GTA Wedding Locations - Metropolitan Hotel Toronto

As a result of having provided flower arrangements for many weddings held in the Greater Toronto area, Power Flowers has visited many different ceremony and reception locations. There is certainly a wide range of locations in Toronto and surrounding areas to host a wedding ceremony or reception. Over the next few posts on this blog, we will provide a short overview of some of the wedding ceremony and reception locations we have visited in the past in order to make you aware of some of the options available if you are planning a wedding in the Greater Toronto area. Power Flowers does not endorse any of the locations we cover and it is strongly recommended that you contact the ceremony and reception locations to confirm any information we provide and obtain more details. We cannot comment on costs, menus, or other details that typically would not have been conveyed to us by the bride and groom when they ordered the flower arrangements from us. The intention of providing an overview is to simply make you aware of the location and comment on our observations which you should also confirm with the vendor. We will provide links to the portfolios on the Power Flowers web site (www.power-flowers.com/weddings/portfolio.html) showing the floral designs we provided for the bride and groom at that location.

If you are looking to host a wedding ceremony or reception in downtown Toronto, take a look at the Metropolitan Hotel Toronto.  This gem is located on the west side of Chestnut Street in the shadow of Toronto City Hall.  The massive Toronto City Hall underground parking garage means that parking near the Metropolitan Hotel Toronto is available.  I would imagine that parking in the hotel itself is also an option so take your pick of the parking alternatives available. The hotel has a number of different sized rooms where a wedding ceremony or reception can be hosted.  The hotel also has a selection of restaurants where, I believe, receptions can be held.  One of these restaurants is a pleasant location that has an oriental theme with the option of serving Chinese fare. With all these facilities being inside the hotel complex, you have the option of reserving one or more rooms at the hotel.  This avoids the bride, groom, and the rest of the wedding party navigating to the Metropolitan Hotel Toronto to get to the ceremony and reception on time.

Take a look at the Metropolitan Hotel Toronto if you are examining the option of hosting your wedding in the heart of downtown Toronto. The staff at the hotel are very helpful and they will be able to provide all the details you require and answer all your questions.

Power Flowers has provided wedding flower arrangements for ceremonies and receptions at the Metropolitan Hotel Toronto.  The following links contains photos of some of the flower arrangements Power Flowers delivered to the Metropolitan Hotel Toronto:

- http://www.power-flowers.com/weddings/metropolitan-hotel-toronto-49.html

- http://www.power-flowers.com/weddings/metropolitan-hotel-toronto-52.html

- http://www.power-flowers.com/weddings/metropolitan-hotel-toronto-65.html

GTA Wedding Locations - Old Mill Inn and Spa

As a result of having provided flower arrangements for many weddings held in the Greater Toronto area, Power Flowers has visited many different ceremony and reception locations. There is certainly a wide range of locations in Toronto and surrounding areas to host a wedding ceremony or reception.  Over the next few posts on this blog, we will provide a short overview of some of the wedding ceremony and reception locations we have visited in the past in order to make you aware of some of the options available if you are planning a wedding in the Greater Toronto area. Power Flowers does not endorse any of the locations we cover and it is strongly recommended that you contact the ceremony and reception locations to confirm any information we provide and obtain more details.  We cannot comment on costs, menus, or other details that typically would not have been conveyed to us by the bride and groom when they ordered the flower arrangements from us.  The intention of providing an overview is to simply make you aware of the location and comment on our observations which you should also confirm with the vendor.  We will provide links to the portfolios on the Power Flowers web site (www.power-flowers.com/weddings/portfolio.html) showing the floral designs we provided for the bride and groom at that location.

The Old Mill Inn and Spa is an extremely popular location for hosting wedding ceremonies and receptions.  It is certainly well-known in the Greater Toronto area for hosting weddings as well as other events throughout the year.  Located just north of Bloor Street West and west of High Park, the Old Mill is tucked away from the hustle and bustle of Toronto traffic in an area with lots of greenery and trees.

