FEATURE FRIDAY
Growing up on her family's flower farm in New Jersey, flowers are in Lauren Marie Atkinson's blood.
"I started when I was 13 on my grandfather's flower farm," Lauren told us. "He came over from Holland to start his farm and is now one of the largest wholesale growers on the East Coast."
With her floral education already underway, Lauren moved to Nashville to attend Belmont University.
Following graduation, she decided to stay and pursue her own career in floral design. Hence, LMA Designs.
"I'm not originally from Nashville, but I've lived here for 15 years," Lauren said. "So it feels almost like I'm an OG Nashvillian."
A few years and a few new faces later, Lauren and her team continue to raise the bar for floral design. Their detailed collaborative process always ensures that clients' needs are met.
We can't wait to see what innovative ideas they'll dream up next for our spaces! Read on for more from Lauren and the team.
What does your creative process entail? How do you finalize floral selections for a client?
Our initial meetings with clients are very detailed. We prefer to do all of our work on the front end so the client can enjoy their planning process! We take their inspirations and create a plan that works best for their budget and style.
What is a challenge you often face with your job and how do you overcome it?
We have such a great team with so many different strengths. We're able to brainstorm through any challenges that may or may not pop up.
What is something about your job that most people might not know?
It's actually much more labor-intensive than what people realize. It isn't just playing with flowers all day. There is heavy lifting involved and installations require a lot of planning and engineering skills!
What is one of your favorite events that you've done with us?
We were hired by a corporate client to do a greenery wall install with tropical leaves. It looked so amazing inside The Bell Tower.
Do you have a favorite flower?
I get this question ALL the time, and it's so hard to choose. I love poppies! They have a special memory of my grandmother, and they are such a resilient flower. They typically arrive with an outer shell protecting the bloom and as that falls off, the flower begins to open up.
Any wedding trends you would like to see more of less of?
No more mason jars and burlap! They have their place but would love to see less of them.
Any favorite real or fictional weddings that you often find yourself referencing back to?
It always depends on what's going on at the time. When Twilight came out, we saw so many inspiration photos of [Edward and Bella's] wedding. But we're currently seeing a lot of the recent Royal Wedding.
If you could work with anyone on earth, who would it be?
We've recently become obsessed with our new living flower wall, and we really think Beyonce would LOVE it!
What accomplishment are you most proud of?
Creating a company that is both a family and a team, who are supportive of each other and who want to give back to the community. We have recently started volunteer teaching a flower therapy class to incarcerated women. It has been one of the most beautiful experiences to be involved in.
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