Chester County woman designing her second act with unique floral business
After Sherrerd Steele did the floral design work for her son's wedding in 2019, her passion for flowers really started to bloom.
WEST CHESTER, Pennsylvania (WPVI) -- It wasn't until Sherrerd Steele did the floral design work for her son's wedding in 2019 that her passion for flowers really started blooming.
"I had so much fun! I realized that was my 'a-ha' moment, that this is what I'm meant to do," says Steele.
She started Steele Orchid Floral Design in 2020, after a career in geology and engineering.
She says her specialty is the "big weddings" and company events hosted at large centers. Her arrangements are uniquely organic.
"My designs are perfectly imperfect," says Steele.
She says she tries to make the arrangements "more free flowing."
"I incorporate a lot of wildflowers into my designs," she says.
But there is a method to her madness, so to speak.
"Each design has a recipe," says Steele.
She uses different types of flowers for different purposes within an arrangement. She also works closely with her lead designer, Suki Park.
"Suki's style is different from mine," says Steele. "She's more classically trained than I am."
Steele says one thing they do differently from other florists is using "very little greens" as fillers. Instead, she uses more flowers to round out an arrangement.
"I want to give my clients something to 'wow' about," she says.
Steele also forages for materials in her yard. On this day, she's cutting some hydrangeas. She says she usually picks those larger flowers apart, so those individual flower pieces can be used in her floral tattoos.
And although wearable flowers have been around, Steele says they're not often thought about, and she wants to change that.
She started making these floral tattoos to give people another option, instead of jewelry, for special events. They're easy to apply and are made custom.
She says she will "design the tattoo to your event and your dress."
"People get their nails done. They get their hair done. Why not go to the florist and get your tattoos as well for your event?" says Steele.
She says a floral tattoo will make you "the center of attention."
"And that's the exact reaction we want. We don't want to just do a nice, little flower arrangement. We want to go 110%," says Steele.
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