I am so excited to share with you my summer vendor spotlight series! I’ve had this idea in my head for a long time and maternity leave seemed like the perfect time to do it. Over the next few months, you’ll be meeting some of my favorite Dallas and Fort Worth wedding planners, florists, makeup artists, and calligraphers. I’ve loved getting to know and work with all of these talented women and I’m so thankful to call them friends! These gals are at the top of my recommended vendor list to my clients because I trust them 100% to be professional, fun, and amazing at what they do.

Up next is Olivia of Olive Grove Design. We connected via Instagram a little more than a year ago and I knew from the second that we sat down to have coffee that she would be not only an amazing florist to work with but a great friend to boot. And I was not wrong! We’ve worked together on a few editorials, like our Southern France-inspired wedding shoot and the moody Trinity boudoir shoot last fall. We’ve done some weddings together and Olivia even did the floral design for my maternity session this past spring. Olivia is so talented and never ceases to amaze me with her creations. Brides, you would not be disappointed to hire her for your wedding day!

Tell me a little bit about yourself and how you got into the business.

My name is Olivia Merritt. I am 28 years old, born and raised in Dallas, Texas! I graduated from the University of Arkansas (#WooPigSooie) with a degree in apparel studies and minor in business and marketing. After graduating college and getting a taste of corporate America, I knew I wanted to do something more hands-on and creative! Thus, I started my flowering journey. Working in a floral shop and freelancing with other wedding florists was the perfect combination of experience I needed to take the leap of faith and start my own company! I began Olive Grove Design with the purpose to focus on creating beautifully detailed floral arrangements for my clients, whether that be large scale wedding installations or small personal bouquets. My intent with every bloom is to bring joy and happiness to their lives. I am so blessed to have found my passion and be able to do this everyday!

What is your favorite part of your job? Why do you do what you do? What gets you up in the morning?

Lots of coffee gets me up in the morning! Honestly, I love getting to make my client’s dreams come true. I love bringing fresh flowers to every perfectly planned event and just adding that extra wow-factor to make their wedding day a little bit more magical!

What do you wish people knew about your job?

Often times I get the occasional, “Can’t you just throw a few blooms together?” or “Just lay some greenery on the table?” or my favorite, “Don’t you just love playing with flowers all day, every day?” These are all common misconceptions about my job of being a florist. Yes, there are lots of days where I do get to play with flowers, but this is not an everyday occurrence. There is a lot of communication with my clients and other vendors to help make any event come together seamlessly. There is a ton of behind the scenes work with my wholesalers, suppliers, and my team to get my clients the best materials and support for their event. And then when it finally comes to the playing with flowers, each bloom is placed perfectly to display its natural beauty. Each combination of flowers are put together to show off the beauty that nature provides. Each arrangement is made and designed with my clients personality and style in mind. Everything has its purpose, even the beautifully dancing greenery laid across your tablescape.

Why do you think hiring a professional florist is so important on your wedding day?

I think there are many advantages to hiring professional vendors for your wedding day (not just a professional florist) but ultimately knowing that everything will be taken care of is the best advantage of them all. Our job as the professional is to take the stress off of your plate, handle the hiccups that come with every large event, and make sure that even the smallest details come together seamlessly so that you can personally enjoy your beautiful wedding day!

Any memorable stories from a wedding day you’d like to share?

Like I mentioned in the previous answer, every large event has it’s hiccups! One situation in particular that comes to mind would have to be the windy wedding day! Mother Nature has a mind of her own and when the wind comes into play with an outdoor wedding you have to come prepared. *Another reason why to hire professionals!* We make sure you, your guests, and your beautifully styled table decor do not get blown away.

If you weren’t doing what you’re currently doing, what would you want to do instead?

If I weren’t a wedding florist (and we are dreaming big), I would be the lead editor of a fashion or lifestyle magazine. Minus all the Devil Wears Prada cattiness! I would love to travel around the world shooting fashion/lifestyle editorials for a large magazine company. Or could I be Joanna Gaines? 🙂

Where are some of the places on your travel bucket list?

Oh man, this is a good one! I love traveling! After traveling abroad in Paris and London in college and taking a road trip a few years ago across the west coast, I have had a major travel bug. Just a few places on my dream travel bucket list are Greece, Italy, Thailand, Spain, Scotland, and Peru!

What are you most looking forward to this year?

Continuing with the travel theme here, I am hoping to get to travel to Zion National Park in Utah this summer and possibly Colombia later this year!

What are three things most people don’t know about you?

1. I am the oldest of three sisters!
2. I graduated top of my class with honors and Magna Cum Laude in college!
3. I ran 3 half marathons (Not all at the same time and a few years ago, now just running around getting flowers from place to place!)

Where are your favorite local hangouts and things to do when you’re not working?

If I’m not working, you can usually find me eating really good Mexican food (either Torchy’s Tacos or Uncle Julio’s) or eating brunch at Dream Cafe! And when I’m not eating (lol), I really enjoy going to the movies!