Occasions
Flowers for the moment.
Guides to the occasions people send flowers for most, plus the ones that don't have a page of their own.
Choosing well
The occasion tells you the tone. The person tells you the flowers.
Most people know why they're sending flowers. The hard part is the rest: what kind, how big, how much, and when. The occasion sets the tone, celebratory or quiet, romantic or friendly. But the best choice comes from the person: their favorite colors, the size of their home, whether they have a cat, and whether they'd rather have something that lasts.
Each guide below covers one occasion in depth. This page covers the decisions that apply to all of them, and the occasions that don't have a guide of their own.
The guides
Six occasions in depth
- Sympathy and funerals: what to send to the service and the home, faith customs, and pet loss.
- Birthdays: birth-month flowers, surprises, and milestone numbers.
- Anniversaries and romance: flowers by year, hotel deliveries and the grand gesture.
- Valentine's Day: order dates, office deliveries and alternatives to red roses.
- Mother's Day: new moms, grandmothers and sending from afar.
- Get well and new baby: hospital rules across Tampa Bay and what to send home.
Tone
Matching the design to the moment
Each occasion has a natural register.
- Celebration (birthdays, promotions, graduations): bright, generous and colorful. A full vase arrangement or a wrapped bouquet in a bold look.
- Romance (anniversaries, Valentine's Day): roses, deeper colors and a sense of occasion. The roses guide covers colors and stem counts.
- Comfort (sympathy, get well): calm, soft and low-scent. Whites, greens and soft pastels, or an orchid that lasts.
- Thanks (hosts, colleagues, clients): elegant and easy to live with. An orchid or a medium arrangement.
Budget
What to spend by occasion
These are common ranges, not rules.
- Thank-you, get well or "thinking of you": $100 to $175. A wrapped bouquet, a single orchid or an orchid duo.
- Birthday or new home: $150 to $300. A vase arrangement, like the Bella Vista or Culbreath Isles.
- Anniversary, Mother's Day or a milestone birthday: $250 to $500. The Tampa Luxe, the Palma Ceia, a triple orchid or a larger designer's choice.
- The grand gesture: $750 to $1,000. The Bespoke Rose, the Avilas Ashby or the Habana Way.
- Sympathy: The Swann sympathy design, $150 to $300, or the Grand Orchid Composition, $500, for a substantial tribute.
Calendar
Flower dates in 2027
Some occasions land on fixed dates, and they fill up fast. Plan for these:
- Valentine's Day, Sunday, February 14. Office deliveries move to Friday, February 12.
- Easter, Sunday, March 28.
- Administrative Professionals Day, Wednesday, April 21.
- Mother's Day, Sunday, May 9.
- Father's Day, Sunday, June 20.
- Thanksgiving, Thursday, November 25. Flowers for the host's table should arrive a day or two before.
- December holidays: book corporate and party flowers early.
Other moments
Occasions without a page
Many good reasons to send flowers don't fit a category.
- Congratulations: a new job, a promotion or a business opening. Bright and generous, delivered to the office.
- Graduation: a bouquet in school colors, handed over after the ceremony.
- New home: a compact arrangement or an orchid, since the house may still be full of boxes. Avoid lilies if there's a cat, as they're highly toxic to cats.
- Retirement: something generous for the party, or an orchid to take home.
- Thank you: to a host, a teacher, a nurse or a neighbor. Small, specific and timely.
- Apology: modest and sincere, with a card that does the real work.
- Just because: the most welcome of all, because nobody expects it.
Relationship
Who the flowers are for
The same occasion calls for different flowers depending on who receives them.
- A partner: personal and a little extravagant. Their favorite flower, or roses in a color that means something to you both.
- A parent or grandparent: generous and easy to care for. Arrangements arrive in water, which matters for someone who doesn't want to hunt for a vase.
- A friend: a wrapped bouquet in a look you know they'd like, or a design that matches their home.
- A colleague: understated and office-friendly. Low scent, a modest size, and nothing romantic.
- A client: elegant and lasting. An orchid is hard to beat.
- A neighbor: small and cheerful. A thank-you for watering the plants or a welcome to the street.
Culture
Customs worth knowing
Tampa Bay's communities carry many traditions, and a few affect flowers.
When in doubt, ask someone close to the recipient. Our sympathy guide covers faith customs in more detail.
- In many East Asian cultures, white flowers are associated with mourning, so they're best avoided for celebrations. Red and gold feel festive for Lunar New Year.
- Flowers are not traditional at Jewish funerals, though they're welcome for celebrations and as gifts to the home at other times.
- In parts of Latin America and the Caribbean, sympathy arrangements are often larger and more colorful than in American traditions.
- Odd numbers of stems are preferred in some European and Slavic traditions for celebrations, while even numbers are kept for funerals.
Groups
Sending from a team or family
A group gift goes further as one larger arrangement than as several small ones. Choose one person to order, collect the names for the card, and agree on a budget up front. For an office, check whether the recipient would welcome a delivery at work, or prefer one at home.
Weather
Occasions in hurricane season
Hurricane season runs from June to November. If a tropical storm is forecast, deliveries may need to move. Call ahead if the weather looks uncertain, and choose a design that will still look good a day later, such as orchids or tropical flowers.
Lasting
When a gift should last
Cut flowers look their best for about a week. Orchids last for weeks or months. For someone recovering from illness, a new parent, or a person who has just lost someone, a potted orchid keeps giving after the cut flowers are gone. The orchids guide explains the options, from $125.
The card
Saying it in a few words
The card matters as much as the flowers. Keep it short, sign your full name, and be specific about the moment. Our flower etiquette guide has advice on timing, budgets and card wording for every situation.
Late
When you've missed the day
Forgetting happens. A belated arrangement with an honest card ("I'm late, but I was thinking of you") is better received than you might think, and arriving a day or two after a birthday, when the attention has faded, can make it feel more personal. For anniversaries and Mother's Day, a follow-up dinner with flowers on the table is another way to put it right.
FAQ
Flowers by occasion: questions.
What flowers suit every occasion?
Orchids are the safest all-round choice. They're elegant, last for weeks and suit homes and offices. For something more personal, choose by the recipient's favorite colors.
How much should I spend on flowers for an occasion?
Most gifts fall between $100 and $300. Milestones and grand gestures run higher, from $500 to $1,000.
How far ahead should I order for Valentine's Day or Mother's Day?
As early as possible, ideally a week or more ahead. These are the busiest days of the year.
What flowers should I avoid for someone with a cat?
Lilies. All parts of the lily, including the pollen, are highly toxic to cats. Orchids are a safe alternative.
Can I send flowers just because?
Yes, and it's often the most appreciated gift of all. A wrapped bouquet or an orchid works well.
Something custom in mind?
Tell us about the moment, and our designers will create something one of a kind.