thank you

When we take orders for floral arrangements, we usually start with the basics… recipient’s name, phone number, delivery date, delivery address. The conversation is rolling along nicely until we get to a certain point: the card message. Nothing brings the process to a halt like a customer trying to decide what to say to the recipient. Often, the sender will ask us for suggestions. While messages are personal and there is no “template” for what to say, generally, the card message should come from the heart and be appropriate for the occasion. We have compiled a few ideas to consider on your next floral order.

short and sweet

Floral enclosure cards are small, roughly two inches by four inches. Lilium enclosure cards feature our logo on front, with our contact information and floral care recommendations on the back. That allows for a short message and signature. Perhaps you can say, “how do I love thee,” but there will not be enough space to “let me count the ways.” Concise messages can still effectively express your thoughts, feelings and well wishes.

what’s the occasion?

Because we are frequently asked to assist in composing a card message, we have a little experience in this area. Some occasions lend themselves to creativity, while others are best simply stated. Following are a few suggestions, arranged by occasion:

Birthdays
  • Celebrating you
  • May all of your birthday wishes come true
  • Cheers to you on your birthday
  • The day you were born is cause for celebration
  • You’re not getting older, you’re getting better
  • Love on your birthday and every day
  • Don’t count the years, count the blessings
  • Wishing you a very happy birthday… and many more
  • Hugs, kisses and birthday wishes
ANNIVERSARY
  • Thank you for loving me like no one else
  • Every year with you is sweeter than the last
  • Celebrating us
  • Happiness isn’t perfect until it is shared
  • I love you for who you are and who I am when I’m with you
  • Your love is all I need. Happy anniversary
  • You take my breath away today and every day
  • Looking forward to spending the rest of my life with you
  • Every day is an adventure, every year better than the last
  • May this anniversary reflect all the special moments you’ve shared, and all the wonderful moments to come
sympathy
  • With love and sympathy
  • Thinking of you in these difficult times
  • Sharing in your sorrow
  • With loving memories
  • May happy memories fill the sadness in your heart
  • You are in our thoughts and prayers
  • With heartfelt condolences
  • Thinking of you as you celebrate _____’s incredible life
  • _______ will be greatly missed
cheer up/just because
  • I hope these flowers brighten your day
  • Sending joy your way today
  • I hope these ruin a perfectly bad day
  • For the best reason of all – none
  • May your day be as wonderful as you are
get well
  • Wishing you a speedy recovery
  • Hang in there, and get well soon
  • Sending hugs and get well wishes
  • All this for a few days off work? Get well soon
  • We are here for you every step of the way
new baby
  • Congratulations on your newest blessing. Can’t wait to meet him/her
  • A beautiful miracle for your family. Congratulations
  • Congratulations on your new little one
  • Welcome to the world, ________. Congratulations to Mom & Dad
  • Congratulations on your bundle of joy
  • Sleep is overrated, babies are not. Congratulations

There are, of course, many reasons to send flowers that are not represented here, but we’ve tried to highlight the most frequent requests. Feel free to inject your own personality, a privately-shared joke, pet nickname, etc. While card messages should be personal, be discriminating about how much personal information to include in your message. Keep in mind that the shop sales staff, floral designers and delivery drivers can all see your message on the work order/delivery ticket. We’ve just about heard it all… sometimes more than we wanted to know. Lilium’s policy is to be discreet and protect our clients’ privacy. However, some messages are best delivered by you, in person.

At Lilium, we think our beautiful custom arrangements send a message all on their own, but we understand that the recipient will want to know who sent them. So, the next time you have a reason to send flowers, Lilium staff will be standing by to help you select the perfect arrangement, paired with the perfect card message. 817-481-1565. www.liliumflorals.com

In these challenging times, every retailer has a story… it may be one of struggle, confusion, anxiety, compromise, resolve, triumph, defeat, or if we are being honest, a combination of these experiences. For Lilium, the past few months have brought unprecedented challenges, highs and lows. We are still navigating this ever-changing business climate, but if there is one thing we can be sure of, it is that we would not still be standing without the support of our loyal customer base.

After surviving four years of highway construction in front of Lilium, where our entrances were often completely blocked, we were well-positioned for a banner year in 2020. Our recent building expansion was complete, and we were enjoying brisk sales in January and February. On March 9, we received a phone call from a standing account saying that they needed to cancel their weekly services. Losses mounted as those calls continued over the following four days.

