Hey there beauties, Hold on to your wedding planning note books and get ready because today we are featuring a follow Wedding Vendor on today blog post. We are excited to start featuring some amazing Carolina and surround area photographer, planners and the one who make the magic happen with stunning flowers like Alarie, owner of RoseBay Floral co.
Alarie Schimpff
Based in Charleston, SC
Free-Form Floral Designer
Designs for creatives, lovers, and fellow-flower-admirers.
We decided to ask Alaire a few question of why she chose to work in the floral business, common misconceptions of fellow creatives working in her field and a few other juicy topics check out the interview!
What’s one common misconception about your industry?
You probably have a picture in your mind of a florist. She’s in a beautiful sun-lit studio surrounded by a forest of flowers. She playfully hums as she puts together a perfectly arranged piece - oh, and she’s wearing a super cute dress. I had this picture in my head too. You’ve probably said it before, yourself, “Oh, you’re a florist?? What a dreamy job!”, “Wow, you get to play with flowers all day? I’m so jealous.” And let me tell you, yes, the flowers certainly are dreamy. We do get to play and create and witness up close the beauty in these short-lived little wonders.
But let me tell you, it is a messy, messy dream. If you decide to become a florist, say goodbye to your nail bed. Your hands will be forever covered in sap and cuts - and no, you’ll probably never get that dirt out from under your fingernails. Your floor is now and forever will be trashed with stems and leaves, and puddles of water (be careful not to slip!). You’ll get in a pretty awesome arm workout toting around those HEAVY water buckets. Oh - and when the day comes to show off your work, don’t forget you must mastermind a carefully thought-out plan on how to get all these beautifully dainty, dancing flowers to the venue without anyone getting crushed, over-heated, or forgotten (oh, you’ll also start to personify your flower friends).
We, florists, have the absolute pleasure of working with some of the most beautiful creations nature has to offer, but it’s not for the faint of heart. I’ve come to terms with the fact that I’ll probably lose a finger trying to de-thorn a particularly hardy rose. If anything it’d probably make me a more legit florist, so I’m okay with it. Hear me out though, this work is WORTH the nitty-gritty bits. When you’re in this work, you start to slow down on your drive across town.
You notice the foliage on the leaves and how they change. You constantly ask, “I wonder what the name of that plant is...” You try to imagine how those branches would look in a vase next to your leftover blooms. You lose all sense of social awareness as you forage from a drainage ditch (true story). You find yourself suddenly amazed by the subtle changes the camellias make as they bloom in your neighbor's yard. The flowers you ordered come in - and they’re NOT the color you predicted. You’ve learned to welcome spontaneity, so you roll with it, and it’s a million times better than you could ever have planned. I’m thankful for this job and how it has literally made me stop to smell the flowers. For those who may still think this work is easy, straightforward, or romantic - I hope you get to spend a day with a florist. I’m willing to bet you’ll leave tired and disheveled with leaves in your hair (and perhaps even a little sore), but more so, I hope you leave awakened to the creativity inside of you and stricken by the beauty right outside your window.
How do you add your special sauce or go the extra mile for your clients when it comes to what you do?
As a designer, I’m drawn to the unique and unseen - so I love introducing others to flowers they may have never considered beforehand. My special sauce would be how I prepare for the client proposal and my ordering process. I can’t imagine putting together a design without getting a sense of the couple, their energy, personalities, and the atmosphere they want to create on their special day. This is why I write out a specific recipe for every client I have. No one will ever get the same bouquet as the bride before them or anyone after them.
What’s your favorite part of your job?
I strongly believe that every one of us has a creative side, sometimes, it just takes some coaxing to get it out. One of my favorite parts of this job is designing alongside others, be it, working with other florists, guiding workshop attendees, or even sitting down with planners during the design process, I love to see others tune into their own artistry. If you are a bride of mine, I hope you feel like you are a part of this vision coming to life - because, at the end of the day, the flowers on your wedding day should reflect you and your spouse - not myself.