One of the advantages of hosting your wedding at the Old Mill Inn and Spa is that the facility has a large number of reception rooms from which to choose.  The reception rooms vary in size and capacity.  All are a few steps away from the indoor chapel or the outside ceremony locations on the property.  If you prefer your wedding ceremony to be in an old-style, traditional chapel from days gone by, the Old Mill Inn fits your bill.  There is no modern-day lighting in the chapel.  Just prior to your ceremony, the staff lights the candles hanging from the ceiling to illuminate the chapel.  With the addition of flowers and other decorations, the chapel is a lovely place to exchange your vows and capture wonderful photos of your special day.  By chance, all of the weddings at the Old Mill Inn and Spa for which Power Flowers has provided flower arrangements had their ceremonies held in the chapel.  We have not actually seen the locations outside the facility where an outdoor ceremony can be held, but the environment in which the Old Mill Inn is located is sure to provide pleasant sights and experiences for the ceremony.

As mentioned earlier, the Old Mill Inn does not have a shortage of different sized rooms to host your reception.  A walk around the facility uncovers many receptions rooms with different interiors and styles.  One of the reception rooms to consider is the Garden Room which is located close to the chapel that is suitable for weddings with a relatively small guest list.  The room has large windows that allow the natural light to come in.  If your reception is scheduled in the afternoon or early evening, the Garden Room may be just right for you.

Take a look at the Old Mill Inn and Spa if you are in the midst of planning a wedding.  It is a great location and if you are not keen about seeing your guests trek a long distance away from Toronto, put the Old Mill on your short list.  With the ceremony and reception locations in the same facility, the transition from ceremony to reception is easy for you and your guests.

Here are the links on the Power Flowers web site displaying the different flower arrangements we provided for weddings held at the Old Mill Inn and Spa:

http://www.power-flowers.com/weddings/the-old-mill-inn-and-spa-20.html

http://www.power-flowers.com/weddings/the-old-mill-inn-and-spa-30.html

http://www.power-flowers.com/weddings/the-old-mill-inn-and-spa-53.html

GTA Wedding Locations - Rosewater Supper Club

As a result of having provided flower arrangements for many weddings held in the Greater Toronto area, Power Flowers has visited many different ceremony and reception locations. There is certainly a wide range of locations in Toronto and surrounding areas to host a wedding ceremony or reception.  Over the next few posts on this blog, we will provide a short overview of some of the wedding ceremony and reception locations we have visited in the past in order to make you aware of some of the options available if you are planning a wedding in the Greater Toronto area. Power Flowers does not endorse any of the locations we cover and it is strongly recommended that you contact the ceremony and reception locations to confirm any information we provide and obtain more details.  We cannot comment on costs, menus, or other details that typically would not have been conveyed to us by the bride and groom when they ordered the flower arrangements from us.  The intention of providing an overview is to simply make you aware of the location and comment on our observations which you should also confirm with the vendor.  We will provide links to the portfolios on the Power Flowers web site (www.power-flowers.com/weddings/portfolio.html) showing the floral designs we provided for the bride and groom at that location.

Up to this point, I have provided information about wedding ceremony and reception locations outside of downtown Toronto.  One may not think of downtown Toronto as a popular area for weddings but there are many cozy locations in the downtown area that are great for ceremonies and receptions.  One such location is the Rosewater Supper Club on Toronto Street.  Toronto Street connects Adelaide Street East and King Street East, and is not a busy or noisy street in downtown Toronto.  In fact, on weekends, Toronto Street is like a quiet suburban street away from the hustle and bustle on the main thoroughfares.  Parking is available on Toronto Street itself (note that parking enforcement is active on weekends in the downtown core), and there is a multi-story parking area just around the corner on Court Street.

The Rosewater Supper Club consists of a restaurant on the ground floor that I have not had an opportunity to try.  Weddings are held in a bright, open room on the second floor.  A large window facing east provides a pleasant backdrop to hold a ceremony.  The room is easily converted into a wonderful reception area with space for a number of dining tables for your guests.  At night, the reception area is very pleasant and intimate.  For one of the weddings at the Rosewater Supper Club where Power Flowers provided different flower arrangements, we arranged flowers in tall vases for the reception centerpieces which created quite an effect in a room with high ceilings.  Although there are not many green spaces in the area, your photographer can use some of the old buildings that are close by to take romantic pictures.

If you prefer a downtown Toronto wedding, check out the Rosewater Supper Club on Toronto Street.  For weddings with a small to medium-sized guest list, this location might be just right for you.  Contact the club for more information about appetizer and main course options as well as prices.

