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HANNIBAL, MO. -- Valentines Day keeps Rich Griffen on his toes, filling orders for hundreds of customers. Griffen's family has owned Griffen's Flowers in Hannibal for 97 years.

Griffen says the key to a successful day of love, is planning, planning, planning. Click here to learn more about how Griffin plans for the day of love.

In fact, preparation for this Valentines Day began February 15 of last year. That's when he and the staff at Griffen's Flowers in Hannibal assessed what worked and what was popular.

Those observations are pulled out 10 months later when he places his flower orders for Valentines Day.

That order of South American roses came in earlier this week and lined the halls of the flower shop. Click here to learn what has to be done to roses when they arrive at a florist.

When the flowers come into a florist they come in large boxes.  They aren't in water and still have their thorns. It's up to the florist to cuts the ends and de-thorn them for use in beautiful arrangements.

Once the arrangement is made it's stored here in a large walk-in cooler ready and waiting to be delivered. Click here to see it.

Griffen expects to have many men coming in the day of looking for a bouquet for their sweetheart. Click here to see how busy Griffen's can get on Valentines Day.

While you may think you're just sending flowers, florists say these blooms tell a story.

Employees at Griffen's Flowers have spent late nights and early mornings here to bring you these lovely buds.

Griffen's Flowers in Hannibal has been a family business for 97 years.

Meanwhile an unfamiliar sight is back at a florist near you just in time for Valentine's Day. Helium balloons are back in the air after a six month-long shortage of the gas. The reason behind empty tanks was the mild winter we had in 2011.

Helium is a by-product of natural gas. Since it was so warm that winter, natural gas production was limited.

Florists like Rich Griffen at Griffen's Flowers in Hannibal say they're relieved helium is back.