grand opening flowers

Business Flowers in Singapore: A Complete Etiquette Guide

Posted on by sghamper
Business Flowers Singapore Corporate Gift Etiquette for Grand Openings & Boss Gifts
17
Apr

Flowers for business in Singapore are different from flowers for personal use. The incorrect gift—too fancy, too passionate, or too cheap—can hurt a relationship instead of making it stronger. A beautiful grand opening flower stand for a client’s new branch, an orchid arrangement for a senior leader who has been promoted, or a measured bunch of flowers for a colleague all show that you care and respect them professionally. This guide goes over the rules for sending business flowers in Singapore, such as when to send them, who to send them to, how much to spend, and the cultural norms that can trip up people sending flowers from other countries. These include the 红包 (ang bao) rules, the SG anti-corruption gift cap for government clients, and the corporate card etiquette that can make or break a grand opening gift.

 

Grand opening flower stands — the biggest category of business flowers in Singapore

When to send a grand opening flower stand

Send a grand opening flower stand when a business associate, client, supplier, or partner: opens a new shop or restaurant; launches a new branch or franchise outlet; relocates to a new office; expands a retail space; or holds an official opening ceremony. The stand should arrive AT the venue ON the morning of the opening — not the day before (looks awkward) and not after (defeats the purpose).

 

Standard SG card format and what to write

Each flower stand has a card with three things on it: (1) the SENDER (your company name, in big letters), (2) the MESSAGE (such “Congratulations on your Grand Opening” or “祝生意兴隆,” which means “Wishing you flourishing business”), and (3) the RECIPIENT (the recipient’s company name, in smaller letters). Most SG businesses prefer Chinese congratulatory phrases for Chinese-owned businesses (家家发达, 大展鸿图, 生意兴隆) and English for MNC clients. We have a separate Chinese grand opening message guide covering all 23 standard phrases with proper hanyu pinyin if you need help choosing.

Grand opening flower stand pricing in Singapore

The normal price ranges for flower stands for grand openings in Singapore are the following: Standard price range – from $80 to $160 (simple congratulations); premium price range – from $180 to $320 (this range is preferred by the majority of small and medium companies); deluxe or gigantic stands cost from $350 to $700 or even more based on the size of the opening event, MNC, and/or the message of the company. The amount to be spent on flower stands for a normal client opening event is $150-$300 per stand. Excessive spending could appear like a show-off, and too low expenses – like an obligation.

 

How many flower stands should we send?

Your company should send one flower stand for every business contact. If your big client consists of a few departments that would like to send congratulating flower stands, it will be more impressive if your company sends only one stand with its whole name written there. However, if your company really wants to send congratulating stands from different departments (for example, Sales, Operations, and Leadership), you should not send more than 2-3 stands because sending four stands will bring bad luck to your party. Indeed, number 4 in Chinese sounds like “死” (death) and is considered an extremely unlucky figure for any party.

 

Who should sign the card from your company?

The firm name on the card matters more than names of persons for the majority of SG businesses. Nevertheless, if you would like to personalize your flower stands, you should specify the name of the senior person (ABC Corporation, – Mr. Tan, CEO). When preparing business gifts for small businesses between the owners of SME firms, you do not have to add the firm name; however, you should be very careful about who signs for the presents addressed to government clients (see Section 5 below).

 

Timing the delivery of grand opening flowers

 
The aim when sending congratulating flowers to Singapore openings is to prepare flower stands that will be delivered 1–2 hours before the opening ceremony, or at 9 am for later openings during the day. As most stands are supposed to be placed prior to the arrival of the first customer, retail stands should be delivered by 10 am; office stands – by 9 am; restaurant stands – by 11 am. Our express flower delivery is available on the same day, but you should place your order 24 to 48 hours earlier for the weekend.
 

