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Something Spectacular Custom Floral Design Warren and Center Line, Michigan 586-778-4624 Silk Floral: Worldwide Service and Shipping Fresh Floral: Metro Detroit & Select Michigan Areas

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Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)  1. Your flowers look exactly like fresh flowers. Are they really artificial?  2. Are all artificial flowers "silk" flowers?  3. What are the various qualities of silk flowers available?  4. What quality of silks are used by Something Spectacular?  5. Where do you purchase your flowers?  6 .Your designs always look so professional. What are your qualifications?  7. Why are the designs on your website shown without prices?  8. Why would I want "custom" design for my special event or home?  9. Do you offer floral packages? 10. Do you offer samples? 11. Do you have a printed catalog? 12. Where are you located? Do you have a walk-in, retail location? 13. Do you also offer fresh flowers and fresh floral design services? 14. What is your availability for 2007, 2008, and 2009? 15. How do I place an order? 16. You're already fully booked for my date. Can you "squeeze" my order into your schedule? 17. I need flowers right away. Do you offer rush service? 18. How do I submit an order for bulk flower stems? 19. What is your payment policy and what forms of payment do you accept? 20. What is your return policy? 21. What type of delivery and shipping do you use? 22. Do you offer gift certificates? 23. Do you offer "on-location" design service? How does that differ from an "on-location" consultation? 24. Besides scheduling a personalized consultation, where else can I see your work in person? 25. What is your privacy policy?

Fresh floral design "To see a world in a grain of sand And a heaven in a wild flower Hold infinity in the palm of your hand And eternity in an hour" - William Blake

Q. Your flowers look exactly like fresh flowers. Are they really artificial?
A. The flowers you see on our website are "silk" unless otherwise noted below each photo. Ours is a reputable business that believes in integrity and truth in advertising so while some silk florists display fresh floral industry design photos on their websites and try to pass them off as a sample photo of their products, we feel that is misleading and deceitful. Something Spectacular does not believe in "bait and switch," and you will never see photos of fresh flowers on our site without a label or disclaimer clearly identifying each sample as fresh flowers. Also, unlike many florists' websites, you will never see anyone else's work (such as stock, floral industry design photos) on our site. Every photo you see on our site is one of our original, custom designed bouquets or arrangements. Our faux products resemble fresh arrangements because the flowers and foliage we use are only the most realistic, premium quality, "silk" flowers available only to professional florists. We never use floral industry stock photos of any kind (including fresh bridal bouquets and other wedding flowers) on our site.

Q. Are all artificial flowers really silk flowers?
A. In the USA, faux or artificial flowers and foliage are commonly referred to as "silk". We highlight the word "silk" here because artificial flowers and foliage are not always made of silk. We purchase the most realistic materials from suppliers and manufacturers all around the world, and design with products manufactured from a number of different types of materials. Therefore, while the flowers we use are traditionally called silk flowers, they may not actually be made of silk.

Q. What are the various qualities of silk flowers available?
A. While other florists define silk qualities differently and on their own scale, Something Spectacular was the first online florist to classify silk flowers and foliage, and we classify faux botanicals into the following six (6) categories:

• Exceptional - The most realistic faux flowers and foliages available only to professional florists
• Very Good - Slightly lower quality than Exceptional, but still extremely realistic and only available to professional florists
• Good - Slightly lower quality than Very Good, but still realistic and available only to professional florists
• Average - Lower quality than Very Good, but fairly realistic on most types of flowers. This quality rating can be compared to the higher-end, pricier, silk flowers available at specialty floral and craft stores.
• Below Average - Lower quality than Average, and generally not realistic. This quality rating can be compared to most of the averaged-priced silk flowers available at floral and craft stores.
• Budget - Lowest quality and not at all realistic. This category includes "dew drop" flowers (rosebuds and other lower quality cloth flowers dotted with acrylic droplets to similate rain drops) and very inexpensive bushes that are popular in many swap meets, trade centers, and craft, variety, and dollar stores.

