There aren’t too many floral designers who can boast a diploma in Interior Design. But for Tina Barabonoff, owner of Platinum Floral Design, it’s likely this background that helps her create a unique sense of style, harmony, texture and balance in each of her creative pieces. Tina is also what the team at The Ring loves to see – she’s involved in community charity work, she lives for weddings and she’s a supporter of the wedding experts that work with and around her. Katie, a local wedding planner, said “We love her and we love her work!”
From the moment that we walked into her Vintage themed studio, we felt relaxed and at home with Tina. We sank into her comfy couches, picked up our cup of tea and asked her to describe how she started in floral design and what she loves about working with wedding couples.
A green start
It all started when Tina planted an organic flower garden in her backyard. Just after the birth of her children, she found herself working with the flowers and realized she had found her calling! So in Christmas of 2009, Tina decided to start her business off with a dose of good karma, and hosted the Inspire the World charity show for the BC Cancer Foundation Campaign. She keeps up with online floral courses with AIFD accredited designers but she doesn’t view floral design as work but, rather, as a blank canvas to fill with floral art!
The passion is in the challenge
Tina says she loves to be inspired and enjoys a new challenge. She admits that the best thing a bride can say to her is, “I want something different!” Tina explains, “I always like to challenge myself, to push harder, can I manipulate this flower just a little more to create a new look? I’ve had a passion to create my whole life. Flowers themselves take my breath away and I am amazed at their true beauty and how they make people feel. As long as I have that feeling, I will always be inspired, especially when a new variety has been launched or a new striking color is there to gaze upon!”
It may be Tina’s generous nature, her creativity, or her admittedly high attention to detail, but whatever it is… it’s working. Platinum Floral Designs was booked for thirty weddings in 2011 at the time of our interview. And according to her fellow Wedding Experts, she tirelessly promotes local creativity through word of mouth and photo shoots that she organizes. Tina has worked with all aspects of floral design for weddings from initial consultation to prepping and staging flowers, delivery and the all important take down.
But what can a bride expect when she is interested in making Tina part of her wedding day?
Ideas, inspiration and understanding
When we asked Tina’s brides to let us know how they felt about Tina and her work, the responses came in so quick it made our head spin! One thing everyone agreed on was how Tina made the experience stress free and always “with a smile on her face”!
Nichole Taylor, of Nichole Taylor Photography, pointed out that Tina “listens to her brides and what they want and then delivers that plus more. “ Linda Payne of Design Events and Rentals, agreed stating “She not only listens to her brides, she hears what they are saying and not saying. She can take a brides vision and create a floral masterpiece to match.”
Erin Pelletier used Platinum Floral Designs for her August 2010 wedding and told The Ring that Tina never ran out of ideas. “She had great ideas and understood what I was hoping to achieve. Even when I changed my mind three times and the types of flowers, she always offered up great solutions to my frantic bride-zilla moments!”
Erin also appreciated that Tina worked around her schedule. “She was willing to meet wherever was convenient for me, once even making a house call due to my busy work schedule.” And above all else, Erin admits that she walked away with a definite sense that Tina loves what what she does for a living.”
Nichole really appreciated the creative give and take of ideas in their planning session. She explains, “Tina has the ability to not force an idea on someone but listen to their ideas and make helpful suggestions. I think this sets her apart in the field.”
Booking a consultation first with Tina is a must. September 2011 bride, Cait Ponte admits, “my favourite memory working with Tina was when I met her for the first time!” Tina will meet with you in studio, at a coffee shop, your home or the venue. Here she will discuss ideas, dreams and must haves with you. She prefers a bride to bring pictures of flower, dress, and color choices.
“It’s important we understand the entire mood they are creating so that visually, the florals will compliment and enhance that theme,” Tina told The Ring. “I like to get the feel for what they love and things they hate. It’s important to get to know the couple through this consultation.”
Once a list of ideas has been discussed, a quote is sent through and, if the couple wishes, a ‘story board’ is created. Brides can bring in magazine clippings, fabric swatches and photos of bouquets. At this point, Tina will create the storyboard, adding details like ribbon clippings, flower choices and paint chips with the couple’s colour palette. It’s a great way for couple’s to piece together the entire vision for their wedding day!
