In an East London Floral Design Studio sits Lara Sanjar, the creative mind and spirit behind the brand, Wild Renata Flowers. Her divine floral creations – as her website states – are ‘for The Daydreamers, The Daring, The Romantics and The Mischievous’, perfect if, like me, you want something a little different when it comes to your BIG DAY blooms…
Lara’s latest collection of faux floral flower crowns caught my interest on Instagram (find Wild Renata Flowers here). With her incredible eye for colour and arrangement, this is one accessory you’ll want to wear again and again after the special day…
I caught up with Lara for a quick Q&A to discover how Wild Renata Flowers came about and what she loves designing most…
#1 Tell us a little bit about how Wild Renata Flowers started?
“Before flowers became my life I was working in a completely different industry, and had a 9-5 desk job. During this time unfortunately I ended up becoming ill with depression and anxiety and was signed off for a few months to recover. While signed off a friend of mine bought me a huge mix of flowers from Columbia Flower Market as a present and left me to my own devices with them. During this time of me playing with them and trying to arrange them (I had no idea what I was doing) I realised that I started to feel calmer and that for the first time in ages my over active and over sensitive brain had become completely calm and quiet… it was from this moment I knew things were going to change for the better and that flowers would be the new direction. From here I practised and practised and started to do small jobs on the side of my day job and after a year or so I plucked up the courage to go it alone.. and the rest is history!”
#2 Have you always been in love with blooms and the creativity that goes with floristry?
“I come from quite a creative background and studied art and design at university and specialised in photography and illustration. My Mum studied horticulture and flowers and plants have always been very present in our lives, so I am sure subconsciously they played a role, I can’t actually believe that all of this floral madness didn’t happen a long time ago!”
#3 What kind of service does Wild Renata Flowers create for brides-to-be and their wedding day?
“Working with brides (and grooms) is my favourite part of my job. Weddings are such a privilege and honour to work on, especially when a bride has specifically handpicked you. You are working on one of the most special days that a couple will have together so I invest so much into weddings and make sure that my brides feel that their needs are being listened to and then catered to. I have been very lucky with all of my brides as they have all allowed me to have creative freedom with their designs. From start to finish I work very closely with each bride and guide them on flower choices and whats available for the season and also the style of bouquet that will match their dress. I strive to make the process of designing wedding flowers as enjoyable as possible for each bride, because it should be fun and exciting leading up to your wedding day!”
#4 I love your opening line on your website: ‘Flowers for The Daydreamers,The Daring,The Romantics and The Mischievous’. What would be your dream wedding to work on? (in terms of location, bride’s style, theme etc?)
“I was very fortunate quite early on in my career to be asked to dress Aynhoe Park which is the most devastatingly beautiful and magical venue I have ever visited and it really caters to the imagination with its eclectic decor and beautiful countryside landscapes. Since I was a child I have always had a very vivid and fantastical imagination so Aynhoe was like a playground for me. My bride allowed me to hang huge 9ft branch chandeliers from the ceiling and weave wild florals into them. Each chandelier would spin slowly as a breeze came through the marquee and added an enchanted feel to the room.
Anytime I am asked to create installations or something a little different outside the vase is when my work really comes alive. I would love there to be more of these requests as I think it really brings a venue to life.”
#5 I love your styled editorial shoots and faux floral crowns! They’re incredible! What blooms and colours are proving to be most popular for brides when it comes to these? What do you get a lot of requests for?
“Definitely the most popular is the Queen P, which is named after the model wearing the crown. I think because its quite large and also it has a really lovely mix of colours and shapes from the different florals that I have used, the crown just has a visual impact… also everyone who wears it looks like a goddess.”
#6 Do you have a favourite wedding that you can describe to us where a bride wore one of your faux floral crowns?
“Not yet sadly as they have all been natural crowns.”
#7 What do you love most about working in the wedding industry?
“The relationship that you build with each couple and seeing their faces on the day when they see what you have created for them, it’s the best feeling… although it never stops being nerve racking when you deliver the bride her bouquet, you don’t rest until you see a big beaming smile on her face. Also meeting all the other suppliers along the way and being able to recommend them on any new jobs you take on. It’s a great industry to be a part of and you make lots of new friends along the road.”
#8 Who would you love to collaborate with, brand-wise? Have you got any collaborations in the pipeline?
“Gaultier has been a love of mine since I was young so to collaborate with him would be a dream. I have a little collaboration coming up this summer with perfume brand Miller Harris so keep your eyes out for that.”
#9 What inspires your floral designs?
“Music inspires me a lot as well as old paintings by the Pre-Raphaelites… also fashion, photography. My brides inspire me a lot, you can create something quite unique based on each of their styles.”
Want to discover more from Wild Renata Flowers? Click here.
All images are sourced from Wild Renata Flowers
Photography: Haris Nukem | Model: @pollyellens
