It’s Spotlight Day! Where we introduce you to incredible Orlando wedding venues and vendors, and the stories behind their companies who help Wedding Venue Map couples have their best wedding day.
It gives us great pleasure to introduce Jill Heaton of Jill Heaton Floral Design.
When people ask “what do you do”, how do you answer?
I own a wedding floral design company. We create custom florals for weddings throughout Central Florida and wherever our couples take us.
What did you do before you did this?
I worked in technology for over 20 years as a software tester, first for a financial-based internet company and later for a health insurance company. But at the same time, I always had my floral business on the side. So floral design wasn’t something I suddenly decided to do one day it was something I had been building alongside my corporate career for years. Eventually, the floral business became my full-time focus.
When and how did you get into the wedding industry?
I actually got into the wedding industry through my own wedding. When I was planning my wedding, I worked closely with the florist we had hired and became very involved in designing everything. I absolutely loved the creative process and realized that this was something I wanted to pursue.
I started my own business in Minnesota in 1989 as a balloon artist, and after going to school and receiving training in floral design, I became a floral designer in 1991. From there, weddings naturally became a big part of what I did, and they eventually became my passion and the focus of my business.
What is your favorite thing about what you do? What’s your WHY?
My favorite thing about what I do is seeing the bride’s face when I walk in and show her the bridal bouquet for the first time. There is something really special about that moment when I hand it to her and see her reaction. I also give each bride a small gift as a token of our appreciation for trusting us with such an important part of her wedding day.
That is a big part of my why. I love the creativity and designing the flowers, but I also love the personal connection we build with our couples. Being trusted to create something for one of the most important days of their lives is something I never take for granted.
What motivates you to do this every day?
I love what I do, but I’m also motivated to continue growing my business and prove that after all these years, I’m not done yet.
What is the best compliment you have received from your clients?
I think the best compliment I can receive is when a client tells me that I went above and beyond for them and truly cared about their wedding as much as they did. Of course, I love hearing that they loved their flowers, but when a bride tells me that I made the process easier, listened to her, and brought her vision to life beyond what she imagined, that means the most to me.
How did you decide on the name of your company?
The name of my company has actually evolved over the years as my business evolved. When I first started in 1989 as a balloon artist, the business was called Up Up and Away. As the business grew, it became Star Balloon Ltd. Later, when I expanded into florals and event design, I changed the name to Jill Heaton Event Decor.
Today, the business is Jill Heaton Floral Design. I made that change because, over the years, I realized that I am the face of my business. My clients are hiring me and my team for our experience and design, and I wanted the name to reflect that personal connection while also clearly representing what we do today.
What is important for clients to know about your company before they book you?
It is important for clients to know that I truly care about each wedding or event booked. I have been doing this for decades, and I still love getting to know my clients and creating something that feels personal to them.
I provide a white-glove, concierge level of service which mean we only take on one wedding or event per date, so my focus is completely on you as it should be. We never multibook. We want to ensure that you truly enjoy the process and know that your florals are in experienced hands.
What type of events do you specialize in?
We specialize primarily in full-service floral design, creating custom designs for all types of events not just weddings. We also design florals for corporate events, charity galas, and private events
While weddings are the heart of our business, I love having the opportunity to work on different types of events and create something completely unique for each one.
Why do couples hire you?
Couples hire us because they know they are getting a very personal experience. I take the time to get to know each couple, listen to what is important to them, and create custom florals specifically for their day.
They also know they are hiring experience. I have been in the wedding industry for many years and have worked on everything from intimate weddings to large-scale events and installations. My team and I handle the details from design through setup, so our couples can trust that their florals will be taken care of on their wedding day.
Most importantly, I think couples hire us because they want someone who genuinely cares about their wedding and the experience they have with us.
What does your most popular package include?
We don’t offer traditional floral packages because every wedding we design is customized to each couple.
We work with each couple to create a floral design that fits their vision, style, and wedding day.
Tell us about some of your package options and the price range for these packages.
Our full-service wedding floral minimum starts at $6,000, with most of our couples investing between $10,000 and $35,000.
What are the most common questions you get asked by brides and/or grooms?
Some of the most common questions we get are, “Why do wedding flowers cost so much?” “What flowers are in season for my wedding?” and “Do you work with faux flowers?”
We also get asked how couples can get the look they want while staying within their budget, whether we can recreate something they saw on Pinterest or Instagram, and what happens if a particular flower isn’t available.
Those questions are all part of why we spend time educating our couples. There is so much more involved in wedding flowers than most people realize, from sourcing and processing the flowers to the design, setup, and installation on the wedding day.
The best piece of advice for brides or grooms.
My best piece of advice is to sit down together at the very beginning and decide what is most important to the two of you. You can’t have everything, and that’s okay. Decide where you want to invest your money and what really matters to you, rather than trying to create the wedding everyone else thinks you should have.
I would also encourage couples to hire experienced professionals they trust and then allow them to do what they do best. Your wedding day goes by so quickly, and you shouldn’t spend it worrying about whether everything is being handled.
At the end of the day, it’s about the two of you. Don’t get so caught up in every little detail that you forget to enjoy the process and the day itself.
Pinterest is a wonderful place to find inspiration for your wedding, but it can also create unrealistic expectations when it comes to the true cost of what you are seeing. Many of the photos couples save feature extensive floral designs that are far more expensive than they realize.
My advice is to have an honest conversation about your budget when you first speak to your florist and understand what that budget needs to cover.
The most important thing is to be realistic about your budget and communicate openly with your florist about what is most important to you. A good florist can help you prioritize where your investment will have the greatest impact.
Tell us 3 venues you enjoy working with.
The Sand Pearl in Clearwater Beach
Adams Estate in Lake Alfred
Here is what some previous couples had to say about Jill Heaton Floral Design…
“Jill truly went above and beyond throughout the entire process of planning my wedding florals.” — Chelsey
“She puts such a personal touch on everything. The full floral arch she created was an absolute show stopper.” — Meredith
“My bridal bouquet and bridesmaids bouquets were gorgeous and exactly how I envisioned them.” — Lauren
“Not only did she create the most jaw-dropping florals, but she also helped out in many ways, going above and beyond. She was the best decision ever.” — Hannah
Learn more about working with Jill Heaton Floral Design
