Blooming Brilliance: Getting to Know J Starr’s Flower Barn

March 18, 2024

Step into the enchanting world of floral beauty with our Vendor Spotlight shining brightly on J. Starr’s Flower Barn. With a passion for creativity and a commitment to excellence, J. Starr’s Flower Barn brings weddings and events to life with their exquisite floral designs. Sneak a peak at this stunning Tidewater wedding to see J. Starr’s Florals in all their gorgeous glory, and hear from Jamie, owner and designer of J. Starr’s Flower Barn about things fabulous florals!

– Tell us a little bit about J. Starr’s Flower Barn –

J. Starr’s Flower Barn is a full-service wedding & event floral business, centrally located on the shore in Preston, MD. We are known for our elegant garden style floral designs. I love designing for weddings because each wedding is different, unique to that couple. We get the opportunity to create the couple’s vision for the most important day of their lives. That moment when a bride receives her bouquet and says, “It really feels like my wedding now!” is the best part of the day!

– Are there any trends that you are expecting to see in the 2024 wedding season? –

In 2024, I am seeing color! On the shore, we do tend to get a lot of blue accents due to the coastal vibes, but we are seeing all kinds of color palettes this year. White is classic and will never go out of style, but it does a florist’s heart good when we get to have fun with a range of colors.

Repurposing is big in 2024, with clients looking to make a statement at their ceremony but get the most out of their budget by moving those items to the reception to continue making an impact. Broken arch designs and ground arrangements down the aisle are popular requests for multi-use florals!

Baby’s breath has made a comeback in the last couple years and I think it is continuing in 2024. Full arches of just baby’s breath, as well as bouquets and centerpieces, in combination with monochromatic white florals like roses and hydrangea, give a minimalist vibe in a maximal way! Don’t be fooled that lush baby’s breath designs are “cheaper”. Many of these designs require large volume of flowers to create the desired look!

– What would you say are the top 3 things couples should consider when looking for a florist? –

Florist Style: Look at florist’s social media and website for portfolios of past work and make sure that their style of design matches your vision!

Budget: Verify the minimum order matches with your budget. Also, be flexible in your needs vs. wants so that your florist can maximize your budget. Additionally be aware of your florist’s location. The flower shop distance from your venue will affect minimum order requirements and service fees for travel.

Communication: While the majority of communication with vendors starts with email, it is helpful to have a phone or in-person consultation at some point to be sure you are comfortable and compatible with your florist. Every florist will have a different process for booking, but it is beneficial to have some personal contact, the ability to ask questions and clarify, and feel 100% confident in your decision to work with that person.

– What do you think is the best thing about the array of options that you can potentially offer a couple? –

We offer both full customized, full-service design, as well as newly released curated J. Starr’s Collections that allow for a la carte ordering to meet all budgets. Full-service includes all florals, associated rentals (ie. candles, containers, arches, etc.), delivery, set up, and break down. There are set minimums for full-service based on venue location, starting at $3500 and up. However, the new collections can be purchased directly online with no minimum and picked up from the shop, thereby eliminating service fees. The first two collections have been released and there are more to come!

– Can you tell us about a time when you problem solved for a wedding client? –

It is not uncommon to have to come up with a rainy day plan at the last minute, so we have had to move ceremony designs indoors or come up with an entirely new design due to the logistics of the venue. One of my favorite ceremony designs on a fireplace mantle was actually the plan B due to weather!

However, one of the most unique solutions for a client that comes to mind was not even flowers! The client had a vision for hanging glass globes (with tea lights inside) in an installation above the dance floor, which simply was not viable in that particular venue. So I came up with what we called a “bubble chandelier”. It was an organic shaped cluster of various sized clear bubble balloons and the lighting company added pin lights around the room to reflect and refract light through the balloons, giving it the appearance of being lit. It was definitely a memorable statement piece!

– What is the most important thing you would like couples to know about J. Starr’s Flower Barn? –

I am here to make your wedding vision come to life and to make your wedding day easier on you (and your family and friends)! Most clients haven’t planned, designs, or executed a wedding before, so put your trust in my to help the process and the day of go smoothly. I treat every wedding, venue, and design as if it were my own!