The second part of our interview with Susanne Hatwood of The Blue Carrot, wedding florist.
Click here to visit Susanne’s website
So Susanne, today I wanted to talk to you about working with couples on their wedding flowers. What do you think attracts couples to your business?
I think part of my success is that I’m very passionate about my work and that comes across to people. But it’s not just the flowers it’s also dealing with a small cottage industry and people like that.
How important is it to have a good working relationship with couples?
Once I start a consultation I can tell really quickly whether I can work with a couple. Sometimes you can become good friends with your clients and who could want more than that! The relationship usually starts through email but I always try to meet in person if I can. I have had brides who live abroad who maybe I don’t meet until the day of the wedding but that’s worked really well too so it’s not essential but it’s something I like to do.
Talking with other wedding professionals I hear that grooms are becoming more involved with wedding preparations – are you finding that in floristry too?
It varies so much, I have had some grooms who are more interested than the brides in the flowers! But generally grooms are interested but they are just happy if the bride is happy. They want to feel confident that I know what I’m doing and I can deliver what the bride wants – then they’re happy.
Do you have any tips on decorating wedding venues?
Decorating venues with flowers can be very expensive because venues can be big spaces. Often I tell couples that if they have someone in their family who is happy to decorate the ceremony venue, they should go with that as it can be expensive to have a florist do it – it can take a lot of flowers!
Do you have any other money saving tips you can pass on?
Recycle! You’re only in the wedding ceremony venue for a short time, maybe an hour maximum. So think about ways you can re-cycle your flowers by using them in the reception venue too. If you’re getting married in church make sure you check with them first as some churches require you to leave your flower arrangements in the church – you can’t take them with you.
Check back with us tomorrow when we’ll be talking with Susanne about what she loves most about her work and what it means to see the look on the bride’s face when she first sees her flowers…
