Vendor Spotlight-Brocade Design
On this beautiful summer day we'll be looking into what are some of my favorite details in a wedding, which are flowers! Today's vendor is Brocade Design with owner Hillary who was so sweet to answer a few of our questions about her beautiful designs! How did you get into floral design?
I honestly always had a passion for floral design for as long as I could remember, but I’d say my start came from graphic design—I started designing websites when I was 16, and many of my jobs involved taking on the design of the company newsletter or business card or whatever—I was largely self taught until graduate school, where I got a position doing design work and teaching design to fellow graduate students as an assistantship. Coinciding with that time, several of my friends were getting married and I’d find myself helping them with their decisions and design, and I just sort of lapsed into doing it and learning along the way. By 2008 I was sure I wanted to work with floral event design and went full-throttle learning everything I could.
Explain your process of working with a bride.
After we mutually agree to consult, I sit down and hear all about the bride’s vision, learn about her and her fiancé, how they met, who they are, and about their unique vision for the day. I go back to my studio and spend some time crafting a proposal for them that really embodies all the elements we shared at our meeting, and then I follow up with the design presentation to get their feedback. After we agree on the particulars, I strive to be a part of my bride’s experiences and process throughout the course of the months leading up to her wedding—I want to know all about the little decisions that they make as a couple, because I want to integrate as much of their personalities as I can into the event. The better I know my couples, the better I feel I can execute their day perfectly—and that’s always what I strive for: creating and crafting an authentic design that represents the couple and their love for one another.
What are your favorite flower(s)?
I love orchids, peonies, ranunculus, garden roses--- but I honestly love a lot of flowers based on season. In summer I swoon regularly over beautiful dahlia, especially of the dinnerplate variety. In spring, peonies and ranunculus are just gorgeous. I love seeing what different seasons have to offer.
What makes you different from other florists?
I think my main difference is that I’m not just a florist—I’m an event designer and a stationery designer, and I love to integrate these components along with the florals to create a completely cohesive look for the wedding day. I offer a very specialized service for my brides and I love doing it—it’s so much fun!
What's one thing you love to hear in consultation with a bride?
Passion and excitement for their wedding day décor. I love working with a bride that is just as excited as I am to come up with fun ideas and unique touches to make her day nothing short of extraordinary.
We asked Hillary a couple random questions about herself:
Mac or PC? Mac
Tea or Coffee? Coffee AND tea. I need a lot of caffeine for the long hours we work at the studio!
iPhone or Blackberry? iphone all the way—in fact, I’m pretty sure I’d die without it.
Favorite Song Right Now ahhh that is a hard one. I’m pretty into the Civil Wars right now, so anything they sing I’m pretty in love with.
So for the bride in need of a caring florist who does it all be sure to check out Hillary with Brocade Design!