Please vote for your favorite design in the comments section.
The winners will be announced next Monday!
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-Please note, if the winner resides outside the USA they will be responsible for shipping charges.
-Any excessive & untrue votes will not be counted (IE-we can trace the IP address and know if the votes are coming from the same computer)
60 years ago today Audrey Hepburn was married for the first time to actor Mel Ferrer. She didn’t carry flowers, but she wore them in her hair!
(following excerpt from Wikipedia)
At a cocktail party hosted by Gregory Peck, Hepburn met American actor Mel Ferrer.[50] Ferrer recalled that, “We began talking about theatre; she knew all about the La Jolla Playhouse Summer Theatre, where Greg Peck and I had been co-producing plays. She also said she’d seen me three times in the movie Lili. Finally, she said she’d like to do a play with me, and she asked me to send her a likely play if I found one.”[50][92] Ferrer, vying for Hepburn to take the title role, sent her the script for the play Ondine. She agreed and rehearsals started in January 1954. Eight months later, on 25 September 1954, after meeting, working together, and falling in love, the pair were married in Bürgenstock[93] while preparing to star together in the film War and Peace (1955).
Thank you to Amy of The Flower House for researching about Audrey’s wedding flowers!
My Cocker Spaniel, Matisse, helping out in the flower studio..
Today’s How did you do that? comes to us from Amy Keating of The Flower House, Denver, Colorado.
The tent décor for Cori and Adán’s wedding in Keystone was a challenge I was eager to take on. Emily, from Bella Design and Planning in Breckenridge called and asked if I could design some floral chandeliers for the reception tent that incorporated both floral and lighting. I mulled it over for quite some time and then it came to me- one morning at 2:00am- just like the best ideas do. I remembered seeing some gorgeous iron chandeliers while setting a wedding at the Park Hyatt in Beaver Creek. The permanent restaurant lighting consisted of suspended iron platforms with pillar candle-like lights placed on top. I thought to myself “those would be even better covered in flowers”. The end design reflected Cori’s vision for a bold modern feel.
First, we constructed a 4×4 framed wood platform. We then cut away the center to create the open chandelier look. Next, I glued 2” thick Styrofoam panels to the bottom of the platform. I then drilled holes and wired the foam to the platform for stability. The gang at the Flower House then hot glued carnations end to end along the surface. It took 750 carnations for the center chandelier and 350 each for the 4 corner pieces.
The AMAZING team at Pink Monkey Solutions suspended each piece and we added the electric pillars to the top side. All in all- the electric pillars weighed more than the actual flower structures.
I must say- I am a HUGE fan of the carnation when used in a dynamic way. They are light weight, long lasting, and affordable. The pieces actually looked the same 3 days later. Got to LOVE a carnation! You know they ARE on a comeback…right?!!! Carnations are COOL!
Thank you Amy for sharing this with us!
For more from Amy check out her website:
http://www.theflowerhousedenver.com
Designed by Amy of The Flower House
Denver, Colorado
Designed by Valley Flora
Photography by Damion Hamilton
The two winners of the Flowers with Southern Lady
Passiflora of Ohio
AND
Paramithi, South Africa
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Please note – due to excessive voting practices, a few fake votes and complaints from other designers in the contest I did have to call in a neutral Panel Of Judges to select the winners.
The Panel of Judges include: Botanical Brouhaha, Flowerona, Fleurie & The Flower House – thank you to the judges for stepping in at the last moment!
A few members of the Chapel Designers took on the challenge of creating a fall foraged foliage design, all foliages gathered within one mile of their house and mostly from their own yards! Check out the fun results -
Today’s How did you do that? comes to us from Amy Keating of The Flower House, Denver, Colorado.
The tent décor for Cori and Adán’s wedding in Keystone was a challenge I was eager to take on. Emily, from Bella Design and Planning in Breckenridge called and asked if I could design some floral chandeliers for the reception tent that incorporated both floral and lighting. I mulled it over for quite some time and then it came to me- one morning at 2:00am- just like the best ideas do. I remembered seeing some gorgeous iron chandeliers while setting a wedding at the Park Hyatt in Beaver Creek. The permanent restaurant lighting consisted of suspended iron platforms with pillar candle-like lights placed on top. I thought to myself “those would be even better covered in flowers”. The end design reflected Cori’s vision for a bold modern feel.
First, we constructed a 4×4 framed wood platform. We then cut away the center to create the open chandelier look. Next, I glued 2” thick Styrofoam panels to the bottom of the platform. I then drilled holes and wired the foam to the platform for stability. The gang at the Flower House then hot glued carnations end to end along the surface. It took 750 carnations for the center chandelier and 350 each for the 4 corner pieces.
