Tell me a little bit about your business!
There is a marvelous greek word meraki, which means to make something beautiful and put some of yourself in it, to do something that has soul, creativity, and love. We think flower arranging parties do all that. In selecting photos for Burgh Brides, I choose pictures from the studio as well as examples of our client’s work.
Fresh flowers for a wedding are a well justified expense. At And Flowers, we aim to turn the expense into an investment. We host pre-wedding flower arranging parties which give our couples the opportunity to design what they want and have a fun, shared experience creating their arrangements. Couples and their teams, bridesmaids, and/or family members gather in our studio, typically two days before their wedding, for a guided session to make their own centerpieces, bouquets, boutonnieres, and garlands. We take care of all the ordering, prepping, delivery and set-up. No mess or stress! Instead, they can relax, enjoy the creative process, smell the roses, and cherish quality time with their family and friends.
I am the oldest of seven and the mother of four adult daughters. I started And Flowers to do the flowers for one of our large family weddings. Everyone found it exciting and fulfilling to participate in the flower arranging party, and I discovered how much I loved teaching and sharing my knowledge of floral design, gardening, and event planning.
I love to grow flowers, buy locally when possible, and look for ways to reduce our carbon footprint. I repurpose, recycle, have a large rain barrel, a native pollinator garden, and I compost all our flower clippings. When in bloom, we can cut flowers from my garden.
And Flowers is about people and flowers. My hope is that flower arranging parties become more of a tradition. I believe they strengthen the relationships that are most important to couples and can help heightened appreciation for flowers, good design, and our environment. I love designing with my couples and it is extra special when they come back to the studio for a reunion or just for fun.
What makes your work unique?
We are the only studio that does strictly flower arranging parties. We host them year round for showers, girls night out, and holiday wreath making, but our passion is working with couples and their families. In our studio, couples have an actual hand in what they create for their wedding – from selecting their own flowers to creating their look for their wedding. Our studio is graciously appointed with mirrors, lots of windows, and great lighting. We encourage couples to bring food and drinks to treat their team, which makes the flower arranging party even more festive and fun and adds to the pre-wedding excitement. Lots of love is shared, people are honored to be invited, they have pride in what they accomplish, and the end results are alway beautiful.
What is your ideal client like?
Our clients tend to be curious and creative, detail oriented and realistic. They have a general idea of what kinds of arrangements will look good in their venue and they have a realistic budget to work with. They know taking on a big event themselves would be overwhelming and stressful but they want to be involved and learn more about flowers. They are open to new ideas, enjoy working with others, and, most importantly, know quality time with their family and friends is priceless.
How do you work with couples to bring their floral dreams to life?
The collaborative process is so cool. We make purchasing decisions together, bounce ideas off one another, and plan a great work session. Our couples select flowers that have meaning and feel right to them, while we make sure they are being supported with artistic and practical guidance. Everyone will learn tricks of the trade, be honored to be included, and be proud of their accomplishments. They get beautiful flowers for their wedding and with their family and/or friends, they share a once-in-a-lifetime experience.
