Clementine Botanical Art | Wild Sky Events | Feather and Twine Photography | Prospect House

This week on our Vendor Spotlight Blog series we interview Christin Armstrong owner of Clementine Botanical Art! As you will see from our wedding galleries, we work with Clementine Botanical Art all the time as they are one of our favorite wedding florists. Not only is Christin’s floral work spectacular but she has an amazing eye for texture, shape and detail that really makes her arrangements one of a kind. Her skill and style elevate our wedding designs every time and we couldn’t ask for a more amazing florist to partner with.

Q - Why did you decide to start a floral business?

Christin: I started experimenting with flowers back in 2007 as a hobby while I was in grad school. Eventually, I decided to take a break from school and got a job in a flower shop in my hometown. I was working with flowers every day, and I got totally hooked. It really developed into a passion. At the time I was renting a little cabin on a farm out in the hill country, and I spent a lot of time in nature. I would forage and create arrangements with anything I could find. The act of slowing down and paying attention to these incredible products of nature and sharing them with the world was really powerful for me. Pretty soon I landed a job as lead floral designer for an event design firm and really had a blast in that role. I had a great boss and learned so much about the floral industry and the wedding industry. That job gave me the opportunity to learn the ropes and develop my own style. And it gave me the confidence to launch my own company. I'm still amazed by the way that flowers can transform a space and express emotion. I feel really lucky to have a job that inspires me.

Q - How long have you been serving the Austin area?

C - Since 2012.

Q - What is your signature style

C - I would say the Clementine style is earthy and undone. It's very effortless-looking even though we do put a lot of effort into making it look that way. It's loose and wild and whimsical and kind of sweet. It's important to me that our work feels timeless and not overly trendy.

Q - Do you have any favorite flowers?

C - It's super hard to pick a favorite but Hellebore would be one of them. I can never get enough Hellebore. Ranunculus is another one, even though it's sort of ubiquitous. It comes in so many amazing colors and variations.

That's one of the best things about working with flowers--every season you discover something new. Flower breeders are always coming up with new hybrid varieties. And I'm still discovering new flowers in our native landscape that I love, so it keeps things interesting.

Q - Do you have a favorite season?

C - Spring

Clementine Botanical Art | Wild Sky Events | Tori Pintar Photography | Laguna Gloria

Had you asked me 10 years ago before I really got into flowers, I would have said fall because I love the mood and the tones of fall. But now that I spend so much time gardening, I'd have to go with spring. There's just so much new life and color and birds everywhere in the spring. Seeing the first little buds on plants that you've been taking care of through the winter is the best feeling. Designing with spring flowers is great, too, because the textures are so delicate. And the smells are incredible.

Q - Is there anything about floral design you would want to explain to brides that you think is important? Or planners or designers?

C - I think Pinterest and Instagram are amazing tools for design, but I think they can also be a bit limiting if you get super attached to a design that's been done before. With flowers, the possibilities are really endless and every event is an opportunity to do something new. Every week is like a new mini-season in flowers. Different things become available that weren't available last week, so it's nice as a designer to have flexibility when it comes to specific flower varieties. I think it's super important to choose a designer whose work really resonates with you and who you trust. Communicate with them and get really clear on style and color and then also give them the freedom to be really creative within those parameters. The end result is going to be one of kind and it's also going to reflect the skill and creativity of your florist.

Q - How far in advance should a couple book a florist?

C -Ideally, at least nine months in advance. The best vendors book up quick.

Q - Any trends, cool tips that you want to impart for either the end of this year or I guess really next year?

C - Pay attention to where flowers are grown and how they are grown. Local, seasonal flowers are always your best bet. They're better for the environment and they're fresher and more vibrant. It's not always possible to use exclusively locally grown flowers for a large event, but telling your florist that you prefer local and seasonal flowers will be music to their ears. The shift away from using floral foam is a trend that I hope gains momentum.

Q - So for us who know nothing, what is floral foam?

Floral foam is this weird synthetic plastic foam product that holds water. It's used to keep stems in place and keep them hydrated. Unfortunately, it's not biodegradable and it contains toxins

Vendor Spotlight: Clementine Botanical Art

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