The AMAZING team at Pink Monkey Solutions suspended each piece and we added the electric pillars to the top side. All in all- the electric pillars weighed more than the actual flower structures.
I must say- I am a HUGE fan of the carnation when used in a dynamic way. They are light weight, long lasting, and affordable. The pieces actually looked the same 3 days later. Got to LOVE a carnation! You know they ARE on a comeback…right?!!! Carnations are COOL!
Thank you Amy for sharing this with us!
For more from Amy check out her website:
http://www.theflowerhousedenver.com
Designed by Amy of The Flower House
Denver, Colorado
Your name: Dennille Austin
Your Business name: Village Green Florist Weddings & Events
Your Location: Essex Junction, Vermont
How did you start your business?
I grew up around flowers, worked in a shop through highschool, did an intership at the shop I now own (which did not happen on purpose). I have worked with amazing designers in LA and Rhode Island. I decided I had seen enough eye surgeries and decided to follow my passion, which has always been flowers and bought the store I worked at for years, years later!
How many years have you been in business?
12
How do you create your style and where do you draw your inspiration?
I draw my inspiration from the season. I love picking from our family flower garden and forging for natural foliage. It inspires many of my creations.
What are the trends, flowers & colors that are unique to your region?
We love natural, loose fun bouquets, created for the season. Here in Vermont we experience pretty cold weather and get inspiration from natural sticks, pine cones, birch, anything we can find wandering the cold woods.
What is your favorite part of being a floral designer?
Meeting new people and creating pieces of art they will remember for the rest of their lives.
Are you a retail shop, studio/warehouse or home based?
We are a retail shop
Do you offer any services in addition to floral designs?
We create Vermont gift baskets, including Vermont cheese, craft beers, ciders, honey, maple syrup, etc. We also carry an amazing line of maple and churned candles hand poured, made exclusively for our shop by a cute old married couple.
What tool in your toolbox can’t you live without?
My knife
Your contact information:
Village Green Florist Weddings & Events
60 Pearl Street
Essex Junction, Vermont
802-879-7980
www.vgfloristvt.com
www.facebook.com/vgflorist
instagram: Villagegreenfloristvt
Hi Flower Friends,
I recently sent out a Q&A to our newsletter subscribers and usually I receive plenty of replies, but this time only a few trickled in. My guess is that many of you are still very busy with wedding season and answering emails from brides. Sooo… I’m posting the Questions here and am requesting that you email me your answers – info@flirtyfleurs.com — and I’ll post the answers in the coming weeks. Hopefully this will help us get a good selection of answers!!
Read thru the 7 questions below and you may answer as many of the questions as you like.
The Question and its Answers will be posted on flirty fleurs — www.flirtyfleurs.com — weekly on Thursdays!
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Question #1
How do you calculate out your fee for deliveries & installations? What is a reasonable fee for these services?
-Lynda
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Question #2
I’m currently vacationing in Thailand, and spending a lot of time gazing at the amazing bougainvillea. And it’s something I would really love to use more of in arrangements but have never considered it further due to their incredibly short vase life. Does anyone have an suggestions on conditioning or treatments that these fabulous flowers can benefit from to increase their longevity? For example does anyone know if dipping cut stems in alum (similar to hydrangea) would work?
-Karen
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Question #3
I’m curious about freelance rates around the country. See lots of requests for freelancers but never any info on the pay. What is the typical going rate in each city?
-Lucinda
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Question #4
I am currently in the process of renovating a new location for my business. In this new space I will be building a 8 x 10 floral cooler. Working with contractors can be scary and frustrating. I am wondering if any other business owners have already been through this process? And if so; any advice to pass along? Mistakes that your contractors or yourself made? Approximate cost for the job?
-Haley
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Question #5
I just bought my own little flower shop this past February. Unfortunately, being young and going into business for the first time, I was very naive. The elder brother and sister I had purchased the store from were suppose to retired (One was 58 and the other 62 years old). I thought everything was going well until Passover, in April, where I only received a handful of orders. The store, being next to an affluent Jewish neighborhood, this was very unusual. I learned a few days before the holiday, through a customer, that the previous owners had solicited the client list that they had sold me, and took their orders. Not only that, but they were working out of a wholesaler’s warehouse from whom I also bought my own flowers! Talk about being double crossed. I threatened for legal action and the day before Passover, the previous owners agreed to give me the orders.
So here’s my question: Is there anything I can do to protect myself for future holidays? Can wholesalers do this? Isn’t it damaging for the florist community?