How did you end up in the field that you are in?
I completely stumbled into the field of floristry. I needed a job - just as a sweet and trusting acquaintance, my now close friend, Maria (with Moonlight Iris Floral Design Studio), welcomed me on-board to help her with some upcoming flower gigs. I accepted, excited to stretch my creative muscles, and ready to make a few extra bucks. Little did I know how important that moment would be. Maria selflessly opened her studio and to my surprise, I wasn’t just sweeping the floor - she handed me a pair of shears and put me to work. We dove right into designing and I was instantly hooked.
Going from working a desk job (wearing heels, doing my hair every day, sitting in from of a computer and being miserable) to having sweat dripping down my face, dirt all over my jeans, and sitting in a car full of happy little flower faces, it all clicked and I realized I loved it. This work provided me a daily dose of nature, the ability to work with my hands, and so many moments of mental stress-release. After freelancing with Maria for several months, I knew I had to figure out a way to make this my full-time job. On a trip to London to visit family, my husband and I stumbled across a flower shop. My dear husband pointed to the sign which said, “Floral Design Diploma Course” I shrugged and said, “That’s cool, babe, but we don’t live in London.”, to which he replied, “Just go talk to them.” I sheepishly walked inside and asked about their courses, and to my surprise, she told me they have many international students come to study in Covent Garden. After my initial shock of, “What am I thinking? I can’t do this.”, I somehow mustered up the insanity to buy a plane ticket and head to London immersing myself in this newfound love. I left my family, my small-town comforts, and spent my savings to travel to London and receive a Diploma in Floral Design from the Covent Garden Academy of Flowers.
This life-changing experience gave me the courage and confidence to break out on my own and take on my own clients. I am forever grateful for my time working with Moonlight Iris Floral Design Studio and still closely work with Maria on projects. Thanks to her open-handedness, “community-over-competition” mindset, and continuous support I am now chasing a dream I never knew I had.
What do you have to say about people who think your service/product/space is too expensive?
One thing I think is easy for clients to forget is that flower design is an art and therefore florists are also artists. Anyone who’s ever purchased a bundle of flowers from Trader Joe’s and put them in a vase knows that designing flowers isn’t as simple as grabbing some colors that look nice and throwing them together. Part of the price you are paying for is the designer’s eye combined with their years of experience that makes it all work together. Another aspect that may be harder for clients to grasp is the true journey that flowers make from farm to table.
These are perishable products, and there is always some product loss. When we purchase from farms or wholesalers, there is no guarantee that we will get a particular product, in a particular shade - or that even if we do, that it will be in good enough shape by your wedding day for use in a design. When ordering from a florist, remember you are paying for the product, yes, but also, the time spent prepping, cleaning, and striking events, the craftsmanship involved, an extra set of hands to set up at an event, or even vehicles for transportation - not to mention the back-up flowers to prepare for the all-too-common heat waves in Charleston that will wilt even the sturdiest of blooms. If you get sticker shock when you receive your proposal - we promise we’re not trying to rob you.
Try asking your florist if they have any ideas for repurposing, substituting for more affordable flowers, or any other ideas to scale down your vision so you still have that “wow factor” in the areas that matter most. Most florists will be willing to work with you to stay within your budget.
What’s one piece of advice you would like to give to a soon to be bride?
As someone working in the wedding industry, I find it important to be a voice reminding every bride that this season of engagement isn’t about the wedding day at all, but about your future marriage. This may sound strange coming from your florist, but it is so easy to miss in the excitement of it all. The most honest and loving piece of advice I could offer to my future brides would be to pour more time into preparing for the sweet and challenging gift of marriage than you are preparing for your sweet but fleeting wedding day.
Make Sure you connect with the amazing Alarie over on here nook of the internet
Follow her on instagram www.instagram.com/rosebayfloralco
