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2022 Floral Trends Report

Charlotte Argyrou — Wed, 01 Dec 2021 07:18:00 +0000

2022 Floral Trends

Introduction

Where We Were, Where We Are Now

Let’s kick off the 2022 Floral Trends Report by looking back at its predecessor. My 2021 report began with an unsettling disclaimer by way of introduction. To save you searching, here’s a reminder of where we were one year ago:

Written November 2020: At the time of this post’s publication, weddings are not permitted in England. The only exception is so-called “deathbed weddings” – a heartbreaking and tragic phrase I’d never heard until verifying the current standing on the official government website. If one partner is dying, weddings of up to six people are allowed. For the sake of talking about flowers in the context of weddings here, we are going to optimistically write as though small weddings will go ahead in 2021.

Charlotte Argyrou, Flower Blogger and Botanical Illustrator, Nov 2020

I say “unsettling” for two reasons. Firstly, oooooooph, does anyone else feel sick to the stomach to be reminded of the phrase deathbed weddings? Yet in the same exhalation, feel a deep rising, swelling wave of gratitude that we are no longer stood in the desperate place?

But secondly, I hear a nervousness in my tone of writing, so fearful of criticism. Scared I’d be slammed for insensitivity, for boldly and blindly soldiering on chitchatting about flowers when people were experiencing grief and despair in the strangles of Covid-19. For me, it articulates the key narrative thread that will run through this report and a critical transition from last year through this year and beyond. We’ll call it Being Human.

Welcome to my Contributing Editors

This year I’m welcoming Katie Sutton, creative stylist and floral designer, The Vintage House That Could and Isobel Watts, florist and grower, Wizz and Wild. Katie’s work has been on my radar for years but she really piqued my attention with a single blog post, back in January 2018. In the blog, she bid a kind-hearted farewell to the Cath Kidston-inspired faux vintage floral décor that dominated her aesthetic. In its place, she welcomed an authentic blend of modern craftmanship and real antiques. It was a bold move, especially after building a reputation based on a specific trend. I was keen to ask Katie how it all played out a couple of years and a pandemic down the line.

Issy is an incredible florist with a defined and lustworthy faded glory aesthetic. But it’s her work as a grower that I have been utterly seduced by this year, as she’s shared her Lockdown life on the land, harvesting her cutting garden and hosting small scale workshops. It’s all exquisitely documented in Issy’s Weekly Words e-newsletter, which I highly recommend for learning about seasonality or simply to indulge in some pure countryside escapism all from the comfort of your sofa.

About

The Floral Trends Report has never professed to be a definitive guide to what’s hot and what’s not. I wouldn’t dare! But this year more than ever, conversations with clients and suppliers haven’t focused on colours or floral species or styles of installations or arrangements. Rather, we’ve all enjoyed a good gossip about how we present our passions and values to secure desireable work with dream couples and clients. Happy to go with the flow, this year we are largely looking at trends within our floral businesses, covering communication, branding, joy, finding strength and planting roots in work that is meaningful to us and lands with our customers. Fighting back with renewed energy, resilience, creative impulse and experience.

Chapters

1. Floral Business: Being Human

2. Personality-Led Branding

3. Show Us Some Context

4. Waste is Unpoetic

5. Rooted in Nature, Rooted at Home

1. Floral Business: Being Human

This report is written for all our shared online communities – florists, growers, stylists, creatives and of course, wedding couples-to-be. But whether you are a consumer or supplier, most of us experienced a blurriness in the boundaries between “work” and “life” as we’ve renegotiated our understanding of normal day-to-day living.

Until 2020, we would, for the most part, market our floral businesses quite aside from our homelife. Then with shops closed, access to suppliers restricted, studio space sacrificed or shared with our bubbles, the home became the workplace and what followed was a natural softening and dismantling of an invisible boundary business coaches and personal development books had advised us to build.

Andrea McDowell, founder of Dahlia Beach, closed her thriving wedding video editing business due to Covid’s enforced cancellations in 2020. What followed was a meteoric rise to fame within the floral industry despite rejections, knockbacks and rotten bulbs and tubers. “I was told categorically that dahlias were out of fashion and that it didn’t sound like a very wise business venture for someone with no experience in horticulture,” Andie writes in an Insta grid post celebrating the one year (!) anniversary of creating her logo on Canva and setting up shop.

“Behind every female-founded small business there is a woman who is also managing a life.”

– Andrea McDowell, founder, Dahlia Beach

I shared with Andie that it is my feeling that this past year, female floral businesses owners are doing away with previous aspirations to having boundaries between our life and work. Maybe we once tried to compartmentalise away chicken nugget dinners, parents’ evenings and the thanklessness of folding laundry. Instead, we’d promote dreamy photos of curated floral tablescapes and luscious landscapes, our art and interiors all primed and prepped. Now, it seems there is value in sharing it all mushed in together. Our social media audiences enjoy the rollercoaster, and our peeks and troughs echo their own – a source of comfort and connection, as well as inspiration and entertainment.

Andie: “I couldn’t agree with you more although I don’t think it has changed, I think it has always been this way and just wholly unreported. There was a fear that admitting that you were struggling with keeping on top of the house or the kids’ uniforms would undermine your professional abilities in some way. Like if you couldn’t even manage the logistics of the afterschool clubs, what hope did you have of fulfilling 1000 dahlia orders!”

“The idea that there was a boundary between work and life was a facade and there was shame and embarrassment associated with the juggle.”

– Andrea McDowell, founder, Dahlia Beach

With hindsight, I can reflect on my 2021 – particularly the dark Jan-March homeschool period – and acknowledge that I experienced a daily conflict and relentless pull to thrive in both camps.

Had to be an excellent, attentive mother, wife and friend.

Had to be a one-woman wedding business survival story.

At this time, my Wedding Bouquet Illustration Service gained a glitzy national win at The Wedding Industry Awards, but in the same instant I experienced fear and upset that all my summer’s wedding work would be pulled from beneath me for the second year. It would leave me floating aimlessly, superficially successful, but without requisite substance to not quit. All the while, the runaway train of social media’s tyrannical rule would have us constantly present something, anything relevant to appease an algorithm and cling to and unite with our longed-for customers and community.

Maybe it’s a sink or swim mentality, but the reason I share this moment of reflection within an exploration of 2022 floral trends is to pinpoint the moment where and why the shift in how we present our floral businesses had (has) to happen.

Andie: “I have found that far from undermining my customers’ confidence in me, admitting when I’ve made mistakes or failed, has shown a vulnerability which people can connect with emotionally. We’re all human after all. Sometimes I’m dancing around the field with arms full of flowers and the sun on my face and other days I’m face down in the dirt which tears running down my face. This is the journey for ALL of us so it’s about time we were owned our stories and wore them with pride.”

Photo: Carla Blain Photography | Styling: Katie Sutton, The Vintage House That Could

Personality Led Branding

Katie: “I think the main lesson I have learnt from last year is that couples should have exactly what they want. Weddings are and always will be the most important event in most people’s lives where their love can be celebrated and if that means you want a relaxed chilled out party in a field with no speeches and no cake then go for it. Equally if they want to go all out and be extravagant then that’s also allowed. It’s the vibe that’s important and my job is to ensure that the couple’s vibe is clearly evident in all aspects of that day. Guests should walk in and immediately feel like they are at A & B’s wedding and not some generic off the peg event.”

It’s where I feel couples and wedding businesses suffer at the hands of social media and search engines. Although it blows open opportunities and access to information and inspiration, there’s a homogenising process that happens almost without your knowing. As you click on an image that appeals, the dark lords of the internet decide to show you more or the same, hoping to keep your attention longer and put more money-generating adverts in front of you. The consequence is you are introduced to increasing numbers of similar brands and businesses, which can have the effect of making you feel there is one look, or one way to do things. You feel compelled to keep up. The definition between a trend and everything looking the same becomes hazy.

One way to have real impact on a wedding day is to work with couples who are attracted to work with us, because of us. That means booking us not due to geography or pricepoint – couples have so much choice now – but because they are magnetically attracted to our values, natural style and ethos. Here’s the critical point:

You don’t have to have an out there personality.

You don’t have to reinvent the wheel.

You don’t need to be political, or take a stand on all current affairs.

You don’t have to share aspects of your life you don’t want to.

Having a personality-led brand is an invitation to connect B2B and B2C, not a competition or an endless, exhausting PR campaign.

(Currently, my dusty mirror selfies always inspire customers and suppliers to say hello, far more so than glossy professional imagery. It’s pretty representative of the move away from formality, accelaterated by the pandemic perhaps – one woman running her empire from her phone. )

Let’s pull in some thoughts from experienced branding pros. Joanna Southwell supports bridal businesses to find their place in the market, especially from a retail point of view. I asked Joanna how we can all find our own unique space on- and offline.

Many wedding industry professionals start their businesses after their own wedding. They create a business to fill a gap in the market or to provide a service that was lacking in their own planning journey. This is why I think it is so important to show your thoughts, vision and taste to potential customers. What is important to you will be the key in attracting and engaging other likeminded people. If it was so important to you that you created a business out of it, it will resonate with other people too. What you do and why you do it is what connects people. You don’t have to do something dramatically different but if you lead with a real reason and share that with your audience it will build your connection and sales.

Joanna Southwell, brand positioning and retail mentor to the wedding industry

Freya Deabill creates branding concepts and design elements for wedding professionals (as well as wedding stationery for couples who aren’t afraid to swerve conventions). I asked Freya how we can work through feeling stuck in a particular style. Or what if couples are asking for a look that feels inauthentic or copied from Pinterest? Or worse, we feel compelled to mould to it.

