Floral Installation Workshop with Nectar + Bloom

Floral Installation Workshop with Nectar + Bloom | San Diego, CA

A large floral arrangement made of lush wildflower blooms and vibrant spring colors, surrounding an antique, yellow velvet sofa. A model wearing a flow-y, white wedding dress sits on the sofa. She is holding her knees to her chest, with her cheek resting on her knees and smiling. Photographed by Kim Branagan at Nectar + Bloom in San Diego, CA. Earlier this year, I got to travel to San Diego, California to photograph a beautiful one-on-one floral workshop hosted by Nectar + Bloom, an amazing floral design studio based in San Diego.

For this workshop, Jen Lagedrost Cavender (the brilliant owner of Nectar + Bloom) was teaching about creating large-scale floral installations.

A unique San Diego, CA floristry business formed from a love of nature and poetry

Jen has such a unique story that led to her floristry business. She actually grew up on an organic produce farm and had a small flower business with her sister when they were younger. Eventually, Jen ended up getting her Master of Fine Arts Degree in Poetry and taught college-level literature and writing classes.

After working in academia for several years, she decided to go back to her roots and open Nectar + Bloom. She has a deep love for nature and seeks to bring out the organic beauty in each of her designs in a gorgeous, feminine way that is all her own.

One of my favorite things that Jen has said about her passion for floral design is this: “My work is a way to create poems in the language of flowers.”

A vibrant, vintage-inspired photoshoot for a floral workshop

This floral installation in particular was dreamed up as a collaboration between Jen and Dena, a florist who was taking her workshop. They wanted to create a nest-like structure that would encircle the model and really frame the scene.

Together they designed this incredible floral arrangement that pulled on lush wildflower blooms and vibrant spring colors. Paired with an antique velvet sofa, their floral installation made for the dreamiest vintage-inspired scene.

Working with floral designers is one of my favorite things about being a photographer

I’ve said it before, but I am always so excited when I get to photograph floral workshops. They are such a special part of my business; I love photographing such beautiful artistry and getting to travel to new places like sunny San Diego, CA. I consider myself so fortunate to get to work with such talented designers all across the country!