Althea Wiles, Owner

When did you start working as a florist?

-- In 1994. I was attending Hendrix College, in Conway, Arkansas and I volunteered at a local shop in during Spring Break. It was an instant love. After Spring Break was over, I was offered a part time job. (I guess 40 free hours of work really does show dedication.)

Receiving a Bachelor of Arts from Hendrix, I then earned my Arkansas Master Florist Certification in 1996, and then returned to my hometown of Fayetteville, AR.

Why did you decide to open the Rose of Sharon?

-- After four years of work in traditional floral shops, I realized that I really enjoyed event work. The local shops were all general florists, with gifts, houseplants, daily delivery and the like. I decided to start my own business where I could focus my talents on weddings and other events.

In April of 1998, the Rose of Sharon, Event Florist opened. I designed four weddings that year. Now, we average between 75 and 100 weddings and events each year.

What's the difference between you and a 'regular' florist?

-- Well, we focus on events. And we define 'event' as anything planned. This means we won't always have a large supply of perishable stock on hand. We can handle any type of order, but you may have to plan ahead rather than expecting delivery that afternoon.

Also, as an event florist, we can give more attention to the events themselves. We're specialists, so we know exactly what's needed to service an event.

Do you work by yourself?

-- No, I have between 2 and 4 employees, depending on the time of year. We also have a pool of talented designers we call on for larger events.

Do you have a shop?

-- Yes, but we are open by appointment only. Actually, I'm in the shop most of the week. But scheduling our hours by appointment allows us to leave for event set-up and delivery. On a busy weekend, we may only be at the shop for an hour, but working for 10 or 12 hours.

What's the best way to reach you?

-- Email!

Where does the name, 'Rose of Sharon' come from?

-- 'Rose of Sharon' is the common name for the Althea, a flowering shrub, for which I was named. Most people assume it's from the bible (Song of Solomon), and a few think it's from The Grapes of Wrath, but it's not. My parents named me for a flower.

My favorite Rose of Sharon variety is the pure white 'Diana' but our logo is based on the 'Aphrodite' lavender Rose of Sharon.

DEPOSIT /RETAINER:

A non-refundable retainer and a valid credit card number are necessary to reserve the services of Rose of Sharon, Event Florist for a specific date and time. The retainer fee will be applied to your final balance. The retainer will equal the larger of $150.00 OR 10% of the total order. An estimate from us does not guarantee availability for a particular date and does not constitute a contract.

BALANCE OF PAYMENT:

The remaining balance can be paid in installments or in a lump sum. Installment due dates will be listed in your contract. Failure to make any payment without written prior arrangements will be considered a termination of the contract and no delivery will be made.

PAYMENTS ACCEPTED:

Payments can be made with cash, check, MasterCard, Visa, Discover, AmEx, or PayPal.

RENTAL ITEMS:

: Full retail price of all items will be included in estimates. Estimates will also include amount to be refunded to client for return of rental items in good condition. It is the responsibility of the client to arrange return of items to Rose of Sharon, Event Florist.

ORDER CHANGES:

Changes to your order can be made by phone, but must be verified in writing. Confirmation of changes can be made through email, US mail, or in person (with changes initialed by Rose of Sharon and the client). Prices will be adjusted appropriately if changes are made in the order.

FLORAL SUBSTITUTIONS:

While we prefer to use the flowers and varieties requested, due to the perishable nature of the product, substitutions are sometimes necessary. We will attempt to contact you with information on substitutions. However, we reserve the right to make the needed changes without approval if deemed necessary to present our best and most creative work. Substitutions will not affect price.

REFUNDS:

The retainer is non-refundable. Further refunds will be calculated based on items purchased for your event as well as accumulated time invested in your event. Refunds must be requested in writing and product must be returned for return to be granted. Refunds will be issued within one month of the event. No refund will be made after delivery has been accepted.

LIABILITY:

Rose of Sharon, Event Florist will at no time be liable for more than the amount the client has paid for the event contracted. In the event of fire, natural disaster, tragedy or other emergency, liability is limited to refund of monies paid.

ARBITRATION:

Any dispute or difference arising out of or in connection with this contract shall be determined by the appointment of a single arbitrator to be agreed between the parties, or failing agreement within fourteen days, after either party has given to the other a written request to concur in the appointment of an arbitrator, by an arbitrator to be appointed by the President or a Vice President of the Chartered Institute of Arbitrators. Unpaid fees by the client shall be exempt from arbitration and settled via Small Claims Court or other appropriate means.

RESPONSIBILITY:

Rose of Sharon, Event Florist’s responsibility for care, maintenance, quality and/or longevity of all flowers and arrangements ends with the acceptance of possession and signature for possession by the client or their representative.

SOLE FLORIST:

Rose of Sharon, Event Florist will be the sole professional florist. Any designers will be direct employees or sub-contractors of the designated sole florist used at this event. This is to protect the reputation of the above referenced florist and to insure uniformity throughout your event. Some exceptions will be made, but it must be approved in writing by Rose of Sharon, Event Florist.

INCAPACITATION:

In the event of the incapacitation of the head designer for the contracted event, a suitable replacement will be secured. If a replacement cannot be secured in time for the event, a refund of monies paid will be issued. (See “Refunds” section of contract for specifics.)

COUNTERPARTS:

Parties to the contract may sign on different copies or through different methods of transmission for a unified contract.

PRIVACY:

Our privacy policy is simple: we treat you like we want to be treated. In other words, no sneaky business with your information. Anything we ask for, is for our use only. Of course, this means we'll send you some advertising, but if you ask us to stop, we will. In general, we are a business and we hope you buy from us (repeatedly). But we're not pushy; we respect your wishes and your privacy to the best of our ability.

Want to know if we're available on a certain date? Find your event date in the calendar below. Remember--as an event florist, we can often schedule more than one event per day. The number of events we will book depends on event size and locations. Don't hesitate to contact us to see if we are available!

Floral Holidays...we've added national holidays, especially those that are perfect for flower giving!

Shop Specials...if we have an 'order by' date on one of our specials or a limited time offer, it will be listed here.