Here are the links on the Power Flowers web site displaying the different flower arrangements we provided for weddings held at the Rosewater Supper Club:

http://www.power-flowers.com/weddings/rosewater-supper-club-59.html

http://www.power-flowers.com/weddings/rosewater-supper-club-46.html

GTA Wedding Locations - Donalda Club

As a result of having provided flower arrangements for many weddings held in the Greater Toronto area, Power Flowers has visited many different ceremony and reception locations. There is certainly a wide range of locations in Toronto and surrounding areas to host a wedding ceremony or reception.  Over the next few posts on this blog, we will provide a short overview of some of the wedding ceremony and reception locations we have visited in the past in order to make you aware of some of the options available if you are planning a wedding in the Greater Toronto area. Power Flowers does not endorse any of the locations we cover and it is strongly recommended that you contact the ceremony and reception locations to confirm any information we provide and obtain more details.  We cannot comment on costs, menus, or other details that typically would not have been conveyed to us by the bride and groom when they ordered the flower arrangements from us.  The intention of providing an overview is to simply make you aware of the location and comment on our observations which you should also confirm with the vendor.  We will provide links to the portfolios on the Power Flowers web site (www.power-flowers.com/weddings/portfolio.html) showing the floral designs we provided for the bride and groom at that location.

For someone that enjoys golf, I tend to like weddings held at golf clubs.  Even though the bride and groom will not have enough time to play a few holes on their big day, the setting amongst well manicured fairways and greens on a lovely sunny day is very nice to host a wedding in my personal opinion.  On the east side of Don Mills Road both north and south of York Mills Road, there is a number of beautiful and well-maintained golf holes that one can easily miss when driving over bridges on either road.  When I first saw them, I wondered where the clubhouse and other facilities were located as there is no direct entrance to the club from Don Mills or York Mills roads.  It was only when Power Flowers provided flower arrangements for weddings that I discovered that the holes were part of the Donalda Club.  The entrance to Donalda Club is nestled in a residential area accessible from Silverdale Crescent which is the first right-hand turn travelling east on York Mills Road after crossing Don Mills Road.

Wedding receptions are hosted in the stately clubhouse which has a number of windows looking out to other parts of the estate.  If my memory serves me correctly, the reception area has room for about 15 to 18 large tables and so there is enough room if your guest list is not extremely high.   The club may have other rooms available for the reception so please inquire. Beside the clubhouse, one can host the ceremony outside in an adjacent garden area.  When placing the flower arrangements in preparation for an outdoor ceremony at the club, I noticed the grass was in mint condition which one would expect from a golf club.  Although I did not get a chance to wander around, I am quite sure that your photographer will be able to find locations on the estate to take wonderful photos of the bride and groom.  I found the staff at the Donalda Club very helpful in directing me to where the flower arrangements should be placed and overall, I enjoyed my short visits delivering and placing wedding flower arrangements.

Allocate some time in your busy schedule to visit the Donalda Club and obtain more information about weddings held at the club.  Donalda Club is in a nice secluded location even though it is in central Toronto.  If most of your guests are located in Toronto, it should be easy for them to drive or take public transportation to the Donalda Club for the ceremony and reception.

Here is a link on the Power Flowers web site displaying the different flower arrangements we provided for a recent wedding held at the Donalda Club:

http://www.power-flowers.com/weddings/donalda-club-63.html

GTA Wedding Locations - Estates of Sunnybrook

As a result of having provided flower arrangements for many weddings held in the Greater Toronto area, Power Flowers has visited many different ceremony and reception locations. There is certainly a wide range of locations in Toronto and surrounding areas to host a wedding ceremony or reception.  Over the next few posts on this blog, we will provide a short overview of some of the wedding ceremony and reception locations we have visited in the past in order to make you aware of some of the options available if you are planning a wedding in the Greater Toronto area. Power Flowers does not endorse any of the locations we cover and it is strongly recommended that you contact the ceremony and reception locations to confirm any information we provide and obtain more details.  We cannot comment on costs, menus, or other details that typically would not have been conveyed to us by the bride and groom when they ordered the flower arrangements from us.  The intention of providing an overview is to simply make you aware of the location and comment on our observations which you should also confirm with the vendor.  We will provide links to the portfolios on the Power Flowers web site (www.power-flowers.com/weddings/portfolio.html) showing the floral designs we provided for the bride and groom at that location.

