The Way to Bloom is rooted in the belief that ‘what you go through grows you – and when you grow, you bloom!’ Every celebration is a reflection of that growth and we’re there to add additional beauty and joy to those moments with vibrant, heartfelt floral design…”
Sarah Tappen, Founder & Creative Director, The Way To Bloom
Award-winning floral designer Sarah Tappen is founder and creative director of ‘The Way to Bloom’, a luxury studio based in the Southwest of England. Originally from America, she moved to the UK for her ‘Mr. Way to Bloom’ and ended up discovering her passion for floristry. Sarah was named Florist of the Year by Weddings & Honeymoons Media in 2025, and has also been featured in the Top 15 UK Florists by Wed Vibes. Here we discuss what the Chelsea Flower Show means to Sarah and the unique style and values her company is best known for…
C&B: “Sarah, your background is incredibly interesting; how did you first launch yourself into the floral design business?”
ST: “After moving to England, I began to explore my passions outside of my career in the fashion industry. I had always been drawn to florals and artistic design, so with those things in mind, I knew a creative path was the way forward. I trained at Bath Flower School and then spent a few seasons freelancing on hundreds of weddings. I officially launched The Way to Bloom in 2022…”
I gravitate toward abundant, unique designs that feel effortlessly luxurious, a little whimsical, and work with the event’s unique feature. Often that allows us to create large installs that seamlessly work with the space and tell a visual love story…”
Sarah Tappen, Founder & Creative Director, The Way To Bloom
C&B: “Can you tell us about the inspiration behind your floral design aesthetic? What themes or styles do you gravitate towards?”
ST: “My aesthetic is vibrant, refined colour palettes with modern details. Colour palettes and flowers that allow us to ‘paint’ in florals – arrangements that have tones, textures, and depth through colour…”
C&B: “We love the vibe of your installations! Which are the most popular ones that your clients request, particularly for events and weddings?”
ST: “We’ve become known for our large-scale floral installations. Especially our floral tree arches, where blooms appear to grow up and around a tree trunk or structure – think nature reimagined. It has kind of become our thing!”
Clients love our refined colour palettes that have depth in both tones and textures. Each colour palette is a unique bespoke combination that feels modern, unexpected, and that we don’t replicate again for any other occasion…”
Sarah Tappen, Founder & Creative Director, The Way To Bloom
C&B: “How do you ensure that your floral designs reflect the personal style and preferences of your clients?”
ST: “Every design starts with an important conversation – about the them! I always ask my couples to first tell me about their love story and what personal touches they’re planning to have for the day. This allows me to truly tailor their designs to who they are and tell their story. For example, one bride shared memories of growing zinnias and dahlias with her family growing up. So we made sure we could source British grown blooms to include these special blooms in her bouquet…”
C&B: “Could you walk us through your design process, from consultation to the final arrangement?”
ST: “It begins with a consultation call where I get to know my couples on a personal level, what their wedding vision is for flowers, and we walk through the whole event to see where we can incorporate some blooms. Front here, I put together a mood board and bespoke proposal that outlines the florals, style direction, and sometimes even sketched designs to truly bring their ideas to life. Once booked, we refine their floral story leading up to the big day and always meet in person – often for a venue visit. The week of their wedding, we are getting in the flowers, bringing our team together to prep, and finally bring it all to life on the couples wedding day. No two weddings are the same, and that’s what keeps it exciting…”
C&B: “We’re aware of the tremendous amount of work and creativity that goes into floral installations; what other challenges have you had to overcome as a floral designer?”
ST: “Working with nature always comes with a level of unpredictability. We deal with a live product – flowers – and we work in the elements, which can often make for a more challenging day or even necessitate the replacement of flowers. However, with a trusted team of expert florists who work with us and solid contingency planning, we are always ready to adapt and overcome!”
Chelsea Flower Show is such an iconic event and a wonderful reminder that floral design is a true art-form. It shows how flowers can be used as a medium for sculpture, storytelling, and bring awareness to the industry as a whole. As a floral designer, it’s so inspiring to see others push creative boundaries and definitely motivates me to keep evolving in my own designs…”
Sarah Tappen, Founder & Creative Director, The Way To Bloom
C&B: “How do you source your flowers, and are you able to prioritise local suppliers in your area?”
ST: “We work with top-tier wholesalers from the Dutch markets for consistency, and we also love source from the amazing flower growers that are abundant in the South West. Like our trusted girl Kate from Backyard Flowers who has supplied us with beautiful British-grown stems that add extra character to our designs…”
C&B: “That sounds like a great relationship! Can you share a memorable project or event that stands out over the past three years while you’ve been a floral designer?”
ST: “A wedding that really stands out is our first wedding of the 2024 season! It was a ‘Monet’ inspired theme where we virtually ‘painted with florals’. The palette included layers of yellow, blue, purple, and pink blooms in all different tones & textures. The bride wore a custom blue gown and carried a bouquet of bright yellow ‘Dancing Lady’ orchids. We even created a floral umbrella centerpiece that doubled as a photos prop. The floral decor we produced was imaginative, artistic, whimsical – turning the occasion into everything a wedding should be…”
CONTACT: http://www.thewaytobloom.com
VIDEO CREDIT: AI WEDDING FILMS
PHOTO CREDITS: TOP TO BOTTOM OF THE PAGE:
• Poppy Carter Portraits
• Charlene Webb Photography
• Caitlin & Jones|Cristina Ilao Photography
• Jo Bradbury Photography
• Melissa Megan|Charlene Webb Photography
