Design Insiders Reveal the Best Place to Buy Your Thanksgiving Flowers
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As much as we'd love to start our Thanksgiving tablescape design process by heading out to the nearest meadow and picking beautiful, blooming flowers for our holiday centerpieces, this is unfortunately not a reality for most of us. So, when planning our floral accents for the upcoming feast, we turned to design insiders for help: House Beautiful's own Style Editor at Large, Lucy Bamman, longtime interiors stylist Robert Rufino, and New York-based interior designer Becky Shea, all of whom are experts when it comes to design, styling, and of course, flowers.
While some design experts do, indeed, pick their own, plenty, including Bamman and Rufino, buy their flowers at easily accessible outposts. Below, both insiders offer their tips, tricks, and advice on where to buy bouquets for Thanksgiving so that you can decorate smarter, not harder.
Local Flower Shops and Nurseries
Whether you live in a sprawling city like Manhattan or a smaller town with only one main road, chances are, there's a flower shop, and it's always a dependable resource for special occasions when you need some fresh, seasonal blooms. Bamman suggests, "Go to your local nurseries, and in a pinch, you can find whatever is blooming in a pot and cut it. An alternative is to decorate with plants instead of with cut florals, depending on the time of year." Of course, most local flower shops do sell pre-made bouquets if you are short on time and want something carefully curated by a flower expert. "If you live in a city like New York and have access to bodegas, you can find an enormous selection. They are stocked with anything and everything you'd need," Rufino adds. As a New Yorker, Shea has one specific spot in mind: "If you're on the hunt for exquisite floral arrangements, Élan Flowers in Soho is a must-visit. The curated selection is simply breathtaking, and their team makes every interaction a delight." If you live in a city with plenty of floral shops, do your research and find out which one you love best. You'll keep going back for all events, big and small.
Whole Foods and Trader Joe's
Currently, there are 564 Trader Joe's and 518 Whole Foods stores in the U.S., so if you don't want to spend the sometimes higher prices at local nurseries, head to either of these places, both of which are Rufino-approved. "The best place to buy flowers is Trader Joe's. They have the best assortment, and so does Whole Foods," he says. "Sometimes when I'm doing a shoot and need extra flowers, I always go to one of those places—whichever is closer." If you haven't perused the botanical aisles at either grocery store, you'll be amazed at what's on offer. Both locales offer potted amaryllis and small bouquets in glass cylinders. "You can always depend on these two stores," Rufino notes.
Flower Markets
Unlike our previous suggestion, this one may be a bit more niche. If you live in a major city, consider checking out the local flower market. The first time you go, you may be a bit overwhelmed because there are just so many flowers (think thousands) all in one place. Some major cities that have impressive flower markets are Los Angeles, New York City, Orlando, Phoenix, and San Francisco, where Bamman frequents. "The flower market in San Francisco is heaven on earth. It opens at 4 a.m. to badge holders (industry experts such as florists, event planners, stylists, and more) and then a few hours later for anyone who wants to shop," Bamman says. Her go-to spots within the San Fran market? Mayesh and Torchio's. Hopefully, your Thanksgiving decor journey doesn't start so many hours before the sun comes up, but we don't advise going later than noon, which is normally when the market starts to shut down for the day.
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