When it comes to innovative floral designers, our long-time friend Amy Osaba is an inspiration. She is one of the finest floral designers in the South and her lush, organic designs have made her a hot commodity for some of the region's most spectacular events. Her work has been featured in Weddings Unveiled, including the current Fall 2009 issue in Bold Brilliant Fall, where she created an amazing selection of bouquets, inspired by Southern outdoor traditions. With a style described as "organic, free, a bit edgy, a twist on the traditional, a little bit of fun and a whole lot of love," we can't get enough of Amy Osaba. Read on to learn more about Amy and enjoy the beautiful images of her work!Amy Osaba is based out of Atlanta, Georgia. To contact Amy, visit her website by clicking here. For more inspiration, visit Amy's beautiful blog!Weddings Unveiled: Tell us a little bit about Amy Osaba event. floral. design.Amy Osaba: We do flowers that are just left of center: organic, free, a bit edgy, a twist on the traditional; a little bit of fun and a whole lot of love. I truly love the creative process, and being able to see where an idea might take you. If a bride comes to me and doesn't have much of an idea in terms of her flowers I can get inspired just by her color palette. I really try to listen to what it is that she is trying to convey to me. It is extremely important to really deliver exactly the look and feel that she wants. Since Amy Osaba is already a unique brand, typically my bride comes to me feeling pretty confident that we can give her the wedding she has envisioned.WU: How did you become a floral designer? When and how did you begin Amy Osaba?AO: I became a floral designer kind of by accident. I have always been drawn to the arts; drawing, painting, the theatre. After a ten-year career as a professional ballet dancer, I went to school for art history and developed a real love affair with color and texture. My affinity for flowers came rather naturally from my mom and grandmother -- "Mamaw," as we call her, has this beautiful day lily farm in Arkansas. In the summers I was always picking my favorites and putting them together for dinner table arrangements. My mom has this huge 2 acre garden that she has been tending for over 20 years...so flowers just kind of became my medium. I started getting really creative with flowers for dinner parties and small weddings for friends, then word-of-mouth really started getting me noticed. Over a three year period, a business with real potential started to cultivate. In 2007, we went through a series of unfortunate events. Robb and I really didn't know what we were gonna do. It was a time when it was truly like God said to me, "hello?...you guys are two creative people, you are doing great at this flower thing why not really push it." So in Jan 2008 we decided to go full force and really give it a go and haven't looked back since. I still cannot believe that we have had the success we've had in such a short amount of time. The response has been overwhelming and I feel that we have been blessed to wake up every day and do what we do. We get to be a part of one of the most special days in two peoples lives and think that's pretty darn cool.WU: Describe your wedding style.AO: I always tell my brides "earthy-chic-bohemian-luxe". I recognize that my style is not for everyone and that's ok with me. I really see myself as an artist, not just a florist that just produces flowers.WU: What inspires you?AO: Color palettes, trees changing, my boys, beautiful photography, music, my husband.WU: How do you keep your ideas fresh?AO: I really try to see the space as an empty canvas. I try to see the whole space visually and what would work. You don't only have to think in terms of how many tables there are or where you can put flowers. Sometimes you can use fabric and other textures to create visually pleasing pieces to evoke a feel or a mood.WU: What was your favorite wedding and why?AO: Umm....that's a hard one. I think I see each wedding as a new blank canvas and I get really excited because I love the creative process.WU: What makes Amy Osaba different from other floral designers?AO: I am definitely not for your traditional bride. Typically my clients are very artistic and have a defined aesthetic they are trying to achieve and that is great with me. You can't make everyone happy all the time so you might as well do things that make you happy and you can be proud of.WU: What would be you ideal wedding assignment or dream wedding to design?AO: A bride that says, "I completely trust you and you have complete creative freedom"...Oh and of course that money was no object!!!WU: Tell us three things you can't live without?AO: My sweet boys - Noah, Miles and Max... and Robb, my husband. (OK, so that's actually four)WU: What was the best advice anyone has ever given you?AO: If you want to live like no one else, then you must live like no one else.WU: What is the best advice you can give to an engaged couple?AO: Pick vendors you really like and can trust, then do just that... trust them. Oh and remember that this is just the first day of the rest of your lives. Enjoy the ride and don't make it a hard process. Have fun!Image Credits: (1-3) Photography: Simply Bloom Photography. Styling: Joy Thigpen. Cake Topper: Dolci Odille. (4) Gray Photography (5-8) Corbin Gurkin Photography. (9-10) Harwell Photography (11) Photography: Our Labor of Love. Styling: Joy Thigpen.
