1) I love this idea! How do I proceed?
We
breed and ship butterflies for weddings all throughout the year. It
must be 55°
or warmer and (preferably) sunny for the butterflies to fly well when
released. To help determine if the climate is right in your area during
your event date, click to check
Average
Temperature
then place your order online to get the special Internet
Pricing. You will be asked for your wedding date during the ordering
process. We accept all major credit cards. You will receive an automated
email confirmation immediately upon submission of your order and then a 2nd
email confirmation within 2 to 48 hours when a representative has reviewed
and scheduled your order. Rush orders will be reviewed within 2 hours. The
live butterflies will arrive the day before the wedding via Overnight
delivery with easy instructions.
2) How far in advance should I
place my order? We are your last minute specialists! However,
sometimes we get completely booked for popular event dates, so we
recommend you place your order as soon as possible to avoid any last
minute disappointments. To ensure a reservation, try to place your order
at least 4 weeks in advance for events from March through September, since
these are the most popular months for butterfly releases at weddings.
However, we can frequently fill last minute orders - even the next day!
You can call us at 888-441-4908 to check availability of butterflies for a
specific date if you are concerned.
3) How many
butterflies should I order? Most
purchases are for 2 to 3 dozen butterflies. Some clients pass out the
individual Butterfly Release Box
that each butterfly is shipped in to guests, so that individual guests can
each release a butterfly. Others use a portion of the butterflies for the
bride and groom to do a Mass Release from a box,
cage or basket,
and then select certain guests (such as the wedding party and family) to
release individual butterflies from the Release Boxes.
4) When can I do wedding
Butterfly Releases? Monarch Butterflies will only take flight when the
temperature is above 55°
and preferably sunny, but the warmer the weather
the better the release! Please check the history of the Average
Temperature for your area to be sure your butterfly release will be a
success.
5)
What
if I place an order, but then the weather forecast is bad? You have some choices. You can choose to keep the
order and display the beautiful butterflies inside as a centerpiece in a
cage or basket and then release the next day or so when the weather gets
better. You can make your own display Basket (see
instructions below) to set on a table. Or, call us exactly 5 days before
the event, and we will gladly cancel the order and refund the full
purchase amount. We won't penalize you for Mother Nature's indecisions!
6) Can I do wedding butterfly releases
at night? The butterflies must be released prior
to sunset. If it is a warm evening, the butterflies may still fly during
civil twilight, which is up until 20 minutes after the sun sets. To find
the exact time that the sun will set on your wedding date visit the
Sunset
By Location site. If it is too dark, the butterflies will not fly.
7) How do the butterflies survive shipping?
Each butterfly is carefully placed inside an individual Release Box for
their safety. They are packaged in an insulated box with a
"cool-pack." The cool temperature combined with minimal light
keeps the butterflies calm and naturally inactive during shipping.
Butterflies are sent via Overnight delivery to arrive the day before your
event. Butterflies that will be released from a mass release box or cage
will be shipped in special 'transfer' envelopes designed to keep them safe
in shipping, but are much easier to transfer the butterflies to a
different container.
8) What should I do when my butterflies arrive?
Easy instructions on how to care for and release your butterflies will
accompany your order, or click HERE to read
them now. In summary: when they arrive, keep the shipping container in a
cool, dark area so they will remain calm and inactive. Move them to a warm
area an hour before the wedding.
9) What happens to them after
release? The USDA approves monarch butterflies for release all
over the continental USA because the butterflies are native to all states.
The only exception to this is for the state of Arizona. (Although monarchs
are also native to Arizona, special circumstances are in place that would
prohibit the release in that state.) If you have flowers and host plants
for the butterflies nearby, they may stay a while or even take up
residency for the remainder of the season.
10) Can I make my own Release Basket
so I can release them all at once? 
Sure! You can buy
a box or cage from us, or make your own basket.
1) You can pick up a nice wicker basket from Michaels or any craft store
for just a few dollars.
2) Drape tulle (veil material) over the basket and hold it down with a
pretty ribbon tied around the upper part of the base of the basket.
Flowers are a butterfly food source so if you place real flowers in the
basket, they may not want to fly out when released.
3) You can transfer the butterflies into the basket up to 6 hours before
the wedding if you’d like to keep them on display during the event. Make
sure to transfer them at least 1 hour before the event and expose them to
warmth and light (not direct sunlight). The light stimulates the
butterflies and will make them active.
4)
Simple transfer directions will accompany your order, or click HERE
to read them now.
5) The bride and groom then untie the ribbon and release the butterflies
to create a show-stopping flight of beautiful butterflies!
11) What is your guarantee?
|
Cancellation Policy for Live Butterfly Orders
(Minimum 10% for any cancellation)
|
|
| For Cancellations: |
|
The Fee Is: |
| 6+ weeks prior ... |
|
10% |
| 4-5 weeks prior ... |
|
20% |
| 3-4 weeks prior ... |
|
40% |
| 2-3 weeks prior ... |
|
60% |
| 1-2 weeks prior ... |
|
80% |
| 0-1 week prior ... |
|
100% |
|
For your benefit, we offer a bad weather exclusion to the cancellation
policy shown above. If the weather is either too cold or too rainy for a
successful butterfly release, you may cancel up to 4 days prior to your
event and receive a full refund, less a 10% processing fee. The policy,
however, is NOT valid for orders larger than 8 dozen butterflies. The
forecasted high should be 55 Deg. F or greater. Showers are OK for
releasing butterflies, but heavy rain is not.
We guarantee that you will receive live and healthy butterflies for any
butterfly order of any quantity and delivery location. And for orders of 8
dozen or less, we also guarantee that they will arrive in time for your
event or your money back (up to the value of the butterflies). This
delivery guarantee applies to orders scheduled to arrive the day before
the event and on a weekday; however, the guarantee is void for 'same day'
deliveries and/or SAT deliveries. Our delivery guarantee is also void if
you do not notify us of the missing package by 3 PM the day the shipment
is supposed to arrive. No refunds given for recipient unavailability. The
suggested time of delivery is a commitment time for your area based upon
the FedEx service guide. There are occasional delays with FedEx due to
weather or other 'acts of God.'
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