Around the Studio

5/26/2016

Nicole Hoefer Photography

You want the honest truth about floral design? Behind the scenes, it's not so glamorous. The work starts before the rooster is even dreeeaming about crowing. It involves doing things with your hands that leave them cracked, and when the chlorophyll in the plants gets in those cracks, as it inevitably will, you're left with hands so stained, even the most vigorous esthetician cannot remove them (I discovered this during one "recovery" manicure where the poor gal threw her hands up in the air and said, "there's nothing else I can do..." and shoved off, rolling away on her little salon stool in exasperation).

The reason I need you to know that it's not so pretty behind the scenes, is that my photographer friend, Nicole Hoefer, sure made it look dreamy when she popped by to capture us getting ready for a wedding here at the studio. We look so calm and collected, you can almost hear Ingrid Michaelson playing in the background.

Out of our social media-crazed ways, has sprung a new crop of identity issues and emotional pressures. We focus on showing our best side to the world, and we can Photoshop, crop and filter away the reality we truly live in, leaving others aiming for living our life, instead of their own. We all know there is more messy, ugly and difficult behind the scenes than we are willing to admit, so in the spirit of being real: I do love my work, and these beautiful shots Nicole captured show the joyous side of it. However, the truth is that it is hard. It is dirty. It is stressful. Things go wrong. The studio gets so, so messy while we prepare for an event, and it can take days to get everything cleaned and back in it's place. And a white shirt getting ready for a wedding? Not a chance. But I knew she was coming so I brought a change of clothes from my usual black yoga pants and hideous orthopedic shoes. ; )