It’s a busy month at Brigham Young University's Campus Floral shop, with numerous events scheduled for February.
With Valentine’s Day, President Oaks’ devotional and other campus events, shop employees are urging customers to order early.
Corrine Smith, manager of Campus Floral, said the preparation for Valentine’s Day is a months-long process.
“For that day to be executed well, it actually happens before Christmas is even over. We order all of our flowers in December and figure out what we’re going to offer in all of our designs months in advance,” Smith said. “We’re thinking about Valentine’s Day in November, really.”
BYU is owned and operated by The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, where marriage and family are emphasized, making Campus Floral a part of many important moments.
“You get to be a part of someone else's relationship in a unique way,” part-time florist Emily Finau said. “Not like you set them up on a date or anything like that, but you add a special little touch to their dates or their anniversary.”
Many of the flowers sold at Campus Floral are locally grown, but during the winter months, that is not always possible.
“When it is warmer, we do buy seasonal flowers from local farmers in Utah County and Salt Lake County,” head florist Heather Turner said. “There are three other wholesalers that also bring in flowers directly from farms from California, Ecuador, Colombia and sometimes Holland.”
Typically, the shop delivers more than 300 orders during Valentine’s Day while still taking care of events and weddings. With this busy time of year, the florists urge customers to order early and be patient, especially if the order has specific customizations.
“President Oaks is coming to campus, too. So we'll be doing some preparation for President Oaks coming on campus. We also have Jimmer Fredette’s jersey being retired on Valentine's Day,” Smith said. “Be patient, be flexible. Trust the florist. We'll take care of everybody.”
BYU Campus Floral has been operating for decades and offers a variety of gifts, from plants to balloons and flowers. It gives students a local option for events and special occasions.
Located west of the Missionary Training Center, BYU Campus Floral serves the college community and the surrounding areas. On its website, you can see specific bouquets and products with customizations available. For more information about BYU Campus Floral, visit its website or call (801) 422-2840.