Think about the good old days when you used to browse the high street, perusing the shop windows, imagining your Saturday evening outfit, Christmas table, living room decor… and the aspirations you had in those moments. How boring would it have been if all those shop windows were the same, using similar colours, in the same fonts, using the same style of design and the same messaging? All competing for the same customers, all 67.2 million of us! How insane does that sound? How would you choose which shop to go in and which one would offer you the kind of incredible customer experience that you deserve?

I often say to my kids… ‘how boring would the world be if we all looked the same, how would we recognise each other?’ and this is also true in business, a wedding and indeed any element of ‘life’ where you get the chance to really show your own personality, and it’s one of the most important values in my two businesses. If every florist chose to work with the same flowers and arrange them in the same way there wouldn’t be any excitement or value in using one over another. The very spark of consumer experience would disappear in a poof of pollen. You can’t assume that all 67 million of us are looking for the same, run of the mill ‘trend’ which happens to be on Pinterest, we may be inspired by that image we saw but we can do so much better. There.. are.. enough.. consumers.. to.. go.. round, and we are all different in our own way, so let’s celebrate that.

Freya Deabill, stationer, graphic and brand designer to the wedding industry

3. Show Us Some Context

As Pinterest Perfection loses its lustre, I sense a growing appreciation of floral businesses that fluently integrate real weddings, styled shoots, meaningful community and real life. Katie fully embodies this by treating us to a photo of her own home every nine squares or so. Far from losing a customer base by showing her real environment and floral-filled life minus the professional photography, she inspires her customers. A virtual peep through the window excites us with this moment of intimacy and invitation to connection, and consequently brings us in and along on the journey with her. It is the context that makes everything make sense, showcases genuine passion and nurtures customer loyalty and investment.

I’m going to emerge from the Closet of Guilty Pleasure Hard-Crushing Obsession for Katie’s kitchen sink photography (Zuzana at Fig & Flower’s workspace is another perfect example). These are images that really fill the boots of what I’m seeking when I tap on the Instagram icon on my homescreen. I wrote to Katie:

Charlotte: “Hi Katie, Am I right in thinking that photos of your DIVINE kitchen sink

are some of the most saved grid posts you’ve ever shared on Instagram?”

Katie: “Hi, yes they are!”

(Pictured top row: Katie The Vintage House That Could‘s kitchen sink | Pictured bottom row: Zuzana Fig & Flower‘s workroom)

Behind-the-scenes snaps presented as quality content please me because they is just so effective at communicating not only the aspirational entertainment we crave, but also at effortlessly educating customers. In showing the stages of preparation in our floral work – not only relegated to spontaneous Stories but proudly on our website sales’ pages and our glossier grids – we help explain both our pricepoints and our core values.

Beyond just a bouquet

Beyond just an illustration

Beyond just an invitation, dress or cake

Whether as a consumer or as a fellow wedding supplier, when we witness the growing, sourcing, transportation, preparation, styling, dismantling, recycling or repurposing of flowers (or any other element of a wedding for that matter) we decrease a potential customer’s urge to hustle for discounts and become less likely to be ghosted when we provide quotes.

show us beyond just a bouquet

I asked Issy what her customers are asking for.

Issy: “Full and fantastic in the scale of things and intricate with details. After a year (plus) of constant restrictions and being told ‘no’, I have found that many of my clients for 2022 are breaking the boundaries and going big. Whether that is with wild, whimsical archways, or dramatic colours and textures, I feel as if everyone is ready to burst at the seams with creativity, and so am I. In terms of style, I am looking towards textures and shape to inspire my work. Long stems of beautiful, reflexed roses, with seasonal fruits and berries nestled lower within arrangements creating depth and detail. On the surface these works are full of shape and structure, and when you look more closely, they are filled with magic and seasonal meaning. More and more clients are asking for a specific variety of flower, and for the cutting garden this is a really exciting time to be able to start to tailor our orders to what we are sowing and growing for upcoming weddings and events.”

“I have found that many of my clients for 2022 are breaking the boundaries and going big.”

– Issy Watts, florist & grower, Wizz & Wild

For me, it is an inevitable outcome of Issy’s year that people are jostling to work with her in the hope of absorbing that magic and seasonal meaning. She shows us and speaks to us about every element of thought and manual labour that goes into making a single bouquet from seed to the reveal moment walking down the aisle. When a brand or florist shares that level of context and it lands, potential customers will be delighted to book and wholly trust in the experience about to unfold.

4. Waste in Unpoetic

We’ve been reporting on sustainability for years, firstly as a theme, then as an overarching narrative. Now, customers are expecting planet-kind knowledge and guidance from all their wedding suppliers, be it production aspects, florals, catering, clothing or gifting. Katie usefully reminds us of The Vintage House That Could ethos:

Katie: “Happily, I am pleased that more and more couples are questioning the sustainability of their weddings though as the whole core of my business is vintage and recycled pieces. All aspects of the day are reused from ceremony flowers reappearing in the reception spaces through to using recycled paper and repurposing props. Leftover flowers even become confetti for more weddings. Making weddings more sustainable doesn’t impact on the overall look but it does mean that couples spend less on throwaway tat and more on things that will have a greater meaning.”

I recently polled florists in my Instagram community about whether or not they agreed customers are becoming increasingly savvy about seasonality and species selection from a sustainability point of view. Agree or disagree. The poll was an even split, but the resulting DMs unanimously agreed that customers are asking more insightful questions. Caring more. Wanting answers before committing to quotes and moodboards, even though they may not be fully armed with the floral intel themselves.

Issy adds a layer of thought that has evolved from 2020/2021 global events.

Issy: “I’m always gathering my inspiration from antiques, fashion, art, film, architecture, and walks around the Cotswold countryside. I photograph everything, and always use my photography as reference points when sketching and designing ideas for my clients. I forage different foliage whilst out walking and find vessels and vases in the deepest darkest antique shops, I wander the gardens of heritage houses and spot a particular rose, hundreds of years old and look at the way it’s petals fold. Over the pandemic, we had so much time on our hands, to slow down and appreciate the world around us. I noticed things now that I never would have previously when so busy day to day.”

Issy: “People are no longer interested in fast floristry. We have had all this time to think, read, breathe… And this has given my audience, and clients in particular, time to re-think the way in which they demand florals. For us, the slowing down element has always been at the heart of Wizz & Wild, using regenerative and traditional farming methods in our cutting garden. We use almost a third of our land to fill with cover crop, attracting bees and butterflies to pollinate the working beds. We also introduce a crop rotation twice a year, as well as producing our own compost to increase organic matter into our soil (which is often where the flowers from our weddings go once the day is over). My client is so much more conscious than before, and I think that is down to the sustainability narrative we read more and more about every day. ‘Slow and seasonal’ is not just an aspiration, it is something we are actively providing.”

“Thrift is poetic because it is creative; waste is unpoetic because it is waste.”

– GK Chesterton, What’s Wrong with the World (p. 1910)

I am reminded of the quote by What’s Wrong with the World author GK Chesterton.

Note to self – Poetry is always luxurious. Waste is unwanted. Wasted time. Wasted energy. Wasted resources. Wasted planet.

Pictured above: Life on and around the farm for Issy Watts, Wizz & Wild

5. Rooted in Nature, Rooted at Home

So we circle back. Come back to nature, come back home. Revisit the idea that we are all just being humans in our floral businesses, trying our best, inspiring our customers, seeking connections, growing financial wealth, or simply growing.

Katie: “Even more so than before people are conscious of how their homes look and feel, so the relaxed and the natural vibe has had a resurgence. Natural materials and colours are everywhere, terracottas, nudes, all shades of green are so popular and this has clearly had an impact on wedding décor choices too. In the same vein, there is still a love of dried flowers but with fresh mixed in to make it feel more seasonal. My couples are only using florals and colours of the season and make choices based on these factors rather than what is on trend. I always encourage my couples to think about their interior choices too, for example I ask “would you have this in your house?” If the answer is no, then why would you have it at your wedding?”

Katie: “My biggest reference point is and will always will be nature, which for me includes all aspects not just floral points of interest but this could be something as simple as the colour of a shell or the shape of a leaf.”

“My biggest reference point is and will always be nature.”

– Katie Sutton, creative stylist and floral designer, The Vintage House That Could

Issy: “Here on the farm, we live wholeheartedly with the seasons, from the cutting garden, to cooking from the kitchen garden, painting, drawing, dressing, farming, combining all of these things feed my imagination and help me create beautiful floral sets for my clients, in a gentle and thoughtful way. I love the idea of being able to re-connect people with nature, bringing the outside, in, and helping them to understand the processes by which we work. Rather than create a uniform bouquet of flowers, I like to think we are re-discovering the imperfectly perfect lessons of nature and nurturing that. We use ingredients that are original, exciting and memorable, often foraged from hedgerows or picked straight from our cutting garden which may still have a ladybird or two on their leaves.”

Imperfectly perfect

Perfectly imperfect

Conclusion

Upon publication day of this document, it has become mandatory to wear masks in shops and on public transport once more in England. A cold shiver runs through me. I close off the report with such a hopeful heart that caution over the next few weeks or months leads to the boyant, celebratory wedding season 2022 has promised to be. Breaking the boundaries and going big, as Issy calls it. Katie, Issy and I would love to hear your thoughts and plans if you’ve enjoyed reading our collated ideas about the year ahead. All the links are below. My Wedding Bouquet Illustration Service thrives from referalls and recommendations by our shared floral community and I’m buzzing to receive next year’s commissions. I’ll be sharing illustrations, more behind-the-scenes of my business and ideas about creative living over here on the blog and of course oversharing daily ramblings on Instagram. It’s made all the more fun just by having you along for the ride – with continued thanks.

