From pandemic hobby to wedding floral artistry, discover the passion, creativity, and dreams behind this blossoming business.
We feel incredibly fortunate to work with such a talented and inspiring florist as Lisa from The Sunday Floral Studio. Her breathtaking designs and passion for creating unforgettable florals perfectly align with everything we hold dear about weddings at The Old Vicarage. It’s an absolute privilege to welcome her back to dress our beautiful venue for our Wedding Open Day on Saturday 4th January 2024.
Lisa’s eye for detail and her ability to transform spaces with her floral artistry are nothing short of magical. Whether you’re envisioning timeless elegance, romantic whimsy, or something truly unique, her creations always leave a lasting impression. We can’t wait for you to see her incredible work in person - it’s a chance to be inspired and imagine how her artistry can elevate your own special day.
To offer a deeper insight into the talent behind The Sunday Floral Studio, we had the pleasure of sitting down with Lisa for an exclusive interview. She shared her journey, the inspiration behind her flourishing business, and how her love for floristry evolved into the extraordinary artistry she’s known for today.
Lisa’s story is truly inspiring - a testament to creativity, courage, and following your passion. From a career in fashion to becoming one of the most sought-after florists in the wedding industry, her journey is as captivating as her floral designs. Her ability to craft arrangements that reflect the unique personalities of her couples makes her a true artist in every sense of the word.
During our conversation, Lisa opened up about how The Sunday Floral Studio began, her favourite floral trends, and her approach to working with couples to design unforgettable weddings. We are so thrilled to have her incredible talent at The Old Vicarage once again.
Keep reading to discover Lisa’s journey, her expert insights, and why her work continues to inspire us - and so many couples - year after year. Don’t miss the chance to meet her at our Wedding Open Day this January!
Let’s start at the beginning! How long have you been running The Sunday Floral Studio?
I started The Sunday Floral Studio in 2021, so it’s been 3 years now and I absolutely love it!
Where did the idea first come from - we’d love to know how your journey began?
Floristry for me began as a hobby; as something to fill lots of spare time at home during the pandemic. I quickly fell in love with it and enrolled in an intensive floristry course in the beautiful Lake District as soon as lockdown was lifted. At the time I was working as a Fashion Buyer, and had started to feel like I wanted to do something that offered more creativity and freedom. The course was an incredible experience and prompted me to rethink my whole career and future.
Had you always been interested in working in the wedding industry, what attracted you to it?
I didn’t specifically set out to specialise in weddings, but the more I learned about floristry and experimented with design, it became clear that weddings were the events that drew me in. I love the process and the depth you can achieve working on a wedding; they are so much more than a party. Often I’ll meet couples months before their wedding and I love the fact that in that time I really get to know them which allows me to truly reflect their unique relationship through the floral design.
How would you describe what you do - is there anything you’d like people to know about who you are and what is at the heart of your business?
I have always just loved beautiful things - looking at them, designing them, creating them. I’m a very visual person; I studied Art History at university and then went on to work in the fashion industry, both of which developed my appreciation for the art of creating, and the impact of beautiful things on people and places. At the heart of the business is this desire to craft beautiful floral designs using nature as my inspiration, with the intention of inspiring feelings in others.
What’s your favourite thing about being a florist?
I love the fact that every event is completely different; meaning my creativity never gets a chance to idle. Flowers also never fail to make people happy; seeing someone’s eyes light up when they see their flowers for the first time, whether it’s a bridal bouquet or a show-stopping installation, is a feeling that I’ll never take for granted.
What’s been the hardest thing about running your own business?
Having the freedom to make all of the decisions is both a blessing and a curse. I love being my own boss and being able to decide which direction to take the business, but sometimes it can feel like taking steps in the dark! When you run a small business you’re not only the founder and floral designer, but also the social media manager, accountant, administrator… the list goes on!
Has there ever been an ‘oh dear’ moment while working on a wedding and how did you navigate around it?
I did have a wedding where the bride added in one more bridesmaid at the very last minute, and forgot to let the suppliers know. Which meant that when I arrived at the venue on the morning of the wedding we were one bouquet short! Luckily on this particular wedding I was able to adapt some of the other arrangements and whip up an additional bridesmaid bouquet and the crisis was averted! Working in weddings, you have to be adaptive, positive and calm - there’s always a solution to any problem. Although I do think every florist has the collective nightmare that they’ll arrive on the morning of an event and all of the flowers will be dead. Heatwaves are our nemesis!
Over your time as a florist so far, can you share one stand-out moment?
There are so many, from booking my first wedding, seeing my flowers featured in wedding blogs and being asked to work with amazing brands like Neptune and Gigi & Olive. In such a digital world there is also something extra special about seeing your business featured in print in a physical magazine. I had the pleasure of being part of an incredible shoot earlier in the year which will be published in early 2025 so I’m very excited to see that and to be able to share the images from it.
