MEET FLORAL DESIGNER JESSICA DE CORSE OF ELLAMAH

TBC:  What’s a typical day like for you? 

Jessica:   My days vary, since I balance being a florist and working an office job. There are days when I am hitting the flower mart between 3:30 am to 4:00 am to pick up flowers and condition them before I head out to my office job a few hours later. Then I come home and design. There is also the usual administrative and other tasks that come with this business.

Jessica:  Colorful, textural, and with some movement. I like treating flowers like singles and I’m some matchmaker.
 
TBC:  To date, what has been the highlight of your career? 

Jessica:  I’m still early in my career but a few highlights so far have been meeting designers whose work I’ve admired from afar and seeing my work getting some love from my peers.

Jessica:  I feel like I am in no position to answer this—being an upcoming florist myself—but there are a few things that come to mind: 

(1) Make friends with your floral peers. I know it sounds counter-intuitive to befriend your “competition” but truth is you are not going to work every wedding nor should you ever want to. The friendships I’ve made in the industry have only helped me grow and become a better person and designer. The more we realize that this isn’t a zero-sum game the more our industry will evolve to become an even better one.  

(2) Get over yourself. This is a job that involved manual labor. If you think you’re above cleaning buckets, breaking down boxes, etc., then this business is not for you. It’s often dirty and always tiring, there’s no way to sugar coat this.  

(3) Learn how to take pictures of your own work. It’s a great learning tool to review your work later with a fresh set of eyes. It also doesn’t hurt having great pictures for your portfolio. 

(4) Finally: practice, practice, fail, practice some more, be triumphant, and then get back to practicing. Practice is the key to finding your voice, which is ultimately your style. And now I’m sounding like a motivational speaker—but it’s the truth. 

Jessica:  I don’t really have a ritual, as you describe it. But I do feel that I work best when my workspace is organized, I’m relaxed and I’m alone. Good music and wine don’t hurt either. 

TBC:  What’s your favorite part about weddings when it comes to the florals? 

Jessica:   That’s such a tough question because with flowers anything could make the event, but I tend to focus on centerpieces. After all, it’s the one thing that will be around the longest during the event so their presence I feel tends to set the mood.

Jessica:  Once upon a time I wanted to be a Foreign Service Officer and if it were possible for me to do so I would totally go back to school and get my Master’s, study for the lengthy exam and hope I get selected. It’s the perfect combination of politics, culture, history and travel throw in for good measure—and quite a challenging career!

TBC:  Finish this statement:  A bride’s bouquet should reflect…… 

Jessica:  Her personal taste and style, because there is no other time in her life she will hold a bouquet of flowers and not get the side eye. So she better own it.

TBC:  Do you prefer tea or coffee? 

Jessica:  Both!  Tea for comfort and relaxation and coffee for a jump. 

TBC:  Do you prefer blogs or magazines? 

Jessica:  I like magazines for down time and editorials; blogs are for quick fixes. 

TBC:  Chocolate or Vanilla? 

Jessica:  I’m forcing caramel. 

TBC:  And, I have to ask…what’s your favorite flower? 

Jessica:  My head is telling me what is ever is in season because really that is when flowers are at their most awesome. But my heart says coral charm peonies because one time in a maniacal fit of wonder I expressed to my husband how awesome they were and he said they reminded him of me. Yes, I’m a plain old bowl of nachos.

Jessica: I don’t really have a standard uniform although when I’m in the market for separates I will find 3 dresses instead. My usual haunts are ASOS, Old Navy (because their jeans in short fit me perfectly), and strolling through Target for whatever strikes my fancy (because they seriously have some cute clothes and they are convenient). With that said, I do have an array of other places that I frequent from time to time, since the vast majority of my shopping is done online. The home I share with my husband is a little different since that’s dictated first by our budget and second in finding a nice compromise for our vastly different tastes. The only thing that seems to remain constant is my obsession with cool grey walls that allow for a nice pop of color.