Florist - Jodi Kennedy
- Business: Wild Blossom Design
- Location: Anchorage, Alaska AK
- Experience: 25 Years
- Profile: Wild Blossom Design
- Website: www.wildblossomdesign.com
1. Introduction: What's your story?
Hi there, I'm Jodi Kennedy, owner and lead designer at Wild Blossom Design in Anchorage, Alaska. I've been creating with flowers since 1998 in well known Alaskan flower shops and I'm thrilled to be working from my home studio now! Working from home allows me to focus more on the needs of each couple I work with and to sometimes even include flowers from my Alaskan cutting garden like forget me not, peonies and flowering vines.
I love creating with flowers but also really enjoy the initial consult with couples when we come up with the plan for flowers. Every couple is unique and so is their vision for a wedding. This consultation is relaxed, over the phone, and will give you all the ideas and answers you've been looking for!
Because floral design is my career, I have taken a ton of classes and have a Certificate of Floral Design from AIFD, the American Institute of Floral Designers. In 2022 I took an intensive, timed, floral design test with AIFD and received scores high enough to be invited to be a member of their international Institute. It was sort of like those cooking competitions you see on t.v. but the room was filled with more than 100 floral designers from around the world! We were all given a surprise assignment to create five designs while the clock ticked down over four hours - it was exciting!
My special design training does not mean that Wild Blossom Design is over priced. My goal is to work with each couple and come up with a plan to meet their flower budget. My training means that you will get the most beautiful flowers available in the most trendy designs possible. For instance, we have a super popular 8' round Moon Arbor available for rent as well as fun new designs like flower tattoos, flower earrings and pocket boutonnieres.
No matter which floral shop you choose, make sure you love their portfolio and that you feel relaxed and confident after visiting with them about your wedding flowers. Best wishes for a beautiful wedding!
2. What's your experience as a wedding florist business? How many weddings are in there in your portfolio?
Although I have been a floral designer since 1998 creating birthday, holiday and sympathy arrangements, my specialty has always been wedding flowers. Working on wedding flowers is demanding, detailed work, and preforming well under pressure is a skill you must have. Because of this, not all floral designers choose to work on weddings. My passion for floral design was always rooted in weddings because I love being a part of such a special day for every couple. Visiting with engaged couples and helping them create a beautiful wedding is such an honor!
At the largest shop I worked at, I sometimes did three and four weddings a week, sometimes creating thirty or forty weddings a year. Since starting my home business I have been able to bring that number down to just two weddings a week during the summer months. If I had to guess, I would say I've created more than 300 wedding collections? This includes full service weddings with onsite set up, elopement sets and smaller weddings that are picked up at the design studio.
3. How far in advance do couples need to secure your services?
I recommend booking as soon as you have your wedding venue and date secured. Popular wedding dates often book up with florists as much as a year out. Even if you don't have all the attendant and table numbers or your color choices decided, book with your favorite florist so they can hold your date on their calendar. That being said, we can sometimes accommodate last minute weddings within the same month.
4. How do you price your floral arrangements? What are the different packages that you offer and which one is your most popular package?
Wild Blossom Design will create fresh flowers made especially for each couple. Your collection is unique to you and your vision for your wedding. You can have a two piece set in pastel colors that you pick up at our studio, or a brightly colored, fifty-five piece collection including full service, on location set up; it's up to you!
If you think you would prefer a package it may just be that you don't know all the different flower arrangements that are available. An experienced floral designer will guide you through the process and recommend all the arrangements that will make the day beautiful. If a flower shop offers packages you run the risk of paying for things you don't need or want and missing out on special items like memory bouquets and trendy bridal bouquet details like silk streamers.
5. How many meetings will you have with the couple, and how will they be involved?
Most couples just need the initial, in depth consultation and then a follow up phone appointment two months before the wedding. On site consults are also recommended if the wedding requires a floral designer for the wedding set up.
6. Who else is in your team and how many people on your staff will be at the wedding?
We have a three person team including myself, my grown daughter and a good friend who's been designing way longer than I have! If we need more hands for a wedding set up I can call on several of my daughter's twenty- something friends to help.
7. How would you describe your design style? (e.g. traditional, modern, rustic, organic)
Because I'm highly trained, I will adapt my design style to meet the vision of the couple I am working with. Whether they want the super trendy, messy garden style that is popular right now, a traditionally shaped and smooth look or a high style tropical mix, I can adapt to fit the vision. It's part of my consultation to ask the right questions and figure out what a client likes down to the last detail of an inspiration photo including size, texture, color mix and finishing details. Sometimes there are things in an inspiration photo a client doesn't like; it's my job to find out.
8. Who will handle setup and delivery? What other services do you offer?
Set up and delivery are decided on a case by case basis, but I love to be there so I can get behind the scenes photos for our portfolio.
In addition to on site set up, couples are able to pick up their flower collection from our studio at no charge. We also offer bulk flowers for DIY Brides that want to create their own centerpieces. We can even send arbor flowers with instructions on how to hang them for destination weddings on the Kenai Peninsula.
9. What happens to the flowers after the wedding?
The flowers are yours to keep. I recommend that you have the DJ announce that guests should take their table arrangements home at the end of the night. Or you can make a party game of it and one lucky person at each table will have a ticket under their place setting and can take the flowers home.
10. What is your cancellation and/or refund policy?
Cancellations are fine up to one month before the wedding but the deposit is non-refundable. There can be no cancellations during the four weeks prior to the wedding.
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