At Amanda Whiston Events, we believe that luxury weddings are defined not just by their setting or budget, but by the bespoke, creative and imaginative designs that bring a wedding venue to life.

When it comes to wedding florals, we work with designers who don’t just make things beautiful - they create deeply personal, emotionally storytelling experiences through flowers.

We are delighted to be sharing the expertise and story behind Katie Olivier Blooms, and why we resonate with her approach and style of wedding designs. We have learned so much from reading her interview, and we hope you will too.

Amanda: Tell us a bit about yourself and your business. How did you get started in the wedding industry?

Katie: I’ve always loved planning events, and whilst at drama school I did a wedding planning diploma so that I’d have a back up career that I would love (rather than go into teaching!). I’d spend my summer holidays interning at a local stately home with their weddings and events team. Life took me in a completely different direction and I ended up forging a career in manufacturing/engineering, running a supply chain.

I didn’t put flowers and weddings together for a long time. After work, I’d go to night school at my local college and book on as many flower arranging workshops and retreats as possible. At this point it was all still for fun, but my dream was to be a florist.

I had a ‘it’s now or never’ moment and handed in my notice at work, thinking I could use my notice period to find an apprenticeship but was placed on garden leave. I reached out to a local florist for the placement, but instead she told me all about Tallulah Rose Flower School and that night I booked on the career change course. I continued to work alongside that florist for the next 12 months and gained so much invaluable experience.

I knew by then I only wanted to focus on weddings and started to build my portfolio with styled shoots which in turn led to wedding bookings.

Amanda: ⁠How would you describe your style or approach when working with couples?

Katie: I’d describe my signature style as elegant and romantic, focussing on the natural, with a soft, timeless aesthetic. I quite like the term ‘understated luxury’ and I think it describes what I create perfectly. That being said, I never shy away from creating something modern and edgy, featuring more structured designs. I love manipulating flowers to create a different look, like threading hyacinths to create a chain, or sculpting calla lilies into hand held designs.

It’s important to me to find out as much as I can about my couples’ vision as possible - not just about the flowers. It’s about how much they value certain areas of their wedding design and how what I can do will complement it. I always start with a consultation (whether with the couple or their planner) and after chatting through different ideas and their aesthetic, I put together an initial proposal. Nothing is fixed at this point, and once they’ve booked me we can discuss ideas further, especially after a site visit.

Amanda: ⁠How do you tailor your service to suit each couple's vision or theme?

Katie: No weddings are the same, even if they have a similar colour palette or inspiration photos. Each wedding with me will have the same milestones, but how we interact and design is really tailored to each couple. Some of my couples have handed me a mood board, accepted my suggestions for arrangements and that’s it; others want more involvement and like to see visual mock ups and talk about the flowers I’m likely to use (or, more importantly, ones they don’t want me to use). There’s no right or wrong way and I’m there for my couples as much or as little as they want me to be.

group of bridesmaids holding white and pink bouquets

Amanda: ⁠What kind of relationship do you like to build with your clients during the planning process?

Katie: I want my couples to not hesitate to approach me. Nothing is too much and I fully understand that a lot of their planning happens during the evening and weekend, so if I can make myself available I will. This follows through to their wedding day, and I will stay as long as I feel I’m needed, even after everything I need to do is complete. If another supplier needs my help, I’m there - we’re all one team to make your day the best it can be.

Amanda: ⁠How do you interpret a couple’s vision and translate it into a floral experience that feels immersive and artful?

Katie: For me, it all starts with really listening and not just understanding what my couple want their day to look like, but how they want it to feel. I pay close attention to their style, the setting, and the little personal details they share, then translate that into designs that feel intentional, and most importantly, personal. I want their guests to walk into the space and for the flowers to evoke a feeling, whether that’s the warmth of an intimate gathering, the elegance of a timeless celebration, or the joy of a summer garden in full bloom. It’s about creating an atmosphere, not just an arrangement.

Amanda: ⁠What’s the most unique or memorable wedding you’ve worked on, and why?

Katie: One of the most memorable weddings I’ve worked on was set in a marquee on a private estate, with the vision being that nature had crept in and made itself at home. Greenery was installed throughout the inside of the marquee, up the poles and above the heads of the guests to mimic the old walls of the estate. The ceremony was conducted in the local village church where guests were welcomed with a broken archway and a second one was created at the entrance to the marquee to mimic and keep the continuity. Each of these were filled with garden roses, and the scent as the guests walked past them was captivating. I spent a lot of time on site on the wedding day and I remember guests walking through it slowly, soaking it all in. I’d worked closely with the stylist and our work just came together perfectly to completely transform the space.

Amanda: ⁠Where do you draw inspiration from outside the wedding world — fashion, art, travel?

Katie: Like a lot of florists, English country gardens are a great source of inspiration, but I would caveat that with ‘well manicured’. My signature bouquets and bowl arrangements draw heavily from this - featuring loose, abundant, seasonal florals - but they’re also infused with modern minimalism (think clean lines and thoughtful design). My house is filled with fine art paintings which, like flowers, are full of soft textures and harmonious colour palettes. To me that is the true meaning of elegance and timeless beauty. I spend a lot of time at antiques fairs hunting for vessels and sometimes I can just find one that screams to be filled with certain flowers for a certain wedding, and have to incorporate it somehow!