When travelling on Bayview Avenue between Lawrence Avenue East and Eglinton Avenue East, one can not go by without noticing the sprawling Sunnybrook Hospital with its various medical buildings and wards.  It is certainly one of the larger hospitals in Toronto and covers a big space east of Bayview Avenue. When driving by, it is easy to overlook the Estates of Sunnybrook that is located behind the hospital buildings and is not visible from Bayview Avenue.  Access to the Estates of Sunnybrook is achieved by turning off Bayview Avenue north of the main hospital entrance and driving a short distance on a local road that snakes behind the hospital and away from the bustle of Bayview.  The Estates of Sunnybrook has three different wedding event locations that are within short walking distance from each other: Coach House, MacLean House and Vaughan Estates.  Each location is surrounded by manicured green spaces with trees – very nice.  On a delightful spring, summer, fall, or even winter day, each location is a perfect setting for a wedding with lots of areas on the estate to take photographs.

It appears that the Coach House is the smallest facility of the three that offers an intimate environment for a wedding with a smaller number of guests.  Adjacent to the old and well maintained building is a small outdoor patio area where a wedding ceremony can be held.  A door from the patio area takes you to a small and cozy reception area.  I’m not sure how many people can be accommodated in the reception area, but if your wedding invitations consist only of family and close friends, the Coach House may be your best option.

The mid-size option on the estate seems to be MacLean House which is a short hop away from the Coach House.  If you walk through the main set of doors at MacLean House and then walk straight ahead through another set of doors, you enter a patio area and a garden space where the ceremony can be held if the weather cooperates.  The garden area has enough space to accommodate a number of rows of chairs for your guests on either side of the aisle.  The ceremony can also be held inside in the reception area, which is an option if an outdoor ceremony is not your cup of tea or the weather on the day is an issue.  The reception area has room for about eight or nine large round tables with the option of a piano if you prefer some light background music at certain times during the reception.

Vaughan Estates appears to be the building on the estate that offers the largest spaces.  When Power Flowers provided flower arrangements for a wedding held during the summer, the ceremony was held in an outdoor enclosure across the road from Vaughan Estates which has sufficient space for guests to be seated on either side of the aisle.  Lush trees provide a verdant background for an outdoor ceremony.  The reception room certainly has enough room for a larger number of guests with lots of windows looking out to lovely green spaces.  Throughout the year, the reception area is also used for events other than weddings such as corporate outings, birthday and anniversary celebrations, and other occasions.

If a wedding is on your horizon, I recommend visiting the Estates of Sunnybrook to see if one of their facilities is a good fit for you.  The different sized locations on the estate to host a wedding ceremony and/or reception offers different options to match the size of your wedding.  Since you can host a ceremony and reception on the same site, your guests will not have to get into their cars to make their way between the ceremony and reception locations.  In addition, if your guests are mostly from Toronto, the central location of the Estates of Sunnybrook makes for a relatively short hop for many to Bayview Avenue north of Eglinton Street East. It’s also accessible from the TTC for those that use public transportation.  Its secluded location behind Sunnybrook Hospital makes it feel that you are in a picturesque country setting away from busy roads and built-up areas.

Here are links on the Power Flowers web site displaying the different flower arrangements we provided for weddings held at the Estates of Sunnybrook:

• http://www.power-flowers.com/weddings/mclean-house-sunnybrook-estates-5.html
• http://www.power-flowers.com/weddings/vaughan-estates-sunnybrook-estates-14.html
• http://www.power-flowers.com/weddings/mclean-house-sunnybrook-estates-25.html
• http://www.power-flowers.com/weddings/coach-house-sunnybrook-estates-32.html
• http://www.power-flowers.com/weddings/mclean-house-sunnybrook-estates-54.html

The Proposal - Part 2

New Year's Eve.  Since most people on this last day of the year were not at work or would be leaving work around the lunch hour, I was not expecting a lot of flower delivery action on the 365th day of the year.  Most would be content to battle their way through the traffic, and see in the New Year at home or at a party.  However, just before lunch, I received a call from a gentleman who was planning to propose to his girlfriend at the ice rink at Nathan Phillips Square in downtown Toronto.  For those readers not familiar with the geography of downtown Toronto, Nathan Phillips Square is an open air focal point in front of Toronto City Hall that hosts concerts, rallies, and other events throughout the year.  It is in the heart of downtown Toronto.  During the winter months, a large ice rink is open to the general public where you can rent skates or use your own skates to go round and round in circles on the ice.  He was wondering if it was possible to deliver a bouquet of a dozen red roses to the skating rink so that he could present it along with a ring to his future wife.  For a brief moment, my mind flashed back to a similar request (see The Proposal – Part 1) a few years ago which did not appear to go very well.  With a sense of optimism that this time the proposal would produce a better result, I collected the details from the gentleman and exchanged information about the coats we were wearing on that day so that we could easily recognize each other in a crowded Nathan Phillips Square.

