The name Philippa Craddock is synonymous with wildly enchanting English countryside botanicals, a revered elegance coveted by many and sustainable floral designs that effortlessly eclipse the norm. Stealing hearts across the globe since 2009 (not to mention multiple publication spreads and Instagram squares) Philippa Craddock’s career is a masterclass in floral design, whatever the event brief, whatever the season.
With a myriad of glittering career highlights lighting her path, from collaborations with the likes of Chopard to Christian Dior and the iconic V&A, Philippa Craddock is now sharing her wealth of experience and skill in her most important project yet: the Philippa Craddock Flower School – and on a global scale. With everything from Masterclasses supporting brides and their family in creating their own wedding flowers to guiding creatives the world over with their own floristry businesses and home arrangements, this is one creative who is very much giving back.
Your Day caught up with the woman herself to discuss everything from when brides should be contacting their chosen florists to her floral ideas for smaller, more intimate ceremonies and micro-weddings…
#1 How was Philippa Craddock the brand conceived? What prompted you to start the business?
“After the birth of our first child, I launched a potted plant gift company, which morphed into a floristry business and a new found love for designing with flowers. I previously had an office job and really wanted to find a way to be able to be with my baby, whilst still bringing in a salary. It was very hard work, definitely more so than my previous job, it did though give me the flexibility I had hoped for, an incredible output for creativity and the huge enjoyment of variety and interesting challenges in my work life.”
#2 Talk us through what a typical working day consists of for you…
“Every day is completely different, which I love. My workdays are split between designing and the needs of running a business. I love the variety and the endless possible options within our world of design, teaching and supporting others through our online Flower School.”
#3 When starting a new brief, be it for a wedding or event design brief, how do you start the creative juices flowing?
“The initial ideas always start with the client. I listen to their thoughts, and from there I use the space, looking at the architectural details, understanding how and where a design will work best, and observing the surrounding landscape to help bring the exact design idea to life, working within the season.
Sometimes the client asks for lots of support and other times their ideas are already very detailed and involved. I love this variety and adapting to offer as much support and guidance as needed.
#4 Alongside the exquisite floral designs your produce for both weddings, brands and events, we hear Philippa Craddock offers a unique digital Flower School. Tell us more about this.
“We began to transition our Flower School online three years ago, to be able to reach and support more people around the world. This now is our main focus within the business. We offer five Masterclasses at differing levels each year, to help and support both home arrangers and professional florists in their own business.
One of our Masterclasses supports brides and their family in creating their own wedding flowers, with help to form the very first ideas, planning and organising, through to creating the flowers leading up to the day of the wedding, and ideas with what to do with the flowers afterwards.
Over the past twelve years I have been involved with every possible project you can imagine with flowers, alongside weddings and events, we have run a busy flower shop in Selfridges & Co., created a collection of accessories for MATCHESFASHION.com, worked alongside historians within the V&A delving into their archives to create an installation for their central courtyard and worked with leading editors for fashion shoots. My proudest and most enjoyable part of the business was launching our Flower School, and now being able to support more florists and home arrangers globally.”
#5 What flowers and styles of botanicals are proving particularly popular at the moment? What are you getting a lot of requests for?
“The variety will always be huge, I don’t focus on trends or necessarily what others are doing, I greatly admire so many other florists, but for my own designs, I look at each project in its own entity and each stem for its individual beauty. It is rare that I am asked to recreate a particular design. Instead we look at the best flowers in season and the perfect style for the client and surrounding space. I always encourage our students to follow the same approach, this way they are able to select the flowers that are in season and local (wherever you are in the world), and it also encourages greater creativity and happier clients!”
#6 How far in advance should couples be thinking about the floral elements of their day? When should they be locating and speaking with their florist?
“At a time when they feel ready to talk about the flowers, once they have chosen their venue and decided what they will be wearing on the day. These elements play a pivotal role in the designing of the flowers. Timing wise, anywhere between 12 and three months before their wedding day.”
#7 Having worked with everyone from the likes of Chopard to The Victoria & Albert Museum, is there a specific collaboration that you particularly treasure?