When to send business flowers in Singapore (and when not to)

 

Business flower occasions

• Opening ceremonies, branch inaugurations, office moves (most popular application)
• Promotions or changes in employment position (within the company/client/partner organisation)
• Client birthdays (for those whom you have known for many years, and only if you know that it is really their birthday – don’t say “I just remember”)
• Anniversary of the business (every five or ten years)
• Concluding projects (with a partner or supplier who did an outstanding job)
• Deaths and condolences (death of a relative of a contact person – refer to funeral flowers below)
• Recovery from an illness, wedding congratulations, new child (when your relation with your counterpart is close enough)
 

Occasions NOT to send business flowers

• No specific purpose (you would look like a person trying to butter up the other side)
• Sending after having a disagreement or argument
• The opposite gender colleague (unless there is a specific reason)
• Company cutting down costs or going bankrupt
• Your direct-line subordinate (unless in connection with business relations)
• Prospective client companies (looks like bribery)

Choosing flowers based on who they’re for

For a client

Best choices would be an orchid arrangement (sophisticated, lasts weeks, neutral symbolism) or a corporate bouquet. If the flowers are needed for grand opening, send a flower stand. For promotions/announcements – a desk arrangement less than 30 cm high. Do not get anything strongly aromatic (offices share air). Do not get red roses or only-white flowers (mourning symbolism in Chinese culture).

 

For a boss

The flowers should always come from the entire team, never individually, so that neither card nor card will have your name alone; unless you are sending individually because you’re the sole survivor. Get mixed corporate bouquets or wellness hampers. Never something romantic-looking. Don’t send to their home address.

 

For a colleague (same level)

Weddings/birthdays/illness – get a small flower box or a hamper. Teacher’s day/birthday/some achievement in work – depends on how close you are. Anything too romantic-looking (especially opposite-gendered colleagues); pastel colors/mixed or sunflowers are safe.

 

For an employee or direct report

If it’s about a wedding, childbirth, or sending sympathy flowers – appropriate. It is not customary in Singapore to send your subordinates flowers on a birthday in a management capacity. Flowering plants for birthdays and promotions in office settings are appropriate. Performance bonus flowers with flowers are also appropriate. Team wide gift flowers or gift hamper baskets (such as end of year gifts) should be corporate gift baskets.

 

For a vendor or supplier

More common in recent times is getting hampers for Chinese New Year. Business flowers to suppliers/vendors are appropriate on special occasions such as their company anniversary, company expansion, or when one of their key employees receives a promotion. Do not send during ongoing negotiations for procurement/tenders.

 

For government / public sector contacts

Singapore has strong guidelines for anti-corruption when it comes to giving gifts to government officers. The general policy is to declare the gift when giving to any government officer in their official capacity, and there is also a general limit of S$50 per gift. NEVER give anything expensive or any flower baskets to government officials/public sector employees. The policy is especially strict regarding procurement process. In doubt, do not send any flowers.
 

What to spend on business flowers in Singapore

Recipient / Occasion

Typical SG budget

What works at this tier

Grand opening — SME client

$150–$300

standard or premium stand

Grand opening — MNC client / major partner

$300–$700+

Premium double / deluxe stand

Boss — birthday or promotion (team-collected)

$120–$300

Mixed bouquet, premium hamper, or wellness gift

Client — promotion / corporate milestone

$80–$200

Orchid arrangement or premium bouquet

Colleague — wedding, baby, illness

$60–$120

Hand bouquet, small hamper

Employee — wedding, baby

$80–$150

Hand bouquet + card from team

Vendor — anniversary, expansion

$80–$200

Stand or premium bouquet

Government contact (with restrictions)

Avoid sending

Send a card instead

Best flowers for business gifting in Singapore

Orchids – the corporate go-to option in Singapore

 
Singapore’s best corporate gift in general. Phalaenopsis orchid last for up to 4-6 weeks, while the plant itself lives for many years. The colours white and purple work best in the corporate environment. Use an elegant ceramic pot for the best presentation. Ideal for gifts to customers, seniors, business partners, and vendors.
 

Mixed corporate bouquets

Sunflowers, Gerbera Daisy, Eustoma, or carnations – in an elegant, modern wrapping – non-specific enough to not look romantic, but also friendly. Avoid entirely red, white (mourning in Chinese culture), or heavily scented bouquets, such as lilies, Gardenia, or freesias. View our hand bouquets.
 

Office plants (no-fuss)

Lucky bamboo plant (auspicious in Chinese feng shui), Pachira or Golden Epipremnum (“money plants”), or a small Phalaenopsis. Do not choose plants that have thorns (sha qi or “killing energy” in feng shui) and avoid plants requiring high temperatures (ferns) or lots of sunlight (succulents).
 

