I used to live much closer to Sal's original Capitol Hill location but moving downtown I discovered that their second location is a lot more convenient for me. Which is great because now I can still get amazing arrangements and flowers without going out of my way. But really, these are worth the distance no matter where you live.
First: Sal and his team are experts. The reason I discovered them wasn't initially word of mouth or Yelp - it was seeing their shop in person. The storefront and the arrangements are so stunning that I had to walk in. And that was a bad idea because of course I walked out with a bunch of flowers :) But who could resist? Part of me wishes Sal could just move into my home and decorate it for me. Then after meeting him I felt even better about their shop. At the time (in Capitol Hill) they were brand new and he was so warm and inviting. In fact, the shop was open on his birthday and he gave me a piece of his birthday cake! So sweet - I won't forget it.
Then today I was downtown and walking by. I spotted his logo from across the way and had to pop in to say hi and see the new space. Which worked out to be perfect timing because I'm newly engaged and I had some questions about wedding flowers and costs. I'll definitely have to book an appointment to have an official consultation but I was so excited that Sal still had a few mins to talk to me about this. I had a million questions and he was so patient and also excited for me. We talked colors, flowers, floral seasons (just in case the flowers I want aren't available during my projected wedding dates) and we talked about cost.
He was super upfront about pricing and made it clear that while flowers can be expensive, he can also find creative ways to make things affordable without compromising his signature style. Which was a relief because the last thing I want is for him to make something he isn't proud of. Or something I wouldn't love! Even for a store I considered extremely fancy and upscale the pricing was so reasonable. The quote he talked about was literally half of what I had expected to spend. And I'm not having an over-the-top, expensive wedding! Just a normal one! But I really do want the flowers (even if they're limited) to be gorgeous and well done. He had all of these great ideas like making only some of the centerpieces big, but not all of them. And also re-using materials/flowers from the ceremony at the reception/dinner. DUH! That's brilliant. He also said prices can be lowered because it's not necessary for people to buy the vases or stands that the flowers come in when they're displayed. So you're paying just for the actual work/design and the flowers. Not for vases, stands and stuff you won't need or want when the event is over. He also talked about creative ways to reuse and repurpose the flowers right after the wedding. No flower gets wasted! I was so appreciative of all of this info but I had no idea. I also didn't know that as a full service florist he and his team actually come to set up the aisle, the flowers, and then stick around after the ceremony to help move the flowers to the reception area. It's not something anyone else has to do and it's one less thing for me to worry about. Then at the end of the evening they come back again to remove the bases and vases and essentially clean up what they prepped earlier in the day. So all that considered, I was even happier because the prices we discussed included that service - which makes buying flowers feel like a much better investment. It's about the artistry, the flowers, and the exceptional service.
I also learned that Sal recently took over doing all floral arrangements for the Four Seasons next door. Which is incredible! I think it speaks a lot about his professionalism and his abilities as a florist. And during our little chat today he had someone run a quick errand for him. They took a gorgeous arrangement to another nearby business. So they have lots of big corporate customers and people paying big bucks for some of his really big pieces. That really spoke to me because it's not just brides and grooms and families wanting beautiful arrangements, it's big companies that have impeccable reputations. And now he represents them with flowers and helps make their spaces are pretty as they are.
But enough about weddings and huge arrangements. In the store itself I saw so much more than I expected to see. Sal also sells cute accessories like these gorgeous framed (real) butterflies, candles, and more. He also has more than just wedding-type stuff. You can buy single flowers, you can buy bouquets, you can buy pre-arranged small pieces for a gift or a home. They even have terrariums and small potted plants and succulents. So it's way beyond just flowers or just fancy things. Everything is gorgeous but there's a whole range of things. So you can spend a lot or spend a little and you'll get something gorgeous. read more