“I have loved every single collaboration, each one I cherish fondly, having had the opportunity to work with some of the world’s best creatives in their own fields, has been the greatest privilege. And often the tasks have been truly brilliant; we have been challenged and have had to be really resourceful. My favourite have always started with having very little idea of the final solution.”
#8 In terms of wedding venues, do you have a particular favourite you like to work with and why?
“I will always love the V&A, the size of the spaces, and the complexity and speed of the installs, being able to achieve almost the impossible with an incredible team of crew and highly skilled florists.”
#9 For couples looking to organise a smaller, more intimate micro-ceremony this 2021/22, how can they still include flowers in a big way?
“Focus on one main, beautiful design, whether it forms part of the ceremony or reception – it could be a breathtaking archway or a dreamlike table display. It is always better to focus on fewer designs, and make these really beautiful, rather than diluting lots of different designs.”
#10 Is there a certain place or space where you find yourself getting inspired or forming ideas?
“Discovering new places, the new always inspires me.”
#12 We particularly love your collaboration with Matches Fashion on an ongoing collection of wearable, floral-inspired hair adornments. How did this collaboration come about?
“Thank you – I asked their buying team if I could create the collection and they said yes! Everyone I worked with at MATCHESFASHION.com was brilliantly supportive and encouraged us to make more and more. It is also led to some incredible opportunities with fashion photographers and publications including American Vogue, which was exciting. The collection became one of their best selling accessories and I loved working with them, I loved the process. After a few seasons though I decided to put my focus primarily into our Flower School, so we designed and created a final collection for them.”
#14 Your cascading floral archways for the wedding of The Duke and Duchess of Sussex were simply stunning. If you could design the flowers for another celebrity/or high profile wedding who would it be for and why?
“I feel incredibly grateful to have worked with all my clients, and honestly I much prefer creating for clients outside of the spotlight – my dream clients are enthusiastic, open minded and with huge hearts!”
#15 What would your advice be for brides looking to make a decision on their wedding day flowers?
“Think simply about what you love and what is important to you, and create for yourself rather than looking at others’ weddings for inspiration. This way your designs will have meaning and be everything you love and is important to you.”
#16 Is sustainability important to you?
“Yes. In running a business, no matter how small, we all have the responsibility together to not put unnecessary pressure on the environment. There are always alternative sustainable options; we all need to be a little more resourceful, work a little harder and be willing to try new ideas.
When creating and installing designs, all our methods and techniques use either biodegradable and/or reusable props. We source flowers from a combination of small local growers and larger international farms that focus on environmental practices and Fairtrade. Tambuzi in Kenya is an incredible example, with their work towards improving soil structure, recently achieving their Carbon Neutral Gold Standard, becoming part of the UN Climate Neutral Now Initiative and their charity commitment to help and support their local community.”
The Quickfire Round:
#1 Coffee or tea? “Espresso coffee.”
#2 Favourite way to relax? “Swimming in the sea, running through a forest, an open fire and music.”
#3 Preferred season? “Summer.”
#4 Favourite book? “I have just finished reading A Passage North by Anuk Arudpragasam – an extraordinarily vivid read.”
#5 Perfect weekend getaway? “With my husband, children and friends.”
#6 An industry name you’d like to work with? “Amber Lewis.”
#7 Your favourite thing about the wedding industry… “The passion and levels of resourcefulness.”
#8 Favourite thing about social media? “Connecting in an instant with people all over the world.”
#9 Least favourite thing about social media? “The potential virtual rabbit hole, missing what’s actually around you.”
#10 You’ve been dropped at the airport, passport in-hand. Where do you go? “Southern Tanzania, it’s the top of my travel wish list just now.”
#11 The last series you watched was? “Sex Education (Gillian Anderson’s character reminds me of a friend and made me smile).”
#12 Favourite wine? “A light red wine, Pinot Noir.”
Discover more from this revered London florist via the Philippa Craddock website.
For the budding florists and business owners among you, in addition to Philippa Craddock ’s online Masterclasses there are an abundance of free resources available via the floral design brand’s website. Click here to find out more.
For more wedding flowers inspiration, head back to Your Day.
