Vendor Spotlight Series: BellaRose Atelier

Can you share the story behind BellaRose Atelier and what sparked your love for creating stunning floral designs for weddings and events?

After practicing law for more than 30 years, I decided to pivot to floral design a few years ago. I had been arranging altar flowers for my church for many years and found that it was something I could do well, as it allowed me to express myself creatively and

indulge my passion for flowers. When I created the flowers for my daughter-in-law’s wedding a couple of years ago, she looked at me as she was leaving and said, “You made it just like I dreamed it would be.” That did it – I was hooked and have been ever

since.

Since that time, I completed floral design training with the New York Institute of Floral Design as well as the North Carolina State Florists Association. I am a certified designer by the Association and also certified as a designer of Garden Roses by Alexander Farms.

What got you excited about specializing in floral artistry for special occasions, and what keeps your creative juices flowing for each couple’s big day?

I love floral design for weddings simply because each wedding is different, and each couple’s vision of what they want their wedding flowers to look like is unique and special. It is exciting to talk with a bride about her ideas and make them come to life. Watching her eyes light up when I hand over her bouquet is such a joyful moment, and I feel so lucky to get to do something that special.



Floral design for events is, quite simply, great fun. I get to work with a theme, different color schemes, and try to come up with unique and creative floral designs that can be edgy, trendy, and different, as well as more traditional arrangements.

What makes BellaRose a unique gem among floral services in the Greenville, SC area?

First and foremost, I am primarily focused on weddings and a variety of events (from gallery openings to banquets to tribute and sympathy arrangements to church flowers). You won’t find cookie-cutter arrangements for weddings and events on my website. What you will see is a variety of one-of-a-kind pieces that are customized to the occasion and the specifications of my clients.

Who’s on the BellaRose Atelier team, and how do they help turn a wedding into a fairytale?

I consider the most important person on my team for a wedding to be my client, which is sometimes the bride, sometimes the couple together, and sometimes a mother or other family member. Their vision for what they want is where the process starts and where it ends. I am the sole designer, and for smaller events, I do all the design work and installation myself. For larger events and for events on a very tight “day of” schedule, I have several folks who help me on a contract basis, particularly with delivery and set up, including hanging greenery or floral chandeliers and setting up multiple arrangements for receptions. I typically don’t do more than one wedding or event per weekend so that I can give each event the personal attention it deserves.

What is a fun or unexpected tidbit about BellaRose Atelier that might surprise couples planning a wedding?

Since BellaRose is really “me,” I don’t think you will find many floral designers who have had successful careers as both a registered nurse and director of nursing, and a trial lawyer. This is my third career, and ironically, I’ve been able to apply many of the skills I developed in those ventures to wedding planning, from organization to patience to “calming troubled waters” when the unexpected happens.

What can couples expect when they team up with BellaRose Atelier for their wedding florals at The Venue at Cherokee Valley?

Personalized, individualized service at a familiar venue where we have worked together and already know what works well for the space. It’s a very coordinated process that makes things go smoothly and ensures that the wedding will exceed all expectations.

How do you collaborate with couples to create floral arrangements that complement their wedding theme or personal style?

My process typically starts with a Zoom call in which I get basic information, find out their ideas, their budget, and get any Pinterest or mood board pictures they have put together, and generally talk about the vibe they are trying to create for their wedding. Following that call, I do a formal proposal, with sample pictures and an itemized statement, so they know the cost of each item they have requested. We tweak as we go along and make changes as requested right up until the time the flowers are ordered from the wholesaler or flower farm.

I also ask for a picture of the bride’s dress, which is very helpful in designing her bouquet. I have never done exactly the same bouquet twice, and I try to make each one special to each bride, so that each bride has a bouquet specially customized for her.

What’s the most thrilling part for you when you see your floral creations come to life at a wedding?

That one is easy – seeing the joy and happiness in the bride’s face when she sees her bouquet or other arrangements for the first time.

Can you take us behind the scenes of how you select flowers and craft those gorgeous arrangements for a wedding?

It all starts with planning and taking the final design (whether a sketch or picture) and breaking it down into a stem and flower count. To keep costs down, I then go shopping for the best deal on the chosen flowers (sometimes a wholesaler locally, sometimes one in Charlotte, sometimes a direct shipment from Miami, sometimes a local flower farm, and occasionally a few stems from my own small garden. Freshness matters, and color is very important, both the colors chosen for the wedding and the nuances in color that naturally occur in flowers. We are so lucky to be able to get most of the most requested flowers for weddings any time of year – the primary difference being the cost (which can vary widely for flowers that are not in season locally). For couples on a budget but with initial choices of very expensive flowers, I try to suggest alternatives that have the same look and feel but are not so expensive.

What do you love most about bringing your floral magic to weddings at The Venue at Cherokee Valley?

The venue itself is truly lovely and has a formal “Old South” feeling where romantic, garden-like arrangements look right at home. In addition, all the venue staff are professional and accomplished in their roles. They are easy to work with as a team and, as you might suspect, our mutual clients reap the benefits of that teamwork.

How do you use the venue’s beautiful landscapes – like the outdoor spaces to enhance your floral setups?

