This time of year is a lot of meetings talking about flowers, planning for the months ahead. No two years are the same. Booking seasons never show the same patterns from year to year which always keeps me on my toes every year. It can feel frustrating when bookings don’t happen, and also so exciting when the bookings go through. Frustrating because getting rejected still hurts, even after working in this business for 14 years. My bounce back muscles are flexed.
In between the work, I’ve been finding joy in the following. Binging Suits since my time spent in Sarasota for the World Champion’s Cup. Dare I say that Suits somewhat reminds me of the Sopranos. Thoughtful, humanizing, beautiful writing, and real, honest, character development. We can all see a part of ourselves in each of the characters. Plus, Harvey! And Meagan Markle. I could go on and on. Quince branches have brought me so much joy this winter. I bought a couple of bunches mid January and just tossed them this week. They lasted so long. Our customers have enjoyed watching them bloom indoors and that makes me smile, too. Hyacinths in bloom with their fragrance. Wondering why I haven’t bottled up their scent yet. Walks at the beach with friends, the very few nights out since this winter was very much about hibernating. And working. And reading. I’m rereading “The Universe has your Back.” And a cheesy Elin Hilderbrand novel.
It’s nice to find a reason to celebrate this time of the year. Maybe every year feels this way, but this winter has felt exceptionally long. I’m always thinking about how I can spend extended time in Puerto Rico, but booked a trip to California instead.
Back to the meetings. I love connecting with my clients in this way, hearing about their dream for their wedding. Looking at photos and the reasons to add specific types of flowers woven into their vision. It can be pretty overwhelming to make design decisions, especially when we have so many design options at our fingertips with social media. The best advice I can offer to anyone planning a wedding, or designing anything really, is to first take the time to look at all the things. Look at all the photos from your friend’s wedding, wedding photographers you admire, Vogue weddings, Pinterest search results for ‘Baz Luhrmann’s Rome and Juliet Wedding’ - not sure if that’s a popular search, but it should be. Pin and screenshot all the things you love, all the images that make your eyes dance a little when they land on an image. Do that for a while, depending on how much time you have. Maybe a month, two weeks? Just let your brain take in the imagery as you slowly start to develop your style.
Next, go into a period where you stop looking at images and inspiration. Almost like meditation. Close your eyes…what do you see? Without the imagery in front of you, what do you remember most? The strongest visuals that pop up in this way are the ones that have stayed with you. Kind of like the feeling when you’re shopping, and you don’t buy the jacket that you fell in love with at the store. But later on, hours later, you’re still thinking about it. Get into that state, that frame of mind. Your event will feel so much more personal that way.