With Thanks

It takes a village to compile this report and I’m grateful to every contributor, including creative teams who allow us to share images. Huge thanks to contributing editors Katie Sutton and Issy Watts, for sharing their businesses and ideas with big open hearts. Find out more About Me here, or all the squad’s links below.

Katie Sutton / The Vintage House That Could | Website | Instagram

Issy Watts / Wizz & Wild | Website | Instagram

Andrea McDowell / Dahlia Beach | Website | Instagram

Joanna Southwell / brand positioning and retail mentor | Website | Instagram

Freya Deabill / stationer Deabill & Quince / brand designer The Brand New Studio | Website | Instagram

Zuzana Hewer / Fig & Flower | Website | Instagram

Carla Blain Photography | Website | Instagram

Thanks to Jen Feroze / copywriter Jackdaw Editorial for sense-checking and ensuring I delete entire paragraphs of oversharing (even though that bit was quite funny…)

Thanks to Sophie / designer A Lover’s Thread, Liz / florist Blue Sky Flowers and Sally / florist Halo Blossom for your well-timed enthusism ensuring this beast gets written and shared.

Love Charlotte

Weave in and out of my illustration business, inspirations and latest collaborations. Join me on instagram, pinterest and facebook.

A big hello to those of you who've found me via Th

Today, I feature on the Boss Your Bridal Brand pod

Instagram post 17998364758623827

My 2023 Floral Dress Report is LIVE on @lovemydres

I finished up client work early on Friday, so had

I skipped Pilates to make this Reel ✌️#botanicalil

The post 2022 Floral Trends Report appeared first on Charlotte Argyrou.

Goals vs To Do List: My 40 before 40

Charlotte Argyrou — Fri, 24 Sep 2021 09:11:37 +0000

40 Before 40: 40 Goals to Achieve Before my 40th Birthday

A Creative Living Challenge

Introduction

“Who wants to do a 40 before 40 list?” says my school friend Julia Davies, founder of The Quiet Rebel Club, in the midst of all of us turning 37. I’m a big fan of a list, but it’s really only in the last year that I’ve made a to do list work for me. Essentially, it means realigning your actions with your core values and goals, and scrubbing out every “should do” item that creeps on (unless it essential to daily life – MOT, fixing something that is broken, going to the dentist…). My weekly list used to be 50 items long, and so…bleurgh. Boring. Now, it’s around 10-15 and always at least half filled with goodies.

Today, I’m sharing the list for a giggle and also maybe for some accountability. And because I want the original version on record before I overwrite it with updates over the following 2.5 years. Have a read and please let me know if you want to join in (obvs you don’t have to be heading for 40, just insert whatever number of goals and whatever deadline you fancy).

The Goals I’ve Already Ticked Off Since my Last Birthday

1. Complete compiling my 40 before 40 (15th April 2024) list. No, it’s not cheating.

2. Watch the sunrise somewhere with a view. I woke early during an Airbnb cottage stay in the South Downs with a view over a meadow and out to a lake. There was a woodpecker. I’m not sure I’d ever seen a woodpecker for real before.

3. Be a London tourist with my daughters. Done. It was like having toddlers again, as since the Pandemic they have completely forgotten how to walk down a crowded pavement, move through a ticket barrier and negiotiate an escalator. It was like herding an octopus into a Coke can.

4. Read The Magical Art of Not Giving an F by Sarah Knight. Not ground-breaking for me, but packed with healthy reminders and overall, an enjoyable read.

5. Read Notes on a Nervous Planet by Matt Haig. I love listening to Matt on podcasts and found the book a pacy read of eclectic thoughts. I wouldn’t read it if you are actually experiecing anxiety though, as it reminded me of things I had forgotten I should be anxious of – like Electro Magnetic Radiation.

6. Go on a boat trip. I’ve been on a couple, actually. For one of them, I was dressed as a pirate.

7. Read Why We Sleep by Matthew Walker. Highly recommend. I helped me process what I went through when I had my first (non-sleeping) daughter. I also think I’ve picked up some nuggets about children/teen sleep and what happens in your body when you go to bed late or rise early (spoiler alert: it’s not good). Thought-provoking. A tad sciencey in place. There are podcast interviews where you will definitely get the gist instead.

8. Read The XX Brain by Dr Lisa Mosconi. All humans should read this, but especially women over 30. It’s sciencey but accessible, shocking in places, ultimately empowering. I wrote to her to say thank you for writing this book after reading it, as I think sometimes we forget to thank authors who move us as reading is very one-directional.

Trips

9. Treehouse minibreak with best school girlfriends

10. Day out with my father, his choice

11. Day out with my mother, her choice

12. Fancy afternoon tea with my daughters

13. Take my daughters to a West End musical

14. Take a kitchen garden mini break for two eg The Pig

15. Plan a special day out with my godson

Relationships

16. Write a letter to five best girlfriends

17. Host a garden dinner party for friends

18. Big night out with school run mums, outside of our postcode, with no curfew

Skills

19. Sell a product with my illustration printed on it

20. Take piano lessons

21. Try a new dance class

22. Be hired as a creative living mentor

23. Take a driving lesson, by order of my school best friends

24. Learn to wallpaper

25. Run 5k under 30 mins

26. Hold a yoga headstand

The Rest of the Reading List

27. Read Essays in Love by Alain de Botton

28. Read Olive by Emma Gannon (I asked for contributions from a few of my inner circle. This book was proposed by a schoolfriend to deepen my understanding of what it means to be childfree by choice)

29. Read Any Human Heart by William Boyd (proposed by uni friend)

30. Read A Thousand Splendid Suns by Khaled Hosseini (proposed by my mother)

31. Read The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night Time (proposed by another schoolfriend)

32. Read Think Again by Adam Grant

33. Read Super Attractor by Gabrielle Bernstein

34. Read The Good Ally by Nova Reid

At Home

35. Schedule all our Lockdown wishing jar wishes This is a jam jar of ideas we created throughtout 2020. Everytime one of us said “I wish we could just go to the cinema” or “I reeeeeaalllly fancy sushi tonight” – it got scribbled down and put into the jar.

36. Reduce household single-use plastic to bare minimum (need to find a way to qualify this)

37. Reduce Amazon Prime consumption to bare minimum (need to find a way to qualify this)

38. Eat veggie for one week

39. Have up to date photo albums

40. Create an A1 artwork I’m proud of, just for us

The list will change, of course. My commitment to the yoga headstand is hovering around the 20-30% mark. I’m content with the idea that the list is organic, dynamic, just as all goals can be. I’m am loving checkig in on my friends’ progress too, especially Julia who is fastidious about marking which of the tasks are in progress. I know I’ll open up the spreadsheet around my birthdays/ Christmas/ New Year’s Eve and make cheeky tweaks. It’s ok. Creavite living is for the process, not the outcome.

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Find out more About Me

love Charlotte

Weave in and out of my illustration business, inspirations and latest collaborations. Join me on instagram, pinterest and facebook.

A big hello to those of you who've found me via Th

Today, I feature on the Boss Your Bridal Brand pod

Instagram post 17998364758623827

My 2023 Floral Dress Report is LIVE on @lovemydres

I finished up client work early on Friday, so had

I skipped Pilates to make this Reel ✌️#botanicalil

The post Goals vs To Do List: My 40 before 40 appeared first on Charlotte Argyrou.

Grow and Gather with Grace Alexander Flowers

Charlotte Argyrou — Wed, 15 Sep 2021 07:17:00 +0000

Muddy Boots and Mindful Gardening

with Grace Alexander Flowers

Introduction

It’s raining as I type today. And as our glorious English language allows us multitudal phrases for expressing the weight and ferocity of raindrops, right now I’d say “it’s chucking it down.” And there’s nothing that could inspire me to get my boots on and head outside regardless, than the little Instagram squares of Grace Alexander Flowers.

Flower field gardener, clinical psychologist and author Grace publishes her new book Grow and Gather today, to inspire us all to grow with what we’ve got. “A simple patch of earth is plenty,” she says encouragingly, to “transform your wellbeing and find a greater connection to your garden and yourself.”

In celebration of publication day, I interview Grace about her experience of writing the book.

Why did Grow & Gather need to be written?

I resisted hard making this a ‘how-to’ or a project based book, there are enough of them already and also google. The bit of gardening that is hardest is to know how and when to enjoy it, how to accept that nature will do its thing despite you (and in spite of you) and that’s not a problem, that’s absolutely magic. We need to unlearn a lot of the colonialism of gardening and develop much more of a light touch. More respect. More just knowing that the process is the thing, not the outcome.

Who is the book for?

People who adore flowers and glorious, deep imagery. People who get a tingle in their fingers when they see a really sumptuous book. But also it is a book for people who get in their own way. Over-thinkers, over-workers, people who have been taught that their value is in what they do, their achievements and their outcomes. There is space for you in this book to just be.

space to just be

How did you find the process of writing the book?

I am terrible for getting caught up the rush and the stress of everyday life, the to-do lists and the worrying about bindweed and slugs and how I haven’t pinched out the dahlias. It was only when I started writing about my garden and my field that I truly noticed the absolute beauty of it as it is; the ecosystems and the tiny shifts and changes everyday. Through keeping my gardener’s journal and sharing it through my newsletter every Sunday night, I found the joy of it. The book is an extension of that, a narrative about my thoughts and feelings as a grower.

