Photos and Story by Danielle Debley
Nature always has a way of delightfully surprising me; I can’t imagine ever growing bored of this job. Every time I visit the flower market, I’m mesmerized. Every single flower is unique and different from the last one. I’m so passionate about floral design because its beauty has a way of amazing me every time,” says Courtney Di Trolio, owner of Winsome Floral.
Di Trolio hasn’t always been a florist. She had exposure to it though, growing up around her mother, Sherry Rees, who had an eye for design, creating silk and faux floral arrangements for local shops. “I had always been raised around flowers – my mom always had a vase of fresh flowers on the table in the warm months, and kept a beautiful garden,” says Di Trolio.
Di Trolio discovered her own passion for floral design in an unlikely place, while teaching English in Argentina. “While I was living in Buenos Aires, a few of my American friends were getting married and didn’t know where to find wedding vendors in Argentina. They asked me to head up their wedding décor, which included florals. Looking back at some of my first bouquets and arrangements makes me laugh, but it really sparked an interest in floral design that continued to grow,” Di Trolio says.
Coming back to the States the following summer, Di Trolio attended The Little Flower School Brooklyn with Saipua and Nicolette Camille, two NY-based florists. The class incorporated stunning varieties of locally grown blooms and was taught with an emphasis on garden-inspired designs that mimic the lines and movement of nature. “That was a turning point for me, when I decided to take my passion for floral design beyond a hobby. It was a formative step in developing my own personal style,” says Di Trolio.
When Di Trolio began exploring this passion as a career in October 2016, it started off with something very close to home – her own wedding. “Many people thought I was crazy to be the florist for my own wedding, (and to be honest, it was!) but I saw it as my chance to really design my dream wedding in terms of floral design, so we went all out. My mom, sister, a friend and I incorporated flowers into every single aspect of the design. We hung a 6-foot floral wreath from the ceiling of the tent, hung garlands everywhere and made about 30 centerpieces. I even made my bridal bouquet at two in the morning! I’d say that was the first large-scale event we ever pulled off,” says Di Trolio.
Di Trolio and her husband then moved back to Argentina where she would continue to pursue florals and connect with those in the industry. “Starting a floral business in Argentina turned out to be more challenging than I anticipated due to factors such as the language and cultural barrier as well as product availability,” Di Trolio shares. But she continued to design for weddings and events whenever the opportunity arose. She reached out to a well-known floral company, “Be Ambientaciones” and began to freelance for them for weddings, quinceañeras and other large-scale events. This company produced the floral and event design for the Four Seasons in Buenos Aires, so they had a lot of experience to provide.
Di Trolio moved back to the US in 2018 and used her relocation as an opportunity to rebrand, with the name Winsome Floral. She reached out to a Portland, Oregon-based graphic designer, Old City Mailroom, to create the new look. That summer, she organized a couple of styled shoots to kick off her new aesthetic and get some portfolio images that were in line with her new branding.
“I really wanted the look of the company to be modern and minimal but also really soft, and romantic. I try to be cohesive and consistent with all of my branding and my floral designs. And I chose the name ‘winsome,’ because its origin stems from the word ‘joy,’ and I love that. Flowers are such a joyful thing, and at every joyous occasion in someone’s life whether it’s birthdays, weddings or baby showers, that’s when you think of flowers being present. It just seemed like a perfect fit,” says Di Trolio.
Di Trolio continues to work full time in her passion, designing for Winsome weddings, editorial shoots and freelancing with other local florists. With the help of her mother, Sherry Rees, and sister, Britney Kujawa, Di Trolio considers Winsome Floral to be a true team effort. “Floral design is hard work, and it takes an amazing crew to pull it off well. It’s a lot of really long hours on your feet, 4:30 a.m. flower market runs, foraging (and sometimes poison ivy), climbing on high ladders, and lots of resourcefulness. But the end result, the immense beauty and joy involved, is the most rewarding and I couldn’t imagine myself doing anything other than this.”
Connecting and building relationships is something that she values so much in her work.
“I feel like forming friendships with other vendors, photographers, and florists has been a big key to Winsome’s growth! And with the newly engaged couples who I am working with, it is so much more than just creating a floral design for them; it’s seeing their heart, hearing their vision and just enjoying their love story,” Di Trolio shares.
For brides looking to book a great florist on their big day, consider a few tips from the fabulous owner of Winsome Floral:
- It’s typical to allot about 10-15 percent of your budget to florals, so be mindful of that.
- Book sooner than later! Some florists are booked a year or more in advance, so if you find someone who you really want, connect as soon as possible.
- Find a florist whose style you love. Most florists have their own unique styles, and you want to allow them to create within that space instead of asking them to do something way outside of their aesthetic. To help this along, look at all of their content and portfolio pieces first, instead of just price hunting.
Check out all of Courtney Di Trolio’s floral and design work at @winsome_floral
Photos From June Solstice Styled Shoot
Left Photo:
Florals: Winsome Floral // Courtney Di Trolio
Model: Danielle Lehman
Hair & Makeup: Makeup by Brittany Janine
Dress: Blush Bridal
Photographer: Danielle Marie Photography // Danielle Debley
Venue: Hingework // Lancaster
Right Photo:
Florals: Winsome Floral // Courtney Di Trolio
Styling: Sherry Rees
Models: Danielle Lehman, Britney Kujawa, Lauren Hudak
Hair & Makeup: Makeup by Brittany Janine
Dresses: Blush Bridal, Sheila Frank
Photographer: Danielle Marie Photography // Danielle Debley
Venue: Hingework // Lancaster