedestals
These are two pieces that are designed in containers, generally in a triangular shape. The traditional funeral basket is a piece that is designed to sit on the floor, and works well when brought to the cemetery, as the base is meant to be placed on the ground. The pedestal is a piece that is designed to be placed on a pedestal in the funeral home, and can be made large and showy.

Dish Gardens
These are very popular and are often sent by neighbors and employers. They are easy to care for, and a designer can add fresh flowers in water tubes to bring color into the garden.

There are many other options that are available for sympathy flowers. If you call or stop in, we can help you make the best choice and make the process as easy as possible.





Thursday, August 20, 2015

Saying Thank You With Flowers

Have you ever had someone do you a favor, and couldn't think of a way to thank them? Often times a simple way to say thank you is with flowers or plants. The type of arrangement or plant will be dependent up what the "thank you" is for.
For example, you recently stayed at a friends home for a few days to visit. For this, a vase floral arrangement would be appropriate. What you choose will depend upon a few things:
- How long you have known the friend
- How large their home is
- Their personal taste
If the friend has a small apartment, a cube arrangement or small vase will most likely be the best choice, as that will easily fit anywhere. You can always add flowers such as roses, orchids, hydrangea or other premium flowers to make it a more upscale piece. However, if the friend has a large house with a grand foyer entrance, then a large airy vase may be better suited to their taste. You could go with say, a wildflower feel featuring larkspur, roses, lilies, fancy greens and other delicate flowers.  It all depends on a variety of factors. If it's spring or summer, you could even sent a patio pot or hanging basket.
Another is example is sending a thank you a business that has helped you. Say, a doctor, lawyer, accountant, the bank. For this, something such as a dish garden or a low maintenance plant would be more appropriate. Most office professionals appreciate plants because they help to accent the office, as well as when properly matched, are low maintenance. 
If you're unsure, we are always happy to help guide you to the right choice to fit your budget and taste. Saying thank you can be done tastefully and with style when done with flowers and plants. 

Monday, August 17, 2015

Bridal Wars 2015!

Today's post is all about Bridal Wars! We were there yesterday to have fun and give brides a chance to earn a free wedding bouquet. For those of you don't know, Bridal Wars is a unique event where brides compete to earn awesome prizes from all different wedding vendors. Events With Style presents the event, and It's hosted by Randy Fenoli, star of Say Yes To The Dress! The day was filled with fun. Randy made sure to spend time with every bride, and even brought along Chewy!

Our challenge was called "Get It Girl". It was a bouquet toss relay. Each ring had a point value, and the bride had 60 seconds to toss and retrieve the bouquet as many times as possible to earn points. The other members of her team had the job of cheering her on. Our grand prize was a free brides bouquet!
Before the brides set out to compete, Randy got them pumped up to win!


Brides came in all sorts of team costumes, each unique, and all awesome! Check out this team, complete with curlers and kerchiefs!
It was a great day for both brides and vendors. We can't wait for next year's Bridal Wars!

Tuesday, August 11, 2015

Outdoor wedding at the Mohawk River Country Club in Rexford

Dexter Davis Photography - Outdoor Wedding At Mohawk River Country Club

I think Dexter captured the sheer fun and joy that Joylyne and Yury were having on their wedding day.  I know I sure can't operate my fancy camera half as well.  It takes a pro to capture and frame the day as it goes so quickly by.  We were all blessed with great weather at the MRCC that day which was especially important for the outdoor ceremony.  We are always ready though with a back up plan and an arch to set up inside. Check out our website for all the rental items that we offer.

Photographer Matt Ramos captures Marissa and Stevens 90 State Wedding

Matt Ramos Photography: Marissa & Stevens Wedding At 90 State

Once again, Matt captures the best in the bride.  We are pleased that he showcases our
flowers simply and beautifully.  We enjoyed working with Marissa to help create her beautiful day.
Check it out.

Tuesday, July 28, 2015

Happy Brides Are The Best Brides!

We're taking a minute today to share recent reviews from our brides! Read on Folks!

"Out of all of the vendors I had for my big day.. felthousen's blew EVERYONE out of the water. My new year's eve wedding called for sparkle and elegance, and that's just what felthousen's provided. My centerpieces were breathtaking, and the customer service I have received was absolutely amazing. Can't stress enough how professional, and dedicated these employees are to making everything right. I will never, ever use anyone else for flowers- and have since used them for every occasion, and everyone always gives THE best reviews. Priced so fair, and their quality of service is well beyond any price tag. Do not go anywhere else, felthousens did amazing." 
4/01/2015 

"We absolutely loved the way our arrangements and bouquets came out for our wedding. We worked closely with Larry, who is one of the friendliest and easy to work with people. We went to him with a very vague and general idea of what we wanted, and he ran with it. We couldn’t have been happier with the final product. We were especially happy with the way the archway was decorated for our ceremony. Larry even found a way to re-use the bridesmaids’ bouquets and incorporate them into decorations for our reception! Larry is phenomenal and really knows his craft." 
7/11/2015 5 STARS

"After talking with a few florists we decided to use Felthousen's. Mark was helpful and creative from start to finish. I sent him pictures of what we were looking for and came up with a design and price that was affordable. I was set on a specific type of vase, which Mark provided me the ability to purchase my own vases which they then used. Mark new the venue, Hall of Springs, and the catering company and made the whole experience very seamless. My mom, aunt, and myself met Mark a week before the wedding to review a mock up version of the centerpieces. This allowed us the ability to add and/or 
take out any flowers I didn't like. In the end, we recieved dozens of compliments on the centerpieces, bouquets, and everything in between. We are so happy with the final product, we would definitely recommend Felthousen's Florist to anyone looking for high quality and creative floral designs." 04/19/2015 