There was tremendous confusion from federal, state and local governments as to proper protocol. Disinfect surfaces? Wear masks? What was essential business? Ultimately, florists were deemed “critical infrastructure” by the state of Texas, and florists were allowed to operate. Not only was this important in preserving jobs for our staff, we recognized the opportunity to make a positive impact on our community during discouraging times.

supply chain break

Our supply chain literally broke overnight. Every single local wholesaler closed. Farmers from all over the world were desperately trying to find a way to get their product to market. Trucking capacity dropped, flights were cancelled. We had to completely change our purchasing model, but in the end, we were able to obtain the same high quality product that our customers expect and enjoy.

when life gives you lemons…

As you might imagine, the loss of standing accounts, cancelled events, postponed weddings, no proms or graduation celebrations hit us hard. However, occasions that would typically be reasons to gather became occasions to send flowers. When families couldn’t be together for Easter, they sent flowers. With many working from home, business executives couldn’t take their administrative staff to lunch for Administrative Professionals Day. They sent flowers.

For the same reason, we anticipated that Mother’s Day was going to be busier than normal. So many were not able to honor their moms in person, but wanted to make her day special. Because of the disrupted supply chain, we were not able to create a Mother’s Day menu as we have in the past. We were receiving beautiful product, but couldn’t select specific stems as we normally would. Without missing a beat, we were able to deliver double the number of Mother’s Day arrangements over last year.

Community support

Again, we would not have survived the past few months without the tremendous support of our customers and community. The local community really rallied behind local businesses. The City of Colleyville twice issued postcards with a $35 value to be used at local businesses. Many of our loyal customers called to ask how they could help. They increased their purchase frequency, which boosted our day-to-day sales and kept us going.

The challenges of this pandemic have forced us out of our comfort zone in many ways. We had to get creative and find new opportunities as former ones disappeared. We have risen to the challenge, and our customer base has actually grown out of this adversity. Lilium is proud to have kept our full-time staff working, and to have served our customers and community well. Our commitment remains to serve you with high quality, beautiful floral designs and top-notch customer service. Most importantly, we THANK YOU for your continuing loyal support.

Tis the season for holiday parties. Office gatherings, neighborhood parties, luncheons, and church socials compete with school programs, shopping and baking to crowd our calendars this month. In the busyness that often marks the season, don’t forget to show appreciation to that special person who works to plan and pull together a successful holiday celebration: the host or hostess. You will be at the top of the guest list if you show up with a thoughtful gift in hand.

Look beyond the traditional bottle of wine, and consider these options:

Fresh Seasonal Arrangement

Fresh flowers add a festive touch for the party, and the host/hostess can enjoy them for days after the last guest leaves and the leftovers are stored. If you know the party’s theme, request complimentary colors. Is your host/hostess traditional, or have more modern taste? Christmastime is filled with traditions, but florals don’t have to be traditional. Stay within the red, white and green color pallet, or venture into jewel tones. Pick traditional favorites like roses and hydrangea, or step outside the Christmas box with unique tropicals. Adding fresh sprigs of seasonal greenery to the arrangement not only creates a holiday look, it provides subtle fragrances that are sure to put party guests in the holiday spirit. Colorful berries and pine cones are also in season, and add pops of color and texture to an arrangement. Other favorites include potted poinsettias and potted amaryllis, both dressed in festive containers.

Jar Candles and Diffusers In Scents of the Season

Fresh flowers are not the only way to spread holiday scents in a home or office. Lilium is proud to carry the Lafco line of essential oil-based candles and diffusers. The four top seasonal fragrances are Ski House, Tree, Opal Amaryllis and Golden Chestnut. The candles have an average burn time of 90 hours, and their hand-blown art glass containers can be reused long after the candle is burned. The diffuser, which comes in an art glass container with reeds and a bottle of oil for refilling,  is available in the Ski House fragrance.

Gift Baskets

Go the extra mile to show your appreciation to your holiday host/hostess with a gift basket. You might combine luscious Godiva chocolates, a fragrant candle, and fresh flowers, all dressed up for the season in a beautiful basket display. We can add fresh Christmas greens, berries, pine cones or other textures to create a visually stunning arrangement perfect for the gift-giving season.

Customized gift baskets might include Godiva chocolates, a Lafco candle, fresh seasonal flowers and greenery.

Let Lilium help you create a thoughtful gift for your holiday host/hostess this season. Call us at 817-481-1565 or visit our website, www.liliumflorals.com.