More FAQ's

Can I send flowers to someone?

We love to do flower arrangements and will do as many as we can! However, we do limit our orders so that we can give every order the attention and the time it deserves. We request that you always place orders 24 hours in advance. If our schedule is booked, we will not take on additional orders.

Why don't you keep regular business hours?

The reason we do not keep regular business hours is because we do not have a regular store front. And yes, while we do have things you can come and purchase, most of our work is either done on site for an event or we are teaching classes.

So, while we are not always at our workshop, we are always around and we do try to answer as many calls as possible. If you would like to stop by our Blossoms Floral Design Workshop, we do try to be there Monday through Friday 9:30 am - 12:00.

What is the best way to place a flower order?

The best way to place a flower order is to call a minimum of 24 business hours in advance. This gives us plenty of time to make sure we have the flowers you need and can put the time and care in to your project that it deserves.

Currently our credit card machine is down so we can accept checks through Paypal or you may send a check in the mail. We are working with a new team right now and will have that up and running as quickly as possible.

Do you deliver?

Yes, of course! All deliveries are made in the afternoon unless other arrangements are made. Deliveries to Frye Hospital are free. We do offer a discount to those who pick-up their orders at our Blossoms Floral Design Workshop.

Vase by the Case

We apologize for any inconvenience, RWD is NOT offering this service any longer.

We are in the process of launching our newest feature, "Vase by the Case."

In the meantime, if you are looking for vases for your wedding or special event, please give us a call. We would LOVE to help! We will sell you vases, by the case, for much less than you can find at your local retailer.

Why would we do this? Simple!

We have found a tremendous amount of brides who can't get the floral arrangements of their dreams because of all the hidden little expenses. We want to take out some of that headache. By passing on savings to you through the vases, our brides then get the opportunity to focus on the flowers and weddings of their dreams.

Give us a call for more specifics and costs relating to "Vase by the Case!" Oh, and we do still rent vases for local events as well!

October/November Classes

Recently we had the opportunity to teach two 3rd grade classes as the Hickory Christian Academy a floral craft which related to the book, "Sarah, Plain and Tall" which they had been studying. The children were wonderful and it was a pleasure to be invited into their classroom. (Pictures coming!)

We also had the opportunity earlier in have a group of children at our workshop to create their own floral arrangement inside a pumpkin and also take a flower and turn it into a Halloween spider. (Pictures also coming!)

We especially love to work with children as their ability to create has not yet been limited by inadequacy. Each piece of art is truly unique and special. We are so blessed to be able to participate in these classes. We truly thank each of you for coming and sharing your talents with us.

Our next class is for ladies on November 6th! We will be making fall arrangements. The cost is $35.00 + per arrangement (costs may vary as each arrangement will be a custom design by YOU!! ) All materials and supplies provided.*

*Pre-Registration and deposit required due 5 days prior to class. Deposits are non-refundable but can be transferred to different class if necessary.

Our next class for kids is November 20th! We will be making a Thanksgiving floral craft!

As always, please feel free to call (828.455.3774) for full details on any of our classes, to place a flower order, or schedule a consultation for our wedding or corporate services.

Bridal Bouquet

Orchids, lilies, kumquats, and evergreens gives this winter bouquet a fun twist.

A Vineyard Wedding

As Promised!

Well, it's been a little slow in coming, but here are a few photos from the Rock Barn Cancer Society Fundraiser that took place a few weeks ago. Since the theme was a tropical beach theme we placed bright colored flowers with sea shells tucked in the arrangement on top a square vase. Inside the vase placed a mini-beach complete with sand, water, sea shells, and a little crab.

A fun and wimsical arrangement that would be perfect for any tropical beach themed event.

Floral Design Classes

It's time to register for fall classes!

With cooler temperatures slowly creeping in, it's the perfect time to attend one of our
holiday floral design classes.
Our classes offer a wide range of projects to choose from as well as we can custom design the perfect project for you.

Got friends?!
Have a floral design party! We are offering 15% off parties and a free hostess gift for parties of 6 or more. Classes can be taught at our Blossoms Workshop or in your home.
Book soon because this special won't last long!

As always, for full details, questions, or to book time to create your masterpiece,
call 828.455.3774.

Event Florist

Recently I was asked, "What is the difference between a florist and a special event florist?"

Generally, a florist can handle a wide variety of floral projects at one time. They usually work in a shop, but not always. Florists usually do projects relating to any occasion (prom, funerals, anniversaries, weddings, and holidays).

