Well I haven't really had a chance to sit down and write this up since I was getting ready for Valentines when I got back, but I thought I would share about how great the wedding and events class was at the Bloomnet Floriology Institute in Jacksonville, FL. It was a week long class that went over a huge amount of information. I felt like I was high in the class (about 20 people) for some projects and low on others. There definately was a range of skills/experience in the class. We all learned a lot from each other. Most days we had lecture in the morning and hands on in the afternoons (mostly). Jackie Lacey (our fearless teacher) is AWESOME!!! He'd assign the class projects and as we went a long he would add different things to each person's assignment depending on their strengths or weaknesses. After we were done we would go around and present and he and the class would critique (nicely, we were all in it together) what was good and what/how to change/improve. I learned a lot from both my critiques and looking objectively at others and seeing how they did something different with the same flowers and the same assignment and how they came out totally different. Probably one of the best things I took away was designing for photography and having a critical eye for that. I've always felt my wedding work didn't photograph well, it only took a few tweaks and now it looks soooo much better. I can't say enough good things about the class. I am sending my assistant to the sympathy class this summer. If you want a refresher or some new inspiration consider going to one of their classes. They aren't too expensive nor are too long. The hotel they recommend is great and it is really nice that all the students have all their meals together. We learned so much from each other picking each other's brains about running our shops and by spending that extra time together. On another note I'm not a member of Bloomnet and I was worried that they might push the koolaid to join, but they really didn't so don't worry about that. You know you are at a Bloomnet school, but it is a footnote not a focus. It really was a fabulous class, check it out!
