Heads-up, fellow men. Valentine’s Day is barreling toward us. It’ll arrive before you realize it.
Can we agree not to botch it this time? Can we agree not to leave everything until the last second? Can we agree not to grab a random box of candy from the corner market or order an expensive heap of generic blooms online?
Yeah, guys, I get it — procrastination is kind of our default. We are guys, after all. Why handle something now when you can put it off?
For your partner’s sake, though, read these suggestions on how to order flowers for Valentine’s Day. We’ve gathered practical tips from seasoned florists.
Together, romantics are set to spend about $2.3 billion on flowers, so you’ll want to know how to get the most for your money.
How to score the best value on Valentine’s Day blooms
Here are nine steps to help you get good bang for your buck.
1. Place your Valentine’s Day flower order early
Order as soon as possible. Flower prices climb in February — particularly for red roses, the Valentine’s classic. The later you wait, the pricier it gets.
Also consider having the bouquet delivered a day before. Valentine’s Day, Feb. 14, lands on a Friday this year, and florists will be racing to fulfill most of their orders in a single day.
“Many florists offer perks if you have it delivered early. And if it arrives a day ahead, she’ll have the arrangement to enjoy all day on Valentine’s,” says Dirk Lorenz, owner of Fremont Flowers in the San Francisco Bay area.
2. Buy from a local florist
Opt for a neighborhood florist instead of one of the large floral networks. Sure, big companies are convenient, but when you use them you’re often just paying an intermediary and not getting the best value.
Find a respected florist nearby that delivers. You’ll likely spend less for superior blooms, and the quality tends to be better.
“When you order through a call center, those people aren’t the ones doing the work. They’re tacking on a big service fee and passing the job to someone who agreed to accept the order for less,” says Robin Heller, president of the Retail Florists Alliance and co-owner of Flowers by David near Philadelphia.
3. Track down a reputable florist
Usually we’d advise letting Google guide you, but exercise caution here.
If you search (your city) + “flowers,” top results can sometimes be distant operators that buy local florist domain names. They’re not actually local. Real florists warn that these faux-local sites can be unreliable. Choose a brick-and-mortar shop that’s genuinely close to you.
“Make sure they have a Google listing with a map so you can actually see where they’re located and you aren’t walking into a scam,” said Katie Hendrick, editor of the site Florist 2.0 and an industry watcher who’s interviewed hundreds of florists. “The web can be a little treacherous on Valentine’s Day.”
4. Decide on your florist
Yelp is a solid resource for customer reviews of florists in your area.
Most floral shops have websites where bouquets are sorted by category and price. That’s a fine starting point, though many of these sites look similar because they share templates.
“If you want a florist who fits your partner’s aesthetic, check their social channels,” Hendrick said. “Florists update photos constantly on Facebook and Instagram.”
5. Speak with the florist
Yes, you can order online. It’s the 2020s — click-and-buy is easy.
Or you could do something wildly unconventional: pick up the phone and talk to a person. This is especially helpful if you’re working with a limited budget.
“Florists can accommodate every budget. Just tell them, ‘This is what I can spend. I want it to look as nice as possible.’ They’re often quite inventive with smaller arrangements,” Hendrick said.
You can also get input on which style or color scheme might suit your partner. Is she playful, reserved, bold, shy, delicate, romantic, outdoorsy, or outgoing?
“If this is a new relationship — dating for a few weeks — the florist’s recommendation will be very different than for a husband ordering for his spouse of two decades,” Hendrick added.
6. Skip the red roses this time
A dozen long-stemmed red roses rarely disappoint. But if you’re watching your wallet, know that red roses are notably pricier around Valentine’s. Because of supply and demand, florists often pay about double the usual cost for them.
Consider alternatives like tulips, calla lilies, hydrangeas, gardenias, hyacinths or alstroemerias — whichever appeals to your eye.
Roses can rise by roughly $2 per stem near Valentine’s Day, Alan Rulifson, head floral designer at Green Bench Flowers, noted. Tulips are a good seasonal and affordable option in February.
7. Have them delivered to her office
Your results may vary, but you can save on delivery by picking up the bouquet yourself and presenting it when you pick her up for dinner.
Still, florists often recommend sending flowers to her workplace.
“Women enjoy the attention. They like the wow factor,” Hendrick said. Also: “At the office you know exactly where she’ll be — no need to hunt her down.”
8. What about supermarket blooms?
Yes, grocery stores often stock flowers and can be less costly than florist arrangements. But this approach is a gamble on Valentine’s Day.
If you plan to rely on a supermarket, call ahead to find out when their deliveries arrive so you can get there early and secure the best selection.
It’s harder to make supermarket flowers look as polished as a florist’s work. At minimum, remove the plain plastic wrapper and wrap them with colored tissue and ribbon.
9. Just do it
Finally: don’t let this overwhelm you. There’s really no catastrophic mistake here — the gesture matters most. You’ll earn extra points simply by buying her flowers.
“There’s nothing like hearing from a delivery driver as they walk into an office and witness everyone’s reaction — standing up and asking, ‘Are they for me?’” said Lorenz. “Getting flowers remains one of the most uplifting things anyone can receive.”
Ben Caldwell
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