I also had the benefit of one of the most talented photographers today, Dean Hearne, coming to shoot it. I was sick with nerves every time he visited but it was such a privilege to have him capture my space.

What else do we need to know?

The book, Grow and Gather, fits in with my wider project about creating spaces where traditionally we have focused on the need for constant change and ‘improvement’ and making it about just recognising the beauty around us. Just turning down the volume on the daily ‘noise’ that fills our lives, and just stepping into a different space. I am sharing all of this through images, words and films, in my membership, Gather with Grace Alexander and I would adore for your community to come and have a look.

Find Out More

Buy Grow and Gather £20, by Grace Alexander

Learn about the Gather with Grace Alexander membership

Fall down the wonderous rabbit hole of the Grace Alexander Flowers Instagram account

This post is shared with thanks to Matt Austin and Dean Hearne, for use of their photography

love, charlotte

Weave in and out of my illustration business, inspirations and latest collaborations. Join me on instagram, pinterest and facebook.

A big hello to those of you who've found me via Th

Today, I feature on the Boss Your Bridal Brand pod

Instagram post 17998364758623827

My 2023 Floral Dress Report is LIVE on @lovemydres

I finished up client work early on Friday, so had

I skipped Pilates to make this Reel ✌️#botanicalil

The post Grow and Gather with Grace Alexander Flowers appeared first on Charlotte Argyrou.

Modern Vintage Style with dressmaker Rose Savage

Charlotte Argyrou — Tue, 08 Jun 2021 12:10:55 +0000

Modern Vintage Style with dressmaker Rose Savage

Interview and “New Moon” Collection Showcase

Introduction

Though heavily inspired by the 1930s and 1970s, Bristol-based dressmaker Rose Savage says any era can inspire her modern vintage style. Previously a costume maker for theatre and television, she now making her name as one of the coolest bridalwear brands around. So I was intrigued to ask Rose how her era-hopping aesthetic and theatrical fashion background combines to make such a dynamic, exquisite brand. And with our shared passion for dressing up on country walks, I thought Rose’s creative life would be very at home with this blog community.

Interview with Rose Savage

When a customer comes to you with an idea for a dress, how do you make sure you are on the same page?

The first thing I ask for is inspiration images or photos so that I can get an idea of the customers’ style and taste and see if it’s something that I will enjoy making. Thankfully most of my clients come from Instagram where they have seen my work so often our design aesthetics are usually well aligned. I then have a good chat about how the process of getting a bespoke outfit will work and give them an idea of the costs involved. It’s important for me to be upfront at the beginning so we both know we are right for each other. The consultation stage is probably the most important in terms of getting a feel for each other and whether the creative process together will be fun one. It’s definitely not one side choosing the other, we both have to mutually choose each other!

How does modern vintage style influence your bespoke designs?

Fashion history has always been quite important to me and I have a background in theatre and costume so it very much influences my work day to day. There is so much inspiration you can take from the past that can be reinterpreted to create something new and exciting. If I’m ever stuck in a creative rut I just get the history books out or watch an old movie. My favourite eras for bridal inspiration are the 1930s and 1970s but I’m also a Victorian corsetry lover!

Into epic bouquets?

As well as blogging about flowers and creative living, I am also founder of the national award-winning Wedding Bouquet Illustration Service. It’s a modern way to preserve your bouquet, without a mouldy rotten petal in sight. Click for more info.

Wedding Bouquet Illustration Service

What’s the best stage of the entire bespoke process from your point of view? And from your customer’s?

There are so many best bits for me but I really love the toile (or prototype stage). After I’ve created a custom pattern using my clients individual measurements I need to test the pattern by making up a version of the design using cheaper fabrics like calico. We then use this prototype to see how the garment fits on the client and whether the proportions are correct. I really get into the zone with this task and will often pin, cut and draw over the toile until I’m totally happy.

I think from a customer’s point of view probably the first time they see their dress in the chosen fabric is very exciting. It can be daunting to buy a wedding dress without actually seeing it or trying it on so this is the stage where she can see it finally coming together into her dream dress. It’s a really special moment.

Your New Moon collection has a luxe, creative, cool girl vibe, but it’s still very soft. How did you pinpoint that aesthetic?

I have a real love of fabric and the juxtaposition of textures so I like to play around with different materials to see what works well together. I love matt fabrics like crepe, georgette and organza but I also love a bit of sparkle! I never really have an aesthetic in mind, I just go with the flow and listen to what’s inspiring me at the time. I just have to make sure I don’t go overboard with ideas, I just want to include everything!

And Finally…

Just for fun…. who was the best dressed bride in history?

Oooh that’s a tough one! I still think that Kate Middleton’s dress was a masterpiece but my personal favourites came from Solange, Bianca Jaggar, and Kate Moss.

Find Out More

Rose Savage Bridal Atelier – alternations, bespoke and collection, Bristol, UK | Website | Instagram

New Moon Collection available now, photographed by Charlie at Bristol Contemporary Photography | Website | Instagram

Styled shoot, photographed at Townhead Estate by Jo Greenfield, featuring bouquet by Made in Flowers | Website | Instagram

Where now?

Wedding Bouquet Illustration Service

Blog Homepage

Contact Me

About Me

love, charlotte

Weave in and out of my illustration business, inspirations and latest collaborations. Join me on instagram, pinterest and facebook.

A big hello to those of you who've found me via Th

Today, I feature on the Boss Your Bridal Brand pod

Instagram post 17998364758623827

My 2023 Floral Dress Report is LIVE on @lovemydres

I finished up client work early on Friday, so had

I skipped Pilates to make this Reel ✌️#botanicalil

The post Modern Vintage Style with dressmaker Rose Savage appeared first on Charlotte Argyrou.

2021 Floral Trends Report

Charlotte Argyrou — Sun, 22 Nov 2020 17:17:19 +0000

Disclaimer: At the time of this post’s publication, weddings are not permitted in England. The only exception is so-called “deathbed weddings” – a heartbreaking and tragic phrase I’d never heard until verifying the current standing on the official government website. If one partner is dying, weddings of up to six people are allowed. For the sake of talking about flowers in the context of weddings here, we are going to optimistically write as though small weddings will go ahead in 2021.

Charlotte Argyrou, Botanical Illustrator and Flower Blogger

2021 Floral Trends

Introduction

Why a Trends Report when Weddings are Currently Banned?

In the mid-noughties, I used to edit fashion trend reports for retail guru Mary Portas. I’d tear the pages from the newspaper runway reviews after each day of shows and I’d scrutinize over each collection on Catwalk.com within hours of publication. We’d share our analysis in a Powerpoint (!) presentation with clients promptly at the end of the New York-London-Milan-Paris cycle.

I’d taken the job at Mary’s PR company over the offer of an unpaid internship on the Fashion Desk at The Times newspaper. My fiancé (now husband) and I had already moved to central London, paying bloodsucking rent on a flat in downtown Camden, and quite frankly, I like eating so needed cash. It’s my Sliding Doors moment, and occasionally I wonder wistfully (never dwell doubtingly) if I’d have made it as a fashion writer. Identifying and extracting the trends, pinpointing representative looks and choosing the words to succinctly articulate the vibe was one of my favourite seasonal tasks in that job.

Fast-forward 15 years, and now I am doing the same with flowers. Through the little squares on my phone, I see with curiousity the colours and species presented by our floral community and am naturally moth-to-flamed by certain styles. So this blog post does not profess to be a definitive analysis of the impact of Covid or Brexit on the industry. Rather, my guest editors and I use that a basepoint to showcase what we see happening, intended as a useful guide to 2021 floral trends for our mutual potential clients. We edit this with a hopeful heart that weddings will proceed.

For the 2021 Floral Trends Report, I’m welcoming florist and grower Laura Elisabeth Montgomery of Xyris Botanicals and Gemma Hales, florist and online retailer, Iris & Co.

1. The Potential of Intimate Weddings

2. The Year of the Truly Individual Wedding

3. On the Subject of Sustainability

4. Single Species Bouquets

5. Fresh + Dried Bouquets

1. 2021 Floral Trends in Intimate Weddings

“Many couples will be seizing the opportunity to tie the knot in inner cities within Registry Offices,” begins Laura of Xyris Botanicals. “Sleek and contemporary styled flowers will be requested by many brides looking for modern florals to reflect their chic minimalist ceremonies.”

Gemma of Iris & Co agrees that couples are amending their florals to reflect the mood of the moment, but that by no means cutting corners on style. “I’m incredibly grateful that the downsizing of weddings we’ve experienced in 2020 hasn’t dramatically led to a downsizing in flowers for the majority of my couples. There’s still an appreciation for how much flowers add to the decoration of a venue and the ‘feel’ of a wedding.” Pictured below: Florals by Iris & Co, photo by Taylor Hughes Photography

Gemma continues, “In fact, I’ve seen people spending their budgets differently, making the flowers a little more ‘experiential’ rather than just something nice to look at. For one of my first post-Lockdown 1.0 weddings, I made 25 buttonholes and corsages, one for each guest, something that most people wouldn’t be able to do with a reception of 150! I’ve also had a couple who spent almost all of their budget on a gorgeous arch for their Zoom wedding as a backdrop to their vows and for those watching at home.”

