A Day at the New York Flower Market with Kathleen of kat flower

Now that's a pretty sight to start your day, isn't it? To be honest, I couldn't bear to begin this post with words, because Margarita Corporan's photography is so beautiful it speaks for itself... but as you might have guessed from the gorgeous blooms and bursts of color, we're back with another beautiful flower market post on this February day. This story is beyond special, because the exquisite floral designer {and dear friend} Kathleen of kat flower is sharing her expertise with Merci New York's readers, and also giving us an exclusive sneak peek inside all the wholesale flower market shops that provide the flowers for Manhattan's most beautiful fetes...
As you might know, the New York City flower market is located on 28th Street between Sixth and Seventh Avenues. As I mentioned in yesterday's post, the market has a days-gone-by feel to it, where everyone bustling up and down the block knows some sort of secret handshake that gets them the best flowers in New York. It's what inhibits the average passerby from walking in and striking a deal far better than their average bodega find, and to me, it's fascinating.
Below, Kathleen shares with Merci New York {some} secrets of the New York flower market, and why the best quality flowers at the best price are truly reserved for experienced designers...

To start, tell us about yourself... What sparked your interest in floral design? What do you love most about what you do?
Simply put, I love flowers. I spent most of my career as an event planner and producer, having the opportunity to work with some of the city's best designers, and floral design is one of my most favorite elements of an event. I love that i get to chase beauty for a living -- to be able to work and design with some of nature's beauties, all for the purpose of bringing joy and/or expressing love is amazing.What is the biggest reward in your job? The biggest challenge?
My biggest challenge is to capture the beauty, charm, grace and uniqueness of each element as well as what the customer wants. My biggest reward is when I get it right.
How would you describe your aesthetic?
Tough question because I feel like I'm still evolving and growing. I would say that my designs are fresh and seasonal, thoughtful, lush, textural, colorful with notes of romance and whimsy.About the market:

The floral market can be an intimidating place if you don't know how to navigate it. When you begin shopping the market, do you have a plan on action, or mental road map? How do you remain nonplussed amidst the chaos?
When planning an event or wedding, I often make multiple trips to the market for inspiration. these trips usually help me focus my direction. I'm usually drawn to one element {and it may be a minor player in the design} and let that element guide me. And the chaos...that just adds to my excitement.
Is it true that most florists arrive at the market as early as 4 AM to select the best flowers for their job? How does a day in the life of a floral designer work?
When working on a wedding, floral designers usually pre-order flowers since we're managing specific varieties and quantities. I don't want to chance not getting flowers that a client has their heart set on, but on the off-chance that one didn't pre-order or all your flowers didn't come in {it happens}, the 4am opening is helpful.Typically, a day of flowering/designing would be begin at 5:30-6 at the market buying flowers. Then i bring them to the studio for cleaning and conditioning, allowing each flower to drink {sometimes they've been out of water for 12 hours} and develop. Designing and arranging wouldn't begin until hours later, sometimes the next day depending on the flowers. Weddings typically require 2-3 days of work, not including sourcing all the materials, etc.
How do you ensure that you get the best quality flowers for your job at the best possible price for your brides? Is it a relationship game with the vendors? Knowing your market costs? A bit of both?
It's a bit of both -- knowing the market and your relationship with the vendors. Sometimes it helps to share budget details with vendors....you may be able to get a better price or they may be able to recommend a more cost-effective alternative.We noticed that there is an "honor system" at the market, where you place your selects on a crate and come back after shopping elsewhere. This seems like a risk in Manhattan {or a return to days gone by}. Do people stick to the "rules"? Are there any other mores of the market that floral designers abide to?
Yes, that's the way things are done and refreshingly, for the most part, everyone respects it. As for other mores, the vendors trust that you will buy whatever you put on the shelf, i.e. don't put 200 peonies on the shelf then buy only 20...someone else may need those flowers and you would have screwed them and your vendor.
We did this shoot at the end of the summer, but what flowers are you leaning to use for your winter arrangements?
I keep it simple. My favorite are quince blossoms. They're perfectly full and sparse, all at once, making just the right statement for me.

If you were designing a winter wedding based purely on your design aesthetic, what would it look like?
That would require a few scouting trips to the market! But I would definitely use tree blossoms, full blooms like peonies and anemones, and feathers!

A very big thank you to Kathleen of kat flower, for showing me and Merci New York's readers all the nooks, crannies and nuggets of information behind the market! Another wonderful warm thanks to Margarita Corporan, whose photography truly astounds me. Thank you so much for taking these gorgeous photos, sharing the sneak peek we all wanted - and getting up so early with us!

All photos courtesy Margarita Corporan.