The 11 best Valentine's Day flower delivery services that'll arrive on their doorstep by February 14
And while you've still got some time to sort out a thoughtful Valentine's Day gift for her, I would act fast if you want to guarantee that one of these bouquets lands on her doorstep in time. Some of these online flower delivery services offer same-day or next-day shipping, but that's not a risk you should take — especially if you want to sweep your sweetie off their feet this year.
A quick caveat: More often than not, you won't receive a bouquet that looks identical to what you ordered online. This is to your advantage, though. All of these online flower delivery services prioritize freshness and quality over color and flower selection. 1-800-Flowers, FTD, ProFlowers and Teleflora also use local florists to fulfill orders, which means their flower variety and quality may depend on their location. While all of these services claim that they try their best to match colors and flower varieties, there's no guarantee that it'll be exact.
I examined bouquets from 11 different services for the following:
Wow factor: You want your valentine (or galentine) to be stunned by the beauty of the bouquet they receive. Is this bouquet something that'll make their heart aflutter? Or better yet, call you to gush about just how gorgeous it is? Beauty is subjective, but I tried to put my personal preferences aside and examined each bouquet at face value.
Freshness: How did the flowers look upon arrival — and how did that change with a little water?
Packaging and presentation: Were the flowers hand-delivered or shipped in a box? If they arrived in a box, were they well-wrapped and protected?
Value: Simply put, is it worth your money?
Let your recipient guide you. Maybe they like to keep things traditional with red roses and carnations. Or perhaps they prefer something a little more unexpected like peonies or lilies. All are welcome on Valentine's Day. If you opt for roses, Rachel Cho, the CEO of the New York City-based Rachel Cho Floral Design, recommends the "Explorer rose for its strong head and a deep red tone for a more sultry look." If you want "to create a more dynamic look," she suggests mixing in tulips, sweet peas, freesia, calla lilies or orchids.
Most of the work is done before flowers even hit your doorstep, but there are a few things you can do to extend the life of your fresh blooms. For starters, Cho suggests trimming the stems at an angle upon arrival and changing the water daily. "If you were given flower food, add a dash for each water change. If it's not on hand, a drop of bleach and a dash of sugar can also help," she tells Yahoo Life. Flowers tend to do better in cooler temperatures, which is why Cho notes that you should always "keep the flowers away from direct heat, air conditioning or sunlight."
Your go-to shopping guide: See all of our gift guides in one spot. We've got gift ideas for all the different people in your life — men, women, teens, kids, you name it.
We received complimentary samples of some products and purchased others ourselves, but we reviewed all products using the same objective criteria.
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