I absolutely concur, as one of my own Lockdown 1.0 illustration clients invested in a lush bouquet and lavish archway for a wedding with just two guests. The passion for florals is still there, we are just seeing a reallocation of budget from tablecentres and buttonholes to single installations, fierce bouquets and then preserving bouquets by one means or another.

2. The Year of the Truly Individual Wedding

With reduced attendance, bridal couples perhaps feel less pressure to appeal to the tastes of their guests. “I’ve seen a huge increase in the individuality and ideas coming through for weddings in 2021 and I can’t wait for that to develop,” says Gemma. “As a florist, this can be a challenge – with no similar images to include in proposals, I’m finding myself having to sketch more designs to show couples what it will look like. For me, that’s the exciting part of my job – creating something bespoke for a couple or a venue that’s never been done before and I’m so excited that more couples are embracing who they are and representing it beautifully in their wedding.” Pictured below: Florals by Iris & Co, photo by Chloe Mary Photo

“Pinterest does absolutely still have a place, it’s a great way to bring ideas and colour palettes together but I think people are starting to move away from the ‘Pinterest aesthetic’ for weddings. Instead, they are thinking more about bringing their own interests (be it music, films or fashion) into their wedding in new and exciting ways.”

I’d add here that I also ponder if 2021 weddings will be assembled in weeks, rather than months; as restrictions continually change, will couples sense an opportunity to go ahead quickly, especially where internationally travel may come into play?

This idea of the Year of the Truly Individual Wedding really intrigued me (forever seduced by anything against the grain). So I got straight on the phone to Joanna Southwell, editor of consumer and industry facing website The Weddinghood.

“For me, the one saving grace after this hellish year for weddings is the sense of freedom it has created. Anything goes now and I find it liberating. It allows couples to let go of the “we shoulds” and instead concentrate on the essence of weddings. The love between the two people involved. Everything is stripped back. The elements that mean the most to the couple are reinforced and everything else goes by the wayside. Home-created or foraged flowers are miraculously pulled together. It reminds me of how weddings used to be and I cannot wait to see the results.”

Joanna Southwell, Editor + Founder, The Weddinghood

Something I have found truly exciting during Lockdown 1.0 and 2.0 is florists being playful with flowers for their own creative fulfilment. I don’t think I’ve ever seen so much play, and goodness, it’s refreshing. To see creations built on kitchen tables from foraged finds is deeply inspiring both to others working in the floral community and those who are simply #excessivelydivertedbyflowers.

I nod here to Laura’s digital work, combining Dutch Masters influence with Lockdown’s demand for some desk- or studio-based creative expression. I like to imagine these like the inner explosions of florists’ brains each time the rules about weddings changed. Cancellations, postponements, messed up supply chains – all represented as splattered dahlias. Art for our times, don’t you think?

3. On the Subject of Sustainability

British and Seasonal

Gemma of Iris & Co: “No discussion about the future can fail to include sustainability and the environment. A huge trend in every part of our lives and weddings are no different. With more couples educating themselves on where flowers are sourced and how their designs are put together, we as florists need to be at the forefront of new (or most often, embracing old) techniques to keep our art as kind to the planet as possible. The embrace of seasonal and, in particular, British flowers, is growing every year and I’m so proud when I’m able to create gorgeous designs with flowers that haven’t been on a flight.”

Many of us in the floral community were proud to participate in Sarah Diligent of Floribunda Rose’s Kickstarter campaign. Her book A Guide to Floral Mechanics was published in July 2020 and features step-by-step guides to creating bouquets, buttonholes and smallscale installations with no floral foam. Click here to read my blog post with Sarah, posted on the day of the book’s publication.

If you don’t already follow Laura’s cutting garden updates on Xyris Botanicals’ Instagram, they are a must watch. It is a relevant, entertaining and practical way for enthusiasts and florists alike to gain insight into British seasonality in real time.

A Shared Responsibility

It’s not a new trick for couples to serepetitously re-use their florals from ceremony to reception. As Gemma suggests, “Aisle runners make the most incredible fireplace and staircase designs and also look amazing in front of your top table (I promise, your guests will never know they’re the same!) And gorgeous urns and arches can be bought into your reception to be enjoyed all day long. Myself and the team are experts at sneaking in whilst you’re halfway through a confetti tunnel and transforming your reception, before you’ve even had the first photos.” Below: A ceremony display repurposed for an initimate table of six wedding breakfast. Florals by Iris & Co, photos by Maxeen Kim Photography

2000s couple: “Reusing flowers saves us money and probably no-one will notice that we’ve cut corners.”

2020s couple: “Reusing flowers is a smart way to cut down on imported flowers, making for a more eco-friendly wedding.”

I remember at my own wedding, 11 years ago, being so surprised when I realised the mantel flowers from my ceremony had been placed along my top table in the ballroom, a move made secretly during our drinks reception. It looked incredible. But my thought process went more to “ooh that saved us a bit of cash,” rather than “it’s great to use less imported flowers but with the same visual impact of having twice as many flowers.” Today, I think the necessity to be conscientious and planet-kind would be forefront in my mind if I were planning a wedding. On this point, I spoke to Meera Majithia, on the new mindset when it comes to sustainbility in the planning process.

“There is no doubt that sustainability is becoming more important to couples. They are looking to their florist (and other suppliers) for guidance on how to have a more sustainable wedding. In 2021, it’s important that suppliers themselves are well-educated on the topic and ready with relevant resources for their clients.”

Meera Majithia, Founder, Carriages Weddings & Events

Author of Planned to Perfection: A Modern Approach to Wedding Planning for the Indian and Interfaith Bride

Personally, I like luxury. I do. I like luxurious things. I like to feel luxurious. But the critical difference in today’s environment is that waste is no longer luxurious to me. So therefore, my clients receive their wedding bouquet illustrations sandwiched between two pieces of recycled greyboard. Because while their illustration bathes in the luxury of time and intense attention to detail to lovingly create it, wasteful and environmentally-harmful packaging is no longer luxurious to the modern couple.

4. Single Species Bouquets

Contemporary, Sculptural, Minimalist

“Already in 2020, we have started to see single ingredient bouquets and arrangements appearing on social media,” says Laura at Xyris Botanicals. “Sumptuous, sculptural bouquets of monochromatic roses (reflexed with some of the foliage left on) together with some table styling in the form of bowls of roses layered at different heights and directions, loosely influenced by the Japanese form of flower arranging known as Ikebana.”

“As a small-scale grower of British flowers, I looked at this trend initially and worried that perhaps it did not align itself to the loose naturalistic style that British flowers lend themselves to so beautifully. This is however a brilliant opportunity to support British flower growers specialising in roses such as Usk Valley roses and The Real Flower Company. I did just that for a photoshoot over the summer where I ordered the most stunning Koko Loko Roses from Usk Valley Roses for simple table styling, a bowl arrangement and a bouquet pictured below.” Pictured below: Florals by Xyris Botanicals, photos by Sammy Taylor Wedding Photography, model Charlotte Muyot

“I have also taken the trend and applied it to Dahlias, creating simple but structural bouquets and bowl arrangements using blooms from my cutting garden in south east Kent.” Laura’s work is all kinds of crazy gorgeous and it’s thrilling to me that she has taken influence from this ancient Japanese craft and made it modern, relevant and sustainably-sourced.

5. Mixed Fresh and Dried Florals

“The popularity of dried flowers continued throughout 2020, with stylish arrangements adorning homes around the country,” says Gemma. “Saying that, I’ve seen more requests for a mixture of fresh and dried elements more recently, as opposed to the fully dried bouquets and designs I was asked for before. It adds so much texture to bring in those fresh elements as well as the scent that only fresh florals can bring.” Pictured below: Florals by Iris & Co, photos [left] Imogen Eve Photography and [right] Chloe Mary Photo

“I’ve also seen a lot more brides drying their bouquets and other flowers from their wedding which I love. More of an art than a science, my top tip is to group them in different places, to avoid a disaster. Whilst they will need somewhere with good air flow, where you can hang upside down, you can’t be sure you don’t get a damp patch and your flowers fall apart so best so spread them out and at least some will dry beautifully! Alternatively, I know a girl who will exquisitely illustrate your bouquet to make sure it lasts forever…”

Wedding Bouquet Illustration Service by Charlotte Argyrou

Conclusion

As we look ahead to 2021, with – at best – uncertainty, it’s a comforting distraction to fantasize about the stylistic potential a new era of weddings will bring. While multiple traditional tablecentres may be an unlikely feature, the presence of an exquisite bouquet – a defining feature throughout 2020’s triumphant micro weddings – is a safe bet. I’m so grateful for Gemma and Laura sharing their expertise here, where we do appreciate a good bouquet.

To the wedding couples-to-be reading this, your suppliers have everything crossed for you and your 2021 plans. You have no idea how much a we want to make your wedding experience spectacular, with memories to last a lifetime. And to the suppliers, I’m so grateful to see out this year alongside you through our online platforms. Your vision, energy and talent is appreciated and admired, and a inspiration to many.

Find Out More

With huge thanks to my two guest editors:

Gemma Hales, Founder, Iris & Co | Website | Instagram | Christmas

Laura Elisabeth Montgomery, Founder, Xyris Botanicals | Website | Instagram | Buy The Miniature Cutting Garden £5.99

With additional contrbutions from:

Joanna Southwell, Founder + Editor, The Weddinghood | Website | Instagram

Meera Majithia, Founder, Carriages Weddings and Events | Website | Instagram

Meera’s book Planned to Perfection is available from Waterstones from 11th December 2020

With thanks to the following photographers for generously sharing their work:

Chloe Mary | Sammy Taylor | Maxeen Kim | Imogen Eve | Taylor Hughes

Read About Me

Visit the Blog Homepage

charlotteargyrou.com Homepage

love Charlotte

Weave in and out of my illustration business, inspirations and latest collaborations. Join me on instagram, pinterest and facebook.

