BALTIMORE | 132 | WEDDINGS
Before moving to Baltimore from the
Midwest, I had done a few DIY weddings
for friends. In other words, I was well-
versed in optimistically combing through
Pinterest, fawning over lush bouquets with
captivatingly full blooms that seemed to
dance and sing before my eyes—only to
end up with bouquets that were pretty, but
lacked the voice, movement, and personal-
ity that I saw online.
My first day on the job I attended a
workshop Mary Ellen guest taught for
aspiring floral designers. I heard familiar
words from my college art classes: form,
nuance, color palette, negative space. AThe heart, art, and hard work behind wedding flowers.
Lifting the Veil on
the Floral Industry
ESSAYUNVEILEDBY CIARA HARRISON | PHOTOGRAPH BY L.A. BIRDIE PHOTOGRAPHYI’d like to see the studio before I accepted.
I was taking a gamble, leaving a full-time
job that paid my bills to work a part-time
job that engaged my creativity. My new
duties included processing flowers, wash-
ing out buckets, cleaning candle holders
and vases, pre-wedding prep, and weekend
set-up and tear down. There would also be
the chance to design my own florals as my
skills increased. Something about the way
Mary Ellen put words to what motivated
her business shed light on an inclination
toward floral design that had been hidden
in my heart since I was a teen. I decided it
was worth the risk and accepted the job.O
ne day last spring, I found my-
self sitting in a studio on the first
floor of the Cork Factory building. I was
nervous. Loosely strung bistro lights cast a
soft glow about the space, and a menagerie
of lanterns, votives, and urns lined the
walls. There was painted brick, concrete
floors, and tall windows. It was utopian
and utilitarian all at once, and I liked it.
Before me sat Mary Ellen LaFreniere,
the founder of Steelcut Flower Co. I had
responded to an Instagram post of hers
looking for a studio assistant, and after a
few email interactions and a phone inter-
view, she offered me the job and asked if