You may think that Valentine's Day — the day you send your significant other flowers and chocolates — is Saturday, Feb. 14.
And you'd be dead wrong.
"The impact is made when you send flowers to their work ... it's a status symbol," says Tom Sebenius, cofounder of The Arrangement Floral Design, a boutique company specializing in weddings and social events in New York City.
That means you have three days to get them sent to the right place. That's it.
Normally this time crunch would mean an emergency pop into your local Walgreens to grab some carnations and a box of whatever-chocolates so you can just barely skate through the holiday on your good looks and charm.
To that, we at Business Insider say simply, do better.
All is not lost. You can still order flowers for your special anyone that will make them think that you appreciate their attention (which is allegedly what the holiday is about).
So what do you do now that it's down to the wire?
"Get on the phone, right now, don't use the internet to order your flowers," said Sebenius. Right now you want to talk to a human — a local human — who will know where you're sending your flowers. You're going to get better service that way.
How do you choose which florist to dial? Keep two things in mind. First, now is not the time to be looking for deals. Florists are business people, too, and right now they're dealing with markups from wholesalers. If you try to find yourself a deal, you're going to get lost.
Besides, says Sebenius, "If you're paying $25 for a dozen roses, it's going to look like $25 for a dozen roses."
What you should look for is a delivery minimum in the $50-$70 range. That will ensure that whoever you're buying them from is buying the good stuff.
"I always suggest orchids, evoke tropical thoughts, have a sexuality about them," said Sebenius.
Keep your card simple. "Love" and your name. Don't embarrass yourself trying to write a poem or something.
Good luck and Godspeed.
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