Flowers are always a good idea....right? [Update: Yes, yes they are. Success!]

schattenjaeger

I have been going out with a girl for about three and a half months, and of course Valentine's Day is coming up. Since y'all guided me easily through Christmas not so long ago, I figured I'd consult you again.

She's coming over on Friday, I'm cooking dinner, we'll see a movie, I think all that is going smooth. This...is obviously a good occasion to get flowers, right? I feel like it is.

If it is, I have a question on the mechanics. Do I need a vase, or should I assume she has one? However I'll probably need to get the flowers tomorrow morning for scheduling reasons, so I'd need to store them myself. I'd need a vase for that anyways, wouldn't I?

Hacksaw

If you're cooking her dinner and watching a movie with her, the flowers will probably be an after thought in the grand scheme of the evening. Get them for her if you want to and you think she'll like/appreciate them, but other than that I don't think you need to sweat things much.

Enjoy the evening with her; try not to get hung up on the little stuff.

schuss

If you want a girl to continue liking you and they enjoy flowers then no time is a bad time for flowers.

NOTE: If you get back late on Valentines day and she's cooking dinner, that's a REALLY good time for flowers.

msuroo

Does she work on Friday? If so, send them to work.

LoveIsUnity

Do you know what type of flowers she likes? It's been a few months, so I'm assuming that you do, but if you don't, that would be something to look into. While she'll (probably) appreciate the thought regardless of what type of flowers you get, there's something to be said for getting her one of her favorites.

schattenjaeger

LoveIsUnity wrote: »

Do you know what type of flowers she likes? It's been a few months, so I'm assuming that you do, but if you don't, that would be something to look into. While she'll (probably) appreciate the thought regardless of what type of flowers you get, there's something to be said for getting her one of her favorites.

I don't THINK she's expecting flowers, so I was kinda feeling good about pulling at least a partial surprise (flowers on Valentine's Day, who'd ever expect that?!). Obviously my inquiries would not be subtle, but I guess it beats a "surprise! Flowers you hate and are allergic to!"

schuss

msuroo wrote: »

Does she work on Friday? If so, send them to work.

Yes, and make sure they're delivered as early as possible in the morning.

Djeet

f you're getting flowers in advance and need to keep them awhile, get a vase, or put them in a big tumbler. When you get the flowers try to put them in water and flower food (you can get packets of flower food from the florist) as soon as you can. Ask the florist how to care for them but usually you want to unwrap, rinse the cut tips, re-cut tips at 45 degrees with a sharp knife (scissors will likely not give a clean cut) and get them in water. You don't want leaves sitting in water so pull off any leaves that might sit in the water when the flowers are in the container.

Be aware that often you do not get the nicest stems or the best arrangements when you opt to have flowers delivered on V-day, unless you pay top dollar. These guys are slammed. You will probably be better off (nicer flowers and better value) buying a bunch* (doesn't have to be an arrangement, can just be a bunch of tulips, lilies, whatever), get a plain vase, put flowers in vase, maybe dress vase up by wrapping in tissue paper and ribbon.

*I've had best luck just picking out a bunch that looks fresh and isn't to fussy and then putting in a vase, could be makeshift. I find a lot of arrangements to look generic.

DevoutlyApathetic

If you're going to do flowers for V day you need to make arrangements pretty much now.

Kragaar

The miser in me says to forget the flowers on Valentines because the stores will gouge you on the price. If you're cooking for her and other stuff then skip it on that day and just surprise her some other random day. As others have said when you do get them send them to her work with a nice card. If it's not on a birthday or expected occasion you'll get better return since she won't be expecting them and you'll spend half as much.

You don't need to stick to the traditional holidays or use them for apologies.

Magic Pink

If she's coming over Friday, greeting her at the door with flowers in addition to the rest would be great idea. Cooking dinner and watching a movie isn't celebrating Valentine's Day; that's just an evening in. Flowers will make it special.

CelestialBadger

msuroo wrote: »

Does she work on Friday? If so, send them to work.

This is the best advice because it allows her to look good in front of her co-workers. Of course it is not so good if she is not an office worker or hates attention being drawn to her.

schattenjaeger

Thanks for the responses!

She has an hour commute by train and by foot each way every day, so encumbering her with flowers might not be the smoothest move. Unless the intent is that she leave them at work?

I think I'll just grab them tomorrow from a local florist, I live in one of the areas that's forecast to potentially be a snowy doomzone starting tomorrow evening and thursday.

Nightslyr

Here's hoping she doesn't have allergies! :^:

davidsdurions

Maybe this is just a thing where I live, but the florists here all provide vases. Which you then keep and can get a discount/free chocolates if you return the vase on your next order.

edit: good job phone posting

Liiya

schattenjaeger wrote: »

Thanks for the responses!

She has an hour commute by train and by foot each way every day, so encumbering her with flowers might not be the smoothest move. Unless the intent is that she leave them at work?

I think I'll just grab them tomorrow from a local florist, I live in one of the areas that's forecast to potentially be a snowy doomzone starting tomorrow evening and thursday.

I was a florist for six years (first year of not being), this is the best idea but I'd also recommend phoning them up as soon as they open and asking them to put something aside for you at your price range. They run out very quickly.

zepherin

Edible arrangements does chocolate covered strawberries that look like long stemmed roses. Those were a winner for me last year.

schattenjaeger

zepherin wrote: »

Edible arrangements does chocolate covered strawberries that look like long stemmed roses. Those were a winner for me last year.

I actually did that for mother's day a couple of years ago!

Anyways, everything went smoothly, and I've been ambushed into having dinner with her and her mother tonight, so I assume that's a good sign!

Gafoto

schattenjaeger wrote: »

Anyways, everything went smoothly, and I've been ambushed into having dinner with her and her mother tonight, so I assume that's a good sign!

Good luck and prepare for grilling.