With a bouquet of a dozen red roses in one hand and an umbrella to protect me from drizzling rain in the other hand, I strode confidently from Power Flowers on Simcoe Street to the bustling ice rink at Nathan Philips Square just a few blocks away.  Since the schools were closed for the holiday break, the rink was full of youthful exuberance and there appeared to be little available space on the ice to do any skating.  I managed to find a relatively quiet standing spot close to the ice surface and near to the ice skate rental counter.  As was the case a few years ago, a number of curious glances were thrown in my direction and a few started to anticipate that something interesting was about to take place sometime soon.  My focus at the time was trying to identify the gentlemen that called Power Flowers a few hours ago.  Suddenly, I see the person that matches the description.  He is standing close to the edge of the rink with the young lady whose life is about to change after completing one or two circuits of the ice rink.  The gentleman manages to coax the young lady onto the ice first and encourages her to follow the mass of skaters all proceeding in the same direction.  Like me, she does not appear to be too confident on the ice but she is at least game to give it a try.  However, her slow progress on the ice allows me to pass the bouquet to the gentlemen, who had spotted me first, and for him to extract a ring from the bag he is carrying without her noticing.  He manages to find a small empty spot on the ice and waits patiently for her to complete her first lap.  After passing the bouquet, I am now the photographer after gladly accepting a request to capture this moment for the family photo album.  A crowd starts to gather near the gentlemen now on one knee with a Power Flowers bouquet and a ring ready for delivery.  She now notices her boyfriend on bended knee.  Within a short time, she says ``Yes`` to the proposal and the crowd cheered.  This time, the result was clear.

The Big Freeze

Power Flowers is a florist located in downtown Toronto that designs flower arrangements and bouquets for different events and occasions.  The Power Flowers web site (http://www.power-flowers.com/) presents different attractive designs for you to select and order.  In addition to focusing on flower arrangement design and quality, Power Flowers also places great emphasis on flower delivery within the Greater Toronto area.  Since the beginning of operations over five years ago, Power Flowers has delivered many flower arrangements and bouquets to different locations.  While most of these deliveries have been completed normally, a few of them are more notable for one reason or another.  This is the third of a series of articles that illustrates how inclement weather conditions can make a simple delivery more challenging.

Each year, Valentine's Day represents the busiest time for Power Flowers.  Its location in downtown Toronto is close to many office buildings and workplaces.  When Valentine's Day falls on a weekday, it is an opportunity to create a great impression by having a flower arrangement or bouquet delivered to their hard-working significant other at work.  With Valentine's Day being in mid-February, wintry weather conditions in Southern Ontario can make flower delivery more difficult on this busiest day of the year.  If it was my choice, I would move Valentine's Day to a date in spring or summer.  About a week before Valentine's Day, I usually keep an eye on The Weather Network to see if the weather forecast for February 14 is going to be favourable.  A few years ago, with Valentine's Day about a week away, The Weather Network was predicting that the weather on Valentine's Day would not be too bad.  However, as Valentine's Day got closer, the meteorologists on the television changed their predictions for the worse.  Eventually, they were forecasting a storm where different systems would conspire to dump about 40 centimetres of snow and produce -25C wind chills on the big day in the Toronto area.  Trouble was on the horizon.

