Meet our Supplier of the Month: Blooming Chic

Each month we like to get to know a Whitewed member even better and bring you snippets of all sorts of things that you wouldn't know about them from their page. This month our 'Supplier of the Month' is Blooming Chic a super talented florist based in the heart of beautiful Wiltshire.

Judy Ward of Blooming Chic is so, so creative, and she just loves to make natural flowing arrangements of flowers that you don't usually find in shops.  She is known for her free-flowing wild and wonderful bouquets and installations, and we just love to work with her here at Whitewed, as we just know that her florals will be truly unique and inspirational with a series of beautiful, sometimes unsung flowers that really capture the imagination!

Let's hear what Judy of Blooming Chic had to say when we quizzed her; it's a truly inspirational story that takes us on a journey from rose petal perfume to television studios to beautiful outdoor wedding settings...

Photo credit: Copper & Blossom

Who’s the florist behind Blooming Chic, and how did you start out?

Like lots of little girls my love of flowers began early as I made perfume with rose petals and of course daisy chains to wear in my hair. I remember making miniature bouquets of wildflowers to put in my toy teapot, necklace garlands by threading rhododendron heads onto long grasses and made ballerinas out of poppies! Even my doodles were of flowers and is what I have taken to become my logo.

I decided I wanted to be a florist in my late teens and so wrote to many local florist’ shops asking to be trained and this is how it started.

I first worked as a junior at a florist’s shop near Teddington Television Studios for whom we did all sorts of work. The very first buttonholes I made were for the Morecombe and Wise show, a nerve-wracking experience as I was alone in the shop while the producer paced the floor as I worked! I also made flowers for a comedy scene in the Benny Hill show, but my favourite was a huge presentation bouquet made for Petula Clarke performing at The Talk of the Town in London.

Although initial training was at the Norwood Hall Horticultural College in South London, I continued training with all the wonderful florists I worked with over the years, many of whom were teachers and national demonstrators, so I had quite a fabulous training. The last florist I worked for, before starting my own business, was in Exeter, this gave me even more experience as I was a roving florist for them, going to lots of very different premises to create flowers in situ. My favourite was Powderham Castle, where I used to do the flowers for the Earl and Countess of Devon creating flowers for their public areas, to do this I had to use the secret passageways so as not to be seen by the visitors, I loved popping out from behind bookcases armed with masses of flowers! Continued training is important to me too as meeting with other florists and seeing their ideas helps keep me on my toes and up to date, I like to think I am an innovative designer as I am always trying out new things.

Photo credit: Charlie Tyjas of Bristol Contemporary Photography

How would you define your floral style?

Having always had to work to the styles dictated by shop owners and head florists when I started my own business I found that my natural style, when left to my own devices, was to ditch all of their rules and make very natural flowing arrangements of flowers you do not usually find in the shops. My favourite wedding bouquets to make are large free-flowing wide and wild bouquets where I can use all sorts of wonderful ingredients and a multitude of textured ribbons. I love it when a bride is totally happy to trust me to choose the ingredients that I think will look fantastic for her bouquet.

Where do you draw inspiration from for your work?

My inspiration comes from nature, it is everywhere and inspires me to try different colour combinations with textures and forms, I like to think I am making an ephemeral piece of artwork when I create bouquets and my heart breaks a little that I cannot keep it forever.

Photo credit: Ria Mishall Photography

What is your absolute favourite flower?

I am often asked about my favourite flower and this is as hard to answer as my favourite film or song, really impossible and totally dependent on mood and season. I love roses and sweet peas and peonies and anemones as I adore scented flowers, but I also love texture, character and meaning so “Love in a mist” which has long been a favourite as it means ‘kiss me, emotional clarity and openness to love’!

Where is your favourite setting for a wedding?

Similarly, my favourite setting for wedding flowers differs according to the season. I do enjoy a good outdoor wedding where we can incorporate nature into the scene created by our arranged flowers, it is that juxtaposition of natural flowers and foliages, together with the nurtured flowers of the florist’s hand. I also love to work indoors especially in a rustic barn setting that has the height to let us bring the outdoors in, having said that I also loved the formal elegance of dressing Exeter Castle for a large wedding in winter.

Photo credit: Simon Withyman Photography

What’s the best bit about your job?

The best bit about my job is meeting engaged couples to discuss their ideas and dreams for their special day, the reason I believe you need a florist for your day is not only do we take away any stress of preparing and making the day beautiful for you, but we also know flowers. There will always be flowers in your bouquet that you will not have thought of or perhaps heard of as I like to include unsung beauties of the season.

What bit of advice would you love to share with couples?

The one thing I really want from my couples when we meet is an honest discussion about budget as I want to make your budget work, but I cannot if I do not know it. So please always tell your florist what you can spend on the florals.

What is your greatest fear when you are working at a wedding or event?

My greatest fear at a wedding is that the flowers do not look right when I get there or that the bride doesn’t like her bouquet! No matter how long I do this my heart is always in my mouth until the bride has said she loves her bouquet. The first bride that cried at the sight of her bouquet frightened me until she said she loved it as I really couldn’t tell, I thought from her look that she hated it, but I totally read her wrong, nerves eh!

What is the hardest thing a couple has ever asked you to do for their day?

The hardest things I have been asked for usually involves the logistics, I have lost count of the times I have had to dismantle arches to re-asssemble somewhere else, but we have always managed it and hopefully it looked seamless to my clients. It is also something I do not mind doing as long as I can work out how to do it as I like my couples to get good use and value out of their flowers, they are too beautiful to be seen only for a moment in their day. We also happily re-purpose the flowers for the couples when we do the clear down after the wedding so that they have bouquets to give to their friends and family and nothing is wasted.

I absolutely love my job, love flowers and love bringing this into the lives of others.

Photo credit: Copper & Blossom

Loved finding out a few unknown gems about Blooming Chic?  We certainly have!  If you head over to her Whitewed Directory Page you can find out even more - and why not also follow Blooming Chic on Instagram and Facebook for some beautiful wedding floral inspiration!

Hopefully you’ve found out lots of useful information from us on Blooming Chic, now it’s your time to introduce yourself to her and find out how she could help with your wedding floral requirements…seriously, you won't regret it!  This is one talented lady!

Happy planning!