MEET JOANNE DANN FDA, BA (HONS) FROM LILYLOU’S OF AMBLESIDE Tell us about your background – how did you become a florist? My mum said that being a florist is all I have ever wanted to be since I was around the age of six. We used to live next door to a valley, and I spent most of my school holidays looking at wild flowers and identifying butterflies. All the way through high school, I took the subjects that were required to be a florist, and at the age of 15, I got a Saturday job at a local florist. Once I finished school, rather than go to college full time, I chose to do a YTS so that I could get my city and guilds in floristry while also getting practical experience in a florist shop. What should couples expect when booking your services? I always prefer to meet my couples face-to-face rather than through emails, although I appreciate that that’s not always possible. By meeting in person, I can get a better idea of what the couple is envisaging, as well as being able to advise easier by showing images of our previous designs, flowers and foliage. What’s your favourite wedding arrangement that you’ve made and why? It would be impossible to say what is my favourite, as I love every season for different reasons and get extremely excited when the seasons change and we see different varieties of flowers coming into the flower markets. Floristry is very similar to fashion; it is constantly changing, and I would never assume to know everything. I love learning and especially enjoy attending workshops with top floral designers to learn new techniques to bring back and try at our shop. How long before the wedding should couples book? A few months prior is ideal, but I think getting your date booked in with your chosen florist should be done as soon as you have booked your venue. You don’t need to have specific ideas of what you want at the booking stage, but it may help with the initial quotes. I have done wedding flowers with as little as a few hours’ notice! What’s your favourite part of the job? My favourite part is when you see the end product and the bride’s face when you hand her the bouquet. The flowers are what bring the whole wedding theme together, and some couples forget that the flowers are in all the wedding photos. Do you have any top tips for couples looking for a florist? Initially, look at the florist’s Facebook and Instagram images and their reviews, and if you are able to have a face-to-face consultation, then I would highly recommend this. You will then be able to tell within the hour if they are the florist for your special day. They should give you ideas and options and not make you feel that you need to spend more money than you can afford, but most of all, you should leave the consultation feeling excited about your wedding and buzzing with ideas. Cumbria 01539 433 121 info@lilylous.co.uk www.lilylous.co.uk 58
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