Given the impending inclement weather, some customers decided to play it safe by ordering delivery for the day before Valentine's Day.  This was a good move by many as an article appeared in the Toronto Star the following weekend describing the disappointment of many that did not receive their Valentine's Day flower arrangement or bouquet on the special day.  The storm started brewing in the afternoon on February 13 and the temperatures were well below zero on this day.  Power Flowers received an order to deliver a small gerbera plant on Valentine's Day Eve.  I placed the gerbera plant in the car and started the trek to the delivery location.  This delivery was to a residence outside the downtown core and with the roads covered in snow and drivers being extra cautious to avoid a fender-bender, it was going to be a long haul.  By the time I arrived in the neighbourhood, it was already dark.  Through the darkness, I was able to locate the residence but unable to park outside the door. The door to the residence was not at street level.  In this part of the neighbourhood, the doors were at the end of a number of steps.  While the stair climb was not as long as that taken by the final torch bearer at the Olympic Games, on this day it looked just as challenging.  I managed to find a spot to stop on a side road and with the temperatures dipping below -25C at this time of day, I was relatively confident of not getting a parking ticket or being towed.  I grabbed the gerbera plant and scampered as quickly as I could to the bottom of the stairs.  My fingers were being ravaged by the cold as I started my ascent to the recipient's door.  I pressed the door bell once - no answer.  I pressed the door bell a second time - no answer.  I managed to locate my cell phone and call the recipient's number - no answer.  Even though the plant was meticulously wrapped to protect it against the elements, it could not defend itself against the frigid temperatures, but in the darkness, I did not see the unfortunate transformation it took.  I descended down the stairs and shuffled as quickly as I could back to the car.  After getting inside the car, I noticed that the gerbera changed from its original colour of orange to black due to the brutal temperatures.  In this case, it was fortunate that the recipient was not home as I would have handed her a black gerbera, and I am sure that would not have gone over well.  I made the return journey back to Power Flowers and pointed rather innocently to the black gerbera when I arrived at the flower shop blaming it all on the harsh weather.  Fortunately, Power Flowers had other gerbera plants in stock.  On the following day, Valentine's Day, I made the repeat trip and successfully delivered the gerbera to the recipient who happened to be at home this time around.  This time, the colour of the gerbera remained orange as I carefully shielded it from the cold.

Get Me to the Church on Time

Power Flowers is a florist located in downtown Toronto that designs flower arrangements and bouquets for different events and occasions.  The Power Flowers web site (http://www.power-flowers.com/) presents different attractive designs for you to select and order.  In addition to focusing on flower arrangement design and quality, Power Flowers also places great emphasis on flower delivery within the Greater Toronto area.  Since the beginning of operations over five years ago, Power Flowers has delivered many flower arrangements and bouquets to different locations.  While most of these deliveries have been completed normally, a few of them are more notable for one reason or another.  This is the second post where we describe an actual delivery demonstrating that flower delivery is not always simply pressing a door bell and handing off the flower arrangement or bouquet to the person that answers the door.

As the flower delivery man, my greatest fear is for the delivery car to break down on a day when Power Flowers is providing flowers for a wedding.  On a day of paramount importance for the bride, groom, and many others in the wedding party, the mere thought of no flowers at the wedding ceremony and reception due to an auto malfunction sends shivers down my spine.  On a regular basis, I take the car in for servicing to minimize the possibility of running into car problems on the big day. The trusty wagon had not failed me in the past on a wedding day and as is often the case, one falls into a false sense of security that nothing could possibly go wrong. 

Power Flowers was scheduled to provide bouquets, centerpieces, corsages, boutonnieres, and other floral pieces on the Saturday of a long weekend.  I was anticipating a smooth delivery and with many drivers out of town, I was also expecting the roads to be relatively quiet.  Unfortunately, there was some menacing clouds in the sky and as we prepared to collect the wedding arrangements from Power Flowers for delivery to the church, the clouds were getting darker and darker.  Then it started to rain heavily with large puddles forming on the road.  As I was exiting from the expressway in downtown Toronto, I drove through one of the puddles.  I'm not sure if it was just a coincidence but after wading through the puddle, I felt resistance trying to turn the steering wheel.  Lights appeared on my dashboard, but my focus was trying to steer the car to Power Flowers.  I somehow managed to arrive and park outside the store, but after turning off the ignition, the car would not start again.  I felt a horrible sinking feeling in my stomach.  Fortunately, we arranged for a helper to assist us with the wedding and she had a large minivan.  Also, Power Flowers schedules enough time prior to the start of the wedding for delivery and setup.  In fact, we are often the first to appear at the ceremony location and arrive well ahead of the wedding singers, musicians, and other.  However, despite having another vehicle at our disposal, we needed another car to transport the rest of the flowers and equipment.  After calling the tow truck to wheel my car to the dealership, I had to locate a rental car agency in downtown Toronto to get a backup vehicle. 

