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Flowers are a great alternative to traditional gifts and can be used to celebrate or mark special occasions. A florist will hand-pick flowers that best suit your needs and arrange them in an attractive way. Flowers can not only be used as a gift, but can be used as a way to decorate your home and to celebrate the changing seasons. A florist can also provide useful information on how to care for your flowers and how to keep them fresh.

When choosing a florist you may wish to consider the following advice:

• Allow yourself plenty of time to book the florist as some can be fully booked three to four months in advance;
• Try to get some personal recommendations;
• As it is such a special occasion, try to find a florist who specialises in wedding flowers and not just a general florist;
• Always visit the florist before making your decision and try to visit a number of florists;
• When visiting the florist, take some time to look around the shop and see what sort of arrangements they have. This should give you a good feeling for the florist's style;
• Ask to see any photographs the florist has of previous weddings they have done. Good florists will be keen to show you examples of their work;
• Make sure the florist has all the necessary information about your wedding—the more you give, the better they will be able to provide the arrangements that meet your requirements;
• Remember to be specific with the florist about what you like, as you don't want to be disappointed on the day;
• When liaising with the florist, ensure they can stay within your budget, remembering that it is often cheaper to use flowers that are in season. Winter seasonal flowers include: carnations, chrysanthemums, holly berries, snowdrops and winter jasmine, to name but a few;
• Make sure the florist has explained what is going to happen with regard to the delivery and set-up of the flowers.

Flowers are a great gift idea for birthdays, especially as arrangements can include specific birthday flowers or flowers relating to the recipient's star sign. For example:

• An arrangement for an October birthday could include calendulas or, for a Scorpio, red hot pokers (kniphofia uvaria);
• A November birthday could include chrysanthemums or, for a Sagittarius, some carnations;
• If they have a December birthday, you may wish to think about including narcissi or, for a Capricorn, some jasmine;
• For January birthdays, you may wish to consider carnations or, for an Aquarius, some lilies.
• General florists should be able to cater for birthdays and give further advice about what to include in an arrangement;
• In the unfortunate instance that you need to send some funeral flowers, try contacting your local florist, as they should have lots of experience in providing these sorts of arrangements. Alternatively, there are also florists that specialise in this area;
• A local florist should be able to give you advice on the types of flowers to include in a funeral arrangement and be flexible when it comes to delivering them.

To find the florist who best meets your needs, or for a particular special occasion, simply type your UK location into the search box below.