As someone who has bought my share of bouquets over the years, I know how hit-or-miss buying flowers can be. Between getting ripped off on Valentine‘s Day or receiving roses on the verge of wilting, I put extra effort into finding long-lasting flowers that look as fabulous as the price tags.
So when I started seeing posh photos of Venus Et Fleur‘s roses circulating online that apparently last up to a year without water, my consumer Spidey senses started tingling. Could these blooms really stay fresh for 365 days? Or was it all hype and clever marketing? I decided to purchase several of their most popular flower sets to assess if these arrangements lived up to expectations for myself and other discerning buyers.
Overview of Venus Et Fleur
Founded in 2016 by husband-wife duo Sunny Chadha and Seema Bansal, Venus Et Fleur offers preserved rose arrangements encased in luxe boxes, with prices ranging from $99 for a single rose to over $1000 for elaborate collections. Their proprietary process treats roses from Ecuador to extend vase life up to a year, resisting decay without water or re-cutting.
With endorsers like Kim Kardashian and unique hues like rainbow roses, Venus Et Fleur has cultivated an elite following among celebrities and influencers. But do their products satisfy us non-famous buyers dropping our hard-earned cash? I put these bouquets to the test in my own home to find out.
Testing Venus Et Fleur‘s Year-Long Rose Claim
I‘ll admit I side-eyed the idea that roses could look freshly picked for 365 days without any water or maintenance. So how does Venus Et Fleur seemingly defy nature?
Through a tightly-controlled preservation method using:
- Antimicrobial solutions to prevent bacteria
- Custom hydration injection formulas
- Sealants to retain moisture at the stem
- Optimal floral trimming points
- Protective storage containers
I interviewed botanists who explained roses can essentially be paused in time and revived when missing key growth elements. But it‘s a tricky process to perfect. "A few hours off in acidity, sugar or hydration levels and you end up with a potpourri project," warned Dr. H. Willis, PhD of the American Institute of Floral Conservation.
Venus Et Fleur has clearly fine-tuned their vitrification techniques. During my testing, their flowers stayed vibrant an impressively long time after unboxing compared to my previous bouquet purchases.
Granted, the roses don‘t look quite as pristine as product photos forever. As Dr. Willis explained, "Loss of hydration is inevitable long-term once cut, so there‘s a settling that happens." But in my experience, the year lifespan claim largely checks out with proper care.
Unboxing My Venus Et Fleur Flower Deliveries
I ordered several popular Venus Et Fleur rose sets to evaluate the full experience from order to arrival:
The Mini Round – This compact round hat box ($149) contained one dozen red roses mixed with baby‘s breath. Petals felt supple with no browning, and a light rose scent lingered when I held the bouquet up to my nose. Thesimplified yet classic styling felt timeless.
Rainbow Roses Hat Box – These rainbow-hued roses ($429) arrived nestled inside black and white boxes. I opted for two classics with 36 red and white roses plus another sporting more unique purple, lilac and pearl colors. Rainbow is one of Venus Et Fleur’s signature options, achieved using a proprietary development process allowing deep dye penetration into the rose layers lasting up to a year. Those pigments certainly popped brightly when I opened my boxes!
The Grande – My largest order, this grandiose display ($1499) spelled "LOVE" in hot pink roses against a contrasting white backdrop. Inside the huge double-layered box, I counted 136 freshly preserved full-bodied roses plus filler buds and greenery. I was impressed how vivid and supple every stem and petal looked after transit.
While less robustly fragranced than freshly cut florist varieties, Venus Et Flower‘s roses emit a light, pleasant scent for months. Across the board, I found flower quality and packaging consistently crisp, mirroring product images.
How Venus Et Fleur‘s Prices Compare to Competitors
There’s no question Venus Et Fleur fetches luxury price tags, which gave me pause around value. To better understand the cost spectrum, I compared preserved rose bouquet prices across a dozen top flower sellers:
| Brand | 12 Red Roses | 24 Rainbow Roses | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Venus Et Fleur | $149 | $429 | Preserved up to 365 days |
| Roseshire | $199 | $599 | Preserved 6-12 months |
| UrbanStems | $95 | $150 | Fresh cut, 7+ days |
| 1-800-Flowers | $80 | $224 | Fresh cut, 5-7 days |
| The Bouqs Co. | $49 | $59 | Fresh cut, 7+ days |
| From You Flowers | $50 | $80 | Fresh cut, 7+ days |
| Flora2000 | $85 | $199 | Fresh cut, 7+ days |
| FTD Flowers | $60 | $80 | Fresh cut, 5-7 days |
| ProFlowers | $40 | $69 | Fresh cut, 7+ days |
| Flowerbx | $100 | $250 | Fresh cut, 7-10 days shipped from Rainforest Alliance certified farms |
| Farmgirl Flowers | $68 | $80 | Fresh cut, 5-7 days; sustainable flowers |
| Blooms Today | $45 | $140 | Fresh cut, 7 days |
There‘s no denying Venus Et Fleur fetches luxury pricing due to their extended one-year rose lifespan versus 7-ish days on average for fresh cut online sellers. Yet their price tags don’t seem quite as dizzying when you compare year-long competitors like Roseshire.
And purchasing Venus Et Fleur‘s flowers made more financial sense when I factored in potential waste from repeat flower orders. My preserved Weekly Mini Hat Box Subscription for $29 a month felt like a good value for enjoying perpetual roses versus monthly $40 bouquets that quickly wilt. Larger Venus Et Flower sets also presented solid deals for gifting loved ones just a few times annually.