(previous owners did sign a non-compete stating they are not allowed to operate a flower shop directly or indirectly within 3km for 5 years)
-Anonymous
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Question #6
This weekends wedding was a beast for me. It was a whopping 11 tables and 6 cocktails, easy-peasey, right? But there were rentals of pillars and backdrops and the loading dock was a country mile from the set up sites. It was 15 minutes of walking, 2 service kitchens and two elevators from the truck to the reception site. With this kind of obstacle course, efficiency is paramount for timely delivery, calm work environment and my aching feet.
I am interested to hear what tricks of the trade there are for load-in. How are trucks packed? What’s the preferred dolly/cart? Are florists designing based on what they can transport the easiest?
One of my biggest strengths is making something work, no matter how hard it is to accomplish. This is also one of my biggest weaknesses.
I do not want to be killing myself with load-in if there is an easier way. Thoughts?
-Sarah
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Question #7
Would you consider a post regarding the line between being the florist and being an event designer?
Recently I had a bride come in with picture of what she wanted for floral. We finished the quote and then she wanted to know what chairs, dance floor, invitations, hanging lights vs festoons vs up lights, etc.
I am all for providing opinions and feedback. That’s not what this was. This was more of a expectation for a design rollout. She even told me, “well, the florist designs the wedding”.
I think this is from an era where the only design choices were linens and what color bow to use to cinch that net filled with Jordan almonds. Now the bride’s wearing cowboy boots and emerald jewelry in her engagement photo because in a year she’s getting married in a barn and her bridesmaids will be wearing emerald dresses.
In this age where the drinking straws match the pendants, which coordinate the menu cards, which have the same font as the “Pick a Seat” sign, which has a small, hand-drawn sketch of cowboy boots which harken back to what the bride wore in the engagement shoot a year before, I am not interested in event design. Can you provide some feedback on where the line is? I want to be helpful, but I don’t want to provide free design services either.
The bottom line – how do you make it clear to a bride when you want to do flowers only vs when you want to offer full event design services?
-Sarah
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You can hit ‘reply’ to respond directly to this email.
The address is – info@flirtyfleurs.com
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Now to sweeten the deal — answer THREE or more of the above questions and you’ll be entered into a contest to win a one year subscription to Flower Magazine!!
Katie Marx
by appointment only design
By Appointment Only Design
Vasette
Geert Pattijn
Gingerleaf Floral
Jevgeni Bulahtin
Marigold and Mint
Scott Andrew Studio – Florals, Styling Tracy Taylor Ward Design
Zita Elze
Zita Elze
Your name: Jenn Sanchez
Your Business name: Jenn Sanchez Floral Design
Your Location: Ventura County, California
How did you start your business?
I have taken art lessons since I could remember and have always been attracted to painting anything in nature. I eventually began to paint only flowers, and my mother (playfully) suggested I try arranging them. For my 18th birthday, she surprised me with a wholesale license in my name, and shortly after took me the Los Angeles flower mart. I instantly fell in love with all the varieties, colors, and textures of flowers and plants I had never seen before. I began to take a few weddings over the following couple years, more as favors to friends than business, and in the more recent years decided to make it a career!
How many years have you been in business?
I have been in business for a year and a half.
How do you create your style and where do you draw your inspiration?
My style is mostly drawn from the natural movement already created by flowers. Nature is the best floral and foliage arranger, I just try and emulate that on a much smaller scale. My inspiration comes from looking for beauty in the every day, whether music or movies, a random advertisement or a conversation with a friend. I know, some of those sound so removed from the work I do but for me it is so closely related. Whether visual or auditory, so much of that evokes a particular emotion and its those moods I want to come through in my work.
What are the trends, flowers & colors that are unique to your region?
Well, I do live in Southern California which has nearly perfect weather conditions year round, that really gives us the opportunity to grow and harvest so many flowers locally. We have such a wide variety sometimes the options can be overwhelming! You really have to know what you want before walking into any market.
What is your favorite part of being a floral designer?
The medium I am working with. I love anything that gets my creative wheels turning, but working with flowers is by far one of the most enjoyable. Constantly working with a dying product can be very challenging at times, but their delicate and detailed petals along with endless possibilities in arranging make up for any stress that may cause.
Are you a retail shop, studio/warehouse or home based?
No, I have been operating out of my home since starting, but in the near future I hope to have a studio space shared with other creatives.
Do you offer any services in addition to floral designs?
Yes, I can work with the client or bride to style and design their event. Flowers really are the finishing touch to a often a much larger idea, so helping people plan and create a cohesive look is something I love to offer to clients.
What tool in your toolbox can’t you live without?
The toolbox itself! My husband is a cabinet maker and he made me a lightweight small carry toolbox that perfectly fits all my necessities. I don’t know how I would stay organized without it!
Contact information:
www.jennchez.com
twitter: @jenn_chez
instagram: @jennchezdesign
facebook: Jenn Sanchez Floral Design
