Presenting

6 April | 2021 welcome All the best, Jules Lewis Gibson, President & Creative Director Florists' Review Media Group A s spring ushers in new blooms, I think we are all ready for a new beginning. Weary from hibernating in our homes, we're ready to frolic in the sunshine and tiptoe through the tulips. While some flower shortages are predicted this season, the floral industry is humming along, and cautious optimism is in the air. In this issue, we share with you some of the weddings submitted for our 22nd annual "Picture-Perfect Weddings" contest. While last year was an unusual year for us all, people still fell in love and, of course, gorgeous flowers were needed to celebrate their unions. We also preview the six hottest trends in bridal attire for 2021, according to The Knot's senior fashion and beauty editor, and we paired the dresses (and one jumpsuit!) with stunning bouquets that our team of talented floral designers from across the country think best complement them. Even men are upping their flower game these days: Creative boutonnières are all the rage in wedding aisles—and even on the red carpet. We also have several innovative floral design tutorials for you. e "Floral Fascinator" would be perfect for a Kentucky Derby party or a wedding while our innovative floral tattoo offers you a hip new idea for prom. For those of you looking for creative new revenue streams, we share several success stories for flower subscription services and "porch pop-ups." To help you boost your brand, we offer tips for increasing your customer reviews and turning customers' bad experiences (if ever yours have one!) into opportunities. We're also excited to announce the semifinalists for the first of our new "Best in Blooms" contests in this issue. So many talented designers, from across North America, applied that selecting the final four was quite a challenge for our judges. All four of the semifinalists' designs and the winner of the contest will be featured next month, in our May issue. On a personal note, I want to thank everyone who has joined Florists' Review as a new " VIP Member"(check out the program at FloristsReview.com/become-a-member). We are thrilled that so many of you have shared your excitement that we are back in print! It's our goal to bring you cutting-edge designs as well as practical, profitable arrangements, along with informative business management and marketing ideas to help you maintain a solid financial foundation. We pour our hearts and souls into these pages, and we hope our efforts help you on your floral journey. I had the pleasure of being a judge at the Fleurs de Villes show in Miami recently. My personal favorite of the stunning collection is pictured above designed by Hayal Flowers. Mechell Lord, our associate publisher, and me enjoying the floral festivities. Thank you Tina Barkley and Karen Marshall for the invitation.

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