Texas Weddings’ Fast Five asks local wedding professionals the same five questions to help you get to know some of the people behind the companies. Today’s Fast Five comes from Erin McLarty, owner of Eden’s Echo Floral Design.
What services do you provide?
Eden’s Echo Floral Design offers gorgeous floral designs, from the bridal party, to tables, to installations like arches and floral chandeliers, flower towers, over the top cake flowers, staircase and fireplace mantle decor!
What inspired you to start this company?
I began this business in 2006. My sister had gotten married, and I helped her plan, decorate, coordinate, and I was the maid of honor! The venue was a bed and breakfast in Fredericksburg and they asked me if I would be interested in helping them manage their weddings, simply based on what they had seen in me from my work with my sister’s wedding. I began assisting brides with their DIY flowers and quickly learned I enjoyed that much more than helping manage and booking the venue. After two years of designing part-time, I quit my other job and since 2008 have done nothing but design flowers for awesome couples!
What sets your company apart from similar ones in the same field?
We have so many fantastic designers here in San Antonio, but at Eden’s Echo Floral Design, our customer experience is paramount. I do not like to book more than one wedding per weekend-we will occasionally if they are on the smaller side. But I really love to get to know my clients, their families, and keep in touch throughout the planning process. Not only does it put my clients at ease about the investment they are making, but it gets ME invested in them. I do not look at them just as clients, but as couples who I care about, that I want to really make their floral dreams come true!
What is your favorite part of your workweek and why?
That is so hard to answer! 1. I love the initial design creation process. Working to create the concept and design with my clients is So much fun. Engaging with them and learning about their vision, getting to see them light up as they talk about their favorite flower, or some special touch that is really important to them gets me pumped up, too! 2. My other favorite part is the Reveal. Presenting a couple with their flowers, getting to see them glow with excitement (telling the bride not to cry happy tears, because the make-up artist will get mad at me!). I love a good squeal, too.
What is one favorite client story and why?
Ok. I have been doing this for 14 years now. It is so hard to just pick one favorite story, so I’ll tell two quick ones. First off are Kelsey and Dan. I met with Kelsey and her mom in the spring of 2019 and she was all about that big vision, pampas grass, everything on-trend that I was dying to work with and create. After a couple of weeks they booked, and I couldn’t wait until her wedding in November. When she saw everything, there were so many squeals and OMG’s, it made my year. The logistics of setting up her event were challenging due to time constraints at the venue and it just being a complex setup, but we knocked it out of the park! It was amazing. Her smile in all the wedding photos is contagious and warms my heart every time I see it. The family is amazing and we even got invited to their Christmas party. 🙂 After seeing her wedding, Nicole and Steve decided to upgrade their floral, also including pampas grass. They completely changed their floral scheme 2 months before their big day, and I got to work more with pampas grass and create another chandelier and some flower towers. I love that one of my brides was inspired by another!
Get to know more about Eden’s Echo, visit them at Eden’s Echo Floral Design.
