How did you get started in the wedding planning industry, and what inspired you to become a wedding planner?

The journey of my styling and florist business started back in 2004. In 2006, our favourite photographer at the time asked me to be their wedding planner. The original plan was to do their styling, decor and flowers only, but in the end they trusted me to do their wedding planning too. 

At the time I remember being so nervous, but when I heard how they appreciated my hard work, my efforts paid off. Becoming a wedding planner was my next goal after that wedding. I got my certificate to be a qualified wedding planner and completed my Masters in floral design in Holland.

Behind all of this, there is a personal story as to why I chose to be a wedding planner….It was based on my own experience. Back in the day when I got married, I didn’t have the privilege of having a perfect wedding planner. Honestly, my wedding day wasn’t the best.

A lot of disappointment and lack of coordination marked my wedding experience. After that experience I told myself that if one day I choose a new career as a wedding planner, I have to deliver the best service I can. I didn’t want any couple to have the same experience as what I did.  Your wedding is once-in-a-lifetime, it’s important to get that vision right. I want to help make that dream come true for others.

What services are included in your collections, what tasks do you perform to help couples? 

We have 2 different services:

1. Full management services
2. Styling and on-the-day coordination

I am also a qualified floral designer, so when a couple decides to to go with us, they will get the benefit of having an all-inclusive experience which is a huge benefit. They receive one team that is able to perform multiple roles and services. The benefit is you don’t have to pay many different fees and work with multiple service providers.

My approach when planning my client’s wedding is that I put myself in their shoes. I like to think of myself as the bride and ask myself what would I want on my wedding day. If I do this I will deliver something that is different from every other wedding planner or stylist out there because I am flexible.

What advice do you have for couples when choosing a wedding planner? 

To work well with your wedding planner, you should treat them like your best friend. You need to choose a planner that you trust, have faith in and a good bond with. It’s important that you don’t doubt them because if that happens the experience and journey will be difficult for the both of you. 

Anything and everything is possible with regards to a wedding, but without trust I cannot work to the best of my abilities. I can therefore not work with couples that don’t trust me. By working together and having trust, your planner will help you bring your wedding dreams and vision to life. 

How do you ensure that each wedding you plan reflects the couple’s personal style and vision? 

I have my own process and style that starts off with the brainstorming of a design concept. All design concepts are based on an original idea and are drawn with my own hands. To start this process I do have to sit down with my couple to better understand them. Understand their characteristics, what they like, and what they don’t like. This takes a bit of time but is so important to the creative process. After getting to know them my creativity juices get flowing and my brain gets filled with so many ideas. These creative ideas keep coming and just won’t stop. I think this is what makes Art de Fleur different. Every presentation includes my own personal hand drawn designs that are always fresh and unique.

Do you have a favourite wedding style or theme that you particularly enjoy working with?

My style is whimsical, dreamy & sophisticated. I love creating magic (that’s what my couples always comment hahaha). I believe being elegant, sophisticated and timeless will never date. I wish for my couples to look back at their wedding album photos in 10 or 20 years and feel everything is still timeless.

Do you follow trends and do you incorporate them in a concept if it is a couple’s wishes?

With a style that is timeless, elegant and dreamy we generally attract couples that are drawn towards a similar vision. They want a style that will never date. 

Don’t get me wrong, I am aware of trends and I love colour but our signature style is more natural, the colour palette is limited. We can appreciate trends such as the recent one of bright varying colours with a large colour palette but that isn’t something we typically do. We consider trends but will incorporate a couple’s wishes while staying timeless and true to our natural style. 

The monochromatic colour palette of varying shades and hues of one colour will continue to be on trend and an airy design will be a hit. I would describe an airy design that is less bold, more natural with a smaller colour palette of 1 – 2 safe colours that will never date. I believe the bow trend will be coming to an end soon. 

What advice do you typically offer to couples who are just starting the wedding planning process?

Be yourself and make this wedding all about you and your partner, regardless of other peoples opinions. You won’t be able to make other people happy and that’s ok. It’s your wedding, not theirs. 

What should a couple expect during the initial meeting with you?

The initial meeting is a quick brainstorming meeting about what are your expectations and what services we can offer you that are best suited. It’s a meet and greet where we figure out if we are the right fit for one another. The client experience begins once we have confirmed that we are the right fit for one another, ensuring you are happy with our services

How far in advance should a couple book with you?

At least 1 year is the best time to book our service, for a shorter time frame at least 6 months in advance.