A big hello to those of you who've found me via Th

Today, I feature on the Boss Your Bridal Brand pod

Instagram post 17998364758623827

My 2023 Floral Dress Report is LIVE on @lovemydres

I finished up client work early on Friday, so had

I skipped Pilates to make this Reel ✌️#botanicalil

The post 2021 Floral Trends Report appeared first on Charlotte Argyrou.

How do I Gently Grow my Unique Wedding Business in a Pandemic?

Charlotte Argyrou — Wed, 14 Oct 2020 12:31:41 +0000

How do I Gently Grow my Unique Wedding Business in a Pandemic?

Five Mindset Lessons I Share on The Wedding Business Podcast

Introduction

Renowned wedding photographer and industry business coach Faye Cornhill came into my life through a mutual client. I was booked to draw a magnificent Edwardian-inspired cascade bouquet, from a wedding photographed by Faye. My wedding bouquet illustration is pictured below. When I pinged Faye a quick email to ask if she was happy for me to potentially feature the image on my social media and blog, I had no idea of the doors and windows that were about to fly open in my life.

I discovered Faye’s coaching work (at a time I barely new what a business coach was), signed up for her e-newsletter (emails I stupidly ignored for months) and eventually took part in a five day free online challenge. With outrageous gratitude, I was overwhelmed when Faye identified my courageous streak and saw potential in my unique wedding business, and consequently awarded me a scholarship onto her 90 day coaching course, Booked in 90.

Two and half half years, six months of one-to-one coaching, two retreats and a second annual membership to her Wedding Business Club later, I’m still inspired daily by this Powerhouse of Positivity. So when Faye invited me to be a guest on her Podcast, I was thrilled to have an hour in her company for some therapy and a jolly good giggle at the path we’ve trampled together.

Click here to explore the Wedding Bouquet Illustration Service

The Wedding Business Podcast Episode 20

On the podcast, we talk abut my career-to-date, and the weird and winding road that led to me super-niching as a botanical illustrator and founder of the Wedding Bouquet Illustration Service. The at around the 16 minute mark, we move on to talking more generally about the mindset hacks I’ve learned along the way – partly implanted by and partly coaxed out of me by Faye. While we of course reference the wedding industry, I strongly feel the lessons shared below can benefit any creative business owner.

Lesson One

Know Thyself

– Know who you are.

– Know who you want to work with.

– Know your boundaries.

– Know why you are doing what you do.

Knowing these things will help you on the toughest days (or in the toughest months, thank you 2020).

Lesson Two

Everything Will Be Fine

I don’t have a crystal ball to see into the future or know when the wedding industry will be revived. And I appreciate the devastating impact Covid has had at a core level on our lives and livlihoods. But I choose to operate from a place of “everything will be fine.” It’s a thought that helps me to take small, safe, imperfect action everyday towards fulfilling my goals and potential, even when the wedding market has gone t*ts up.

Covid-aside, it’s a great mantra for beating procrastination. If you feel that the worst case scenario of what you are holding back on is manageable, then you can proceed. Want to pitch your business to the most beautiful venue in your county, but worried about what they’ll think? If the likely worst case scenario is that they simply ignore your email, and if you could cope with that disappontment, then just send the email. Because if you don’t, the answer will always be “no.” Send the email, everything will be fine.

Lesson Three

Thoughts are not Facts

Just because you have a negative thought, that does not make it true. On the podcast, I shared a list of about 15 limiting beliefs I have about myself and my ability as a business owner. The process of getting those thougthts down on paper was revelationary. In my head, it’s a noisy jumble of cloudy mess. On paper, it’s pretty clear how to sort facts from fiction.

Let’s say I have the thought “I’m not talented enough”. A quick scroll through my customer testimonials will prove that to be untrue. So the next time that thought rears its ugly head, I can swot it away like a fly.

But let’s say I have the thought “I’m not good enough at tech to run my own e-commerce website.” I recognise truth in that. It’s not my interest, let alone my passion. I’m not ignited with curiosity for learning about it. It’s not within my genius zone. So when that thought shows up, I know it’s time to outsource to a specialist. Which is why I choose to pay a brilliant web developer to run updates and back-ups for me, as it doesn’t serve me to stress and worry about it.

Lesson Four

Visualise your Highest Self, and then Start Showing Up as Her

Who do you want to be? Figure it out, and then start thinking the thoughts and taking the actions that person would think and take. If you want to grow your unique wedding business despite these crazy 2020 circumstances, work out who you need to be to do that. Do you need to be networking, even if it via Zoom? Then scribble down that list of people you want to approach and commit to a weekly schedule. You’ll emerge in Spring 2021 with a wealth of new contacts ready to promote each other’s businesses to all your wonderful 2021 couples.

Lesson Five

You Only Have So Many Life Minutes

You only have so many life minutes, so how many of them do you want to spend worrying and making yourself small? Though none of us chose Covid and the events of 2020, you do get to chose how you react to it. How can you choose to nurture your unique wedding business now? How can you support and inspire your audience in this time, ready for the next wedding season? How can you improve your skillset, or zshoosh up your marketing? There’s an entire industry of brilliant creatives out there to skill swap and collaborate with, to help us improve or diversify our offering right now.

Conclusion

Since March 2020, I’ve juggled my Wedding Bouquet Illustration Service and commission work with all that Covid has entailed with regards to childcare and the huge drop in weddings taking place. Every supplier has experienced their own dramatic change in circumstances, some frustrating, some tragic. But in sharing these five lessons from my personal experience with Faye Cornhill on The Wedding Business Podcast, I’ve reminded myself to seek the positives in every situation. Growth is possible when you see the world with an abundant mindset. Faye’s a guiding light if you are struggling, and I’m a pretty good listener and ideas-sparker – if I can help too.

Find Out More

Register for Faye’s FREE epic masterclass for wedding business owners here. You’ll learn:

01. The Top 3 Mistakes that EVERYONE makes when they build their wedding business

02. The secret sauce to building a Successful & Profitable Wedding Business

03. Faye’s 4 Step Strategy for getting your next paying client

Listen to Episode 20 of The Wedding Business Podcast

Learn more about Faye Cornhill’s coaching offering

Follow Faye on Instagram where she shares tips and behind-the-scenes of her life and business

Faye’s debut book I Do: How To Say Yes to Running A Successful and Profitable Wedding Business, was released on 2nd Nov 2020. Click the Amazon link below. PLease note this is an affliate link, so you pay the same price, but I earn a teeny commission from the Bank of Amazon.

Click here to visit the blog homepage

Visit my website homepage

Who's editing this fabulous botanical business blog, anyway?

love, charlotte

Weave in and out of my illustration business, inspirations and latest collaborations. Join me on instagram, pinterest and facebook.

A big hello to those of you who've found me via Th

Today, I feature on the Boss Your Bridal Brand pod

Instagram post 17998364758623827

My 2023 Floral Dress Report is LIVE on @lovemydres

I finished up client work early on Friday, so had

I skipped Pilates to make this Reel ✌️#botanicalil

The post How do I Gently Grow my Unique Wedding Business in a Pandemic? appeared first on Charlotte Argyrou.

Behind the Scenes of my new Luxe Letterpress Stationery

Charlotte Argyrou — Wed, 07 Oct 2020 12:08:27 +0000

Behind the Scenes of my Luxe Letterpress Stationery

Introduction

Meet Grania O’Brien, founder, Ink & Paper London

It’s a blustery February day on a yoga/business retreat in Arundel, West Sussex. Letterpress stationery designer and calligrapher, Grania O’Brien, and I have come together with a group of female independent creative business owners to breathe, unravel, learn by day, then gossip and drink Prosecco by firelight after hours. Grania told me about her giant messy, noisy, antique letterpress named The Beast and I knew I had to fulfil a life ambition to own bespoke personalised letterpress stationery. A Pinterest moodbaord and some interesting conversations about colour names later, and I’m the proud new owner of the branded stationery suite I’d always wanted for my business. So I’m going to hand over to Grania to share her creative process.

The Brief

Grania: It takes a certain level of confidence in what you do to not showcase your work in visuals throughout. When Charlotte asked if I would create some letterpress stationery for her, I was a little anxious. After all, the letterpress process isn’t designed to reproduce illustration work as intricate and detailed as that which Charlotte creates. My concerns proved unfounded as Charlotte wanted to create something that captured the luxurious tactility of her work and required stationery to complement, not match.

She needed thank you cards, certificates of authenticity and compliments/bio cards. As guidance, she shared with me her Pinterest inspiration board – not of other stationery, but to describe a feeling. Like diving headfirst into the world of Charlotte Argyrou Illustration. Truth be told, with shades of peacock, moss, deep forest green and a glimmer of tarnished gold, I didn’t want to leave.

What is Letterpress?

Grania: Letterpress and hot foil are beautiful, tactile processes. You can’t rush them, at risk of wonky pages or accidental burns, but these slow and considered processes yield beautiful results. Letterpress is a beautiful traditional printing technique which dates back to the 1400’s. A lot has changed since then, but the fundamental principle still applies: raised text is coated in a thin layer of ink and then firmly pressed into the page, leaving a beautiful debossed impression.

