5 Minutes with... Planner & Florist Kerry
This week we have the pleasure of catching up with planner and florist Kerry. Kerry joined Hall & Co. in 2017, and quickly became a key member of the team. With a passion for flowers and a keen eye for detail, Kerry sits across our planning and floristry departments, but with a predominant focus on designing and creating the flowers for couples' big days.
Tell us a little bit more about yourself and your time with Hall & Co?
I joined Hall & Co in 2017 as a Weddings & Events Manager and have helped plan and style so many amazing weddings and events with the most incredible couples. I have always had a love of food especially vegetarian cuisine; I have shaped a personal style through planning every detail of couples' weddings but found a real passion for flowers after admiring the work of talented creatives at every event. During my time, I have been to many spectacular venues and even planned a wedding in Mallorca. In 2019, flowers became a full service at Hall & Co where we designed some spectacular floral installations, delicate flower crowns and many bridal bouquets. Through learning on the job and work in my spare time I have acquired a lot of knowledge in a variety of areas within weddings. I know both the practicalities and the prettiness of being a wedding and event florist and I love being a part of couples' wedding days. The special moments of handing over a bouquet, fixing a buttonhole and the wows from guests admiring floral displays bring me so much joy. At the moment, I continue to get creative with florals for bespoke installations and Christmas workshops whilst weddings are on hold, but I know when they return the flowers will be even more special than before (& I can’t wait!).
What are your must haves for wedding flowers?
I want flowers to reflect every couples’ personal tastes so must haves are different for everyone, but I love a flower crown & super-sized bouquet!
What top tips would you give to couples planning their floral design?
Trust your florist, if you can hand over a vision then you can be wowed and surprised by what can be achieved. I think it’s always lovely to have some little surprises on your wedding day. Secondly, set a floral budget as flowers can soon become expensive, but with a professional florist we will always get the most for your money. We always work with the seasons and a number of suppliers, so as to ensure that we have the best products for your special day. Finally, try not to become too attached to a certain flower, because if it’s not in season it won’t be in its prime or will be more expensive to source.
What is your favourite season for flowers?
My favourite is probably May time when you get the most spectacular florals, including peonies which are a personal favourite of mine. But I also love September and the change in season from summer when flowers like dahlias are back and ready for the perfect autumnal wedding.
What flowers would make up your dream ceremony?
I always wonder what flowers would make up my own wedding and I always change my mind. I would want a riot of colour, crisp neutrals and greens, berry tones with dusty pinks…I love them all! Luckily I get to work with them all and one of the reasons I love my job so much is because as the seasons change, you are able to create something so different month by month. One of my favourite flowers has to be hydrangeas as I grew up surrounded by them in my Grandma's & Mum's gardens, plus they are so versatile and come in so many different varieties. In December 2019, we created an amazing foliage wonderland for a wedding in the Cotswolds and in my opinion you can never have enough foliage!
What’s your favourite thing to make?
It has to be the bridal bouquet. It’s the finishing touch to every bridal look, and will be in all the photos. They are always so stunning and satisfying to create.
What work/design are you most proud of creating?
Every design is different so whatever I am working on tends to become a new favourite but if I had to choose, a winter wedding in the Cotswolds in 2019 stands out most recently. The set up was a full styling and floral team installation which I just loved. The entire team got creative and when it all came together it felt like a foliage winter wonderland. I absolutely adored the bouquet as well, which was full of rich berry tones, the most stunning anemones and oozed Christmas in the most stylish way.
What trends do you think we will see in 2021 and beyond?
Sustainability has been huge recently and something we are really proud to offer clients in floral design, as well as the other areas of an event. I also think intimacy, unity and togetherness is going to be key and this will be reflected in the florals. There will potentially be more bridesmaids, groomsmen and relatives at future weddings as couples look to be surrounded by all the people they love. Finally, we have also begun to see many more requests for dried or preserved floral designs, so I hope this continues too!
How can couples ensure their floral design is as sustainable as possible?
We can work with each couple and their personal needs, so if sustainability is important then this is not a problem. We can repurpose designs from ceremony to wedding breakfast, go foam free with designs and use biodegradable materials. Another consideration is that flowers usually rack up some air miles, so we can also source flowers locally from the UK if preferred.
How can couples reflect their personality and style in their flowers?
Flowers, like every couple, are so unique. No two flowers are the same, no two designs are the same. We work closely with each couple to design bespoke floral arrangements to reflect their taste, season and venue. It all starts with an email so get in touch if we can help, this is usually followed up with a phone call or maybe a good old zoom! We then love to meet in person to further discuss design, colour palettes and show our range of floral options in our showroom. We create unique proposals to reflect the couple’s requirements, which transforms into a mood board wishlist as ideas are discussed in more detail over time. We continue to follow up with regular phone calls and emails refining the vision until the big day, when we get creative and the fun really starts. We become so invested in our couples who become our friends and it’s the most wonderful feeling being a part of their special day.
What are your top tips for maximising on budget when choosing the florals for your day?
Working with the seasons is super important as we will always get the most for your money this way, and usually means getting more florals in the designs. We always suggest repurposing flowers so for example aisle arrangements can become table décor or a backdrop for drunken photoshoots. After photos, bridesmaid bouquets can also be added to the cake table. If it’s a multi-day event we can redesign and repurpose florals overnight so that you get two different designs for you and your guests to enjoy. Plus, not only a team of florists, we are stylists and event managers so when you book our services together, it runs like clockwork. One team knowing the entire set up of the day really helps tie everything together.
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