Focus

Floral Associations Offer Continuing Education

On the weekend after Mother's Day May 16th the Middle Atlantic Florists Association (MAFA) held its Spring Hands-on Design Workshops. It's through events like this that progressive florists learn new design tricks, are introduced to new products, hone their design skills, and refine their business practices so they can continue to serve their clients on the highest level.

MAFA member Rennie Friedlander owns Simply Beautiful Flowers, an event design company in Baltimore MD. She showed the group of designers how to create a hand-tied bouquet of English Garden Roses and mentioned that there are several schools of thought on the hand-tied bouquet but one thing is consistent: once started, all the flowers should be placed in the same direction.

Rennie recommended that designers experiment with new rose varieties and try them out before the event so they can find the ones they like. She suggested that open varieties are the easiest for hand-tied bouquets but explained how to force a rose open by reflexing them with her fingers. Rennie showed the class a ribbon wrap / bow making treatment that I have never seen before — it will change how I do hand-tieds forever! And she reminded me of a trick I had forgotten and haven't used for years — to design in front of a mirror so you can see your work as others will see it.

Rennie's step-by-step instructions for this bouquet and other tips can be found at www.ProgressiveFloristry.com.

Christi Lopez owns Bergerons Flowers & Events a progressive flower shop in Northern Virginia. She taught the class how to design a mock hand-tied bouquet using a bouquet holder and disguising the handle with natural stems. Christi says the benefit of the holder is that you can get more depth, have more control of product, and can get a larger looking bouquet with less flowers. Christi customizes the handles for all of her weddings to look like jewelry for the bride and bridesmaids. She showed the class a variety of handle treatments and how to accomplish them in their own designs.

Then Christi showed the class how to use the new decorative floral wires and bouillon with three sets of intricately designed corsages and boutonnieres including a pocket square — which everyone made. Christi's step-by-step mock hand-tied bouquet instructions and pictures of her corsages and bouts can be found at www.ProgressiveFloristry.com.

To wrap it up Christi and Rennie joined forces ending the workshop with discussion of how to competitively bid, price, and order flowers for a wedding. They even gave their own personal event pricing examples and wedding order spreadsheets on a CD so all students would have access to the information the next time they were confronted with planning a wedding or event. I've never seen florists share their insider's secrets to pricing in this detail and to this degree before — hats off to these ladies!

Charles Wilt, AIFD runs Flowers by Charles a company focused on weddings, parties, and events in Southern Maryland. He taught students how to create and install simple quick and easy set ups for cakes. Charles told the class he meets with bakers personally when he doesn't know them to discuss each cake and to let them know he respects their work. Charles advised the class to touch base with the baker to find out: what type of base is being used, what type of icing is being made, what the dimensions of each layer are (especially the top layer), how layers will be stacked, and get a description of the icing border so they will know how to design flowers for each cake.

Charles demonstrated three cake set-ups. The first with sunflowers and Billy Balls as the topper, the second with an arrangement in a margarita glass as the topper, and the third with a corsage of orchids as the topper. All three set-ups had flowers on every level of the cake. Charles uses as little greenery as possible so the colors of the flowers pop against icing. He mentioned that "Igloos" are great for designing cake toppers but the class learned how to design a cake topper in a small square piece of foam that was dipped in hot melt glue — sealing the bottom of the foam so water won't leak — for the times that an igloo is too large. Charles explained that this technique would work well for between layer designs too. For more of Charles' cake deco tips visit www.ProgressiveFloristry.com.

Debbie Moultry taught a class on Table-Scapes showing students how to provide synergy, intrigue, and interest on the event buffet table with linens, floral design, and other embellishments. Gathering supplies she found around her shop Debbie created a coordinated look with decorated vases filled with flowers, floating candles, succulents, moss balls. She completed her display with an oversized landscape design created on a sculpting sheet with a dress form representing a lady with a floral headpiece. Students created an accent piece to coordinate with the table-scape display.

Workshops like the ones described here take place all through the year. They are organized by floral groups and associations and supported by wholesalers, growers, and manufacturers who promote the continued education so their floral retailers can: Get progressive. Be proactive. Enjoy the New Possibilities!

On the next page we've listed some of the educational events being offered this summer. Be sure to check them out, commit to, and attend the ones that best suit your business.