On this subject, what about your favourite wedding - can you name one and why you loved working on it?
I don’t think I could name one favourite wedding; they’re all so special in their own ways. The weddings that stand out to me are ones where I’ve built a relationship with the couple; and I always feel sad after the wedding because we won’t be working together anymore! I’ve stayed in contact with lots of brides, who have gone on to recommend me to friends or attended my floral workshops, so it’s lovely to be building a community of people who love flowers like I do.
When it comes to your field, where do you look for inspiration?
Nature is my ultimate inspiration. I think that there is such an wealth of inspiration available for weddings that it can be so overwhelming; both for suppliers and couples. I’m always on the lookout for inspiration outside of social media to prevent my work becoming too influenced by what other florists are doing. Instead I look to colours, shapes and textures found in nature. I am also a big advocate of working with the seasons; so I encourage couples to look to their wedding season for inspiration. This doesn’t mean you have to commit to the cliche of pastels in spring or rusts in autumn, but rather looking for subtle references to nature and it’s seasons.
What do you think the big trends for the next year will be?
I think the new statement installation will be the grounded floral arch; I’ve been asked to do quite a few of these next year. I love them and they look so incredible in photos. I think single variety bouquets will continue to be popular, especially for bridesmaids where each holds a different type of flower. Finally I think Ikebana style arrangements, where a few sculptural stems are used to create a modern and minimal look, will be the 2025 alternative to bud vases.
If you had one piece of advice for couples choosing their wedding florals what would it be?
Invest in key pieces that can be repurposed throughout your wedding. Start with the structure of your day, think about where you and your guests going to spend a lot of time and then work out what flowers you need from there. There’s no point investing in a huge installation if it’s only going to be seen for an hour or two. Being clever with arrangements that can be moved around is the best way to get optimum value for money.
Are there any common mistakes you see brides/couples make when deciding on their flowers?
Being driven by trends rather than personal preference. It’s great to use trends as inspiration but don’t make them the foundation for your design. Often they have a big surge in popularity and will disappear just as quickly, so if you’re after a timeless look that you’ll love in years to come I would steer clear of things that feel very ‘of the moment’.
We’re a smaller wedding venue, we’d love to know if you have any thoughts on how to style/design/choose florals for a more intimate space?
I think with smaller venues, people assume that you should have less flowers. However I have found smaller venues often take floral installations and larger designs better because the proportions and architecture of the spaces are easier to work with. Of course, it’s important to ensure that the flowers enhance a space rather than overpower it, but I think larger pieces are beautiful for amplifying intimacy and presence in smaller spaces. I also always consider the aesthetic, architecture and style of the space to ensure that the floral design doesn’t fight against it. Your venue is light, airy and modern so I wouldn’t suggest overly formal or traditional florals which would disrupt the character of the space and create an unbalanced aesthetic.
We’d love to do a ‘day in the life’ question - could you share some details on when you usually wake up, what your morning routine is, what you might work on throughout the day or week if it’s a wedding week vs a non-wedding week, and how evenings usually wind down (or up!) for you?
Florists are no stranger to an early morning, so luckily I’m naturally an early bird. I’ll wake up around 6am and have a good, healthy breakfast like porridge or a smoothie bowl. If it’s wedding season I’ll be in the studio conditioning flowers, creating arrangements, working through logistics, creating timing sheets and organising any freelance florists. In the off-season I’m at my desk a lot more; responding to enquiries, having consultations with couples, and creating and designing mood boards. I’ll also be going on site visits, working on business admin and collaborating with other suppliers on wedding shoots which is a wonderful way to meet others in the industry and get creative. Owning and running a business can be all-consuming so ensuring I have a healthy work/life balance is so important to me. I love Pilates, cooking and I’m such a homebody - give me a night in curled up with a book and cup of tea any day!
What does the future hold? Do you have any hopes or dreams for the business for the next 12-24 months?
I have some very exciting weddings planned for 2025, which are going to be very special. I also have plans to expand my workshops next year, running more classes to give people the opportunity to learn about floral design. I would also love to learn more about growing flowers myself so that I can use unique, homegrown varieties in my weddings. A dream of mine is to create an installation for Chelsea In Bloom which is a competition that takes place during the week of the Chelsea Flower Show. The streets and shops around Sloane Square are transformed with the most breathtaking floral displays, inspired by a different theme each year. Everyone truly goes all out and it’s just a huge celebration of all things flowers!
To celebrate the new year, Lisa is offering a complimentary bridal bouquet with every booking of The Sunday Floral Studio before 31st January 2025. This special offer is the perfect way to add a personal touch to your wedding day, with a beautifully crafted bouquet designed to complement your unique style.
Image credits
Photographer - Pear & Bear Photography
Florist - The Sunday Floral Studio
Table linen and glassware - Alba Tableware
Bridal - Frances Day Bridal
Satationery - Ellastrations
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