Austin Wedding Florist | The Farmer and I
When I first moved to the Austin wedding market, The Farmer and I was quickly mentioned as a florist well respected in the wedding planner community. When I met Carrington, it was no surprise why her sweet spirit and generous soul was so highly regarded in the Austin wedding area. Today we are sharing about The Farmer and I not only because of her ridiculous talent but because of the sweet human that she is. Any couple needing wedding flowers would be blessed with her company. [both literally her company as in her business and her company as in vibrant personality]
Photo by Lucy Struve
The early days
Before The Farmer and I was the florist business it is today, Carrington started her business during her senior year of college “so very part time at first. I had been working for a florist throughout college and knew that I was about to graduate and move off, so I wanted to get my business established before then. I would take over our small college house some weekends and fill the place with flowers (sorry, roommates for taking over). I started off doing friends weddings and I’m still so thankful that those early brides took a chance on me when I was just starting out.”
“Entering college I had no idea what I wanted to do but I knew two things: I wanted a job where I could serve people and I wanted to work with my hands. Then I met this boy and he grew flowers on the side and brought them to me by the bucket full. I started arranging them and playing with them and realized I actually really loved it. That’s the point where I decided to work for a florist and pursue floral design as a career. Oh, and I married that boy a few years later.” Thus the Farmer and I was born.
A typical work day
Carrington says every day is different as a florist but that’s part of why she loves it so much. “At the beginning of the week, I take care of all the administrative side— answering emails, creating proposals, placing orders, etc. I’ll also try and schedule any meetings on Monday or Tuesday. If it’s a wedding week, flowers come in on Wednesday so I’ll head into the city to pick those up! The rest of the week is spent prepping and designing for the wedding. If there isn’t a wedding that weekend, Saturdays are spent planting flowers or harvesting depending on the season.”
What is your favorite flower to work with and why?
This is such a hard question because there are just so many but the qualifier “to work with” narrows it down. Some of those pretty blooms aren’t the easiest to work with! I’d have to say ranunculus on this— they come in a lot of different colors, they’re flexible, and they add a fun whimsy to bouquets and arrangements.
How would you describe your floral design style?
I always describe my floral design style as ‘garden style,’ or at least that’s what I aspire to be! I want a bouquet to look like you were walking through an English garden and adding stems along the way. Garden style is a bit more loose and whimsical while still having a structure and shape to it.
Other than being a florist, what would your dream job be?
Realistically, my dream job is to be a flower farmer while still being a florist! If I had to choose something completely different, I’d have to say my dream job would be a travel blogger. I mean, who doesn’t want to get paid to travel the world? Sounds like a sweet gig to me!
Advice for wedding planning
My biggest piece of wedding planning advice is to have perspective. Yes, you want to plan a beautiful party that all your family and friends can have the time of their lives at, but the marriage is what it’s all about! So be sure to give that the care and attention it needs as well. Keep perspective that this whole process should be fun and filled with joy because it’s about marrying the love of your life surrounded by all your closest people— it really doesn’t get better than that. Hire a wedding planner to worry about all the small details so that you can focus on the big picture and enjoy it.
Marriage advice
I have two main pieces of marriage advice. First, in a marriage, you’ve got to be secure and confident in who you are individually. If you look to your spouse to fulfill you and give you your worth you’ll be disappointed because they aren’t meant to be what fills you up and defines you. The other advice I would say is to not take life too seriously. Obviously life is full of hard and heavy things, but don’t make things serious and heavy that don’t have to be! Give your spouse some grace and laugh it off. One more thing, don’t let problems come between you and your spouse, rather look at a problem together and tackle it as a team. Okay, that’s all for now!
Any wedding trends or traditions you love?
I love the trend of brides being unique by incorporating elements that make them who they are! I feel like brides (along with their planners’ guidance and creativity) are trying to make their wedding stand out and feel like them and I really love that. And of course, as a florist, I love the trend of more colorful and bloomy flower designs!
What do you love about working with brides?
There’s so much that I love about working with brides. I’d have to say my favorite thing is that I get to come alongside them during the most exciting season of their life. I get to partner with them to dream up how we can breathe life into their day with flowers! It’s truly an honor and a privilege.
What is a fun or weird fact that most people don’t know about you?
A fun fact about me is that I love adrenaline activities lol, they terrify me but I love them! I’ve been skydiving, bungee jumping and great white shark cage diving!
Let’s get this planning party started! Want Bianca Nichole Events to help plan your wedding day? Click here to send us an inquiry!
Bianca Nichole Events is an Austin based wedding planner, and will travel to San Antonio, Fredericksburg and the surrounding Texas Hill Country area.
