I don't think I have ever been so disappointed using this florist. One of my best friend's sister…read morepassed away suddenly and I wanted to send flowers to the service. I researched West Haven florists, since I wanted to use a local florist vs. order online, and decided on Floral Affair based on several reviews. I called and spoke directly with a woman, who was pleasant, and I gave her a specific name of a floral arrangement that I wanted on their website, that had a grapevine basket and arch in the arrangement. It was beautiful and unique. The picture for the arrangement showed about 2 dozen flowers: pink and purple lilies, gladiolus, gerbera daisies and Bells of Ireland and stated that the arrangement shown was the $90 level, which is what my base price was. I told her I liked whites and pastels after she asked my color preference and I said I the liked the lilies, belles of Ireland, that were in the basket and just in case they had an inkling to swap out any flowers, I did not, spider mums. At the service...I could not even find my arrangement...and was concerned that it had not been delivered. Not one arrangement had a grape vine basket. There were many beautiful, tasteful arrangements there. When my friend and I began to check the cards on each arrangement, she called me over to one that had my name on it. I almost cried in embarrassment! Honestly, the arrangement that was attributed to me was the ugliest, cheapest looking arrangement at the service. It was in a white plastic container and had one dozen of the cheapest flowers a florist could use: carnations and chrysanthemum (mum family). There were 4 other flowers in it...2 belles of Ireland and 2 tiny pink flowers, but I can't remember the name of them. There appeared to be more filler greens than anything else...and honestly it looked like someone had just thrown it together. It was not compact, it was not filled, it was not anything that I had expected. :( I wish I could have taken a picture of it...but didn't feel right whipping out my cell phone at the service. I can't tell you how embarrassed I was explaining to my friend that the ugly, cheap, tasteless arrangement that I sent, was not the lovely, unique, tasteful one that I had chosen to honor her sister. Luckily, we are such good friends...that she made me laugh about it afterwards, but that did not stop the sick feeling I had that 300+ people walked past the cheapest looking arrangement at the service and saw my name attributed to it. Ugh! I did call the florist later, who said she never wrote down the name of the specific arrangement I asked for...told me I never mentioned lilies (which are pictured in the arrangement online) and stated she was out ill the day my arrangement was made and someone else had created it. The person who did create it should never be allowed to work unattended. The arrangement was horrible. But how do you recoup from that disaster? You can't. The woman I spoke with offered me a credit and apologized...but honestly? The damage was already done. I would suggest if you ever use this florist, that you go to the shop in person and give them a list of flowers you want in your arrangement and make it clear what you expect your arrangement to look like. Better yet, use Fitzgerald's in West Haven instead. Many of the gorgeous arrangements that were at the service were created by Fitzgerald's...not a dud in the bunch. Filled baskets with gorgeous flowers, tasteful designs, and lovely colors. Sorry that this review was so long...but it reflects just how disappointed I was in my experience with this florist. :(
