Floral Design, From the Experts, Student Ambassador

A Day in the Life of a Floral Designer

Neena McConnell is a QC Event School graduate, Student Ambassador, and professional floral designer. As the proud owner of Wallflower Events & Designs, Neena specializes in event and wedding planning, event decor, floristry, and so much more! Connect with her directly in QC’s Virtual Classroom on Facebook. 

Photo by Heather Doughty Photography.

What is a Floral Designer?

A floral designer creates eye-catching, decorative displays for a variety of special occasions and celebratory events. They do this by using plants, natural materials, and flowers. A floral expert is an individual who has a passion for flowers and a desire to create. They have the artistic ability to create bouquets, arrangements, large displays, and installations. Importantly, they can do all of this while also taking into consideration the colors, materials, shapes, and spaces used in their designs.

Floristry in Event and Wedding Planning

Floral designers can lend their services to a large variety of celebrations. Some of these events include (but are not limited to):

• Weddings;
• Pre-wedding events (i.e. bridal showers and engagement parties);
• Baby showers;
• Birthdays and anniversaries;
• Funerals and celebration of lives;
• Christmas and holiday parties;
• Corporate events;
• And more!

Necessary Skills

There are a great number of skills a floral designer needs to have. Here are some of the most important ones you’ll need to have a good, in order to be successful in the business:

• Sense of style;
• Artistic ability;
• Creativity;
• Excellent customer service skills;
• Determination;
• Organizational skills;
• Time management and multi-tasking skills

Photo by Laura Elizabeth Photography.

The Importance of Floral Design Training

Technically, professional training is not a requirement in order to identify yourself as a floral designer. But that doesn’t mean you shouldn’t still get it! In my professional opinion, professional training is incredibly important to have. To be successful in this particular industry, it’s strongly recommended to have more than just a creative eye and a basic knowledge of flowers.

By being professionally trained in the art of floral design, you’ll gain critical hands-on experience. Moreover, you’ll learn all about the proper handling and care of plants and flowers alike.

Here’s an Inside Tip: Flowers do NOT come from the warehouse ready to use. Floral designers often spend hours unpackaging, cleaning, and cutting each flower stem before they are ready to be used. 

Professional training will better one’s skill set, client reach, reputation, and business. This is because you will learn about design techniques (which are often tricky and complicated) and gain knowledge of how the industry works – before you set foot in a real-life studio. Also, when a potential first client reaches out to you and asks to see your portfolio, you can provide photos of the designs you completed during your training as examples of what they can expect from your work.

With the right education, you’ll also learn the fundamentals of running a business. You’ll discover how to properly price out your materials and designs. These are all VERY important things to know! If you don’t have proper training, you’ll likely wind up spending more, making less money, and working solely on a trial-and-error basis.

QC’s Floral Design Course

I am currently enrolled in QC’s Floral Design Course. My goal is to refresh my skills as a floral professional, as well as to learn something new. Upon graduation, I’ll be lucky enough to add a new certification to my resume and website: QC’s International Floral Design Professional (IFDP) certified designation.

I highly recommend this QC Event School course to any aspiring florist. It offers training in:

• Common arrangements;
• Floral wearables;
• Wedding flowers;
• Starting and marketing your own business;
• And so much more!

This course also offers hands-on experience, from the comfort of your own home. You’ll also be provided with real-life client scenarios that will help you when you branch out into the industry.

Photo by Heather Coughlin of Calluna Studios.

A Day in the Life of a Floral Designer

To be completely honest, there is no such thing as a typical day for me. Every day is different – and they are all equally as exciting!

Typical Tasks

On a moderately busy day, my tasks often include:

• Waking up by 6am;
• Meeting the floral truck at our agreed upon location;
• Arriving back at the studio;
• Spending hours unboxing, cleaning, and preparing the flowers + getting the stems into water;
• Organizing orders;
• The design process itself;
• And calling clients to organize delivery + pickup times

Some days, my time is solely committed to my monthly flower subscriptions. On those days, I might spend the entire day designing and on the phone with clients. If I’m working on a wedding order, I could very well spend 3-5 full days in the studio, designing. It’s not uncommon to find me in my studio at midnight, creating a 20-foot garland or a bridal bouquet. That’s pretty typical in the days leading up to a wedding.

On days where I don’t have any flower orders, I spend my time on the computer building spreadsheets and timelines. Alternately, I’ll be on the phone with my wedding planning clients.

Daily Responsibilities

As a floral designer, there are a lot of regular duties included as part of my job description. Here are just a small handful of these duties:

• Ordering from wholesalers;
• Building relationships with their support staff;
• Proper handling and flower care;
• Designing;
• Keeping up with emails and phone calls;
• Furthering my education and design techniques;
• Washing buckets;
• Prepping vases;
• Forming chicken wire;
• Soaking floral foam;
• And more!

Photo by Heather Coughlin of Calluna Studios.

Why I Enjoy Being a Floral Designer

I enjoy being a floral designer for numerous reasons! For starters, I truly do believe that there is no other career path for me. I love working with my hands; taking something beautiful and designing something extraordinary. Furthermore, I love working with all my clients and bringing their unique visions to life in my designs.

My favorite thing to do as a floral designer is a toss-up between wedding work and flower subscriptions. Wedding work goes on for months at a time; generally beginning in May and lasting until November. Both are extremely rewarding and ultimately provide happiness to my clients and customers. I also enjoy collaborating with other wedding professionals. I try to do this at least once or twice during the spring and winter months.

Thank you all for taking the time to read about a day in the life of a floral designer! If you have any questions, don’t hesitate to reach out in the comments below. I also encourage you to connect with me in QC’s Virtual Classroom on Facebook. I look forward to seeing you there!

Become a certified floral designer in as little as 3-6 months by enrolling in QC’s Floral Design Course today!

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