Kirstie Deane
Which course did you study at Tallulah Rose and when?
I studied the 4 week career course in May 2013
What did you most enjoy about the course?
Walking in to a room full of flowers every morning felt magical to me. I always envy florists who say they grew up around flowers. All four of my grandparents were gardeners but flowers were never really a part of my life before I started the course. Being immersed in a world full of flowers for 4 weeks, learning about them, touching them and designing with them was wonderful.
What was the most important thing that you learnt during your time at school?
The technical aspects of floristry were vital of course, but what I hadn’t expected was the confidence Rachel would instil in me in terms of my ability to go on and start my own business – that was priceless.
What was your first big break?
Everything felt like a big break at first! My first wedding was at Babbington House – a really high-end venue and exactly the kind of venue I wanted to see my flowers in. I was terrified in the run up to the day. Rachel called me a few days before the wedding and gave me lots of reassurance. The day itself was both lovely and exhausting – the staff were wonderful and the bride & groom were thrilled. It felt like a serious baptism of fire but it gave me confidence that I was on the right path.
What are you doing now?
I specialise in weddings; working from a workshop at home and from the kitchen table. I’ve dabbled in bouquet deliveries, which is fun, but I really love the creativity of weddings.
Describe a typical floristry day…
I suppose I have several ‘typical’ days. Sometimes desk (or kitchen table)-based, working on quotes and proposals, working out flower orders or keeping on top of my accounts. Sometimes, getting out and about hunting down vases and vessels or meeting like-minded people from the industry or visiting gardens and local flower growers. Weddings are usually at the weekend, so on weeks when I have a wedding, I’m usually surrounded by flowers from mid-week onwards creating table-centres, buttonholes and bouquets and pleading with the universe to open up my roses so that they look perfect by Saturday!
What’s been your highlight to date?
I’ve loved everything about this journey so far but without doubt the highlight since completing my course has been connecting with some of my floral heroes like Jo Rodwell of Jo Flowers and Suzanne of The Blue Carrot who I now consider Instagram buddies!
What advice would you give to a new student starting out?
If you want to go on to have your own business, don’t underestimate the importance of being business-minded. Since completing my course I’ve had to become a jack of all trades; creating a website, honing my photography skills, managing my accounts, marketing and getting to grips with social media. I love these aspects of owning a business but it’s not for everyone.
Visit Kirstie’s website to read more about her success….rubyandthewolf.com
