about dot & flora
Hi, I’m Steph! The face (and hands) behind Dot & Flora.
Before Dot & Flora, I worked for over a decade as a creative in the retail industry, spending my days designing the large-scale installations and beautiful details that bring physical stores to life. In 2022, I was ready for a change and wanted to take on a new challenge, so I took the leap in leaving my career and setting up on my own. I wanted to create something that felt more personal, more in line with my values, and that allowed me more flexibility whilst I started a family, and so Dot & Flora was born!
I started small, selling product I had made at local markets as well as in some physical stores and online, and over the years have grown into a full-service floral studio specialising in dried and preserved flowers. Today, my heart is firmly in the wedding and events space, where I get to turn a client's vision into a tangible, breathtaking reality. If I’m not designing and making beautiful wedding flowers, you can also find me hosting workshops where I get to share my craft with other’s as we create gorgeous dried flower arrangements together.
One of the things I love most about what i do is getting to meet and know some wonderful people - I’m a people person by nature and a creator by trade! Not only are you choosing to work with me for my designs, but you are choosing to work with me as a person, so it’s very important that everyone I work with has an enjoyable, and stress-free experience.
If you think there’s a project we can work on together, I would love to hear from you!
why dried flowers
Because your wedding day shouldn’t just be a fleeting moment. I love creating ‘forever florals’ that stay as vibrant as your memories. As well as this, sustainability and the impact my business has on the environment is one of the most important things I consider in everything I do, and this is one of the main reasons I choose to specialise in dried and preserved flowers.
Some of the benefits of choosing dried flowers are:
Sustainability; there is an overall lower carbon footprint when choosing to use dried and preserved flowers as they require no energy-intensive refrigeration or watering, and there is no need for fast and frequent transportation like with fresh flowers. Some of the flowers I use can be dried from surplus crops or unsold flowers, promoting circularity and reducing waste within the industry. All of my flowers are sourced from UK growers and suppliers.
Lifespan; dried flowers, if looked after properly, last months if not years! The long lifespan and durability of dried flowers allows me to work in a different way than your typical florist might - I am not under the same time constraints as with fresh flowers so I am able to work on your pieces in advance and consult with you as I make, making any adjustments along the way. It also means you are able to keep these pieces of art or memories from your special day for years, and enjoy the beauty of the flowers long after fresh flowers would have wilted.
Natural; dried flowers are 100% natural and biodegradable, making them an environmentally friendly option. Any waste that I do have from my flowers, gets composted at home by me!