We go the extra mile to make sure that all our flowers and decor are as perfect and as close to what the bride wants as they possibly can be. There are no second chances with weddings, and we go over every item numerous times to make sure that there are no 'surprises' the day of.

We go the extra mile to make sure that all our flowers and decor are as perfect and as close to what the bride wants as they possibly can be. There are no second chances with weddings, and we go over every item numerous times to make sure that there are no 'surprises' the day of. We are grateful for the formal European training and experience that we do have, and never cut any corner when it comes to the freshness, care and conditioning of our flowers. The flowers we send out are flowers that we would be happy to have if it were our 'own' wedding, and if I wouldn't love it for my own wedding, it will not go to yours. Every wedding is custom designed for the individual color schem e and ambiance of the event. Our goal is to bring 'platinum' weddings down to earth for 'real' people. I grew up in Levittown, and know that as a home-grown Long Islander, flowers don't have to cost a fortune to be fresh, beautiful and stunning, whether the wedding is in Manhattan, NJ, the five boroughs, Nassau or Suffolk.

What services do you offer?

We are full service wedding florists and designers. We can do everything except 'day of coordination' in terms of planning, design and creative ideas to make a wedding both unique and affordable.

What flowers are “hot” for this season?

Jewel toned flowers have gone 'year-round' and combinations with green--pink and green, white/cream with green and often just foliage combinations.

What is the latest “trend” in bouquets, centerpieces, etc.

I would say that the trend is for re-use and recycle, moving the flowers around from one part of the ceremony to the next, whether it is removing the altar flowers from the ceremony site to bring to the reception, or cutting down the gazebo and pergola flowers to use on the sweetheart table. I've even collected cocktail arrangements from cocktail tables five minutes before the cocktail hour ends to place around the centerpieces.

What should a bride and groom look for when ordering their flowers?

I would say to look for a florist who specializes in weddings. It's just like heart surgery--you want your surgeon to do heart procedures every week, not just twice a year. An actual 'wedding' florist knows all the 'ins and outs' of weddings and can really guide you along in that process.

How far in advance should bouquets be ordered? How about centerpieces etc.?

The key element is to 'lock in' the florist of your choice as soon as possible, as florists have only finite capabilities on any given day. If you are getting married during the 'height' of wedding season or on a three day weekend or holiday, I would say the sooner the better. We also tend to take a lot of 'last minute' work, so don't feel that you can't get flowers on shorter notice, because you actually can.

Can a bride get blooms even if they are out of season?

Very often is is possible to get out of season flowers. The issue is usually in quantity. While it is pos sible to get a bunch or two of out of season peonies, when it comes to thirty centerpieces' worth, the availability is usually just not there. Flower availability is very similar to getting vegetables in the supermarket--no matter how much you want fresh asparagus, it just might not be at the supermarket that day. Live flowers are similarly subject to weather and growing conditions in their areas.

Which flowers hold up the best for bouquets and boutonnières?

I prefer roses and orchids for strength, heat tolerance (within reason!) and durability, not to mention 'hug-ability'. Callas work very well also.

What options do those with allergies have?

I have had really high quality silk flowers published in international fashion magazines when fresh flowers were not available. The key is to stick with very high quality silks that are indistinguishable from fresh. We have some wonderful suppliers that we work with for many varieties of flowers. We were honored to have brought the silk dogwoods to the 2009 Wedding of the Year, as well. In addition, there are sealant sprays that can be experimented with to minimize the fragrance of fresh flowers, and also working with your florist to find the most 'fragrance free' flowers that can be sprayed and sealed for your reception. I grew up as a very allergic kid and am very sensitive to this issue. Sometimes the allergic individual can have a silk bouquet, bout. or corsage, and if it is good quality, no one will even know that it is silk.