FlowersFlowers is honored to have had the opportunity to interview Carolyn Shepard from Carolyn Shepard Design Group, the premier floral event and design company, based in beautiful Charlotte, North Carolina. Carolyn has extensive experience in the field, working with nationally recognized event planners, traveling and working both nationally and internationally, as well as heading up her event company.
FF: Ms. Shepard, how long have you been in the wedding and event design business, and how did you get started?
CS: 28 years ago, I was dating this guy, and his parents owned a flower shop. They needed a designer, and I had been to school for interior design, so they taught me rock solid mechanics, and a career was born.
FF: What is your favorite part of the process of creating the design for a wedding?
CS: Easy! Creating the color palette for the client!
FF: The least favorite?
CS: When the client brings too many opinionated, negative family members or friends. I want to hear what SHE likes!!!
FF: Particularly since you’re originally from the Midwest, do you think that there’s a difference in wedding and floral design in the South vs. Midwest?
CS: Absolutely. I think Southern designs are different than the entire rest of the US! Southern work has and will always have a lush, relaxed feel. Other parts of the US generally are a bit more ‘stiff’, for lack of a better word. I feel that your work looks lush and textural and Southern. Maybe like me, you should move here! 🙂
FF: Thanks! I’ll be staying in Chicago, for now! 🙂 What is the most significant change you’ve seen in weddings over the last 10 to 15 years?
CS: Two things; one good, and one bad. The good: Martha Stewart’s influence on brides and the general public awareness of flowers. It was, and continues to be, HUGE. The bad: The troubling and most unfortunate anti-‘brick and mortar’ sentiment combined with the DIY (do-it-yourself) fad.
FF: Do you have a favorite wedding bouquet that you’ve designed?
CS: Hmmmm, too many to even consider as my favorite. If I had to pick the ONE, it would probably have been the one I made in Abilene, TX about 15 years ago. They handed me 2 or 3 coffee cans FULL of lily of the valley, and said, “Here you go, make her a bouquet, will ya?”. How could it NOT be amazing? It was yummy! I can’t take credit for ‘designing it’. The product did the work, not me.
FF: Yes, we do get to work with a beautiful product. Thank you, Carolyn!
Carolyn and more info about Carolyn Shepard Design is at info@carolynshepard.com, www.carolynshepard.com, 704.523.5237
Loved reading this conversation between two of my favorite floral designers! I’d like to hear more!
Noreen, yes, and it was great to learn more about Carolyn! Not much more to share at this point, but maybe with a follow up interview? 🙂
Nice interview!
Thanks, Adizat!