Build Confidence in Large Scale Design with The Floral Coach® and Sweet Root Village
Join us for an immersive three-day workshop designed to empower you with the knowledge, skills, and confidence needed to create stunning installations that leave a lasting impression.
Created for beginners to intermediate designers, this workshop is your opportunity to glean years of industry expertise condensed into three action packed days. Plan to explore and experience innovative mechanics and techniques, be challenged to grow in your design skills and collaborate and connect with fellow florists in a meaningful, small group format.
Dates:
Wednesday, July 24 through Friday, July 26, 2024
Location:
The workshop will take place in Sweet Root Village’s warehouse studio space in Alexandria, VA.
This workshop is designed for florists with 1-2+ years of floral experience. If you are a beginner who may feel intimidated by installation work or an experienced designer who desperately needs some inspiration to breathe into their floral work again, this workshop is made for you! From grid panels to airline cables, we are pulling out ALL the tricks and tools (literally!). You will leave feeling inspired and equipped to tackle any design challenge.
Over three dynamic days, you'll dive into a comprehensive curriculum that covers everything from concept to execution. Learn how to navigate client conversations, conceptualize install ideas, navigate challenging design scenarios, choose the right ingredients, and price your work effectively.
Explore dozens of mechanics, innovative techniques, and essential design principles that form the foundation of any successful installation. You'll end the workshop with time to apply all you have learned by creating your very own installation and we’ll be there to guide you through all the steps, ensuring your success! We will curate a beautiful selection of our favorite flowers and foliages for you to work with and, of course, all the materials the Sweet Root Village studio has to offer!
Large group installation workshops can sometimes be overwhelming and it can be a struggle to create a cohesive vision with too many "cooks in the kitchen." For many years, we have heard from designers all over the country that this “group project” format can be frustrating and result in lack of real experience and training.
In creating this installation focused workshop, we have thoughtfully crafted an experience for designers that will allow individual time to deep dive on this highly valuable floral skill. We have intentionally limited the seats to only 9 spaces so the designers who invest in their education with us, get the personalized attention, guidance and support they desire as they learn important skills and take on new challenges in their design work. We hope you will enjoy this intimate sized group and can’t wait to welcome you!
Sweet Root Village is an event floral design studio based in Alexandria, Virginia owned by Lauren Anderson and Rachel Bridgwood. Sweet Root is known for large installations, sharing openly about floral business, and creating a family friendly work environment for their team. Over the past 13 years, they have grown to an in-house team of eight who lead over 80 weddings and events a year, and have been featured in Martha Stewart, Modern Luxury, Once Wed, Brides, and dozens of wedding and event publications.
Amy Balsters is a classically trained, award winning floral design educator with vast industry experience spanning two decades in retail floristry, weddings and special events. She has taught all over the U.S. and has trained thousands of florists how to design more confidently and efficiently using professional design techniques through online courses, in person workshops and a national design tour in 2023 with Mayesh Wholesale. Amy has won multiple design awards including “Mastery in Principles of Design” chosen by the Senior Style Editor of Martha Stewart, Mayesh Design Star, “20 Florists to Follow on IG” by Design Sponge, Designer of the Year by Team Flower and many more. Her work has been featured and published in major national and international wedding publications including Martha Stewart Weddings, Once Wed, Florists Review and many more.
Price $4,250
[ Only Nine Seats Available! ]
Price does not include travel or accommodations
Three day workshop with intimate 3:1 student to teacher ratio
Comprehensive presentations and guided discussions
Hands-on demonstrations of mechanics, techniques and design
Access to a wide range of tools, mechanics, and materials to utilize
A curated selection of our favorite installation-ready flowers / foliages
Design with Sweet Root Village’s silk and dried floral inventory
Individual hands-on design project with personalized guidance and honest feedback
Meaningful connection with fellow designers of all levels
Hearty breakfast, lunch, snacks, and beverages throughout each day
Group welcome dinner at a local restaurant on the first night
Two post workshop 90 minute virtual group mentoring calls with Sweet Root Village and Amy Balsters along with fellow attendees.
Surprise gifts!
The Workshop: Pricing and Design (Digital Course $397 Value)
Color Theory Confidence plus Bonuses (Digital Course $347 Value)
Downloadable Digital Guides: Floral Event Tool Kit, Design a Large Hanging Wreath, Behind the Scenes: Peony Installation, Custom Metal Tree Frame, Event Florist Production Week ($229 Value)
Wednesday, July 24, 2024 9:30am-4:30pm
Breakfast, lunch, snacks and beverages will be provided.
Private group dinner included at 6:00pm at a local restaurant.
