Learning to See With Your Ears!

So much of what we do in the floral industry today is via the internet. Destination couples have always been a part of the industry but never so much as today. Couples today tend to travel and largely because they want to be married in places that they relate to as a couple - places that hold cherished memories for them. Shawn and Amy's wedding was no different. I had never met Amy and although she is local , we communicated via the internet and email. The bride and groom in this case chose a location that she found on a hike with friends.

When I was trained to design many years ago in Orlando Florida, I was taught to see with my ears. I was working with destination brides way before people were using the internet to send inspirational photos. We were taught to ask certain qualifying questions like style and texture of the wedding dress, swatches of color from the bridesmaids dresses and location of the ceremony. The truth is, I struggle with social media. I am so glad that I learned how to see with my ears. My old School training has helped me to see people. Seeing people is how I can suggest the right concept, texture or design technique. I know when and how to dig a bit deeper if I need more information. I didn't meet Amy until the day of her wedding when I dropped off her flowers. She sent a picture of her dress, she told me about her concerns that it might be cold or overcast on her wedding day. I gathered from our conversations that they loved the outdoors and that a natural look would work best for this couple - nothing over styled or blinged out. I felt like I understood Amy's needs before I met her. Thank you ears! Looking at these pictures of Amy and her family - I feel like the bouquet and flower selection were the best fit for Amy's passion for nature, ceremony location, and style.

This supper kind couple shared their photos with me a few days after their wedding! There is nothing more gratifying than to hear from your wedding clients right away and then see photos that look exactly as YOU envisioned they should. I was once told that lots of people can play around with flowers and make them pretty - consider what we get to work with, but very few have the ability to see with their ears and design floral pieces that are exclusive to their clients. Thank you Julie Irving and all the talented folks I have met along the way who taught me to see with my ears and listen with my eyes.

For all the wedding couples out there- communicate your desires with your florists. You will know by the way they communicate with you if they understand your needs. Questions are a good thing - that just means they are doing their due diligence and gaining insight into who you are as a couple. Humor, personality, passion & interest all tell a story and play a vital role in how your wedding day should look. As far as I'm concerned - there is never a wrong way to wedding up! Thank you Amy and Shawn for the wonderful photos, for your love of nature & for being the beautiful subjects of my Blog Post for this week! Wishing you a lifetime of happiness together.

Honoring Family & Friends

Happily Ever After!