Something Blue

Vanessa deBruijn

A hydrangea the color of the afternoon sky is carefully placed into a bouquet of strategically chosen flowers in shades and textures that will complement the bride’s creamy satin dress

A large willow tree sways in the wind, and a cat wanders around the gardens adjacent to Terri Holzem’s farmhouse. Surrounded by suburbia, the 1.75-acre property feels like some kind of oasis caught in the past. Unlike most farmers, the harvest from Holzem’s "Abundance Acres Flowers" does not consist of wheat, fruit or even vegetables. Instead, it consists of brilliantly colored flowers that are picked and arranged for blushing brides on their wedding day.

With a background in art education and a passion for nature and the outdoors, Holzem is living out her dream job.

"Getting up early in the morning, just prior to dawn in the summers when I was a kid, I would always dream that I would do something artistic that had something to do with all of the beautiful colors in a sunrise," she said.

Along with a 25-year-long stint selling her beautiful flowers at the Madison Farmer’s Market, Holzem’s eye for color and composition paired with her love of flowers has led to a fulfilling career creating bouquets and centerpieces for weddings. Like every other wedding artist, Holzem consults with her customers to get a feel for how to create something that will suit the couple’s style and personalities.

"We will determine the shape of the bouquet, whether it’s going to be very simple or complicated, focusing on textures, whether they like things that have scent," she said. "Then also an important part of it is what sort of style they have, what kind of feeling they want the event to have, whether it’s very casual, or really romantic, or dramatic or fun."

A storehouse of knowledge about flower names, dispositions and colors, Holzem uses her artistic training to pick out flowers that will go together in the perfect way to suit the bride’s dress or the party decorations. Some people request wildflower bouquets, and an "I just strolled through a meadow" look, others prefer a more classic look with peonies and calla lilies or an all-white bouquet.

"Being a bit of an engineer is part of being a wedding florist that is fun. Sometimes you have to think about how you are going to get something to hang from somewhere, or sometimes people want flowers in an unusual spot," said Holzem.

For those on a tighter budget, Holzem uses her design skills to create pieces that are versatile and can be easily translated from the ceremony to the reception with just a few minor adjustments. Holzem also caters to some of her more ecologically minded clients by creating "living centerpieces" that are potted in biodegradable containers.

Holzem, like the others who use their skills and artistry to create the beautiful wedding days that everyone dreams of, says she feels rewarded just for being a part of such a special process and sharing the energy of her clients.

"That enjoyment of getting positive feedback, when people say 'oh it’s more beautiful than I even imagined' or if somebody cries, it makes me always want to do it again, and to make people happy – to do the best that I can," Holzem said.

Visit http://abundance8.tripod.com to set up a consultation.