These days, a lot of the work I do starts life as a digital design, rather than being typeset by hand. This has numerous advantages, not least in being able to use new and exciting typefaces that aren’t available in hot metal form and being able to integrate illustrated elements. I worked with Charlotte to create custom designs that we both felt perfectly encapsulated the luxurious and detailed nature of her illustration work.

Luxe letterpress Stationery is a Messy Process

Grania: These designs were then had made up into plates – polymer for letterpress, and metal for hot foil. These are in mirror image to what you would see printed, to ensure the text prints as you would expect to see it. I mix the ink by hand, matching as closely as possible using my Pantone guides, which allows me to mix virtually any colour I could wish.

Once I am satisfied with the match, I then go about setting up the press – oiling and greasing the moving parts and inking up the press for printing. Then I mount the plate to the chase base, carefully measuring up where I want the graphic element to sit on the card and ensuring that the alignment is perfectly straight.

Expertise, Experience and Vigorous Quality Control

Grania: Each sheet is manually fed by hand into the press, which means I am able to ensure rigorous quality control. As letterpress is a traditional technique, there will always be fractional variations between each print, particularly when using handmade paper. However, I strive to produce as perfect an item as possible and employ rigorous quality control standards. Et voila! It’s a slow and considered process that requires skill, and Charlotte now has some beautiful luxe stationery perfectly fits with her brand ethos.

And Finally…

Charlotte: I couldn’t be more in love with the sensuous nature of my new letterpress stationery, and I’m so excited to share it with my customers. Its luxurious quality, old world charm, creative process and oozey lushness will really resonate with their vintage sensibilities. I have enormous gratitude for Grania, not only for the work involved to understand my business and aesthetic, but for sharing the inner workings of her studio and process with us on my blog too.

Find Out More

Check out Ink & Paper’s website

Follow Grania on Instagram, where she shares her finished projects and more behind-the-scenes goodness

With additional thanks to Ami at The Woman and The Wolf and Ria Mishaal for photography featured within this blog post

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love, charlotte

Weave in and out of my illustration business, inspirations and latest collaborations. Join me on instagram, pinterest and facebook.

A big hello to those of you who've found me via Th

Today, I feature on the Boss Your Bridal Brand pod

Instagram post 17998364758623827

My 2023 Floral Dress Report is LIVE on @lovemydres

I finished up client work early on Friday, so had

I skipped Pilates to make this Reel ✌️#botanicalil

The post Behind the Scenes of my new Luxe Letterpress Stationery appeared first on Charlotte Argyrou.

Flower Blog Series – Flowers with Friends: Blue Sky Flowers

Charlotte Argyrou — Thu, 16 Jul 2020 14:52:27 +0000

Flowers with Friends: Blue Sky Flowers

A quickfire interview with founder Liz Inigo Jones

It’s high time for a flower blog update, with another in my Flowers with Friends series. Today, I interview Liz, founder of west London based Blue Sky Flowers. Liz serves up incredible installations and bouquets for some of London and the Home Counties’ finest venues. We caught up on her floral memories and tips for your flowers at home, plus there’s an new illustration revealed at the end of the blog.

My signature floral style is…

Elegant and lush, natural and beautiful

And here’s how I discovered my signature style…

It developed over time, I guess. I’ve always said I don’t think I have a style but people say ‘You do!’

A Few of my Favourite Things

My first floral memory is…

My dad grew dahlias and although I tend to incline away from bright clashing colours, that’s what our garden always looked like and I loved ‘helping’ him in the greenhouse although I mostly washed pots.

My all-time favourite flower is…

Erm… it changes with the season. Spring is Sweet Pea, Summer is a fragrant garden Rose, Autumn is a Chocolate Cosmos and Winter a dark aubergine coloured Ranunculas… or Anemone… or both!

My favourite scent is…

Le Labo Neroli for me and in a flower, Jasmine all the way.

The species that should be sent to Room 101 is…

How big is the room…? Gerbera, station forecourt Carnations… and the lovechild of either of those with Gyp!

The most beautiful bouquet I’ve ever seen was…

One made by a florist friend of mine, Alison at Mad Lilies…. She has a photo of it on her shop wall and every time I see it, I wish I had made it.

My wedding bouquet was…

Bizarrely, although I wasn’t even nearly a florist when I got married, I made my own bouquet. I went to a stall in Seven Dials and chose Chocolate Cosmos and brown Hypericum berries to go with the green and black Pittosporum foliage I’d already found in my garden. It was my second marriage so I didn’t do the whole jumping up and down about the design side of things, I decided what I wanted and did it all myself… we had an Italian themed weekend in Devon, foraged for mushrooms in the morning, decorated the Hall of the place with flags and banners and had a masked ball.

Home and Style

If you’ve got £30 to spend on flowers/décor for a dinner party, you should…

Spend it on a mix of white flowers from a high street florist, get some greenery from your garden and fill as many little bottles, small vases as possible and make a loose line of them down the table with loads of candles and tealights.

With a £50 budget, the best botanical/floral gift for a loved one is…

Find out what they like and get a bouquet to reflect it. Often people buy for others what they like themselves and it doesn’t always work that way.

In all my years of experience, here’s my one tip to make your florals at home look better and last longer…

When you get them home, recut the ends, put into deep cool water before you arrange them. After a few hours of conditioning, recut and place them in your chosen vase. Change the water every few days and try not to put them in full sunlight.

When it comes to wearing floral prints, I…

Don’t!

In my home florals are…

Usually leftovers from weddings or a few bits from my garden, if I can be bothered. It’s a bit all or nothing. My husband says it looks like a funeral parlour on strike sometimes. Charming!

Above, an original bouquet design by Liz at Blue Sky Flowers, alongside an illustration by Charlotte Argyrou

Wedding Bouquet Illustration Service

Find Out More

Visit the Blue Sky Flowers website

Follow Liz on Instagram

Home delivery bouquets available here

Where to Now?

Enjoy this blog post? There’s plenty more exploration of creative living, becoming and being a creative business owner, all with a floral flourish here

Find out more About Me

Wedding Bouquet Illustration Service and Botanical Illustration Commissions

love, charlotte

Weave in and out of my illustration business, inspirations and latest collaborations. Join me on instagram, pinterest and facebook.

A big hello to those of you who've found me via Th

Today, I feature on the Boss Your Bridal Brand pod

Instagram post 17998364758623827

My 2023 Floral Dress Report is LIVE on @lovemydres

I finished up client work early on Friday, so had

I skipped Pilates to make this Reel ✌️#botanicalil

The post Flower Blog Series – Flowers with Friends: Blue Sky Flowers appeared first on Charlotte Argyrou.

How to Step Up when the World Locks Down

Charlotte Argyrou — Sun, 05 Jul 2020 14:03:49 +0000

How to Step Up when the World Locks Down

Three Creative Business Owners Share their Lockdown Pivots

Introduction

As my family and I ever so cautiously emerge from lockdown, I wanted to take some time to reflect on the personal and professional rollercoaster we’ve experienced. What are the lessons? With a little hindsight, what practices and attitudes can we take into “the new normal”? This blog post focuses on my experience as a creative business owner (personal reflections will follow in due course). For added spice, it’s written in collaboration with three brilliant creative entrepreneurs I witnessed take flight, defying the gravitational pull of Covid.

Hot Water

Jacquie Lawes, founder of the award-winning White Olive Design Studio saw the postponement of summer 2020 weddings as her chance to serve a new customer – wedding and creative industry suppliers. “If there was ever a good time for this to happen, this has been it for my business. I’d already started rebranding well before the dreaded Covid struck. But this time during lockdown provided the perfect opportunity to allow me to step away from wedding stationery and push the other side of my business as a brand designer and product photographer for luxury artisans and female entrepreneurs.” Jacquie ramped up her branding studio, Bailey & Roo, and refined the marketing and comms away from her stationery and calligraphy business, White Olive. It’s a story I’ve heard many times since March – the idea was already there, the skillset, the drive – but it took the dramatic external change in circumstances to release a now or never energy.

It reminds me of that quote (often falsely attributed to Eleanor Roosevelt – but hey, that’s a whole other blog post): “A woman is like a tea bag – you can’t tell how strong she is until you put her in hot water.”

One Giant Side Step

Dani from The Curated Kitchen (Wedding Industry Awards 2020 Best Newcomer) agrees. Having quickly gained a reputation for her innovative grazing tables at wedidngs and events, a few weeks ago, she launched her meze style grazing boxes as a home delivery service. What started as a simple act of kindness became the new incarnation of her business, allowing her to survive, nay thrive, under the pressure the virus put on her.

“The grazing boxes had been on my mind since the beginning of lockdown, but I didn’t have the confidence that I’d always be able to get the produce and nor could I justify it in my mind as essential travel. Then, with lockdown measures easing, I decided to surprise one of my lovely couples who had been forced to postpone their wedding, on what would have been their wedding day. I shared it on my Instagram Stories and got such a positive response that I decided it might be time to roll them out. It’s been so enjoyable to get back to being creative, but also spreading the joy and seeing the reaction when I do my doorstep deliveries!”

Aligning with my Queen Power

When I started my business 2.5 years ago, I was acutely aware of the business I wanted to have. Exactly how I was going to make it happen was always a little more blurry around the edges (still is, some days). Yet I was adamant my life’s work would be to spread a little happiness by sharing my gift for recreating symbolic moments of beauty through illustrations that would last a lifetime. I would lean into my talents, find my joy, and market it in a way that resonated with the kind of people I wanted to work alongside. I call it aligning with my queen power. I see it in Dani’s lockdown pivot too. She took what she could do, what she could control, and just tweaked her business enough that she may continue to serve her ideal customers, spreading happiness along the way. Fruit and cheese with a sprinkling of edible flowers, direct to my doorstep? Yes please, Lady.