Successful installations are ALL about mechanics so we will be kicking off the workshop with a massive installation show and tell! We will introduce all of our go-to mechanics and tools that are tried and tested and you will get hands-on time to practice so you can utilize these in your work when you get back home! Next, we pull back the curtain on just how installs are made and will showcase a multitude of installs from floor to ceiling, showing you the detailed mechanics of each one and explaining the design concept and approach for each install. You will gain incredibly valuable insights on how mechanics can be adjusted or customized for any type of install and learn our secrets to building beautiful, unique designs. We will finish the day with a group welcome dinner to network and get to know each other more!
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Thursday, July 25, 2024 9:30am- 4:30pm
Breakfast, lunch, snacks and beverages will be provided.
Dinner on your own or with fellow attendees.
On day two of our time together, we will dive deep into the step by step of all things installations from beginning to end. We will guide you through our full process of conceptualizing an install, using color and design theory to create dynamic designs, selling and pitching to a client, pricing installations for profitability, risk assessment/safety, ordering/material selection, labor/production tips, transporting designs and installing/executing your designs onsite. You will engage in interactive group discussions and problem-solving exercises, using real-world scenarios to hone your skills and creativity. Apply your newfound knowledge by conceptualizing your own installation under the guidance of Rachel, Lauren, Amy and the Sweet Root Village Team! We will discuss your gameplan, offer advice, provide feedback and support you each step of the way. We will finish the day by preparing mechanics, choose floral ingredients and finalize any details for our big design day ahead!
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Friday, July 26, 2024 9:30am-3:00pm
Breakfast, lunch, snacks and beverages will be provided.
On our final day together, you will execute your design from beginning to end! You will have access to beautifully curated flowers, textures and greenery along with silk products and the full Sweet Root Village inventory! Lauren, Rachel and Amy, along with the Sweet Root Village team, will offer support, advice and design guidance as you work through challenges, push yourself, and create something beautiful and well constructed! We will finish the day with group discussion and feedback as an opportunity to learn from each other and snap photos of your finished work. The workshop will wrap mid afternoon to allow you to travel back home more easily. One month and two month post workshop group calls will be scheduled so we can touch base and offer any other guidance and support!
** Disclaimer: Workshop format and schedule subject to change based on participant feedback and logistical considerations.
This workshop is ideal for those with at least some floral business and design experience, but want to build confidence in larger scale designs and installations. If you’re more experienced, but want to take your installations to the next level, this is a wonderful opportunity to challenge yourself and elevate your current offerings.
Yes! You will have a choice to pay in full or choose a payment plan when you checkout!
Just yourself! We will provide everything you need for this unique experience. The tools, equipment, supplies, etc. we got you covered!
Due to the very small group size of this workshop, refunds are not available so please confirm your availability before purchasing your seat. Tickets are transferable to another attendee if for some reason, the ticket holder may not be able to attend.
We will do our best to accommodate any dietary restrictions but please get in touch with us if you have specific requirements!
See above information for a sample itinerary! But in short, the goal of this unique workshop is to take a small group of floral designers through a deep dive of floral installations.You can expect all of these areas to be touched on and more! From comprehensive mechanics, to conceptualizing designs, using color and design theory, selling a vision to a client, pricing out an install, ordering and sourcing materials, building the install, packing and transporting and executing the design on site.
Within the first ten minutes of the workshop I felt that flying from Florida to Virginia and investing in this workshop was was already worth it. The information Amy, Rachel and Lauren shared was full of incredible skills and knowledge that I couldn't wait to implement in my business. I appreciated that they didn't fill the hours of the workshop with fluff. I didn't feel like they held back, something I see so often in the wedding education market. They were vulnerable about sharing what they have learned along the way and were completely approachable throughout the workshop. I felt comfortable asking them the hard questions and appreciated their enthusiasm in helping me and the other attendees. I would highly recommend attending their workshop as a great investment in your business and yourself.
Amy, Rachel & Lauren were a joy to meet and learn from! I was lucky to have met Amy at a workshop years ago as a fellow attendee and she shared some words with me that never left - I needed to be kinder to myself and she had no idea the impact of that comment and how it would shape me going forward. I was also lucky to have experienced Sweet Root through their mentoring program and it reinforced what I subconciously already knew but needed to be reminded of! After several years in the business I needed some time away. As floral designers we tend to be so detail oriented that often the bigger picture can be harder to see. Their workshop allowed me to step back and visualize the bigger picture. Thanks to a local grant I was able to take an employee with me so she could soak in the knowledge and get some hands on critique from someone either than me! It was invaluable to have that chance to learn in an open and honest setting. Having attended a number of workshops and online learning, I found this workshop to be a great value and I made some great flower friends! Thank you ladies for your guidance and unending dedication to your craft.