A special event florist handles larger scale events. Generally event florists specialize in large weddings, corporate events, and floral design as art.

Blossoms of Rachael West Designs focuses on large scale events and floral/plant arrangements for corporate offices and events. We also do funerals. Whenever possible, we do take on smaller projects such as birthday bouquets, anniversaries, dances, and other special events.

Please remember when placing orders we do require 24 hour notice as we do place priority on our events and corporate contracts first. By providing us ample notice we can guarantee your project will receive the attention and care it needs to make the floral accent of your special event perfect.

Please call 828.455.3774 for an appointment to plan your perfect special event.

A Funny Story!

This cute bride never knew the disaster she almost had at her wedding...and it wasn't regarding the flowers! Actually, the flowers are what saved the day. You see, the wedding planner had agreed to pick up and deliver the cake to the reception site but on the way the cake tipped over. You can only imagine how panicked the wedding planner was as she opened up the back of her car to show me the damaged cake.

Thankfully, I was able to put a few flowers on the bottom layer to help hide the damage as we placed it on the cake table. We carefully (and quickly) stacked the other layers and placed flowers, tropical greens, and seashells on the cake. All of which looked as if it were floating on a tray of water, rocks, and sea shells. Plumeria blooms floated in the water and gave off the most amazing scent.

Shortly after the bride came over to see the cake. She LOVED it! She promptly brought over her family and proudly showed off the cake just moments before the ceremony started.

Something usually goes wrong at weddings, but when you have experienced vendors who are prepared, you can usually get through anything....and most of the time, the bride never knows-- which is exactly how it should be!

Want a tropical Blossoms at your wedding?
Call Rachael West Designs at 828.455.3774 for a wedding consultation.

(Some of these photos have been posted before but without the story)

Pink and Champagne Wedding

This wedding is actually one we did several years ago. I just LOVE these pictures because they still look incredible, trendy, and really pop against the champagne colored dresses.

Thanks to MK Images for sending me these photos after the wedding.

If you are interested in a wedding consultation or more information about our wedding services, please contact Rachael West Designs or call 828.455.3774.

Classic Creations

Stacie King is an event planner and coordinator located in Hickory, North Carolina. She and I have now had the opportunity to work together on several weddings. Stacie has an incredible eye for detail, always keeping in mind things like ribbon accents and floral pins.

She, along with her staff have been professional, organized, and do a great job catering to her clients.

If you are in need of a fun, creative, and professional event planner, please give Stacie and her team at "Classic Creations" a try.

Stacie King, Hickory NC

828.217.5049
classiccreationshky@yahoo.com

Placing Orders

Since we are special event florists, we spend a lot of time at venues with our clients. During that time, we may not be available to take on additional orders, especially on weekends.

If you reach our voice mail, please leave a message and we will get back to you as quickly as possible. However, do not assume that if we got your voice message that we are doing your project. You will always receive a follow-up call with confirmation stating that we will do your project and coordinate all the special details for your project.

We always encourage you to call in your orders with as much notice as possible. Orders placed with less than 24 hours, especially during holidays or weddings, may not be possible for us to fill.

Our upcoming expansion will help accommodate more orders, but until then we don't want to over-book. We want to give our best work to each of our clients and their special events.

To place an order, please call 828.455.3774 or visit www.RachaelWestDesigns.com

Testimonial

Rachael,

THANK YOU, THANK YOU, THANK YOU!!!! Everything was PERFECT! You and Stacia did such a beautiful job. It seriously was everything I'd imagined..... I loved it all. Matt and I had such a wonderful day, it really was perfect. Thank you for taking such good care of me. You were so wonderful to work with.

Love,

A. S

Cancer Fundraiser at Rock Barn

This past weekend the Chamber of Commerce of Hickory hosted a fund-raiser for the American Cancer Society. We had the honor and privilege to donate two arrangements for the silent auction.
Pictures coming!!

How do I know if I am getting what I paid for?

My husband and I recently celebrated our wedding anniversary. Unfortunately on that day he was in Atlanta for a work meeting and we were unable to be together, so, he sent me flowers. These beautiful lilies came in a glass vase and were delivered to the house for $95.00

The lilies were beautiful, and I was extremely excited my husband would send me something I truly loved and there is nothing that would lessen the excitement I felt receiving those flowers from him.

However, being a florist I would be embarrassed to send this arrangement. First, there are uncleaned stems in the water which means the leaves below the water line of the vase. Debry in the water creates a breeding ground for bacteria. This is a guaranteed way to shorten the life of your flowers. There was no plant food packet attached to the arrangement.