Q. What quality of silks are used by Something Spectacular?
A. Something Spectacular specializes in using only Exceptional and Very Good quality silks. Nearly all faux flowers in the top two, professional grades are hand-made and hand-painted for superior quality and the most realistic details. By special request (and based on a client's budget), we can work with specially selected Good and Average quality silks, however, we can always suggest money-saving ideas and provide a number of designs that offer clients the ability to have higher quality flowers not only just for themselves, but for their entire wedding party as well. Please note that although most online florists do use them, we do not work at all with Below Average or Budget quality silks as we do not find them at all realistic. We realize that Something Spectacular may not be the designer for everyone, but most of our clients come to us based on word-of-mouth referrals from satisfied clients, bridal consultants, interior designers, and from seeing the quality of our work in person. We're known worldwide for our quality so we must always maintain the high standards that have earned us the reputation of "The Premier Silk Floral Designer"™ and "The Picky Bride's Florist."™

Q. Where do you purchase your flowers?
A. Each year we spend a great deal of time, effort, and travel researching and locating the most realistic, superior quality materials from suppliers and manufacturers around the world. While some florists are content to purchase supplies from one or two primary suppliers and completely rely on those limited product lines, we're constantly searching for higher quality, more realistic, silk flowers and foliage. Of course, that adds value to the finished products we offer our clients. We currently purchase our materials from nearly 40 different resources to ensure that we purchase the best roses, the best gerbera daisies, the best calla lilies, the best of every type of flower and foliage. We're extremely fussy about the quality of our products, and we believe a realistic bouquet or centerpiece begins with premium quality materials. Purchasing and using the absolute finest quality products is one of the things that sets us apart from the competition, therefore, the supplier and product results from our extensive research is confidential information that we do not release to anyone.

Q. Your designs always look so professional. What are your qualifications?
A. Floral design is an art form, just like painting, scupture, etc., and quite frankly, we are passionate about it. We view our custom creations as pieces of fine art, and we take the time to design and construct each item to be well balanced in color, scale, texture, proportion, etc.—all the formal principles of good visual design. Without formal art and design training and education, a designer is just a designer, and without good design, a floral arrangement is just an arrangement. We believe that every client deserves outstanding flowers that are truly worthy of their special day. We're skilled and trained artesans who create floral artistry and not just designers who create arrangements.

Unlike some florists who are self-taught or who learned through non-accredited establishments (such a correspondence course, craft store class, etc) without any formal training in art or design, Something Spectacular's owner and master designer possesses a Bachelor of Arts degree and post graduate and continuing education in fine arts and design arts as well as formal education in both floral design and interior design. Her education and training has come from such accredited institutions as Siena Heights University, the College for Creative Studies (CCS), the world-renowned Southern California School of Floral Design (studying under legendary designer Phil Rulloda), Michigan Floral Association, and Baylor University. She has been involved in juried fine arts competitions (most recently awarded "Best of Show" at Warren Tri-County Fine Art Association's juried art show at the American Center in Southfield, Michigan), Florists' Review's international wedding design contests, and her work has been published many times, including most recently in several issues of Florists' Review magazine (an international design publication for florists), Woman's World magazine, and The Bridal Bouquet Book by Ginny Parfitt (Schiffer Books). She keeps up to date with the latest industry trends each year by attending cutting-edge design conferences and workshops and reading the latest international floral design periodicals and books. She has worked internationally and also in the exports field, and is familiar with the markets and suppliers that produce the highest quality faux botanicals. She is a perfectionist and performs meticulous research each year to stay on top of new product lines and offerrings and the continued advancement of realism in silk flowers.

Also, our experience working with fresh flowers, understanding the properties of how they grow, how they bend, the colors they grown in, their seasonal availability, at what speed they open, etc. gives us a distinct advantage over florists who work with only silk flowers. When you understand and have extensive experience with fresh flowers, you can better replicate a natural look with silks.

