An Interview with Floral Artist Marisa Guerrero from Debbie's Bloomers
Marisa and the crew at Debbie’s Bloomers continue to awe us with their jaw dropping floral design and professionalism. Here’s our interview with one of our favorite florists!
What's your story? How did you become a florist?
Flowers are a family business. My mom bought Debbie's Bloomers when I was a child and that meant I spent a lot of time around the flower shop growing up. After pursuing other passions during college, I came back to the flower shop and have never looked back. Since then, I have taken on regional and national roles in the floral industry that have opened doors for amazing opportunities like designing at the Philadelphia Flower Show in 2019!
What is a consultation like at Debbie's Bloomers?
When couples come in to discuss flowers for their wedding, we try to make the process as easy, enjoyable and quick as possible. Consultations typically take 30 - 45 minutes as we talk through inspiration photos, discuss budget and seasonality of flowers, and define the overall style of a wedding. It's great to have a bride bring in photos of what she envisions her wedding looking like and then we can work together to refine and design. After the initial consultations, we email a beautiful proposal with lots of pictures and descriptions for the couple to look over and make adjustments to.
What trends are you excited about for wedding flowers?
I don't think I'm the only florist ready for color to come back to wedding flowers. We have seen season after season of burgundy, blush and white so it's really exciting to see bold colors making a comeback! Bright pink flowers, foliage in vibrant blues, and sunny yellow pops are all starting to shine in over-the-top flower walls and simple but dynamic bouquets. Flowers can add so much pizzazz to your wedding style.
What are some unique ways you have seen brides and grooms incorporate florals into their weddings?
We love having a chance to place flowers in unexpected places. One of the most underrated areas is the bathroom. Everyone visits the bathroom during your wedding, and it's a welcome touch to have one or two small vases of flowers placed between the sinks. When I got married (of course there were flowers everywhere) the men couldn't get over the flowers in their bathroom. It was such a simple touch but so often overlooked. Every venue has a location that could be made more inviting with a floral accent; fountain, the pool, a quiet corner of the room. Flowers make everything a little more beautiful.
What advice can you give brides and grooms?
For a lot of couples, they know they want flowers but they aren't sure how much it's going to cost so they put off talking with a florist. I encourage them to talk with a florist about 3-6 months before their wedding, once they have chosen their venues and ordered their dresses. That's when they seem to have a good vision for the style and feel of their wedding and colors are pinned down. Then find a florist who's style you like and schedule an appointment with them to discuss ideas. They will take your ideas and create a proposal for your flowers. The proposal is a staring point for ideas. If you need to make adjustments to get the colors right or get suggestions to cut costs so they match your budget, don't be afraid to ask. You've been planning your wedding for months, so you know your vision and your budget perfectly, but your florist doesn't. They will be happy to work with you to make suggestions and refine ideas if they know you are going to work together. So that's my advice, have a conversation. Just like you wouldn't leave the dress store if they didn't give you your dream dress on the first try, you florist needs your guidance to make your flowers fit.
Best of luck to all of you as you plan your wedding! Flowers are a gift, so enjoy the process.