Interview with Theodore Magazine

This year I elected to partner with Theodore Magazine ( Theodoremagazine.com) which is a comprehensive wedding planning platform showcasing wedding businesses that are fully supportive and inclusive of the LGBTQI+ community.  This is a global platform where all vendors are carefully screened to ensure they embrace LGBTQI+ couples.  This partnership was a great way for me to demonstrate my values of inclusivity.  I was chuffed to be able to profile Fera Flores with a recent interview.  I’ve copied some excerpts of this below. 

 1.     What inspired you to pursue a career in wedding floristry, and how did you get started in the industry?

 I was inspired to pursue a career in wedding floristry when I got married.  Floristry is a second career for me.  I had many workshops and completed short foundational course in floristry as a form of stress relief from my day job, and I then started to realise that it was more than a hobby or something I did to pass some time.  It all culminated when as a DIY bride myself many moons ago, I really loved creating magic with flowers.  I loved the research - social media, (and at that time) magazines, web sites for inspiration.  We got married in a farm house barn.  It was a beautiful sandstone, turn of the century building.  So warm and inviting.  The vibe I went for was rustic and unruly.  Perhaps looking back now, I would have done things a little differently, but it set me on this path. 

 I formalised my passion by getting my floristry qualifications and at the same time I freelanced for a number of larger flower houses in Melbourne, where I was living at the time.  I got into the nitty gritty of it all – watching, asking questions and just giving it a go.  Lots of heavy lifting, cleaning cleaning cleaning, reflexing a gazillion roses, and travelled to some beautiful venues and locations. I never turned down an opportunity to work on a wedding.  What was important for me, and still is, was getting a wide range of experiences with different styles and flower type.  

 2. What are some current trends in wedding flowers, and how do you incorporate them into your designs while maintaining a timeless appeal?

 One of the timeless and most enduring trends for wedding flowers is the role roses play.  All you need to do is to Google the symbolism of the rose and you’ll read words such as ‘romance, love and mysticism’.  It has universal meaning.  Where I have briefs which is for ‘no roses’, I select floral stems which still have a softer look and insert/tuck into designs to create depth and make the overall creation which is softer on the eye. 

 Other trends I am seeing more of is the one flower type and scaled back designs. Couples are opting for something which makes an impact without being too garish.  Little pillow-like bouquets with the one type of flower for each bouquet – each bouquet being different with flower type but the same colour.  For example, whites – white roses, white dahlias, white hydrangeas.  Or block colours for each bridesmaid, with the one flower type.  The overall shape of bouquet is still garden-like – looser and not too tight. I love getting those briefs.

Arbours are still one of the most requested items to create – and most costly.  With budgets being tight, couples are conscious of costs and waste – opting for a single larger arrangement which are elevated on plinths,and can be transported into reception areas is the way of the future.  Mobility of floral designs – including continuing to enjoy for after-parties the next day.  These briefs tap into your problem solving skills as you need to think about how to create sustainably.  Let’s just say my vessel collection is pretty healthy.   

3. Weddings are deeply personal events. How do you work with couples to understand their vision and translate it into floral designs that reflect their style and story?

 Confirming the brief is critical to understand vision.  I always ask couples to send any visuals they have collected during their planning.  I use this to confirm what I’ve understood.  I also think it’s essential to visit the venue/site of the wedding.  This says a lot of about the couple’s style and vision.  If it’s a new place I haven’t worked on before, I visit the venue to meet the functions manager – understand the do’s and don’t with flower designs.  Couples really appreciate this and feel reassured that you are going to follow through with what they aspire to on the day. 

 The exchange of visual ideas is pretty powerful.  To get the designs right, I often make up prototypes a few days out.  I test out the mechanics of any larger structures for sturdiness and the overall look am going for.  Sometimes what you have in your head doesn’t always pan out.  Confirming designs through a final consult just before flowers are ordered and a few weeks out is another avenue to further ensure you’re on the same page style and design-wise.   

 4. Sustainability and eco-friendliness are becoming increasingly important in all industries. How do you integrate these principles into your business practices and floral designs?

 Sustainability and eco-friendliness are the foundational pillars of my business and floristry practices.  I use very minimal plastic and an almost zero floral foam approach in my designs.  Floristry is an extremely high waste industry, particularly in the events space where you see flowers just going into the bin at the end of the night. Keeping connected with various Floristry Industry platforms and colleagues in the sector, is so important to keep up to date with the latest products and thinking around how to minimise waste. I’ve just come across a cellophane product which is fully compostable.  I’ve haven’t tried it just yet, however am excited to know this is going to be the way of the future.  Additionally, my preference is always for local, and if not available, then onto Australian grown flowers, over imported – and always seasonal.  My designs are centered around these 2 key elements – re-usable materials for my mechanics, and seasonal flower type.

5. What advice do you have for couples who are navigating the process of choosing their wedding flowers and selecting a florist?

You’ve gotta feel a vibe – check out the florist’s socials and web site. Meet the florist and ask them to talk about the last wedding they worked on or one which they loved most. 

Be open and flexible when choosing flower type. Nature is the biggest influencer, not socials, with what’s available. If you are after particular colours of dahlias or roses – the sort of season growers have will determine availability.  Something to think about is whether having the colour you’re after but in a different flower type change the overall theme of your wedding?  Your florist can help you with these questions, they can provide alternatives and guide you through well before the big day.  So much goes into wedding flowers which couples aren’t often aware of – the research time, visiting suppliers leading up to the wedding week, the hours preparing and cleaning up are all hidden costs.  If you are after flowers which aren’t in season or are limited, be prepared to pay a premium.

This all sounds like a lot to consider however your florist will talk you through what they can source for you. Your florist will make this all easy for you – they will take your creative imagination and turn it into a reality.   

 6. Looking ahead, what are your aspirations and goals for your career as a wedding florist, and how do you plan to continue evolving and growing in the industry? 

 My goals as a florist is to create across different settings – and collaborate with different couples.  I love to work on edgy briefs as well as the quietly spoken. I like to work in intimate/personal settings – and elopements are my absolute swoon territory.  Destination weddings are a dream of mine – having family and friends travel for a wedding means that already, they’re going to be involved and be part of the celebrations.

Evolution of styles and being at the forefront of designs and sustainability practices is an ongoing goal and is the centrepiece of my business vision statement.  Additionally, I like to work in an educative manner.  That is, sharing my knowledge with up and coming florists and all people who want to create with flowers.