A Moment With Raising Flowers

We talk flowers with Queensland Florist and Floral Designer, Raising Flowers

Having grown up surrounded by blooms and flora, Samara Smith, is in her element as the Owner and Lead Floral Designer at Queensland florist Raising Flowers.

In fact, you only need a peek inside her spectacular Flagstone-based florist store — which provides flowers to the Sunshine Coast, Toowoomba, Brisbane, the Gold Coast and Byron Bay — to get the feeling it’s a place created with passion. Full to overflowing with stunning floral bouquets, fresh foliage, quirky gifts and pretty pots, it’s a haven of colour and creativity.

ABIA sat down with Samara, to chat flowers, wedding bouquets and childhood inspiration.

Photo courtesy of Raising Flowers

How did you get started in the industry?

I grew up around flowers — as a child, my backyard was filled with my Dad’s 400 orchids and all sorts of amazing flora. I've got a degree in Communications, but I struggled with the idea of returning to a desk job after maternity leave. I’ve always had a keen eye for design and detail, so I decided to start Raising Flowers. And it completely took off!

It's amazing to discover that something wonderful was inside me from such a young age, and to be a creator everyday has been such a gift!

Photo courtesy of Raising Flowers

Can you tell us a little about your business and services?

We are a florist specialising in bespoke floral design, our aesthetic being ‘wild and intimate’. We love working with colour to bring out depth and texture.

Where are you based and what locations do you service?

Raising Flowers is based in Queensland’s Scenic Rim. Our store is in Jimboomba (Flagstone) and we also manage online orders from a Yarrabilba location, so we provide flowers from the Sunshine Coast, to Toowoomba, Brisbane, the Gold Coast and all the way down to Byron Bay.

Photo courtesy of Raising Flowers

At what stage of the planning process should couples start to think about florists and flowers? How far in advance should they book?

We typically recommend couples book 8-10 months in advance.

What should couples consider when discussing their wedding floral needs?

Definitely budgets — we work with our couples on budgets first. Then we go from there. We show them what they can achieve with their budget and let them know if something is too far out of reach for their price range. We also discuss ways to utilise their budget to its maximum potential.

Seasonal availability is also important to consider — we let all couples know that we work off colour palettes and can't ever promise a certain flower. We do everything we can to meet our couples’ needs, but we also feel it’s important to be honest — sometimes, due to unpredictable events, like fires, floods or import restrictions, certain flowers just aren't available, and we like to be upfront about that.

Photo courtesy of Raising Flowers

What recommendations do you have for couples choosing their colour palette?

Think about the overall atmosphere you're trying to create. And ask yourself a few questions to get started. What colour are the bridesmaids wearing? What's your favourite colour?

Photo courtesy of Raising Flowers

What are some creative ideas for floral designs at the wedding ceremony?

I don’t think you can go wrong with deconstructed /asymmetrical arbours. I also love using an arbour, or aisle flowers, for the reception area too — once the ceremony is finished, our team can move these down to reception to ensure couples make the most of their arrangements.

Photo courtesy of Raising Flowers<

What are the most popular floral packages you offer?

We do a package of five bouquets, five buttonholes and a medium arbour that’s probably our most popular wedding option. Couples often also like to upgrade this package to a large arbour, with 12 aisle arrangements (all of which we can move to the reception).

Sometimes couples just want bouquets or buttonholes though, and we love supplying those too.

Photo courtesy of Raising Flowers

Do you have any favourite wedding venues in your local area, or that you have serviced?

Cowbell Creek is a particular favourite. We also love all of the Toowoomba venues, and Cedar Creek Falls on Mount Tamborine.

What are some Floral Trends to look out for?

Foliage is the new rose! Couples are loving all kinds of foliage at the moment, and we’re looking forward to seeing more of that.

Photo courtesy of Raising Flowers

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