The COMPLETE Large Design Church Installation Course
Course Title:
The COMPLETE Large Design Church Installation Course; from design & set up to on-site creation. (2 DAY COURSE)
Available dates:
11th & 12th August, 10-4pm
Price:
£675.00 incl all flowers, lunch on both days and refreshments
Location:
The Clockhouse Flower Studio, Field Gate Flowers,
The Thatched Barn, Lathbury MK16 8JX
Working at a bigger scale, in the surroundings and architecture of a large building, is one of the pure joys of floral design! We LOVE to go large! Everything you have learnt and experienced at the small-scale design level, can be scaled up, to some extent, but it is so important to consider the surroundings and the space that you are designing in.
So, for that very reason – we take you to Church, quite literally, to work within the environment, get a feel for the space and different proportions. We’ll talk about scale, proportion, colour, visual and actual weight, the importance of balance and the all important foundations. Getting the ground mechanics right in the first place is a fundamental lesson to learn for all installation work. Whether you plan to go large in churches, barns, marques or hotels… it as absolutely crucial to understand how the flowers will perform for you, both in terms of quality and with visual impact.
We have carefully curated these two complete days, so that you will leave feeling confident and re-assured with your skills for creating large-impact designs, completely foam-free. Whether that is for a family wedding, or for your growing business, or simply for fun! We have got you covered, and we welcome you!
Day one
We’ll get to know each other as a group here at the Clockhouse, and get to know our ingredients! An understanding of the flowers and foliage picked and prepped right here at the farm. We’ll collate our colour palette and work together to create our buckets of ingredients. Our course is about practical, hands-on floristry and that starts with product selection – and involves quite a lot of moving and shifting of materials! Transportation of flower materials is fundamental for on-site set ups and can be crucial to the successful running of a business.
Then we’re straight over to our stunning Grade 1 listed Saxon church; All Saints – which is possibly the oldest church in North Buckinghamshire. Here, we will work in small groups to create large Urn displays – the most versatile of large design pieces – that can be used for both wedding, and funeral work. We will teach you the foam-free mechanics and show you how to make height and impact with your displays, and talk about colour, form, texture and negative space.
Lunch – we’ll break for an hour to have a light buffet lunch together from the farmhouse kitchen. A chance to chat, absorb and exchange ideas and ask us plenty of questions! We are open and friendly, and so happy to share our experience with you.
After lunch, we will move back to the church, an on to dressing the Aisle – working together, as a group, to create a beautiful full meadow aisle display – one of the most requested items for 2023/2024 and looking just as popular for 2025. Another versatile design piece that makes impact on a grand scale; but can be re-purposed and moved for wedding receptions.
There will be plenty of opportunity to capture your work and take lots of photos/videos – in fact, we encourage it!
Day two
A new day, and on to our biggest installation design – the grand entrance of a deconstructed archway. One of the most frequently requested design items for church entrances and/or backdrops for the ceremony. We’ll show you how to confidently work with your materials and set up your mechanics for success. The principles of scale, proportion and the use of negative space, really comes into play here. You will have learnt a lot form your previous day’s training, and will use this knowledge to create your design together as a group, under our direction.
Lunch – we’ll break as before, for an hour for a delicious farmhouse buffet spread in the kitchen, and for plenty more chat and question time.
After lunch, we’ll head back to All Saints church for much more time to photograph, discuss and explore possibilities/options to change the designs for a different look. We will then have a go at sketching and planning, and talk through how you would present the options to wedding couples. Persuading your couples to ‘go large scale’ is a key part of being able to create these large pieces, it’s important to be able to depict your vision, and think of unique options. We’ll look at the architecture of the church, and discuss alternative ways we could have dressed it.
Ali has quick and easy methods to sketch out floral ideas, from her background in garden design – so will teach you some handy ‘hacks’ so that anyone, no matter what ‘artistry’ you have, can sketch out bespoke ideas (a FAR better way to communicate to clients, than using Pinterest or digital tools!). Having the ability to quickly sketch out an idea, during a site visit with a client, has been key to Ali’s success in ‘landing’ the contract and gaining peoples trust and confidence in her design abilities, and trusting her instincts.
Final wrap up chat over tea and cake – to finish our 2 days together and consolidate our learning and support and consolidate as a group. This is absolutely what we are most proud of – creating a supportive, collaborative community!