"I worked with Jessica from Felthousen's for my wedding flowers. I couldn't be more happy with my decision. I did a lot of research before choosing a florist for my wedding. Felthousen's was definitely the best value for the product. I budgeted a lot for my flowers for my wedding and I still wasn't prepared for what most florists in the area quoted me for what seemed like little to no flowers. No one seemed able to give me what I wanted within my budget and kept trying to talk me into getting something different. Felthousen's was AMAZING. Jess understood my vision and had no problem working with my budget. She was so patient with me and spent hours suggesting the perfect flowers that would stand up throughout the day in the heat for a summer wedding. They even purchased candelabras and let me rent them from them when they heard how much I wanted them for my centerpieces! My wedding flowers turned out absolutely gorgeous. Jess delivered beautifully and the amount of flowers I got for my budget was absolutely stunning. I can't say thank you enough and I am so grateful and would absolutely recommend them to anyone in the area!"
05/30/2015 

"Jennifer at Felthousen's was amazing to work with to plan my wedding flowers. When I visited the shop, I had no idea what I wanted and she pulled the most beautiful bouquet and center piece examples together for me. On my wedding day, everything was as perfect as I could've imagined and things looked exactly how we discussed.
I would recommend this florist to anyone for any occasion, not just weddings!"
10/11/2014 

"Michaela at Felthousen's Florist is amazing! She guided me through the process and made it so easy to be excited about them. I went to her with a couple of colors and specific flower ideas, she took these and created flowers so beautiful I couldn't have imagined anything better. I requested thistles and roses to represent my families and these were incorporated beautifully into our bouquets. My husband's favorite color was an important element in our wedding and Michaela instantly identified the perfect flower to use! Thank you for adding such beautiful flowers to our ceremony, our reception, and our cake!"
08/23/2014 

"Felthousen's was an amazing pick for our bridal bouquet and bridal party flowers!!! We did not want centerpiece flowers and did not want to spend and arm and a leg in this area, and Felthousen's was able to satisfy our needs perfectly in terms of price and quality. They also made us two huge displays to go up at the alter which we were able to move into the reception afterwards. Gail was very easy to work with and what I imagined she made happen!!! I would highly recommend them if you want flowers without a fuss!!!"
06/07/2014

"If you are looking for a Florist stop right now!!!! Your search is over! Hire Felthousen's, you won't be sorry. Picking a florist for me was one of the hardest parts of planning for my wedding. I had very very specific and unique ideas of what I wanted for my flowers and a lot of florist either didn't seem to get it or wanted to charge me a million dollars for it! Felthousen's was my floral dream come true. Mark took all my crazy Pinterest Dreams and brought them to life! I was really picky about my flowers and all the details and he really did exactly what I wanted. My flowers looked amazing!!!! It really looked like I spent a million dollars on them but Felthousen's pricing is amazing!!!! My husband and I were amazed at the quality and quantity of flowers at our wedding for by far the most reasonable price I was quoted for my wedding flowers. They also offer very personalized service. When I changed my mind or wanted to add or change something it was never a problem! They were very understanding. When I walked into my reception for the first time and saw what was in my head all set up perfectly on my wedding day it brought me to tears."
05/02/2014




Tuesday, July 21, 2015

Not Your Grandma's Wedding Bouquet!

These days, wedding bouquets are more personalized than ever before. Years ago, brides were limited to what was available from the local growers, and what season it was. There were no chemicals to help preserve flowers, or, given the time period, refrigeration to ensure freshness.
Fast forward to the present. Thanks to modern innovation in technology, transportation and agriculture/floriculture, designers have access to endless varieties of flowers and plant materials.

Your wedding bouquet is an important part of your special day. It should be unique, and reflect your taste and personality. This is where a wedding consult comes into place. When you come in for your consult, you'll be able to sit down with one of our designers and go over you ideas. Even if something is out of season, usually there is a similar flower that will give you the same feel. Many of the bouquets you see online are silks. Mother nature has quite the color palate, but she can't cover it all. This is where it's important to trust your designer to make it just right for you.

There are ways to incorporate colors into your bouquet by using other materials, such as ribbon, or painted foliage. For example, seeded eucalyptus takes silver and gold paint well, and can easily be incorporated into your bouquet. There are also many different types of colored gems and pearls that can be placed into the center of a rose or other flowers as well.

There are two main types of bouquets; cascade, and hand tied. Cascades can give a very dramatic and romantic feel. They can be teardrop, crescent, or other shapes as well. They are arranged in a plastic and foam bouquet base, often times with hand wired flowers and foliage to achieve the cascading effect, hence their name. Hand tied bouquets are just that, hand tied. The flowers are arranged by hand and wrapped in ribbon to hold them together. The advantage being, that the flowers are able to be kept in a water source right up until you take them out of the vases for photos or the ceremony.

This being said, you can surely understand that the sky is the limit when it comes to creating your wedding bouquet. From the simple bride who prefers a timeless rose bouquet, to the bride that wants an over the top bouquet with glitter and bling, we can do it all!

We invite you to stop in for a free consultation with one of our wedding designers. We've been making wedding dreams come true for over a hundred years! Below is just a small selection of the wedding bouquets we have created for our brides here at Felthousen's.


























Friday, July 10, 2015

Wedding Wire Couple's Choice Award

Our commitment to quality and excellence in floral design for weddings has once again earned us a couples choice award!



WeddingWire Felthousen's Florist Reviews, Best Wedding Florists in Albany, Saratoga Springs, Adirondacks  - 2015 Couples' Choice Award Winner