The Mechanics of a Pivot

Dani touched on a feeling that I know stabs so many creative business owners in the gut the second they think of a good idea. We can be guilty of letting all hows, whens and how muches sabotage the spirit of the idea before we allow it to take its first breath. So, I spoke to Gemma Hales, founder of artisan studio floristry Iris & Co about the mechanics of pivoting a business in a pandemic. With weddings banned, summer 2020 floristry wilted faster than a tomato plant in a botanical illustrator’s south-facing home studio (if that reference landed, you may enjoy this blog post about my tropical studio)… Gemma turned her apartment into a garden nursery and built a e-commerce function into her existing floristry portfolio website. Within a week, she had orders and was an online house plant and plantcare retailer.

Below: my Wedding Bouquet Illustration Service, original bouquet design by Gemma Hales, founder of Iris & Co

Wedding Bouquet Illustration Service

Beyond the Comfot Zone

“I had no idea if it was going to work. I saw people pivoting and I knew people were trying to make their homes a bit brighter and nicer over lockdown. A few plant websites I regularly browse had a lot of out of stocks, so I was aware that people were shopping. However, I didn’t know if they would ever find little old me or be interested in what I was selling.”

“I think the hardest things are getting my head around the technical aspects, building the shop, reading analytics, making changes and using advertising formats I’ve not used before. Also, storage and logistics have been a big learning curve – I didn’t know I’d need so many cardboard boxes in so many sizes!”

“It’s pushed me hugely out of my comfort zone. I still have nervous times where my plants are being delivered and I worry that one might arrive damaged or a pot has cracked during shipping. Thankfully, that doesn’t happen very often at all. I love the instant gratification that comes with the shop as I see orders ping in. With weddings, a lot more time is invested in getting a booking and so receiving “you’ve made a sale” emails speaks to the impatient part of my personality that like to see the success quickly.”

Authentic Alignment

Gemma catapulted herself at the concept of her business pivot, and in doing so, unearthed the solution to a niggle within her business model. I just know that beyond lockdown, she will balance the insane beauty of her wedding floristy with the quick wins of online retailing plants and botanical gifts. In that way, courage as a creative business owner will pay off, and the reward is total authentic alignment.

As for me, did I pull off a genius side-stepping pivot? No. In mid-March, I was quick to pull my daughters out of childcare/school, well ahead of BoJo’s announcements. The length of lockdown was such an unknown entity. I wrote a document I will share a fragment of below. It was called “March / April: What I CAN Do.” I wrote and underlined the following by way of introduction:

Charlotte Argyrou Illustration can continue to:

– inspire others

– grow online

– take bookings from newlyweds

– get educated in online business

Charlotte Argyrou, Botanical Illustrator and Creative Living Blogger

Conclusion

While I may have aspired to the pivot in moments, I now see that document written in March was a manifesto of my intent. I’m proud to say I achieved all those things. I experienced my most financially successful month to date, in June 2020. I nestled into my alignment, and found professional contentment in my work, right where I am. To Jacquie, Dani and Gemma, featured in this blog post, I tip my oversized sunhat to you. As creative business owners, you have defied gravity and I’m grateful for the inspiration, ambition and downright determination you share.

Find Out More

Jacquie owns the White Olive Design Studio, offering chic, understated stationery AND Bailey & Roo, a branding and photography studio | WO Instagram | B&R Instagram

Dani is founder of The Curated Kitchen, offering stylish and delicious grazing tables AND home delivery boxes | Instagram

Gemma is creative director of Iris & Co, event and wedding floristy AND plant and plantcare online retailer | Instagram

Where to now?

Enjoy this blog post? There’s plenty more exploration of creative living, becoming and being a creative business owner, all with a floral flourish here

Find out more About Me

Wedding Bouquet Illustration Service and Botanical Illustration Commissions

love, charlotte

Weave in and out of my illustration business, inspirations and latest collaborations. Join me on instagram, pinterest and facebook.

A big hello to those of you who've found me via Th

Today, I feature on the Boss Your Bridal Brand pod

Instagram post 17998364758623827

My 2023 Floral Dress Report is LIVE on @lovemydres

I finished up client work early on Friday, so had

I skipped Pilates to make this Reel ✌️#botanicalil

The post How to Step Up when the World Locks Down appeared first on Charlotte Argyrou.

The Most Unique Wedding Gift Ideas

Charlotte Argyrou — Wed, 24 Jun 2020 14:03:00 +0000

Unique Wedding Gift Ideas

My Creative Community Shares Inspiration from their Real Life Experience

Introduction

Truly unique wedding gifts are hard to come by. I have experienced a massive discord between the love I feel for my friends and the items on their gift list. Bonded by midnight university cramming sessions + crazy times in university halls = a kettle from John Lewis. It doesn’t sit quite right, does it?

You know you want something super, super special, but in the weeks and months coming up to a wedding sometimes inspiration fails to strike. So, I’ve spoken to some of my creative community to pick their brains on the most unique wedding gift they received.

Commissioned Ceremony Music

by Nat Raybould, Celebrant, Nat Raybould Weds

Humanist wedding celebrant, Natalie Raybould, shares how her friends created, performed and documented a one-off piece of music:

“One of the most special things we were given was a piece of music written specially for our wedding, by the amazing composer and good friend Cheryl Frances-Hoad. I am a singer as well as a celebrant, so meaningful music was a non-negotiable for our ceremony.”

“I asked Cheryl if I could commission her, and she said it would be her gift to us. Although we knew about the composition, we didn’t hear it until the day, so its force and beauty was a surprise. It was a vocal setting of a fragment of an Andrew Motion poem, written for Cheryl herself to play on the ‘cello and my two best singer friends Belinda and Jenny, both sopranos. I couldn’t fully allow myself to wallow in it actually during the ceremony, because I would have become an Alice Cooper impression of melted mascara! Happily it was audio recorded, and we have listened many times in the years afterwards (such a visceral memory!).

“Cheryl also kindly gave us a bound copy of the manuscript, which I do get out and sing through every now and again. The gifts of skill and thought from my friends touched me beyond words, and that still remains one of the vivid highlights of the day.”

My Own Unique Wedding Gift Idea?

The Wedding Bouquet Illustration Service is a unique way to preserve and enhance memories of a wedding day. These bespoke hand-drawings are highly influenced by vintage botanical illustration, but sit beautifully in the contemporary setting of a modern home. Each individual illustration is a modern heirloom, and makes an exceptional wedding gift or one-year paper anniversary gift.

Wedding Bouquet Illustration Service by botanical artist Charlotte Argyrou

Vouchers for an Antique

by Sally Bean, Couturier, Sally Bean Couture

Bridal and occasion wear couturier, Sally Bean, received vouchers from her friends and family to buy a big-ticket antique she’ll treasure for a lifetime:

“Our most treasured gift was vouchers for The Old Cinema – the antique store in Chiswick. We bought a beautiful French Chandelier for our lounge. Every single I switch the light on, I’m reminded it was a fabulously unique wedding gift. Whenever I think about the journey of our lives and our marriage, it’s been hanging there above us.”

The First Dance Music

by Grania O’Brien, Stationer and Calligrapher, Ink and Paper London

Bespoke letterpress stationer and calligraphy queen, Grania O’Brien, is reminded of her magical first dance every single day:

“Our first dance was to New Order’s Ceremony. My Maid of Honour gave me a framed copy of song on 7 inch vinyl, which I have always treasured. It is framed with a dedication to my husband and I. Now, 8 years into our marriage, I may change the frame as our décor has changed. I love that it is a unique wedding gift I can so simply update through the years! I still relive the memory of the first dance whenever I look at the vinyl on the wall.”

The Cultural Celebration

by Gloria Akins, London Wedding Planner, My Wedding Fixer

London wedding planner Gloria Akins’ most unique wedding gift came in the form of a cultural tradition:

“When I got married almost 7 years ago, I had a traditional African wedding ceremony in line with Ghanaian tradition. My husband and his family came bearing gifts for my family and I. The most precious of all was the Kente cloth we received. It is a traditional Ghanaian fabric which is limited to royalty or sacred functions. I love how this truly special gift celebrates our culture.”

Find Out More

Nat Raybould offers colourful contemporary services | Website | Instagram

Sally Bean Couture creates exiquiste dresses of dreams | Website | Instagram

Grania O’Brien of Ink and Paper London (and my personal stationer of choice!) | Website | Instagram

Gloria Akins is your girl for planning affordable stylish weddings | Website | Instagram

With thanks to Mat Smith Photogrpahy and Nigel Chapman Photography

Enjoyed this blog post?

Come and explore more posts about flowery living, creative collaborations and behind-the-scenes of my botanical illustration business

Flroal Dreams and Creative Living Blog

love, charlotte

Weave in and out of my illustration business, inspirations and latest collaborations. Join me on instagram, pinterest and facebook.

A big hello to those of you who've found me via Th

Today, I feature on the Boss Your Bridal Brand pod

Instagram post 17998364758623827

My 2023 Floral Dress Report is LIVE on @lovemydres

I finished up client work early on Friday, so had

I skipped Pilates to make this Reel ✌️#botanicalil

The post The Most Unique Wedding Gift Ideas appeared first on Charlotte Argyrou.