While gadgets and smart devices make excellent gifts for friends and family, there is nothing more warm than gifting or receiving a flower bouquet. For one, flowers are incredibly refreshing and make for easy yet thoughtful gifts. What’s more, they are almost always acceptable for most types of occasions. Nonetheless, as is the case with any gift, there are certain mistakes people can make when choosing flower bouquets. These are mentioned below:

1. Placing an order on the day of the special occasion
Most people prefer to purchase birthday or anniversary gifts at the eleventh hour, which is not necessarily bad, but that needs to be avoided when sending flowers. Due to their sky-high yearly demands, retail stores and gift shops take time to deliver flowers. This demand grows tenfold during Valentine’s Day, festivals like Thanksgiving and Christmas, or any other special occasion. These delays will cause the flowers to be delivered late and, in many cases, wilted or damaged.

Gifts, such as flower bouquets, that arrive at the last minute imply that the one who sent the gift sent it as a last resort. People who receive damaged or delayed flowers will likely think that the gifter forgot about their special day and purchased the flowers at the last minute. However, when the recipient receives the flowers at the start of the day, they know that the person sending the gift has put some thought into it.

2. Failing to check the receiver’s address
Frequently, the biggest problem when gifting someone flowers is that they are sent to the wrong address. This is often caused by arranging the delivery in a hurry or at the last minute. People may misspell something or put the wrong postal code, resulting in the flowers going to a different and unintended location. If the flowers do not reach the person supposed to get them, then all the thought and effort can go to waste. For this reason, people need to thoroughly check the receiver’s address before sending them flowers as a gift.

3. Forgetting to send a note
Flower bouquets are often accompanied by a card or other messages to congratulate or wish a person on a specific occasion, be it a birthday, a promotion, or some special event. However, people often forget to send personalized messages, especially when they think of sending a flower bouquet at the last minute. This takes away some of the warmth and love associated with the idea of gifting a loved one something.

Personalized messages bring a much-needed human element to gifts. This is why, whenever someone is giving their loved ones flowers, it must be accompanied by a (preferably) handwritten message wishing them on the occasion of their special day and telling them how much they are cherished.

4. Scheduling delivery on the wrong day
This is perhaps the most common mistake one could make while gifting anything, not just flowers. Most websites and stores allow people to schedule their gift deliveries on specific days. Scheduling the delivery on the wrong day results in the recipient getting the gift on the wrong day. Now, in most cases, the receiver will not necessarily feel bad about this, especially if they are family or close ones; however, this can reflect poorly on the gift giver if they are sending out a gift to a client, colleague, or potential business partner.

5. Not considering the receiver’s preferences
Some individuals may have flower-related allergies. This means that certain flowers may trigger their asthma, make them sneeze or cough, or give them skin rashes or other issues. The person gifting someone flowers should know whether they are allergic to pollen or certain flower varieties.

Not only that, it is also good to consider one’s liking when it comes to flowers. Some may prefer lilies, roses, or wildflowers, and when one considers gifting a flower bouquet, one should take into account what the recipient likes.

6. Not understanding what each flower symbolizes
Specific flowers have different meanings and symbolism. For instance, red roses are romantic and are great gifts for partners, while white roses stand for peace and purity. Yellow roses stand for friendship. So, sending red roses to a business acquaintance or colleague can be considered inappropriate.