7 Tips for Sending Flowers as Birthday Gifts Internationally

by Alina Lisogorskaya May 12, 2020

While it's true that love knows no bounds, the same is true for flowers. Missing your loved one on their birthday can be hard, but a $34.3 billion dollar industryproves that flowers connect and unite people all around the world.

Flowers as birthday gifts never get old. Beyond the flower itself, the arrangement, vase, card, and sentiment makes getting flowers unique each time.

Sending gifts overseas can feel stressful until you remember flowers. The good news is there are as many types of flowers as there are personalities. That means a unique arrangement awaits your loved one.

Here's how to make your person's birthday as special as ever—even if you're a world away.

Flowers As Birthday Gifts

If circumstances make it so you must send a birthday gift, flowers are your go-to. Besides their obvious beauty, flower bouquets are low-maintenance, non-perishable, and a long-lasting reminder of the occasion.

Since flowers communicate many messages, here's how to identify the best flowers for girlfriend, partner, or wife.

1. Learn Flower Meanings

For as common as flower gifts are, few people know their flowers. Someone getting flowers can always tell the thought put into a flower bouquet, so it's time to study up! Even if your loved one doesn't know their flowers, flower energy is obvious.

For example, black flowers may not be best for a birthday, so learning flower meanings can clarify what you want them to say.

2. Learn Color Meanings

Just as flowers have meanings, so do colors. Maybe you know your partner would appreciate their favorite colored flower, or maybe you know yellow flowers would brighten their day.

Your flower's color can be informed by the season too. If it's winter, choose a bouquet that says warmth and kindness. If it's summer, vibrance is the way to go!

Do you want a single type of flower in your bouquet or multiple types? One color or a potpourri?

3. Birth Flower

Like birthstones, every month has its own birth flower. If your loved one doesn't know their birth flower, now's a great time to gift them with it! Developing a new relationship with an unknown flower is its own gift.

Whoever thinks gifting flowers isn't an experience doesn't know flowers. Consider how much your person knows about flowers before choosing. Is it time to introduce a new one?

Giving flowers as birthday gifts can be an educational moment—a chance to learn something new. Does your partner prefer what's familiar or would they enjoy the surprise of newness?

If your bouquet's beauty requires your partner to look up its types of flowers, you've done it right.

Send flowers

4. Bouquet Intention

By now you've learned that gifting flowers is a gift for you, too! Getting familiar with flowers means getting clear about your message.

While birthdays usually call for a standard, Happy Birthday! I love you, sentiment, having one overseas calls for something different.

Put yourself in your partner's shoes. If you were to receive this bouquet, what would it say to you?

I miss you lots
I love you to Argentina and back, or wherever they're staying
Come home soon
Have the best day
Hope you're having fun

The perfect flower bouquet is not about finding it, but creating it! Yours will ultimately represent these two things.

A flower's emotional expression
Your emotional expression

Have fun today flowers look and feel different than Come home soon flowers. Taking inventory of flowers—coupled with your own emotional inventory—makes the perfect gift.

5. Surprise!

While it won't be the year for surprise parties, there's no reason to skimp on the element of surprise. If there's any place to be off your normal routine, it's living abroad!

In order to pull off an epic international flower surprise, there are a few things to consider.

Picking a day for delivery
- If your person celebrates birthday weeks or birthday months, it's possible their actual birth day is not the time to send flowers. Maybe they'll be out all day, anyway. If surprise is the goal, when would they least expect it?
Picking a time of day for delivery
- Use your nightly or weekly phone calls to gather information about their schedule. What time of day are they sure to receive the flowers?
Where to deliver them
- At the workplace? At home? At their friend's house?
Get friends in on the plan
- Whoever is your partner's community overseas, get them involved! Bonus points if they film or photograph the moment! Everyone loves a good surprise.

6. Customized Card

This thorough sentiment requires an explanation! Acing the first impression is a job well done, but the lasting impact comes from the story.

Make sure your card explains all your flowers say, or it leads to a phone-call follow-up where you can share your flower findings.

7. Follow Through

Be in touch with the delivery people to track your flowers! A successful gift demands follow-through from the day it's ordered to the second it arrives.

Taking care of your flowers shows care for your person. The cost of flower gifts is revealed by your loved one's face upon receiving them—priceless.

Overseas Flower Opportunity

When it comes to sending flowers as birthday gifts, there's only one question to answer. Do I want to send something new or something familiar?

Only you will know. The good news is, there's no wrong answer which makes flowers a flawless gift.