“Flowers help people communicate how they feel about each other,” says Brad Catlin of Absolutely Beautiful Florist & Flower Delivery in St. Pete.
Catlin opened the shop on Central Ave. in 2011. He has worked in the floral industry for more than 40 years and grew up helping his parents, who owned a plant nursery in central Florida. “I’ve been around plants pretty much my whole life,” he says, “and flowers are just an extension of what I was doing in the garden center.”
What sets Absolutely Beautiful apart from other florists? “Our talented staff is 100% trained and mentored by me,” he says, and we create unique designs that range from the simply elegant to the tropical and the extravagant. We take the time to understand what our customers are seeking and then over-deliver to make that vision come true. We want the recipient to have a ‘Wow’ moment each and every time.”
Choices also range from succulents, dish gardens and tropical plants as well as fruit and gourmet gift baskets, dried floral arrangements and Lovepop greeting cards. You can even order individual stems of flowers in advance and make your own arrangements.
New in 2023 are Milk Bar specialty cakes and cookies that may be ordered separately or as part of a “Birthday Bundle” that includes a flower arrangement and card. Also popular are Baked by Melissa cupcakes that are perfect for any type of office or home celebration. “We’re a true onestop shop for all your gifting needs,” Catlin says.
The store has been on Florists’ Transworld Delivery (FTD) list of the top 100 florists in the country for many years.
Wedding and Event Packages
Absolutely Beautiful offers a variety of wedding packages, as well as floral arrangements for events. “We no longer deliver to wedding sites,” Catlin says, “but have a pick-up service where everything is staged and ready to go. This enables our customers to save money if they want to upgrade their flowers and containers.”
Working With a Florist
To be sure you receive exactly what you have in mind for a floral arrangement, give your florist as much information as possible. “Tell us what the occasion is and what your goal is for sending the flowers and gifts,” Catlin advises. “Try not to be vague or fixate on price. Tell us the person’s favorite color and what type of container you have in mind. At Absolutely Beautiful, we are blessed to deliver a large volume, so we have the capability to cater to your specific needs.”
The Language of Flowers
During the COVID shutdown, Catlin reports, people used flowers more than ever to say how much they missed being together for holidays and birthdays. And the need to communicate how one feels about each other continues today. “We have a customer who travels a lot for work and pre-orders flowers to be delivered to his wife several times while he is away,” Catlin says. “And when she travels, he arranges for us to deliver flowers to every hotel where she is staying. What better way is there to say, ‘I love you’ and ‘I miss you?’”
As Valentine’s Day approaches, think about the special person in your life. Whether you give a single elegant rose or three dozen, it is all about letting someone know how much you care about them.
Absolutely Beautiful Florist & Flower Delivery is at 3000 Central Ave. in St. Pete; (727) 470-5825; www.absolutelybeautiful.us. Deliveries can be arranged for most of Tampa Bay, from Pinellas to Hillsborough to Manatee counties.
