How To Send Flowers To Your Mother If She Lives Out Of Town

There are a few options for you to send flowers for Mother’s Day if you live in a different area then your mother. Whether your mother lives in the next town or across the world you can send her a beautiful bouquet of flowers to let her know how special she is.

Before choosing a method of sending flowers you should have your mother’s full street address and her phone number(s) ready. You would be surprised at how many people freeze and fumble in thought forgetting this information when the florist requests it. Also have a card message ready and an idea of what you would like to send for flowers (not sure what flowers to send your mother for Mother’s Day? Check out this article!)

The first option to send flowers to your mother is to call directly to a flower shop in her town.

Have your mother’s information ready and give the florist a call. Start by informing the flower shop that this order is for Mother’s Day. Remember that many flower shops are not open / or delivering on Sunday, so you may need to have the flower arrangement delivered a day or two before Mother’s Day.

Keep in mind that some flower shops may not deliver at specific times of the day, but you can request a morning or afternoon delivery.

If you are worried that the florist’s delivery service may not be able to catch your mother at home, provide a couple of different delivery dates. If they are unable to reach her, they can tag her door (just a small note to let her know they were there) and she can call when she arrives home. Next, place your order. The florist will request a credit card number and expiry date. Be sure to find out the exact total that will be billed to your credit card statement. This should include the cost of the flowers, the delivery changes, and any applicable taxes.

Make sure to ask if there is an additional charge to re-deliver the flowers if the delivery service cannot catch your mother at home on the first attempt.

The second option is to stop in at your local flower shop and inquire if they provide a wire service (a wire service is a world wide service to send flowers).

Most shops will provide this service. The two main wire service providers are Teleflora and FTD (not F.D.S, as some customers have indicated to me. I did not have the heart to tell them they just requested Feminine Deodorant Spray).

Place your order and pay that florist. Beware though… a minimum dollar amount is required to send flowers through a wire service. This can vary -- anywhere from $30-$50, with a delivery fee on top of that, as well as a relay fee (the relay fee is the fee that the flower shop that takes the order obtains for “relaying” the order to another florist through the wire service).

There is a downside to using the wire service though. Have you ever played the telephone game? It’s a kid’s game where you start at one end of a line of people with a message and by the time it makes it through the entire line some, if not all the message, is twisted and distorted. Basically, what I’m saying is this… the more people that handle your order, the greater the chance that some important details will be lost.

The benefit of using a wire service is that you can use any method of payment in your local flower shop and you are not giving your credit card information to a total stranger.

The third option is to use the web site of any of the major wire companies( I recommend FTD.com). This method offers convenience, as well as allowing you to browse though a huge picture gallery of arrangements and other gift alternatives.

You’ll find a wide range of arrangements to suit any price range. I do, however, recommend spending at least $30 on your gift – anything less will leave you with a very “meager” looking offering. Be prepared with your delivery information and credit card information.

Again, ordering flowers online allows you to place the order at your convenience, and you are not hindered by regular business hours of operation.

Another benefit (offered by FTD.com) is the “Good As Gold” guarantee. With the “Good As Gold” promise, you are guaranteed that your flowers will last at least 7 days or the florist will replace your order (or you get your money back from FTD). This is an impressive guarantee -- and personally, I believe FTD is the best in the world of wire service companies!

If you worry about providing personal information online, FTD.com reassures their customers that all your data is protected with the latest technology (most credit cards also have a zero-liability policy, ensuring you are not responsible for any unauthorized charges to your account).

FTD is an upstanding company and a strict code of conduct for all the florists that belong to their organization. But as with any businesses there can be a few bad apples. FTD will stand behind their guarantee – so you do not have to worry about having your order fulfilled by one of the “bad apples.”

Definitely keep all your records of your transactions just in case there is a problem. Be sure to read all the order policies so you are informed. Pay special attention to the “substitution” part of their policy. Being a florist myself, I know it is hard to always have certain flowers on hand to fill orders so substitutions may be necessary. I’ve always made sure that the flowers being substituted are of equal or greater value than the ones ordered.

This is the policy of FTD… and it’s a good one. If you are thinking of ordering flowers online, I highly recommend their service. (Click here to visit the FTD.com web site!

Regardless of how you do it, there is a way to get flowers to your mother on Mother's Day... no matter where you are in the world!