Meet Jessie Ogunmade | Florist

We had the good fortune of connecting with Jessie Ogunmade and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Jessie, what are you inspired by?
I’m inspired by nature and art. They can be simple examples that are seen everyday, and they can also be truly extraordinary. The goal is to not take either one for granted, that way inspiration is always near. I’ve found a way to combine the things I love with floral design, in this work I’m forever inspired.

Let’s talk shop? Tell us more about your career, what can you share with our community?
Being a florist is all about creating art with flowers. Art being subject, means every florist has their own style. From the flower choice, to the shape, to the color palette, a lot of thought goes into every arrangement. I’m still fairly new to the industry, but as my portfolio builds I want my floral designs to have a strong well defined style that sets my brand apart.

I create floral arrangements for micro weddings, intimate events, and photo shoots. The nature of this work requires collaboration with others. The opportunities that these collaborations have given me, is what started my business. I’m thankful for the all the event planners, venues, and photographers that have allowed me to practice my passion. This definitely isn’t something that I could’ve jumped into on my own.

I’m constantly learning new techniques, especially when it comes to the mechanics of the arrangements. A challenge that I’ve recently ran into was how to find alternatives to floral foam in arrangements. The foam is used to keep the flowers hydrated, and holds the stems in place. However, this foam contains toxins that are harmful to the environment and to the florist who handles it. I’ve made it my goal to move away from using this tool, and to work on finding more alternatives. I’ve tried the chicken wire technique as well as flower frogs placed in the bottom of the arrangement. These methods help to hold the stems in place without the use of foam. There’s a little bit of a learning curve that comes with using different mechanics, but I’m determined to provide arrangements I can feel good about.

I enjoy all the floral elements that go into a micro wedding or intimate event. Working on a smaller scale allows me to focus on details rather than worrying about quantity. For example, the events that I cater to have a total of about 50 guests. These events may seem small, but there’s plenty of room for focal point floral installations, and tables lined with centerpieces. Flowers can elevate any micro wedding or intimate event and make it feel luxurious without being superfluous.

Photo shoots are another great time to add flowers! There’s so many different creative directions you can go during a photography session whenever fresh floral props are available. I love working on projects like this, the content that comes out of it is always amazing. I see this used in personal brand photography, portraits, and maternity shoots to name a few.

This year my goal is to reduce my use of floral foam, and to add in more locally sourced flowers. I’m going to try to grow a few cut flower varieties on my own. I’ll also be looking into sourcing from local flower farms and small growers in addition to using wholesale suppliers. My hope is that these changes will actually reduce supply costs, and make my products more affordable for the customer. I want to create floral art that can be shared and enjoyed by others.

Any places to eat or things to do that you can share with our readers? If they have a friend visiting town, what are some spots they could take them to?
I love being outdoors, so an itinerary from me is going to be full of all my favorite parks and nature spots. Starting near the heart of Dallas, there’s a special hidden gem of a park tucked away in a Highland Park neighborhood. It’s called Davis Park, and it truly feels like a little secret garden. Not too far from there, is Katy Trail, a Dallas staple. When I need even more open air, I head to White Rock Lake. This place is probably my favorite on the list, the view speaks for itself. Now that my family and I have moved out of Dallas proper, and to the North Texas suburbs I have a new list of favorite spots in this area as well. Towne Lake in McKinney has so much to offer, its a great place to bring kids or to take pictures. Arbor Hills Nature Preserve is quite an interesting place to visit too. It has a large beautiful creek, and many different trail options. All of these places are an inspiration to any nature lover. I always leave these places with my head a little clearer, and my heart feeling lighter.

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
I would like to shoutout my two sister-in-law’s Kofo and Damola. They got into event planning around the same time I took interest in floristry. They allowed me practice at their events, and even gave me my first wedding floral project. I love getting to collaborate with their event business, Morola Events.

An unexpected, but ever present support to my business has been venue owner and photographer Stephanie Williams. I met Stephanie when I installed my first large floral arrangement at her venue, The Space on West Main. Since then she has continued to show me support, and encouragement.

Instagram: @yellowflowercreative

Image Credits
Samantha Paige Photos, Katie Liz Photos, Arc Creative Co, Stephanie Williams