Second, North Carolina grows a lot of lilies locally and they were in season during the time of our anniversary. The cost for these lilies were a little too high....however, it could have been priced accurately if there had been other flowers, a higher quality vase, or some type of extra embellishment.

Third, the florist called me that morning to say they had a delivery and asked if they could leave it on if I was not home. This is a MAJOR concern to me even more than the others because a good florist knows that if you set a vase of lilies out in the summer sun, even in water, they will open up and be dead extremely quickly. Lilies are finicky and like to grow in sun, but not be cut and in a vase and left in the sun.

Fourth, when the florist called, she mentioned the time they would arrive by. The florist was over an hour late. This was my first contact with them even before the flowers arrived. A big frustration when I was sitting at home waiting for them to arrive.

And last, the flowers, by the next day looked awful and were quickly deteriorating. All of them were dead in a matter of just a few days.

Rachael West Designs take great pride in making sure we include all the special little accents to your floral arrangements and here is how:

~We take care of the little details like making sure the water is clean and free of debry. We provide a packet of plant food which not only feeds the flowers, but more importantly helps keep the water clean and free of bacteria. Changing the water daily and mixing in flower food can double or even triple the life of your flowers.

~We are always happy to use local flowers or in-season flowers to help reduce costs for you.

~If you are not home, we always do our best to make other arrangements for delivery.

~Sometimes things happen. If a situation arises where we are running late, we will call.

~We offer, for anyone who would like, a photo of their arrangement. With technology literally in the palm of our hands, there should never be a time when you cant see exactly what you are getting... and paying for.

~We don't tack on a huge delivery fee at the end to make up our costs. Delivery is free for all of our weddings to one local destination and to Frye Hospital. Repeat customers also may get extra perks like free delivery.

~We would also be happy at any time to show you pictures of our work or provide references any time.

If your florist is not doing these things for you, you should definitely give us a try. We guarantee you will be pleased.

Rachael Wests Designs and Blossoms
828.326.7100

Wax Flowers!

Wax flowers come in many different colors and make a great accent in arrangements. They also are so dainty and fun for a little flower girl to wear in her hair as she tosses them down the aisle instead of the traditional rose petals. Wax flowers do not curl up and turn brown like rose petals do on the ground. They are very "hearty" and hold up for hours even out of water. They also look really cute sprinkled on tabletops or bundled up as a little flower girl bouquet.

So, for a different and fun accent give wax flowers a try.

Rachael West Designs

More Wedding Details...

This wedding outside under a pink and white tent featured approximately 30 simple white hydrangeas carefully placed on a bed of simple greens in a square vase.
Also, 6 tall centerpieces featuring curly willow and hydrangeas, snuggled in a bed of greens placed a top white orchids submerged in water really created height and drama under the tent.

May Wedding

Here is just a sampling of the wedding party.....bridesmaids white and green bouquets really popped against their hot pink dresses. The lily in their hair really pulled it all together!

This beautiful bride carried a bouquet of callas, freesia, with a simple collar of greens.
The perfect bouquet for timeless elegance.

This arrangement (approximately 24 feet long) doubled as an altar arrangement for the church ceremony and as the head table arrangement for the reception. It created the perfect "wow" factor for this little country church wedding.

Travel Photos

This bird is made completely made out of moss, greens, flowers, and other natural elements. I just love flowers as art!

Gaylord Palms Hotel, Orlando, Memorial Day Weekend

Recent Projects

This arrangement was so fun and bright. Sadly, I am not a photographer and only had just a minute to snap a photo before it went out the door for delivery. Hot pink peonies, purple irises, lime green kangaroo paw, greens, magnolia seed pods, and a little butterfly were the stars of this arrangement.

Detail of butterfly.

Bridal Bouquet

bridal bouquet featuring calla lilies and freesia

its Wedding Season!!

Weddings are some of my all time favorite events. I love the flowers and the reminder of how important it is to be happy in love. But with that comes a lot of hard work and special attention to even the tiniest of details.

With that in mind, we are limiting our orders at this time to be able to pay extra special attention to our brides. Weeks where we do not have weddings, we will be happy to take on extra projects, but our goal is to have every project, even the little ones, be special. If we over-do, we are not giving our best to you.

So, if you have a special occasion coming up, give us a call early before our schedule fills up. We would be honored to be the accent to your special occasion.

Rachael West Designs

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