Check out the wedding showcase at Bromley Court on 14th May
The Bromley Court Hotel is hosting a wedding showcase event on Sunday 14th May, 2023,...
Five minutes with... Kent wedding floral designer, Jo Moody of Moody Blooms
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| Credit: www.kayyoungphotography.com |
This issue we caught up with the lovely Jo Moody of Kent-based Moody Blooms. Read the interview in it's entirity here.
How did you get into floristry?
The family business is floristry, so maybe it’s a family thing. My Nan was the original trail blazer and learnt her trade as a GI Bride after the second world war in the USA before returning to England.
After completing my degree and completing my dissertation on the worldwide floriculture market, I took professional floristry courses at Reaseheath Agricultural College in Cheshire. I opened my own floristry shop, Moody Blooms at the age of 23 in my hometown of Stoke. Although the family business was floristry, I really felt it important that I do things my way. I loved discovering new varieties of flowers, amazed at the beauty of nature and inspired by floral designers all over the world.
I moved to Kent after meeting my now husband and have continued to work within the floral industry. I have worked as a designer for major retailers in the UK and as a consultant for floral start up projects in different countries as well as teaching floristry here in the UK. Flowers, floriculture and the communities that it supports is a subject that I am hugely passionate about and I love where my career has taken me.
Describe your floral design style for us
My signature style is soft and full of interesting textures. Foliage, seed-heads, seasonal and scented flowers are a favourite and my personal preference is for a natural look that is wild but elegant too.
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| Credit: www.kayyoungphotography.com |
What is the best wedding flower and why?
The best wedding flower is really the one that you love the most! Understanding seasonality is really important if you have your heart set on a certain flower. If there’s a flower that you love, find out when it’s readily available and set your date accordingly.
It’s also important that the wedding flowers that you choose will last the day. Certain flowers are what we term as “soft” so discuss the suitability of anything that you plan to use with your florist.
I love being able to use British grown as much as possible. However, it’s also very important to understand that sustainability is also about supporting developing countries who rely on flower sales for their livelihoods. Controversial, but please don’t discount imported flowers.
Within your wedding flowers I will tend to focus on one particular flower variety as the star of the show and then use other flowers and foliage to add interest.
Blousy Ranunculus, Anenomes, Narcissi and tulips are fabulous for a winter or early spring wedding, Peonies will steal everyone’s heart come May and June, a ruffled sweet pea, garden roses rich with texture and scent are always elegant and give great impact. Dahlias are sublime and come in many colours and textures. Late summer and autumn see foliage along with seed-heads and berries come into their own. Dried flowers are also a great way to add texture and a hint of something different if you like the prairie vibe.
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| Credit: www.kayyoungphotography.com |
Why do you love working with weddings?
I adore working with wedding couples. It’s super personal, always different, all about the detail and a wonderful journey that I’m very lucky to be a part of. It’s amazing on the day to see everything come together and handing over the bouquet is always such a treat for me. At the end of the day, I’m just a huge romantic!
What would your dream bouquet look like?
Natural, loose, lots of foliage, full of textures and slightly asymmetric in shape. Seasonal, British grown cottage garden type flowers are my absolute favourites. Think Peonies, Ranuncuus, Anenomes, Sweet Peas, show off Dahlias along with David Austin garden roses, herbs and a trail of sweet -scented jasmine or honeysuckle. Basically, everything I have in my garden!
How are you coping with lockdown?
It’s been incredibly hard not being able to see family or friends so keeping busy and active at home has been incredibly important for our wellbeing.
Lots of gardening, growing vegetables and flowers, yoga, a virtual book club with friends, daily telephone calls with my parents and baking! I love baking, it’s my go to stress buster.
As a mum to two daughters aged 7 and 11, home-schooling has also been a big part of our day to day routine. We’ve enjoyed lots of walks and bike rides as a family which have been a great way at boosting our mood.
Find out more at www.moody-blooms.co.uk