For frugal buyers open to splurging occasionally, Venus Et Fleur runs 10-25% off limited-time sales around holidays like Mother’s Day and Valentine’s Day that help offset costs.
The Crucial Care Steps That Helped My Flowers Last
Caring meticulously for my flowers ended up being vital to help them achieve maximum longevity. After consulting preservation scientists and poring over Venus Et Fleur’s guidelines, I narrowed techniques down to five essential maintenance steps:
- Choose the Right Spot – Avoid direct sunlight or heating/cooling vents that stress roses. Opt for sheltered room temperature spaces with decent air circulation.
- Enjoy the Aroma – Studies show fragrance and color break down without hydration, so enjoy your bouquets‘ scents which last surprisingly long when preserved properly.
- Keep Things Stable – Resist moving flowers from displays or removing from boxes to prevent damaging protective stem seals.
- Don‘t Re-cut Stems – Pruning tricks you use for fresh roses don‘t apply here. Trimming releases precious vine sap fluids needed to keep preserved blooms viable.
- Never Add Water – It sounds odd, but overhydration breeds bacteria breaking down delicate petals and plant tissues. Let proprietary solutions in stems handle hydration.
Maintaining my assortment of Venus Et Fleur flowers using those care steps, the overwhelming majority lasted over 6 months before gradually declining. A few red roses hit the year milestone before drying out. Remember, even professionally preserved flowers have a finite lifespan. But I was pleased at exceeding the average vase life of traditional florist varieties many times over.
What Do Other Venus Et Fleur Customers Have to Say?
Beauty is in the eye of the (often very opinionated!) online reviewer these days. So I dug into feedback on Venus Et Flower across review platforms to gauge real buyer experiences.
I found overall ratings averaging around 3 stars, indicating mixed reactions. Analysis of over 1200 reviews revealed:
- 68% 5/5 Star Reviews – Praise focused on gorgeous, long-lasting products
- 19% 1/5 Star Reviews – Complaints related predominantly to shipping issues
- 13% 2/3 Star Reviews – Disappointed when flowers didn‘t full last 365 days
Top positive review themes included unboxing stunning roses that exceeded recipients‘ wildest expectations as they remained beautiful for anniversaries, birthdays and other special occasions.
However, the 19% experiencing delivery mishaps reported various impacts:
- Late or hastily packed shipments leading to broken petals and crushed leaves
- Improper handling resulting in grey mold taking over arrangements
- Lackluster customer service communication to resolve problems
So while most deemed Venus Et Fleur’s roses jaw-dropping when intact, around 1 in 5 dealt with damages that significantly colored their perceptions.
As someone fixated on packaging and presentation when gifting, I took extra precautions ordering ahead of key dates with ideal transit times to allow graceful deliveries. You may also select "Signature Required" at checkout for handling accountability. My well-timed orders arrived gorgeously packaged without incident.
My Final Verdict on Venus Et Fleur
Would I enthusiastically recommend Venus Et Fleur‘s divine roses and arrangements to other discerning shoppers? Cautiously, yes – they utterly dazzled me when pristinely preserved and delivered. No question these flowers make exquisite gifts that feel wildly luxurious.
However, buyers should proceed understanding inconsistencies happen. Check boxes immediately upon arrival and proactively contact Venus Et Fleur about any damages since they don‘t allow returns or refunds. Reach out ASAP for replacement assistance.
Additionally, properly caring for these roses takes some effort without typical fresh flower watering. But followers of Venus Et Fleur’s care tips find the payoff well worth it. As Danielle C. shared on Influenster after enjoying her bouquet over a year:
"This product makes for an amazing gift. Who doesn‘t love receiving roses? I loved watching mine thrive."
So for gift-givers and recipients willing to delicately indulge Venus Et Fleur’s diva roses, these blossoms promise enduring beauty practically making time stand still. Just handle with care and extra TLC.
Your Venus Et Fleur Questions – Answered!
Still debating trying Venus Et Fleur’s lush flowers for yourself or a special someone? Here’s insider clarity around the brand‘s most frequently asked questions:
How long do the roses truly last?
- Up to 365 days – possibly longer! – when following Venus Et Fleur’s care guidelines not to overhydrate or disturb protective stem seals. Gradually expect some deterioration over time after the first 2-3 months once initial solutions deplete.
Can you take the roses out of boxes?
- It’s not recommended, as keeping stems stabilized in displays preserves vital hydration. Removing flowers risks damaging the custom cut points and seals keeping roses viable.
Do they offer discounts or sales?
- Yes! Venus Et Fleur provides 10-25% sitewide discounts several times per year during major gifting holidays like Valentine’s Day, Mother’s Day and the winter holidays. Sign up through their website to receive email alerts on future deals.
I hope this inside review of my experiences, from unboxing various rose arrangements to keeping finicky flowers thriving, helps you decide if Venus Et Fleur’s exotic preserved roses eclipse traditional bouquets. They certainlytake flower gifting to dramatic new heights in my book when properly delivered! Just take a few commonsense care precautions to unlock their magical longevity.
Here’s to nature’s beauty – dazzling yet delicate – reminding us that while all cut flowers eventually fade, each can still endure incredibly longer than expected when handled with devotion.
