Shop Local

Shop Local

And Keep it Local

Please keep our community thriving by shopping local.  There are so many benefits then just saving yourself a few bucks.  Here is how we can benefit:

The Economy

§  Spend $100 at a local business and $68 of that stays in your community. Spend the same $100 at a national chain, and your community only sees $43.

§  Local businesses create higher-paying jobs for our neighbors.

§  More of your taxes are reinvested in your community--where they belong.

The Environment

§  Buying local means less packaging, less transportation, and a smaller carbon footprint.

§  Shopping in a local business district means less infrastructure, less maintenance, and more money to beautify your community.

The Community

§  Local retailers are your friends and neighbors—support them and they’ll support you.

§  Local businesses donate to charities at more than twice the rate of national chains.

§  More independents mean more choice, more diversity, and a truly unique community.

Small businesses like Bank of Memories & Flowers, often struggle to stay competitive with the big box stores and grocery stores.  They are able to buy in large quantities and sell items for less than florists pay for their products. So if you haven't already, you should shop local.   You are not only supporting the American Dream but also your neighbors!

Now is the time to stand up and join your fellow individuals in supporting local businesses and celebrating independents.  You will enjoy the difference!

Pewaukee's First Wedding of 2014

Shannon and Joshua’s Wedding 

Ceremony: Country Springs Hotel, Somerset Room

Reception: Country Springs Hotel, Grand Ballroom

Florist: Bank of Memories & Flowers

Photographer: Andy Stenz

Month: January

Shannon’s vision for her wedding was Winter Wonderland in whites and purples, using white branches and crystals to mimic the feel of the bare trees and icicles of our lovely Wisconsin landscape. Little did she know when she came in to plan her wedding back in January of 2013 how frigid the beginning of her wedding week was going to be, 30 degrees below zero with wind chills of –50 .  Thank goodness it warmed to a balmy 40 and there was no chance of frozen flowers or florists.

 

Shannon carried a hand tied bouquet of Picasso mini calla lilies, purple and white stock, white hydrangea, and white freesia.    A small locket with a picture of her father who had passed was added to the handle of her bouquet.  Her bridesmaids carried a mix of white hydrangeas and purple stock with the stems wrapped in purple as well.

 

 

 

Shannon and Joshua’s ceremony took place in the Somerset Room at the Country Springs Hotel in Waukesha.  The focus of this cozy room is a beautiful fireplace which held a long floral arrangement of white hydrangeas and purple stock.

Their reception in the Grand Ballroom was wrapped in white and purple, from the purple table toppers to the purple icing on the cupcakes.  Their centerpieces were a mix of tall and short, cylinder vases filled with purple gel beads topped with white hydrangeas, white branches, and hanging crystals and purple hydrangeas floating inside 8” round vases.  

Working with Shannon and Joshua was such a pleasure!  Congratulations!

Art in Bloom

2014 Art in Bloom ~ Milwaukee

Owner Melissa Maas, Interpretation in 2013 

Save the Date
Art in Bloom: A Tribute to Art and FlowersFour Days Only | March 27–30, 2014

Art in Bloom is an amazing way to see our classic art in Milwaukee in a new light. Top regional floral designers create breath taking designs at the Milwaukee Art Museum for Art In Bloom.  The art work is given to them at random, the designers are able to interpret the art with flowers how they see it.  This will be the owner Melissa Maas of Bank of Memories & Flowers third year participating.  "This is such an amazing experience to create art in a medium that I work with everyday.  I love the challenge of not being able to pick my art and just to have fun with it."

STAYED TUNED!!!! We will be posting Melissa's Piece for 2014

Art in Bloom Hours

• Thurs, 10 AM*–9 PM
• Fri/Sat, 10 AM–6 PM
• Sun, 10 AM–5 PM
• *Floral installation 10 AM–NOON

Art in Bloom Admission

• $5 Members
• $17 Adults
• $14 Students (w/ID), Seniors (65+)
• Free for kids 12 and under

Valentines Behind the Scene

Valentine's is a romantic holiday that we spend with the one we love.  At Bank of Memories & Flowers we do too but in a different way.  
Here is our behind the scene look of a flower shop at Valentine's!