Corporate gift baskets

A perfect solution for client appreciation, end-of-year, or festive gifts (Chinese New Year, Mid-Autumn Festival, Christmas). Baskets usually last longer than flowers and can be enjoyed by the whole team at once.
 

Flowers to NOT choose in business gifting

• Red roses – the universal symbol of romance; do not give them to anybody but your romantic partner
• Completely white arrangement – associated with mourning in Chinese culture
• Hard-scented flowers (such as lilies, gardenias, or freesias) – too strong for shared office spaces
• Any flowers in a set of four – 四 sounds like 死 (death) in Chinese
• Overly romantic colour combinations, like deep red, lavender, and white – considered romantic
• Cactus or other thorny plants – sha qi (killing energy) in feng shui

Common questions about business flowers in Singapore

How much should we spend on flowers for a client’s grand opening in Singapore?

If our clients are SMEs: $150-$300 for decent single-tier or double-tier flower stand for grand opening event. If our clients are MNCs or large business partners: $300-$700+, even higher. Most popular option for our clients’ grand opening event stands is $200-$280 for double-tier grand opening flower stand with personalised company card.

Can our company send flowers to a government client?


Singapore anti-bribery laws set strict limits on what government officials or public sector workers can receive. In practice, $50 is the maximum allowable gift value; for any gift exceeding $50, formal declaration is required. Our suggestion to avoid creating trouble for your contact would be: gift cards or congratulatory emails rather than floral arrangements/hampers. If the gift does go through (for example, if your company is relocating a major agency’s office in SG), keep the value under $50 and arrange for the company to send it directly.


What’s the difference between a grand opening stand and a hand bouquet for a corporate gift?


Grand opening stands are tall arrangements mounted on bases — typically 2-3 metres high. They are meant for display at venues (grand opening events, company anniversary parties). Hand bouquets or arrangements are small enough for desk size; they serve personal purposes (gifts to celebrate promotions, birthdays and weddings). For your company’s grand openings always opt for a grand opening stand. For desk gifts always opt for hand bouquets/arrangements.

Is it OK to send Chinese New Year flowers to clients in Singapore?


Yes, in fact it has become increasingly common among SMEs or family-run businesses in Singapore. Sending festive gifts such as mandarins/oranges, pussy willows, fresh peony arrangements and even gold-themed gift baskets in the two-week period leading up to the holiday is greatly appreciated. Don’t send CNY items during CNY itself – it’s a week off. During Mid-Autumn festival mooncake baskets are a proper choice.


What should be on the card for a grand opening flower stand?


It takes three lines of writing:

Top row: Recipient’s company with congratulatory statement (“Congratulations on your Grand Opening” / Chinese equivalents);

Middle row: Sender’s company (large lettering);

Bottom row: Individual person’s information as well, if needed. For recipients owned by Chinese: traditional phrases are widely understood in Singapore; see our sample grand opening phrases guide for the whole list.

Should I include my own name or just my company name on the card?
In case of business gifts, the COMPANY’S name has a greater value than the person’s. What is really important for the recipient’s company leaders is to know who is sending the gesture – which is your company. You can add your name if you’ve developed personal connections and the client knows you. For a purely transactional relationship use your company name only.


Can I deliver business flowers same-day in Singapore?

Yes, order flowers and get them delivered same day if your order was placed before 3 pm; our express service guarantees 90 min delivery slots for last-minute orders. For grand opening stands, we suggest you place your order 24-48 hours in advance (particularly popular on weekends and first days of the month).

Once you’ve decided what fits the situation, our grand opening flower stand collection is the most-ordered SG corporate gift category we deliver — Standard, premium, deluxe stands with custom-printed Chinese or English cardes. For non-grand-opening business gifts, browse our corporate hampers and office-appropriate hand bouquets. Same-day delivery across Singapore.

 

CALL: +65 8798 1816

sghamper

Don`t copy text!
That Flower Shop Singapore
thatflowershop.co  GDPR Cookie Compliance
Privacy Overview

This website uses cookies so that we can provide you with the best user experience possible. Cookie information is stored in your browser and performs functions such as recognising you when you return to our website and helping our team to understand which sections of the website you find most interesting and useful.