Lakeland Vows: Behind the Veil
Jill, Jill Heaton Floral Design
Tell us about yourself, where you are from, and how your background or hometown has shaped who you are today.
Born and raised in Connecticut. I am a true New Englander with that sassy attitude with honesty, integrity and transparency. Grew up in a home where you followed all the rules and treated everyone with respect. The town was small and everyone knew everyone. I grew up being a little OCD which really helps with keeping the flow of my business in complete order.
What inspired you to pursue this career?
After working with the florist for my own wedding and living at this time in Minnesota I found the passion. Began as a balloon artist in 1989 which quickly blended in floral design after taking classes back in 1991.
How would you describe your style or approach, and what sets you apart from other professionals in your field?
We believe your wedding flowers should tell your story does not recreate someone else's. Every design is custom created to reflect your personality, style, venue, and vision, resulting in florals that feel authentic, timeless, and uniquely yours. With more than 37 years of floral design experience, we combine creativity with meticulous planning to ensure every detail is thoughtfully executed. We use only fresh, premium flowers and focus on creating beautiful, impactful designs that elevate your celebration and photograph beautifully. What truly sets us apart is our personalized service. We accept only one full-service wedding per date, allowing us to dedicate our complete attention to each couple. From your first consultation through delivery, setup, styling, and the final touches on your wedding day, we're with you every step of the way. Our goal is to make the floral experience seamless, stress-free, and one of the most memorable parts of your wedding.
Walk us through what couples can expect when working with you.
From our very first conversation, our goal is to make the floral planning process enjoyable, organized, and stress-free. We begin with a consultation to learn about your wedding vision, style, color palette, venue, and budget. Rather than recreating someone else's wedding, we design custom florals that reflect your personality and complement your celebration. After our consultation, you'll receive a detailed proposal outlining your floral selections, pricing, and inspirational images to help visualize the overall look and feel. Once you're booked, we stay in touch throughout the planning process, collaborating with your planner, venue, and other vendors as needed. We monitor flower availability, source the highest-quality blooms, and make thoughtful substitutions only when necessary to maintain the integrity of the design. Because we accept only one full-service wedding per date, every couple receives our complete attention, personalized service, and a beautifully executed floral experience from start to finish.
What is a common misconception couples have about your role or service?
One of the biggest misconceptions is that wedding florists simply order flowers and arrange them a day or two before the wedding. In reality, creating wedding florals is a highly detailed process that begins months in advance. Long before your wedding day, we're planning logistics, sourcing premium flowers from trusted growers, coordinating with your venue and vendor team, creating production schedules, ordering rentals, and carefully processing every stem to ensure it looks its absolute best. On the wedding day, our team is responsible for delivery, installation, styling, pinning personal flowers, and making sure every floral detail is perfect before your guests arrive. Another common misconception is that florists recreate Pinterest or AI-generated images exactly. While inspiration is always welcome, every wedding is custom designed. Flower varieties, seasons, availability, and each venue are different, so our focus is creating a design that captures the style and feeling you love while making it uniquely yours.
What advice would you give to couples who are just starting the wedding planning process?
Start with your priorities. Decide what matters most to you as a couple and invest in the elements that will have the biggest impact on your wedding day and the memories you'll keep for years to come. Book your venue and key vendors early, especially if you're planning a wedding during peak season. The best professionals often reserve dates well in advance, giving you more options and a smoother planning experience. When it comes to flowers, keep an open mind. Rather than focusing on recreating a single photo, trust your florist to design something that reflects your vision while using the freshest seasonal blooms available. This approach not only creates a more beautiful and personalized result, but also ensures your flowers complement your venue, color palette, and overall wedding aesthetic. Most importantly, choose vendors you genuinely trust. Your wedding team should make you feel excited, supported, and confident throughout the planning process. When you surround yourself with experienced professionals who share your vision, you can spend less time worrying about the details and more time enjoying one of the most meaningful days of your life.
What does your ideal client look like, and how do couples know if you're the right fit for them?
Our ideal couples value the experience just as much as the final design. They appreciate custom florals, trust creative professionals, and want flowers that feel personal rather than copied from Pinterest or AI images. Although we use those for inspirational. They understand that every wedding is unique and are excited to collaborate to create something that's truly their own. We're the right fit for couples who are looking for more than just beautiful flowers. They want a florist who communicates clearly, pays attention to every detail, and provides a seamless experience from the first consultation through the final installation. They value quality, professionalism, and personalized service, knowing that every stem is thoughtfully selected and every design is created specifically for their wedding.
What is a core value or life belief that influences the way you run your business?
At the heart of our business is the belief that people matter more than flowers. While we love creating beautiful designs, what truly drives us is being part of one of the most meaningful days in our couples' lives. We believe in treating every client with honesty, kindness, and respect. That means communicating openly, setting realistic expectations, honoring our commitments, and always doing what's in our clients' best interest. We never cut corners, and we believe that trust is earned through consistency, professionalism, and genuine care.
What do you love to do when you're not working? Any hobbies or hidden talents your clients might be surprised to know about?
Love the Star War movies, Marvel Movies, musical theatre, the water (pool), coffee our boxer puppies. We love to spend time with our kids, grandchildren, friends and travel on cruises.
Family, friends, pets- who or what is your biggest support system behind the scenes?
My husband, Mother, sister, and Kids.
37+ years of craft. One wedding per date. Zero cookie-cutter arrangements.
Jill Heaton Floral Design doesn't recreate someone else's Pinterest board, she brings your story to life, with obsessive attention to every last stem. When you book Jill, your wedding day gets her complete, undivided focus.
Your florals deserve that kind of care. Don't wait, dates go fast.