I was roaming around town in the rain for an open Hertz, Avis, Alamo, or other rent-a-car agency.  Since it was a long weekend, I discovered most of the rental vehicles had been claimed and so my first few attempts to get a car on-the-fly were unsuccessful.  I then traipsed to an agency that could offer me a car in about two or three hours if it was returned on time.  I wandered to a nearby Avis.  They had a Jeep available immediately and I snapped it up given the lack of rentals in the downtown core.  I eventually got the keys after sacrificing my credit card and headed back to Power Flowers to return on schedule.  By the time I returned to Power Flowers, the skies had cleared up.  I thought I had seen the end of the odd weather on this day.  I collected the remaining flowers and equipment and headed to the church with just enough time to have everything ready for the bride and groom. 

However, on my way there, another wave of clouds loomed on the horizon.  I figured the relatively new rental car would be able to navigate through any further inclement weather.  As I approached the clouds, hail started to pound the rental car.  I wondered if the insurance I paid for at the rental agency covered damage due to hail but fortunately, the hail was not the size of tennis or golf balls.  However, the storm was severe and inside the Jeep, the windows started to fog up.  I managed to find the control in the Jeep to clear the foggy windows and crawled all the way to the church.  In this case, our early start and having access to the Jeep saved the day (Thanks, Avis!)  Fortunately, the rest of the day went smoothly.

The Proposal - Part 1

Power Flowers is a florist located in downtown Toronto that designs flower arrangements and bouquets for different events and occasions.  The Power Flowers web site (http://www.power-flowers.com/) presents different attractive designs for you to select and order.  In addition to focusing on flower arrangement design and quality, Power Flowers also places great emphasis on flower delivery within the Greater Toronto area.  Since the beginning of operations over five years ago, Power Flowers has delivered many flower arrangements and bouquets to different locations.  While most of these deliveries have been completed normally, a few of them are more notable for one reason or another.  Over the next few posts, we will describe a number of actual deliveries demonstrating that flower delivery is not always simply the case of pressing a door bell and handing off the flower arrangement or bouquet to the person that answers the door.

In addition to presenting an engagement ring at a fancy restaurant, some men also chooses to present a bouquet when proposing to their loved one.  Shortly after starting operations, Power Flowers was asked to present a bouquet of a dozen red rose to a potential mate outside the door of a restaurant in downtown Toronto.  His plan was to propose after dinner and have me present the bouquet as they exited the restaurant.  After being told of my responsibilities that were to play out the following evening, I was a little bit nervous about this particular delivery.  I had just started delivering flowers to homes and offices in the Greater Toronto area, and I was still getting use to wandering around town in public places with a flower arrangement or bouquet in my hands.  Standing outside a restaurant near a busy intersection in downtown Toronto on a summer evening would certainly be a interesting experience.

I managed to find a parking spot on the street a few shops away from where the restaurant was located.  I made sure to arrive at least a half hour before the agreed time as driving times in a busy area like downtown Toronto can be affected by construction, road closures, and other unforeseen circumstances.  About ten minutes before the scheduled time, I picked up the bouquet from the back seat of my car and made the short walk outside the door of the restaurant. Each minute waiting outside the door felt like an hour and needless to say, many of those walking by the restaurant door where I was standing could not resist a quick look at me holding a bouquet of a dozen red roses.  The low, mellow lighting inside the restaurant to create a desirable ambiance prevented me from seeing clearly through the window to see if the couple was about to leave the restaurant.  The previous day, we gave the gentleman that was proposing my cell phone number so that he could contact me if there was a change of plan.  After standing outside the restaurant looking at the restaurant door for about ten minutes, I get a text message indicating that he was behind schedule by about ten to fifteen minutes.  I sent a text reply indicating that I would wait until they came out.  Shortly afterward, a small gaggle of high school students strolled by the restaurant.  One of them asked if my heart was broken.  She must have thought that I was making a last ditch attempt to win back the heart of a lady.  I nervously replied that I was delivering flowers on behalf of a florist and waiting for someone inside the restaurant that was in the process of proposing.  Finally, after what felt like an eternity, the couple came into sight near the restaurant window - they were leaving.  As they left, the gentleman gave me a nod indicating that this was the time to hand over the bouquet to the lady.  "This is for you" I said as she stepped out.  "Oh, thanks" she nonchalantly said as they headed left down the street.  Merely from facial expressions and body language, I got the impression that it did not go well for him, but I was hoping I read it incorrectly.  I hope it worked out well for both of them in the end.