My excitement was building, my journey had begun to go and meet Dean Sharpe for this studio Industry Insider. I don’t come from a floristry background so everything I’m learning is new and I’m loving it. A couple of months ago for me, floristry was a lovely job playing with flowers. I’ve since learnt that there is so much more to it than the joy it brings people and the florists. Its hard work! Following Dean for two days while he prepared for a wedding was such an eye opening delight.
The studio
I pull up and Dean greets me with a beaming smile, leading me to his home/studio. Working from home can come with a negative stigma, however walking into Deans home instantly extinguished this. Walking into what I would describe as a New York apartment I’ve only seen in films, his work area is straight in front of you. Windows cover one whole wall, letting light pour into the stylish open plan room. A more than ample sized worktop acts as an island in the room, surrounded by sundries within easy reach. He has his own permanent space where designs and work can stay out and not be touched. Being able to treat his space as he would a shop, to me means it qualifies more as a studio than 'just working from home'.
"I'm not very good with plants even as a florist"
"I prefer to cut them up and use them"
The Wedding Prep
Flowers line the pathway to the worktop where Dean is about to start on two floating candle vase centrepieces. He invited me to help so I set up my camera and stood ready to learn. Dean is a great teacher. He makes the nervous, clueless but eager students (me) feel at ease while demonstrating the steps.
Dean began to tell me everything he had to do ready for the wedding. I was in total shock he would do this all alone (except for my help). I will share with you the list he was completely un-phased by and certain other florists would feel the same.
x1 Brides bouquet (hand held, loosely grouped posy)
x3 Bridesmaid hand ties (smaller versions of the Brides bouquet)
x1 Flower girl Minnie Mouse head
x3 Wired corsages
x1 Pageboy buttonhole
x4 Buttonholes
x1 Grooms buttonhole (with extra detail)
x1 Top table arrangement
x2 Pedestal designs
x4 Flower domes
x2 Floating candle vase arrangements
x1 Foliage staircase design
I had arrived at Deans studio at 10.30am to find he had added foliage to the top table and two pedestal designs. This seemed like a very small percentage in the time frame, nevertheless Dean reassured me and we began to work through the list.The rest was yet to be done but there was no panic, and with that we began.
Floating Candle Vase Centrepiece
We started to add foliage into the Noir foam rings, me analysing Deans every move. Dean said that he was a fast worker but my god, he is fast!
(mine is the closest one and I'm feeling pretty proud)
Foliage used was asparagus fern, leather leaf and a mixture of eucalyptus.
Dean joked I should definitely start with my level two floristry award after seeing my slow progress. However, when I eventually finished I was super pleased with my workmanship. Getting an insight into what goes into a wedding centrepiece was great. Letting the public gain an insight into the industry can only be a good thing. It will allow people to fully appreciate their florists value. Looking around his house overflowing with flowers, (even hydrangeas and stocks in the bathroom) its apparent how full on being a florist is. With the care those flowers need, and the last minute jobs meaning late nights and super early mornings, it’s an intense job. You really have to love what you do and its clear Dean does.
Placing the flowers into the ring was the next step. Dean laid my flowers out for me ready to cut and insert. I was nervous as I know crushing the stem while cutting can hinder its ability to drink. Dean picked up the gyp and just pulled it apart. That seemed easy, but even pulling gyp apart was a struggle. The Astilbe went in pretty much the same way. Miss Piggy Roses next and my nerves increased. I only had 10, I can't go wrong! Taking a sharp pair of shears, questioning the length multiple times, I snipped down and inserted my first rose. Super chuffed with myself I continued with the pink peonies and white stocks. The white hydrangea were cut at the venue to prolong their freshness, and popped into lidded test tubes. The test tubes were placed into the foam rings as a final touch.
Minnie Mouse
Dani, the bride, is a huge Disney fan and wanted to subtly incorporate this into the wedding. Dani sourced these gorgeous diamante Minnie mouse pins to pop in all the bouquets and buttonholes.
The Miss Piggy roses used throughout the wedding aren't Disney but still fun and gorgeous. A slightly bigger task for Dean was to create a Minnie Mouse head made out of gypsophila. He used a foam sphere as a base and wire for the ears. As a team we went on to create mini bundles of gyp using wire to create a sharp point. This made it easier and quicker to insert the bundles into the foam afterwards. The finished design looked incredible, although in hindsight maybe a little large for the young flower girl.
Being a day for first time experiences I persuaded Dean to do a Facebook live video, a first for me and him. This way we could show you lovely people the process. If you missed it you can see it below.
Top Tips
I learn't so much with Dean and have so much to share. To hear some top tips about the Bride's bouquet then look out for the post yet to come. Following our social media accounts will keep you up to date with our 'Industry Insiders' so keep a look out for exciting things to come. Who doesn't love a look behind the scenes!
The Business
Skilled and fast means Dean can work alone. However one day Dean would like to be at a point where he can take on an assistant. He began floristry 4 years ago, picking it up very quickly causing him to propel forward in his career. In his window he displays his accomplishments and tells me of his college achievements. Winning ‘Floristry student of the year’ and the overall Moreton Morrell ‘Student of the year’ award shows his skills. Moreton Morrell has even invited him back since achieving his level 3 in floristry to host master classes! Dean loves demonstrating and is super excited for the workshops he will be teaching, so keep a look out.
You can vote here if you feel he should win 'Floristry Student of the Year' again! ( I voted )
Click here to learn more about Dean and Dean Sharpe's Floral Studio.
The wedding
So I left Deans studio with new knowledge and skills plus the excitement to see everything put together at the venue. He took all the larger designs over to the venue that night. Dean finished off the buttonholes and corsages later on, ready for his super early start the next day. I had to wait to see the beautiful venue, The Upper House, until the next morning.