Mid January is when we start preparing for this holiday that only last one day.  We place the order for all our supplies, vases and flowers.  Yes, even flowers!  Before you even know that you were going to buy flowers for your Sweetheart we have already placed our order in January.  Our flowers are growing under the tropical sun waiting to be boxed up and flown in from all over the world, like Colombia, Holland and Asia.

Processing Day!  About 4-5 days before Valentines, flowers are delivered. The girls process and clean all the different types of flowers. We will have over 3,500 red roses and 1,600 colored roses sent to the Menomonee Falls shop alone.  Each rose needs to be stripped of it's thorns, re-cut and placed in special preservative water.

Now we wait for the orders to be placed. Pre-orders will only equal 1/3 of the volume we will receive pre February14th.  Sorry guys, yes you are procrastinators.  Call early! 

 Go Time!  We design and design and design every day till the wee hours of the night leading up to Valentine's Day.  

Time: 1:00am February 13th

Pictured here is shop manager Krista and owner Melissa routing all the 300 plus deliveries for February 14.  Each driver will be assigned to an order, then that flower arrangement needs to be placed in that drivers holding spot inside the shop.

We have so many deliveries it will take up the entire 1,700 square foot shop.  

With a little clean up before the rush, we start to load up the delivery vans at 6:30 AM.  We will have a total of 5 drivers delivering on February 13th and 13 delivery drivers out on February 14th working from 8am to 5pm.

Happy Valentines Day to all our Sweethearts and Cupids that make our job possible!

Valentine Gifts Ideas

Ideas for your Valentine!!

Valentine's Day is almost here!!  At Bank of Memories & Flowers, we've prepared a collection of some of our favorite looks to send to or pick up for your love at either our Menomonee Falls or Pewaukee locations.  Of course you are not limited to these ideas.  We'd love to personalize your flowers for your sweetheart! 

Shown below is one of the many beautiful orchid plants we just got in.  These beauties are on sale through Valentine's Day for only $44.98!! Get two of these exotic beauties planted together for $89.98. Yowza!  

How about instead of the typical red and pink Valentine arrangement, send a more modern and bright array of flowers? These bright, tropical colored flowers are sure to show your warm affection for your love, especially considering how cold it is outside! They start at $50 and go up depending on how grand of an impression you want to make.  

Cyclamen Care

At Bank of Memories & Flowers, we have been getting a lot of Cyclamen plants in the past few weeks so here is how to take care of it if you are the lucky recipient of one!

• Cyclamen come in a hot pink, red and white color, but one thing you'll notice is even the plants greens are beautiful as well as the flowers.
• This plant only ever needs water when the soil is dry to touch. Also, when watering try to avoid getting water on the crown part of the plant.
• As your flowers will begin to fade, you can stop watering it and allow for the soil to dry out for about 2-3 months. Flowers should typically start to bloom again near September. Once you see these buds you can begin to water again!
• Growing your cyclamen outside is possible but not recommended. If the temperatures go below 50 degrees, there is a chance the plant could freeze and die.
• Cyclamen like bright indirect light during it's blooming winter months. When it is dormant during the summer, try and keep it away from bright light. 

The cyclamen that we have right now are at their prime blooming time so stop by and pick one up to enjoy today!

Country Backyard Wedding

Amy and Brandon's Wedding Day

Month: September

Florist: Bank of Memories & Flowers

Ceremony and Reception: Mother of the Bride's Home in Antigo, WI

The ceremony was a close knit backyard wedding. The groom had constructed a giant arch out of birch trees found on the land and Bank of Memories & Flowers decorated it with a large floral piece across the top, and two side pieces. Lush white hydrangea, granny smith apple green hydrangea, lavender roses, green hydrangea, dark purple stock and lime green hypericum berries complemented the white birch branches. 

The arch itself framed a babbling creek in the background and the whole ceremony felt like a picture taken out of a book. The bride wore a short Ivory dress with brown cowboy boots. Her bouquet tied everything together having been made out of the same flowers that the arch had. 

The reception was right around the corner, under a tent. Big tissue flower balls hung from the top of the tent and the centerpieces were homemade; a large cylinder vase filled with granny smith apples and a large Z on the outside, for the couples new last name. 

Congratulations Amy & Brandon!