Floral Designer Pamela Cravens

Floral designer Pamela Cravens of The Flower Girls is never content with the ordinary. She describes her signature style as “monochromatic and compact designs with a lot of imagination.” In addition, she likes to use submerged pieces under glass.

So far as design styles are concerned, Cravens likes to keep things simple, which she defines as clean and contemporary. She said, “I am not a big fan of big overdone pieces.”

Cravens likes to work with all sorts of flowers and floral materials. In addition, she has expanded her repertoire to include all sorts of non-floral items. She explains, “I do a lot with candle light and props to create the environment and bring life to the space.”

When the client’s needs dictate the need for silk flowers, she does use them. She explains, “We all prefer using fresh flowers and foliage of course. But sometimes, if the client wants something for the look and they are out of season you can cheat and mix silk with fresh. You would not know the difference from sight—only touch—especially when they are mixed together.

“Film and TV sometimes need to use artificial pieces because of long shoot schedules and the set pieces have to look the same for all of the sequence. The designs are the same as if they were fresh flowers.”

Doing designs for movies and television has now become one of Cravens’ specialties.

Weddings are only one of her specialties. She explains, “I really love the weddings. But I love getting involved with product launches which involves a great deal of creativity not just with flowers but lighting, props, and fabric. I thrive on overworking my imagination.” One such project launching a product won her a prize. She said, “I was featured in the Guinness World Book of Records for designing the world’s longest salad bar for Hidden Valley Ranch.”

Cravens learned floral design by working with an expert—her mother—who was a floral designer in Louisville, Kentucky.

She has been a floral designer for ten years, and owns her own studio/shop in New York City. She said, “I have been featured in Manhattan Bride, The Knot, local New York City papers and Florist Review.”