Q. Why are the designs on your website shown without prices?
A. Some florists are merely "order takers," and their websites are simply online catalogs filled with pre-made, "cookie-cutter" designs. Few color choices are available, little or no customization takes place, and the same designs are offerred to each and every client regardless of the client's individual size, style, tastes, and event theme so pricing can be set in advance. All of our designs are completely custom, and anything you see on our website is just one small sample from our expansive portfolio of past work. Each order we prepare is designed specifically for your preferences, requirements, and budget. Before quoting prices, we listen to your preferences and detailed requirements because the pricing of any bouquet or arrangement has several components, including:

• Quantity of silks desired
• Varieties of flowers and foliages desired
• Overall size of the arrangement or bouquet
• Type of containers or holder desired
• Quality of ribbon preferred
• Accent preference, such as special handle wrapping or finishes, monograms, crystals, pearls, etc.
• Amount of time and expertise required to create the design
• Number of design reviews and photo previews preferred
• Readily available vs. special order flowers and foliages
• Rush order vs. regular order

Q. Why would I want "custom" design for my special event or home?
A. While it may be quick to browse a limited selection of designs and fill a shopping cart with "one size fits all," ready-made arrangements from an online catalog, the advantages of a thorough consultation process and it's resulting, custom designed products far outweigh the minor convenience of choosing from a menu of "cookie-cutter" designs available to everyone and anyone. We strongly believe that each arrangement or event design should reflect the individuality of the client(s), and because of this, all of our designs are completely custom. Each and every order is designed for YOU -- created specifically for YOUR preferences, requirements, unique sense of style, and budget. You aren't like everyone else and if you don't want your arrangement or special event flowers to be like everyone elses, Something Spectacular custom floral designs are for you.

Q. Do you offer floral packages?
A. Over the years we've found that most clients, particularly bridal clients, have very specific needs, and although some florists offer them, packages generally do not accomodate the wishes and needs of most brides. A package may contain too many flowers for a small wedding party and not enough flowers for a large wedding party. Packages usually contain multiple bouquets, boutonnierres, and corsages of the same, cookie-cutter style while a bride may desire certain items personalized for various family members or members of the wedding party. We are a custom design service that provides a very high level of personalized customer service. That includes meeting the exact needs of our clients and not forcing them to buy extra items included in packages that they don't want or need. For example, if a bride needs only 2 bridesmaid bouquets, why should she be forced to buy a package containing 5 bridesmaid bouquets? That equates to money the bride could use for other wedding services or items. With Something Spectacular, you order exactly what you need with no minimum orders, surcharges, or extra items you don't want or need. Customization and personalization are just two of the many advantages a custom design service has over a standard, online-order florist. In the near future, we will be offering ready-made, one-of-a-kind, custom wedding bouquets for brides who are eloping, planning small, private, or destination weddings, or those whose weddings are approaching very quickly and are in immediate need of a bouquet or bouquets.

Q. Do you offer samples?
A. Yes. Once we have confirmed our availability for your special event date and learned about your particular needs and preferences, we can offer one of each flower requested for it's market price plus shipping. Since Something Spectacular uses only the finest quality materials, for re-use practicality and to avoid unnecessary extra floral cost, we suggest that our bridal clients order a sample corsage or a toss bouquet in place of individual stems so their sample(s) can be used on their wedding day.

Q. Do you have a printed catalog?
A. We are a custom design service, and at this time, all of our products are original designs created specifically for each and every client. Therefore, we do not have a printed or paper catalog for mass mailing and distribution. In the future, we will be introducing a line of high quality, one-of-a-kind, ready-made designs. However our ready-made designs will be available for online display only as that allows us to offer substantial savings to our clients and quickly and easily update our website with the most current, cutting-edge designs.

Q. Where are you located? Do you have a walk-in, retail location?
A. We are located on the border of Warren and Center Line, Michigan, NE suburbs of the Detroit metropolitan area, and while we provide fresh floral designs for only Metro Detroit and select other Michigan areas (with the exception of our on-location design service), our silk and faux designs are shipped worldwide. Something Spectacular has been in business since 2001 and has never had a walk-in, retail (open-to-the-public) location. The reason for that is twofold. First, we want to focus 100% of our attention on your comprehensive consultation and custom design order, and that is difficult for retail florists to do when the majority of their time and attention is focused on daily, walk-in customers for everyday arrangements, sympathy flowers, etc. Because we specialize in special events and custom orders, we want to focus all of our time on you and your custom order so consultations are by appointment only. Secondly, by creating our award-winning designs in a private studio, we're able to avoid costly overhead expenses that florists with retail locations must pass along to customers. Without a retail location, we can keep our expenses low and provide you maximum value with premium products at excellent prices.