Once this is approved by the couple, a detailed contract is set up that lists everything that needs to be created, delivered and all set-up times. Tina then coordinates with the venue and decorator, if there is one, to be sure that all runs smoothly. And she is available any time to chat with her clients.
DESIGN, DESIGN, DESIGN
Most brides – as well as the team at The Wedding Ring – would we describe Tina’s style as versatile. In fact, we loved her versatility! Her portfolio had every type of floral work you could dream up. As Linda put it; “The best part is that Tina can do anything at all from the traditional right on to the modern with the greatest as ease.” She admits that she's really loving some of the vintage styles that are recently trendy, but she is just as comfortable working with modern or traditional.
Cait and Rob say that Tina oozes with artistic talent and imagination. Cait explains, “I would say that I’m probably on the ‘different’ side… I wasn’t looking for traditional wedding florals. Tina was far more creative that I was even expecting. I would say her style is modern eclectic, with a touch of shabby chic and definitely outside the box...”
Katie agrees, “Tina is an outside the box, creative floral designer. She’s on top of the latest trends and styles, and she knows how to deliver something completely unusual or very traditional. She adds a little flare to their floral arrangements – a little something that will make guests ooh and aah over the beautiful designs. She goes above and beyond to deliver the type of floral arrangements her clients want and deserve.”
Erin described Platinum Floral Designs’ work; “It’s unique and timeless in the same breath. I wanted a mix of old traditions and new concepts, modern flowers and [also] flowers that my grandma would recognize… Tina pulled it all together.”
Chari, married July 30, 2011, said, “Tina made the bouquets like I imagined... but better!!!
A few of our favourite things…
Tina’s personality really shone through as professional, but we love that her brides used words like positive, reassuring, enthusiastic, kind, sweet, amazing and bubbly to describe her!
And she gives off a feeling of complete confidence in what she does and in doing so, creates a trusting relationship with her wedding couples. This gives the couple the ability to just relax about the whole floral design process, with no need for worry on the wedding day. As Nichole put it “with the stress of wedding planning, that kind of trust is invaluable.”
We also loved her collection of shabby chic and vintage pieces that she has available for rent! Fun room of objects to look at and admire and rent!
Her enthusiastic crowd of previous brides and fellow wedding vendors who couldn’t seem to say enough about Tina! Wow!
Tina’s flower cards so that brides get a sense of what bouquets will be like.
Tina’s referral program – send a bride her way and you receive a free delivered bouquet!
Price points at Platinum
Tina says that standard prices for boutonnieres and corsages range from $15 to $25. That said, the average bride spends $1500.00 for Tina’s time, creativity and fabulous floral designs. Tina enjoys working with higher end clientele but can also work with budgets as little as $300.00 dollars. Cait said, “I found the prices for Tina’s work very appropriate, as she uses very beautiful flowers. I never had to worry about my budget. Tina made sure to work within my budget.”
Erin noted the old saying ‘you get what you pay for’ and says that stands true with flowers. “I feel that I got a great deal for my flowers. Tina is competitively priced and was willing to work with different options to bring the cost down when I needed.”
Regardless of her brides’ budgets, for Tina, it’s about more than price. “Sometimes it’s not really about the setting but about the love and warmth of joining two families and I am happy to work with everyone. I am always on the hunt for a bride that is looking to create something really special though – send them my way!”
Platinum Floral Designs asks for one-third of the total price to book the date and this is non-refundable. Another one-third is required one month prior to the wedding date and final payments are to be made the day before the wedding.
Delivery charges are $50.00 for first delivery and $35.00 for second or third deliveries.
Set up and take down charges are at an hourly rate.
Reaching Tina at Platinum Floral Designs
You can reach Tina by phone at 250.382.1900. And email at This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it . Don’t miss taking a look at her site at www.platinumfloraldesigns.com. And really don’t forget her blog. Really wonderful stuff that she mirrors to her Facebook page. Her brides find themselves following long after their wedding day as her work is something that translates to every occasion!