First, the entire setting is bucolic, quiet, and pastoral. It generates a feeling that you are at a destination wedding (without the expense and burden on guests of traveling to some far-off and hard-to-reach place). Off the back porch, viewing the landscaped course, the mountains, and a beautiful sunset at the golden hour, is just the perfect time to show off outdoor arrangements, floral arches, and other décor. The natural setting and lush greenery enhance virtually any color scheme of flowers chosen by the couple and any style of floral decor – from modern geometric design elements to full, romantic maximalist garden arrangements.

What floral trends are you noticing for weddings that couples should consider for their day?

Grounded arches are gaining popularity for ceremonies. They are installed in sections and can easily be moved to the reception area in front of a sweetheart table or other strategic location, doing double duty and increasing their utility. I always encourage my clients to think about flowers that serve more than one purpose – for example, a circle of bridesmaids’ bouquets can be beautiful around a wedding cake. In season, aisle flowers of living ferns studded with florals can be taken home by family and friends, and the fern can be enjoyed on the porch or patio for months after the wedding.

Simple table arrangements for receptions, sometimes single flowers in a multitude of small vases, that look as if they were picked from a family garden, are popular, and there seems to be a trend away from large elevated arrangements on each table.

Blue and white is very popular. I probably have more requests for weddings using a blue and white color scheme than any other color scheme. That trend has been around for a while, but it doesn’t seem to be fading. The second most often requested scheme is the use of a rainbow of pastels, particularly for spring and early summer weddings.

Budgetary concerns – like everything else, flowers are getting more expensive to purchase, particularly from Latin American growers subject to tariffs. This trend, along with a trend toward eco-friendly florals, is leading many brides to simplify their floral needs. 

For personal florals, pocket squares continue their rise in popularity vs. traditional boutonnieres. Hand-tied bouquets remain very popular, but small wired clusters of just a few flowers – all with symbolic meanings (think Princess Kate’s lily of the valley, sweet myrtle, and hyacinth petite bouquet), which have been popular in Europe, are gaining in popularity in the US. For flower girls, alternatives to tossing petals include flower girl wands of baby’s breath and studded with small flowers, mini bouquets, and carrying small floral circular or heart shaped wreaths of flowers.

What advice would you give to couples thinking about adding floral designs to their wedding?

First, decide what is most important in terms of the florals you would like. Typically, that’s the personal flowers. Consider making them very personal and unique to your wedding – adding your favorite flower or a tribute flower for a loved one who cannot be with you. Walk through a botanical garden and think about the flowers you are drawn to, those that arouse an emotional response, that make you feel happy, that have a smell you like, or that remind you of pleasant memories. This will make your personal wedding flowers like no one else’s anywhere and be custom-made to enhance your wedding. 

For other floral décor, keep it consistent with the overall feeling of your wedding and your personality. Consistency in theme and large groupings of a single color have the biggest impact and generally tend to be more cost-effective than a cornucopia of flowers and colors.

What’s one often-overlooked aspect of wedding florals that can transform the event?

Probably the most common overlooked thing is the ability to make multiple uses of arrangements for both the ceremony and the reception. After all, the ceremony often lasts a few minutes, and the rest of the evening is spent at the reception, while some of the more expensive arrangements (dramatic arches, pew flowers, etc.) sit forlorn and lonely while the party moves on to eating, drinking, and dancing at the reception. With a little preplanning, it’s easy to remove arrangements from the ceremony to the reception area and get the full value of your floral displays.

Got a favorite memory from a wedding where your floral designs turned heads and melted hearts?

This was a wedding I did, where we wrapped all the timbers in a log venue with smilax vine and twinkling fairy lights – it was magical.

What’s the most out-of-the-box floral setup you’ve ever created for a couple?

A wedding where all (and I mean each and every one) of the florals were baby’s breath – from the broken arch, to the ceremony vases, to the bridesmaid bouquets, and the reception dining tables. It was breathtaking and reinforced my view on using masses of one flower for dramatic impact.

If you could dream up the ultimate floral setup inspired by The Venue at Cherokee Valley, what would it look like?

I would use the outside tent area and over the outside posts in smilax and run tree branches up the inside posts to create a garden-like arbor overlooking the course and the mountains beyond, with a floral arch on both sides (entering and leaving the tent).

If it were an inside event, I would drape the porches in garlands (florals based on season) and use florals on every table with a matching garland for the sweetheart table and the bar. 

If it were winter, a winter wonderland theme would be magical inside with white tree branches and lights, and liberal use of white roses in silver containers.

What do you love doing when you’re not arranging blooms or dazzling wedding guests?

Hanging out with my family and my new baby granddaughter. Traveling, working in my herb garden, and just being outdoors anywhere (giving the ocean and the mountains equal billing).

Ready to bring Sandy’s floral artistry to your wedding at The Venue at Cherokee Valley? We’re here to help you create a day that’s as beautiful as your love story. Explore our Packages page to discover how we can pair BellaRose Atelier’s stunning florals with our amazing wedding options. 

Visit Sandy at www.bellaroseatelier.com or connect with her at (864) 630-6731 or bellaroseatelier@gmail.com to start planning your floral vision. Be sure to check out her breathtaking work at the upcoming Wedding Festivals in Greenville and Asheville! 

Keep an eye on our blog for more Vendor Spotlight features, where we’ll introduce you to the Upstate’s best vendors who make every event at The Venue at Cherokee Valley a masterpiece. Let’s make your big day bloom! 

With Southern charm and floral dreams,

The Team at The Venue at Cherokee Valley