Q. Do you also offer fresh flowers and fresh floral design services?
A. Yes, we design fresh floral bouquets and arrangements for weddings and special events. Unlike silk flowers, fresh flowers can become easily damaged or wilt during traditional shipping methods, therefore, we limit our fresh floral designs to clients located, or hosting their special event, in Michigan so that we can ensure proper handling, delivery, and setup. Note that we are available for worldwide travel and on-site design services. Therefore, if your fresh floral special event will be held in an area where we do not personally deliver and setup and you would like Something Spectacular to design your floral arrangements, we can travel to your location and design on-site. For an out-of-area, on-site floral design service quote, contact our Customer Service Department. Note that our out-of-area, on-site floral design service is also a good option for silk floral events requiring large size, heavy, or a very large quantity of table arrangements.

Q. What is your availability for 2008, 2009, and 2010?
A. Due to our high quality products and services, Something Spectacular is very much in demand. To provide the highest quality designs and service to our clients, we accept only a limited amount of fresh and silk orders per month, and our dates for special event floral design tend to book very quickly -- oftentimes a year or more in advance. Months with any availability are always prominently displayed on our website's home page. A minimal deposit, which is credited towards your final balance, is required to reserve a space on our design calendar and to begin the creation of your order. Avoid disappointment -- reserve early to lock in your date (and avoid rush charges). IMPORTANT: Please note that our availability is NOT guaranteed without an initial deposit, and a deposit is required to start all orders.

Q. How do I place an order?
A. A personalized, custom order requires a thorough consultation process. To start the consultation process, contact us at 586-778-4624. We'll first verify our availability for your date and begin an initial consultation, gathering information from you, such as your wedding or special event date, wedding colors, your floral needs (approximate number of bouquets, centerpieces, etc), your total floral budget (a per-item budget is also very helpful in determining how much of your floral budget you'd like to allocate to personal flowers vs. reception flowers, etc.), the colors and varieties of flowers you like best, photos of and fabric swatches from your bridal gown and bridesmaid dresses, etc. to begin envisioning an overall "picture" of your event, to begin narrowing in on the exact flowers that would best fit your vision and budget, and to begin building an estimate. For local (metro Detroit and select areas in Michigan) orders, consultations are held in person, when possible so that clients can see sample flowers and sample bouquets. For out of area orders, consultations are held by phone and e-mail, using digital photographs.

An initial deposit, that is applied towards your order's final balance, is required to formally reserve your date and guarantee a space on our design schedule. The deposit also locks in prices (particularly advantageous when booking a year or more in advance), helps to avoid rush charges (for more details on rush charges, please see details below), and is required for advanced consultation steps (such as mocking up samples), ordering the custom flowers and supplies for your order, and designing and creating your order.

Something Spectacular is located in the USA so there's no worry for US clients that your order might not clear Customs and no worry about surprise or excessive duties or Customs charges. Michigan sales tax (6%) is added only to orders delivered or shipped within Michigan.

Q. You're already fully booked for my date. Can you "squeeze" my order into your schedule?
A. Although we're already booked for your special event date, feel free to contact us. Occasionally we can accomodate clients by fitting small orders into our design schedule. We may also be able to accomodate last minute orders, however, please note that certain types of last minute orders incur a minimal rush charge. Reference the topic below for details regarding rush charges and when they apply.

Q. I need flowers right away. Do you offer rush service?
A. There are times when we may be able to fit small, last minute orders into our design schedule. Please contact us to check availability. A minimal rush charge applies to certain types of last minute orders. Fresh Flowers - There is no rush charge for fresh floral orders, however, your order must be placed at least one (1) month prior to the date of delivery. Silk Flowers - No rush charge is applied to silk floral orders placed (and with a deposit received) two (2) or more months prior to your required delivery date. However, a rush charge equal to 10% of your total order is applied to silk floral orders where the order is placed (and/or an initial deposit is received) less than two (2) months prior to your required delivery date. For example, a $25 rush charge is applied to a rush order totalling $250, a $50 rush charge is applied to a rush order totalling $500, and so forth.

