The Passion in Andrea Layne Floral Design – Tampa Bay | St. Petersburg Wedding Photographer

personal  →

wedding destinations  →

engagement sessions  →

weddings  →

by CATEGORY

meet KÉra  →

 I want to create imagery in moments that feel like you. With the utmost intention in everything I do, this experience should feel like yours. 

Pour a glass of wine and stay a while, won't you?

i'm KÉra

tampa-florists-st petersburg-tampa-bay-photographer-weddings 8

I drove for what seemed like ten minutes, when in all reality I had been driving for about an hour. The sunshine and the cool breeze at 8 am is perfect this time of year in Tampa Bay. Of course, I had my honey sweetened coffee along for the ride, and that is sure to brighten any morning.

I crossed over into Wesley Chapel, about 30 minutes north of Tampa and found myself wishing I came out here more. How come I never knew this place existed? The trees were big, like Savannah trees. The fields were vast, and the traffic minimal. A rural little town for sure; and a perfect little place for a Florist.

I pulled up to Andrea Layne Floral Designs. I walked in through the front doors and there was Andrea, happy as could be to greet me. Her studio was quaint. It was classy. It was the perfect place for a brides and grooms to collaborate with her.

The more we talked, the more comfortable I became wit her. She reminded me of a big sister. Someone with tons of experience, and someone you could really trust. Happiness just oozes from her being, and you can tell that she is passionate about what she does, and that passion is what makes her great.

1. Tell me about your company.

We are a floral design boutique that specializes in weddings and events. But let’s be honest…it’s mostly weddings! We take a consultative approach to bring customized, quality concepts to life for our customers. Whether a casual or an elegant affair, our arrangements are sculpted from the ideal blooms that are best suited to achieve the finished product based on our client’s concept along with thoughtfully selected vases and accents. Our service is distinguished by a personal touch and characterized by dependability. We provide consistent updates throughout the process from the first day we speak to the minute your guests step into the event space.

tampa-florists-st petersburg-tampa-bay-photographer-weddings 6

2. Where does your inspiration come from?

I am a design chameleon, in that I adapt my personal creativity to meet each of my clients’ unique theme, venue, and color scheme. I love variety and texture, and ensure these are present in all aspects of my designs, from the linens, to the containers, to the types of flowers and foliage I select. As I add each layer to the creation it reinforces the theme and style for each individual event. I like mixing premium flowers, such as orchids, garden roses, and ranunculus with more humble flowers such as waxflower, spray roses, and mums to create a design blend that is unique for each of my customers. Out-of-the box creativity defines me best.

tampa-florists-st petersburg-tampa-bay-photographer-weddings 1 blog

3. How did you get your start in the florals business?

I started my professional career leading multi-million dollar projects to help companies either improve their processes or to help them to most effectively report their earnings. It was a stress-filled job that didn’t allow me to fulfill my passion for art and design. So after 11 years of working as an IT Project Manager for 4 different employers, 1 year of Interior Design training at the Art Institute of Denver, giving birth to 2 gorgeous daughters, and a blissful year of just being a mommy, I worked with a career coach to figure out how to turn my love of interior design, my need to have a more balanced life, and my interest in weddings into a business.

I received technical training at the South Florida Center for Floral Studies and took online classes offered by the American Institute of Floral Designers (AIFD). Then I found an amazing internship with one of the largest, and best, event design shops in Tampa, which turned into a freelance job for a while. My love of flowers and weddings deepened, as did my confidence…and in February of 2011, I took the plunge and created Andrea Layne Floral Design.

tampa-florists-st petersburg-tampa-bay-photographer-weddings 3

4. What is one piece of advice you can give engaged couples?

On your wedding day, take the time to sit back and enjoy every aspect of your wedding from the feeling you have waking up to getting dressed to seeing your bride or groom at the end of that aisle to eating and dancing at your reception. You took the time to plan all of this….be in the present and take pictures in your mind of all of it so you can truly remember it all! Oh and….hire a planner or a day-of coordinator…they just make everything better!

tampa-florists-st petersburg-tampa-bay-photographer-weddings 2 blog

5. What keeps you passionate about weddings?

The allure of the new bride, the interesting theme, the creative design, a different venue I haven’t worked in yet….these are all of the reasons I am passionate about wedding. As much as I love the business part of this job, I am an artist. I love browsing the web and blogs for inspiration. I love the hunt for that perfect vase to reinforce the vision. I love the selection of the flowers in the perfect shade of a color. I love finding the perfect accent to make the design unique to my client. I love collaborating with my brides to make the design unbelievable and so dreamy. I love installing the designs and décor and being in that space that we transformed into an incredible atmosphere. I love presenting the bride with her bouquet and experiencing the emotional response with them….some cry, some jump up and down, some can’t stop hugging me, some get this little smile that I know means that they are pleased….and in that moment the wedding day whirlwind pauses, and she takes a deep breath and enjoys the feeling. It’s truly magical.

tampa-florists-st petersburg-tampa-bay-photographer-weddings 5

6. How far in advance should couples book your services?

This is a tough one, because it’s pretty impossible to create a detail floral design with a contract, if the bride hasn’t booked her venue and settled on her colors…. including selection of her dress and her bridesmaids dresses. But there’s a balance …. You don’t want to wait too long and I am booked. The best bet is to contact me when you know your wedding date and you know you want to seek out my services. Let me know your timeline and get the consult on my schedule. That way you are in my pipeline and I give you notice if I get another inquiry for your date.

7. What is your favorite flower?

That is such a hard question for me, because I love them all! My favorite is usually the one I am currently working with. But I do use the Cherry Blossoms in my logo and my studio because they represent renewal.

 If you would love to work with Andrea Layne, please feel free to click her logo below.

Andrea Layne Floral Design