I was most fortunate to grow up in the nursing home business in London, England. My mother managed a home for the elderly, and it was an honor to be a part of the journey of the residents and their families. Hearing their stories of life, regrets, and of course endless love stories, was the highlight of my week as a child. I would listen intently to them and most would beat any lifetime movie! When I was working for Jane Packer, the florist to the British Royal Family, I would often bring in flowers that were to be discarded to the nursing home, much to the delight of the residents. Seeing their faces light up when I placed a vase of blooms next to their beds made the fact that I had to carry a bucket of them across London worthwhile.
Once I started in the luxury floral event business in South Florida, I made a conscious effort to donate leftover blooms to nursing homes, hospices, and hospitals in the area a priority. We always make sure to ask our clients if they would like to donate the floral arrangements left over from their wedding or event. We help them decide which location would work best depending on personal attachment as well as location and the end time of the event.
With that being said, we make sure to make arrangements with the facility to drop off the flowers after the event…..sometimes as late as 3am! But knowing that we can bring a smile to someone’s face makes it all worth the while, and honestly brings an even bigger smile to our face!