Q. How do I submit an order for bulk flower stems?
A. At this time, Something Spectacular only accepts bulk floral stem orders from clients utilizing our design services for a minimum of their personal event flowers (bouquets, corsages, boutonnierres -- basically any type of composition that is worn or carried). We create and ship silk ceremony and reception arrangements, and we also offer an on-site design service for out-of-area events. However, we realize that some brides may opt to create their own reception flower designs or may wish to obtain a few matching, loose flowers to be worn in the hair or placed on their cake, etc. To assure that the flowers used in the do-it-yourself arrangements match or coordinate with the personal event flowers, we can provide bulk flower stems at market price. If that is a service in which you are interested, please inform our Customer Service Department when you formally reserve our design services so we assure plenty of time for special order and arrival. Please note: At this time we do NOT offer bulk stems to other florists or the general public. We are an award-winning custom design business and not a wholesale floral supplier, and we thank you for understanding the difference between the two and respecting the primary focus of our business.

Q. What is your payment policy and what forms of payment do you accept?
A. We accept payment via cashier's check, money order, and PayPal for electronic check and credit card (Visa, MasterCard, American Express). For silk floral orders, digital photos of your items are e-mailed to you throughout the design and creation process, and your final, total order balance and shipping amount (minus your initial deposit amount) is due prior to mailing/shipment (out of area) or delivery (local). For fresh floral orders (as well as chair cover and other rentals), your final total balance (minus your initial deposit amount) is due at least 2 weeks prior to your special event. In circumstances where final balances are due upon receipt of order, invoices must be paid the day the order is received. Invoices not paid within 30 days incur a late fee equal to 10% of the order total. Invoices not paid within 45 days will be sent to collections, and the client will be assessed, and is responsible for, reimbursement of all legal fees and charges associated with the collections process.

NOTE: Michigan sales tax (6%) is added to orders delivered or shipped within Michigan.

Q. What is your return policy?
A. As a custom design service that provides only custom orders created to your unique specifications with the flowers you've selected, we hope you understand that custom orders are non-refundable. Customer satisfaction is of the utmost importance to Something Spectacular and as such, we involve our clients in every step of the consultation and design process by providing you either in person or e-mail/digital photos of floral selections tailored to the colors, types/varieties, and budgetary specifications you provided during your initial consultation(s). Construction of your order begins only after we've obtained your agreement/approval on the flowers selected (either in person or by photo), and this process ensures that all custom-designed and custom-constructed floral items are to your satisfaction. Also, you have the opportunity to see photos of your final products before shipping -- a service that's very rare in the silk floral design industry. Beware of any designer who is not willing to show you photos of samples or your final products as there's a high risk they are using low quality, inferior grade flowers and foliage.

Q. What type of delivery and shipping is used by Something Spectacular?
A. That depends on whether your order is fresh or silk and within, or outside of, our delivery area. See information for each scenario below:

• Silk Floral / In Delivery Area: Silk floral designs can be picked up at our location or delivered (and setup for events when requested) by Something Spectacular.
• Silk Floral / Out-of-Area: For silk floral orders inside the United States, we use United States Postal Service (USPS) Priority Mail with insurance and tracking/delivery confirmation which provides delivery of your order within 1-3 days for most locations in the USA. For exceptionally large orders, weighty orders, or rush orders, we may select another carrier or shipping method best suited for your order. Something Spectacular is located in the USA so there's no worry for US clients that your order might not clear Customs, and there's also no worry about surprise or excessive Customs charges. For orders outside of the USA, we work with each client to determine the fastest, most secure, and most cost effective method of shipping. Please note that we arrange all international shipping and do not work with a third-party shipping agent.
• Silk Floral / Out-of-Area (On-Site Design Service): All logistics are completely custom and flexible based on client requirements. If design and construction is performed at the actual site(s), no delivery is required as the arrangements will already be designed on-site and in place. If design and construction is performed at another location that is local to the site(s), arrangements will be delivered and setup by Something Spectacular.
• Fresh Floral / Inside Delivery Area: Fresh floral designs can be picked up at our location or delivered (and setup for events when requested) by Something Spectacular. See the fresh floral section of our website for more information on the fresh floral areas we service and our out-of-area, on-site design service.
• Fresh Floral / Out-of-Area: This requires our out-of-area, on-site/on-location design service and all logistics are completely custom and flexible based on client requirements. If design and construction is performed at the actual event site(s), no delivery is required as the arrangements will already be on-site and in place. If design and construction is performed at another location that is local to the event site(s), arrangements will be delivered and setup by Something Spectacular.

