We kicked off Details University’s 2025 sessions with Holly Heider Chapple! Holly, a celebrated floral designer, educator, and mentor, brought a wealth of expertise in creating breathtaking wedding and event florals while running a thriving business. With over a decade of teaching experience and an unmatched passion for helping others grow, her session was an incredible opportunity for florists eager to hone their craft and elevate their businesses. Attendees had the chance to learn from one of the floral industry’s most inspiring leaders. If you could not attend this session, here is the official recap!
Holly Chapple's journey in floristry began at her father's garden center, where she created beautiful garlands and designs that sparked her passion for flowers. Her love for nature and design was also nurtured by the garden at her home, which significantly influenced her style. Initially becoming a florist to spend more time with her children, Holly's career evolved into a 32-year-long journey. In 2009, Holly started blogging, an innovative move, as no florists were documenting their lives or offering advice about the industry. Her blog quickly attracted attention, and soon, she was teaching fellow florists eager to hone their craft.
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All images above from Holly Heider Chapple website
Holly and her husband, Evan, purchased a farm to become their beloved Hope Flower Farm. This picturesque location serves as a wedding and event venue, open to the public as both a winery and a space for designing with locally grown flowers. Hope Flower Farm is also the hub for floral workshops and events like Flower Stock, where florists gather to connect and learn from Holly herself. Specializing in weddings, Holly leads her talented staff and a team of freelancers to create unforgettable floral experiences.
Advice for Florists
Holly encourages florists to speak confidently about their work, noting that being part of a supportive community of floral peers is essential for growth and learning. She believes florists are natural problem-solvers, and it's crucial to trust ourselves, even in high-pressure situations. Holly also advises trusting your instincts—if something feels off with a client, it's okay to decline the job. There are always more opportunities ahead. For inspiration, Holly looks beyond flowers, drawing ideas from antiquing, fabrics, and unique vessels. However, she believes the best source of inspiration comes from listening to clients, as they often have the answers to enhancing a wedding.
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All images above from Holly Chapple Portfolio. Photo credits from left to right: Maddy Williams Photography, Craven & Co, Elizabeth Lanier
In her view, the most important tools for florists are floral software (she uses Details Flowers Software) and ongoing education. Never stop learning! She also emphasizes the importance of educating clients, especially regarding "sexy" flowers trending on social media. Florists must explain the true costs of these blooms to avoid sticker shock later. Holly suggests meeting with clients to review proposals in real-time, whether in person or virtually. This allows for a more interactive experience, where florists can gauge body language, address concerns immediately, and collaborate on adjusting the proposal. It's also a great opportunity to upsell clients who want those expensive blooms, helping them achieve the desired look for their special day. This is a perfect moment to review your contract with your client.
Holly joined us in 2021 to discuss contract terms, why they're so important to a successful floral business, and how you might implement them with your own floral business. Check out this article to learn more!
Learn from Holly
Holly Chapple offers enriching learning experiences for florists and enthusiasts through various platforms, both online and in-person. At Hope Flower Farm in Virginia, Holly hosts seasonal design classes, floral retreats, and hands-on workshops where participants explore her innovative techniques, sustainable farming practices, and seasonal blooms. The Hope Flower Farm School of Floral Design also offers comprehensive courses for aspiring and established floral designers, including the Gathered & Styled course and special classes with industry experts.
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One standout opportunity is the Alexandra Farms Certified Designer Program, a collaboration between Holly and Alexandra Farms, which provides online training on working with garden roses. This program covers everything from rose varieties to sustainable floristry practices, with the added benefit of exclusive sales and design recipes. Holly also prioritizes personal and professional development, offering courses like Additive Wellness and Let Your Creativity Bloom, designed to enhance creativity and well-being. Members can engage with the Chapel Designers network for support and mentorship, access exclusive discounts, and use the Chapel Designers logo in marketing. Want a more in-depth look into all of Holly's educational offerings? Check out our blog, Design, Learn, Grow: Workshops with Holly Chapple in 2025!
Collaborations
Holly strongly advocates for collaboration within the floral industry, particularly with people she connects with. Her collaborations cover many sectors, each of which holds special meaning to her. We're thrilled to have worked with Holly on Proposal Templates in Details. These beautifully designed templates can elevate your proposals, offering fresh layouts beyond the preloaded options in your account. The stunning templates "Joy," "Honor," "Rise", "Hope", "Faith," and "Believe" are now available in the Details Marketplace, ready to enhance your client presentations.
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Her love for Alexandra Farms has been longstanding. She loves garden roses, so it was only fitting that in 2023, she had her own rose named after her. Princess Holly’s Hope, a stunning peach-colored garden rose, was selected by Holly Chapple as her signature bloom during a visit to Alexandra Farms in early 2020. With its large, ruffled spiral shape and over 80 petals, this variety transitions from a soft peach center to creamy outer petals, embodying strength and resilience. Its bloom shape, vibrant color variations, and long vase life stand out in the floral industry.
All images above from Holly Chapple and Alexandra Farms
Holly's deep connection to garden roses began with varieties like David Austin’s Juliet and Patience, which helped establish her brand. Her partnership with Alexandra Farms solidified when she met company president Joey R. Azout in 2018 and visited the farm in 2020. There, she discovered Princess Holly’s Hope, a rose that embodies her design style with its unique shape and color nuances. Named in honor of Holly and her late husband Evan, the rose symbolizes their shared legacy and Holly’s enduring influence in the floral world.
Holly Heider Chapple is renowned for her innovative floral mechanics. Using chicken wire, she developed unique shapes that help achieve specific looks for bouquets and arrangements while simplifying the design process. In collaboration with Syndicate Sales, she created the "Pillow" and "Egg" mechanics, which have become essential tools for florists.
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All images above from Syndicate Sales
As foam-free mechanics are popular within the floral industry, Syndicate Sales has introduced these practical alternatives to traditional foam. The Holly Heider Chapple Collection offers versatile solutions for designs of all sizes. Products like the "Egg" and "Pillow" securely hold flowers in place, stem by stem, making arrangements easier to create and ensuring stable transport to venues without concerns about unstable mechanics. Check out our blog to explore the must-have wedding items from Syndicate Sales and learn more about Holly’s product line!
Thank you so much to Holly for helping us kick-start our 2025 Details University Live session! If you want to register for February, click the link to secure your spot.