Amanda: ⁠What are some luxurious floral design touches that can transform a setting from elegant to extraordinary?

Katie: The biggest and most impactful way is to include a statement installation, especially one in an area that would often be overlooked, such as a staircase, mantle or entrance. Having statement florals as one of the first things the guests see really sets the tone for the day. I also love smaller, unexpected touches, like filling champagne trugs with flowers.

I truly believe table designs should be layered, using a mix of vessels in different heights and sizes. I will always be sympathetic to the overall table design and work closely with the stylist, but having runners, bowls and bud vases carefully placed and grouped gives a truly luxurious feel. All my vessels are carefully curated with the overall aesthetic in mind.

Amanda: ⁠Do you have a particular flower or palette that you return to often for its elegance or sculptural quality?

Katie: The flowers used can really elevate a design and the longer I’m in the industry, the fussier I’ve become on which flowers and varieties I use (and from which growers!). If I can get them, I will always use sweet peas, and I’m very lucky to be able to get some beautiful long stemmed varieties which not only smell incredible but give a wonderful added dimension. I didn’t realise how many colours they came in too! Scent plays a huge factor in my flower choice as I love the way it can evoke memories in years to come.

Amanda: ⁠How do you approach large-scale installations — what’s the balance between drama and refinement?

Katie: It’s all about balancing bold impact with refined elegance and I start the design with the space in mind - taking into account the architecture of the room and the sightlines. I use the movement of the flowers, negative space, and intentional asymmetry to create drama without heaviness and paring back the colour palette to a few tones adds sophistication. Installations are brought to life by the textures showcased in the design. I’m very purposeful with my flower placement (maybe it’s my engineering background!) and don’t believe a flower should just be used to ‘fill a gap’ - there should still be a sense of artistry, no matter how ‘wild’ the design is supposed to look.

Amanda: ⁠Are there any floral design trends you think are elevating the luxury wedding space right now?

Katie: Over the last few years I’ve seen a shift from my couples wanting ‘something beautiful’ to wanting designs that are more intentional, immersive and editorial. I think of what I create now as being a piece of art or sculpture. I’ve always designed using negative space, and I’ve never been afraid of using slightly different flowers so my couples have something that is more unique to them and full of their personality. We’re creating designs in areas which would have previously been left unflowered, such as drinks towers, lounge areas and alternative seating plans. We’re still reusing ceremony flowers, but immersive pieces like aisle meadows are perfect for elevating these little unexpected nooks.

Amanda: ⁠What’s your dream wedding setup or client?

Katie: My dream client is a couple who sees flowers not as an accessory, but as a medium to tell their wedding story. I want them to have full faith in me and my creativity to create an immersive floral experience, and if they happen to have a venue that’s full of character, like a country estate or an artfully modern building, where I can bring the architecture and floral design together, that would be perfect.

Amanda: ⁠What is one detail couples often overlook in florals that can have a major impact on the overall aesthetic?

Katie: Transitional spaces, like entrances, staircases and bars are often forgotten about, or some of the first to be cut when the budget is blown, and it’s such a shame. These are areas guests naturally pass through or linger in, and having a thoughtfully designed arrangement here can really enhance the overall aesthetic and create a cohesive, immersive atmosphere. Staircases can have a floral-wrapped banister, welcome signs can have a meadow at the base, and guests can be greeted with cascading urns at the entrance. These "in-between" moments tie the entire design of the day together and take it from beautiful to unforgettable.

Amanda: ⁠Can you describe a time you created a floral experience that was entirely unexpected — in a good way?

Katie: There was one wedding that will always stay with me, where, for the first time, I felt genuinely nervous (I’m normally so excited to reveal the finished product to my couples!). The wedding planning had been a true family affair, with everyone (lovingly) involved in every detail. While I knew the flowers were beautiful and perfectly aligned with the aesthetic we had envisioned, I also knew they’d be seen through the eyes of a very devoted family, and I was very much aware they needed to do more than just look stunning; they had to feel like the bride. When the MOB saw the bouquet, she cried. A few days later, she messaged me and my heart stopped - I was so scared that she would say something wasn’t right, but she was actually messaging to say thank you for capturing her daughter so completely in the flowers. It was my turn to cry then! It was a great reminder that what I do isn’t just visual, it’s telling the love story through flowers.

Amanda: ⁠Lastly, what does success look like for you after a wedding day is over?

Katie: Seeing everything come to life, exactly or even better than my couple’s have imagined it, is an incredible feeling, and whilst it’s wonderful to hear other suppliers and guests agree, for me the ultimate success is in the quiet moment of reflection as I slip away with the wedding in full throw, knowing that I’m proud of what I created.

As an experienced luxury wedding planner, I’ve had the pleasure of witnessing Katie’s artistry first-hand. Her work brings emotion to every space and it reminds us why floral design, when done well, is never just visual. It’s a feeling!

If you’re looking to create a wedding where florals are more than just flowers — where they tell your love story in the most elegant and intentional way — Katie Olivier Blooms is someone we trust wholeheartedly.

Photo credits:

Taylar Jayde Photography