  NOTE: We're an environmentally conscious company, dedicated to recycling and keeping landfills clear of non-biodegradable products; therefore, we use sturdy and secure, recycled and reclaimed shipping boxes and packing materials whenever possible.

Q. Do you offer gift certificates?
A. Yes, we offer gift certificates in any denomination. Gift certificates are wonderful bridal shower, wedding shower, and advance wedding gifts to assist a couple in paying for their wedding expenses. They also make great gifts for the recipient to use towards a custom-designed floral arrangement for a home or office where colors and flowers are hand-selected to coordinate with interior styles and colors, and designs are custom made to scale to perfectly fit a specific location.

Q. Do you offer "on-location" design service? How does that differ from an "on-location" consultation?
A. Yes, we do -- we offer both an on-site consultation and an on-site design service. Typically, on-site consultations are utilized for custom home and commercial arrangements, and on-site design services are utilized for out-of-area, fresh (or even silk) floral weddings and other special events requiring extensive design services. Our on-site design service is also popular for large, out-of-area home and commercial custom design orders. More information on these services is listed below.

• On-Site Consultation: For custom home, office, other commercial custom designs, we prefer to hold all consultations at your location. This allows us to see the area where the arrangement(s) will be placed so we can measure all dimensions and make sure the arrangement is the optimal height, width, and depth to visually enhance the area being decorated. This also allows us to record the styles, colors, finishes, and patterns of your existing furnishings to ensure all floral and foliage materials chosen for the arrangement(s) compliment your overall room and decorating scheme. We can also hold wedding consultations at your home or choice of locations.
• On-Site Design: If your fresh floral special event will be held in an area where we do not personally deliver and setup and you would like Something Spectacular to design your floral arrangements, we can travel to your location and design on-site. This is also a good option for silk floral events requiring a great deal of ceremony or reception setup, or requiring large, heavy, or a very large quantity of table arrangements.

  For an out-of-area, on-site floral design service quote, contact our Customer Service Department.

Q. Besides scheduling a personalized consultation, where else can I see your work in person?
A. Something Spectacular creates custom floral designs for special events, homes, offices, hotels, gift-giving, etc. While we have a large clientele and our designs are displayed in various locations worldwide, the best place to see a wide variety of our work is by consultation, in the March 2004, 2005, 2006, and 2007 issues of Florists' Review magazine, in the newly released book, "The Bridal Bouquet Book" by Ginny Parfitt and Schiffer Publishing, in the August 7th issue of Woman's World magazine, or at one of many shows that we participate in each year. We typically display at select bridal shows and womens' expos throughout the midwest. For a current list of locations and shows, visit our Events page.

Q. What is your privacy policy?
A. Something Spectacular values and is committed to protecting your privacy. We use the personal information you provide only to process your order, complete the transaction, and deliver high quality floral designs to you. Under no circumstances do we release or sell your information to any third party. Your information is considered confidential and not available to anyone else. If you have any questions regarding our privacy policy, please contact us.

We accept:
Cash, Cashier's Checks, and Money Orders. Also Credit Cards & Debit Cards via PayPal.

United States clients note:
Something Spectacular is located in the USA so there's no need to worry that your order won't clear Customs or incur duty fees or Customs charges. Michigan sales tax (6%) is added only to orders delivered or shipped within Michigan.

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