My first design class in Atlanta felt like a huge success, and I hope my students thought so as well. I was so honored to be at Laura Iarocci’s new Faith Flowers School in Atlanta. I can’t believe I was chosen to teach in this amazing new school and I am so honored that students traveled from Kentucky, Ohio, North Carolina, South Carolina, and Tennessee to visit with me in Atlanta. Our wedding workshop class sold out in just two weeks. I am truly humbled and pleased that other designers are actually following this blog and me. Thankful beyond anything I can ever explain.

Our class began with a tour of Cut Flower Wholesaler. Many thanks to mark who lead our tour. I was very impressed with the process at this wholesale house and the extra lengths that are taken to ensure a super fresh product. Instead of having boxes stacked on the floors in the cooler, Cut Flower Wholesalers places the boxes on racks so that cool air can circle around each box. Some wholesalers simply stack the flower boxes, this concept make a lot of sense. Flowers also come directly off a refrigerated truck and go straight into the cooler.

Cut Flower Wholesale sorts their flowers by color making it easier for designers when they come to buy. This was really helpful.

The finest of everything was available. I loved the ranunculus and peony selection. I almost died and went to heaven right in the cooler.

Pepper berry, and ilex berry were the first of the Christmas berries to arrive at the market.

This variety of pin cushions had me swooning in the tropical cooler.

Here is designer Peggy Sherwood checking out a huge stem from a banana tree. Peggy and her son Hunter came from Kentucky to design with me and I was so honored to finally meet them. Peggy has been a great cheer leader on my blog.

Our trip to Cut Flower Wholesaler was amazing. FYI designers, Cut Flower Wholesalers ships product to surrounding areas so please keep them in mind when you are doing your flower orders. Also the Cut Flower Wholesaler website features you tube videos and an extensive flower image gallery.

When we had completed our flower tour we headed back to Laura’s beautiful new flower school. I spent time with the students discussing some of my philosophies and beliefs and we looked at images of my work. Students even got a sneak peak of Alex and Mallary’s wedding.

Next we discussed the table scape I created. We talked about the linen, the vases and my favorite parts of the design.

Next I focused on how I design the bridal bouquet, I shared some of my personal secrets and I hope this will be of help to the designers. I love the picture above because it looks like the bouquet is spinning out of control. We found its very hard to photograph a person in constant motion!!!

When the bouquet was complete everyone wanted to take a picture with the bouquet. This of course made me very proud!!!

I think after bouquet making and before hair pieces we stopped for a very lovely lunch but the eating part was a bit of a blur. The day seemed to race by and I felt as if I could stay with the students all day.

During the day I also discussed bouts, and corsages and I created a centerpiece for the class as well.

Here is a pretty up close shot of the bouquet.

Many thanks to Laura for hosting me as a teacher at Faith Flowers. Spending time with Laura was amazing and it reminded me of our time together in Europe. Remember I went to Europe with Faith Flowers, so if you are interested in studying floral design abroad please go with Laura.  I am grateful to all of the students that signed up for the class. It was a very important day for me and an important part of the future of our studio. I would also like to personally thank Peggy and Hunter Sherwood, Anna Stouffer from Urban Petals, Katie Pollard from Color My World, Eatherly from Floressence and Paula for being such big fans of the blog and traveling to see me in Atlanta. I also must mention the amazing Abbey glass. Abbey is with me in the last picture. Abbey is working with Laura at the flower school but she is also an accomplished fashion designer and I know she is going to be famous some day. Check out Abbey’s work here.  Abbey and I have something fun brewing so watch out world!!