Finessing Flowers the Fleurale Way
Written by Eden
Photos by Jesse
I was so excited to interview Alejandra at Fleurale last week as I am a huge flower lover who is captivated by their beauty and essence, and the news of Alejandra’s prime floristry skills have been echoing through the streets of Puerto Vallarta for some time now.
I had already seen some of Alejandra’s work prior to the interview, so I knew that it had a special magic. On Valentine’s Day and Mother’s Day earlier this year, social media was patterned with posts of her stunning bouquets and arrangements, all showcased by thrilled clients. While researching, I also learned that Fleurale offers an event planning service for occasions, such as weddings, birthdays, and baptisms. It soon became evident that Ale is a woman of incredible talent and skill and has a unique eye for detail, and I was eager to learn more.
Located in Nuevo Vallarta, the Fleurale store was everything that I hoped for. It has a relatively dark interior which juxtaposes wonderfully against the vibrant flowers blooming in color and the enchanting floral designs, all complimented with dainty candles and delicate pottery. The store is a haven and the perfect tease of Alejandra’s art, skills and services.
We began by watching Alejandra create a bouquet of flowers from scratch. She kindly talked us through the creation process step-by-step, giving us tips and the do’s and don’ts. She is so passionate and well educated on her talent and attends numerous workshops throughout the year in order stay relative with the latest floral trends. She told us how she’s always been very arts and craft-y and that’s what inspires a lot of her work. When she was a little girl, she would buy craft kits and make creations that she’d sell to her family – so sweet! It was so warming to see that she’s fulfilling a childhood passion and it makes her work seem that little more special.
It took Ale around 20-minutes to arrange the bouquet. I was so impressed that she was able to create this masterpiece so effortlessly and calmly, and in such a short amount of time. It radiated the ‘wow’ factor and had explosions of color and textures. I secretly wanted to take the arrangement home for my own pleasure but decided to keep it professional (ha ha).
During the interview, I began to understand what makes Fleurale so special. It’s the passion and the genuine love that Ale has for her trade. She really wants to make people feel special and give them a service that will complement beautiful moments in life. She is incredibly thorough and organized and wants to give her clients exactly what they desire. Her peaceful and welcoming presence will even make the most stressed brides feel calm. Ale is a perfectionist. There are no shortcuts with her. If a client wants a particular arrangement or service, she will deliver it with all of her heart and passion, and it’s truly outstanding. She even designed her own website and catalogue, in which she showcases her work and services. Is there anything that she can’t do?!
Flowers make Ale feel calm and at peace, and that feeling of tranquility radiates through the quality and uniqueness of her work. It’s clear to see why Fleurale is captivating the hearts and romance of women throughout Puerto and Nuevo Vallarta.
Read more to see what happened when we sat down with Ale:
Eden: How did you become a florist and what inspired you?
Alejandra: I used to be an events planner and I think that’s where it originates from. When I started working, I worked with a catering company and part of my job was doing lots of arts and crafts.
Over time, they started asking me to make the flower arrangements. I had no idea how to do it – but I loved it.
E: What did you do once you realized that floristry was your passion?
A: Once I realized that I liked it, I wanted to take it further. I went to a workshop in Guadalajara (2014) for event planning but I saw that they were also hosting a floristry workshop. I attended the workshop and loved it, so I went to Mexico City to attend a bigger workshop. This was hosted by a top florist from Preston Bailey (a New York florist) and I learned so much! It was a trend flower workshop and it was there that I fell in love with flowers!
E: What do you think made you enjoy being a florist more than an events planner?
A: I think you can be inspired by both but being a events planner is more stressful. I do also offer an event’s planning service here at Fluerale, but it’s more focused. Before Fluerale, I was working in a hotel from 5am – 11pm most days and it was hard. I was an events planner that specialized in big themed events, so it was very stressful.
I find tranquility and calmness in flowers. They bring me peace. You need to work slowly with flowers and be inspired.
E: What inspired the name Fleurale?
A: Fleurale is part French! Fleur means ‘flower’ in French and ‘Ale’ is my name. It was going to be ‘Alefleur’ but my partner suggested ‘Fleurale’ and it flows nicer.
E: What part of being a florist gives you the most job satisfaction?
A: I like to deliver the arrangements because I get to see the client’s reaction when they receive them! People get very happy and excited and I love it. I like seeing the brides receive their bouquets as they get very emotional. I always get nervous, but they normally always love them!
E: How do you know what style of arrangement each client wants?
A: Before making the arrangements, I try to find out as much information about the person as possible. I want to know what kind of style they like, what colors they prefer, the occasion, and the age of the person receiving the arrangement. I sometimes even ask what profession the person has as it tells me a lot about them. I always try to make something that the person will love and enjoy. I also show people my catalogue and my website because I showcase all of my designs on there. I also take orders outside of my set-arrangements. I like to freestyle with flowers and create new patterns and designs.
E: Have you always been interested in crafts? You’re very multitasking!
A: I’ve liked crafts since I was a little girl. I used to make bracelets and necklaces when I was 12. I had my little box full of my creations and I’d sell them to my aunts!
E: How often do you take workshops?
A: I usually take three or four per year, but this year I’ve taken more due to the coronavirus! I think it’s important to do workshops to keep up with latest trends and be ready for events.
E: How was the pandemic for Fleurale?
A: Even though we were closed, I still took orders for bouquets, Orchids, or other simple requests. Due to the pandemic. I was unable to have all of my stock, but I still wanted to help people and use the stock that I had.
E: What is the life span for flowers?
A: The most time that I can have the flowers in the shop is 4 days. After 4 days, I don’t like to sell the flowers as they won’t last long in the persons home. I like my flowers to last for at least 7-1o days. Sometimes clients tell me that my flowers last for 14 days!
E: Do you deliver the flowers with any complements?
A: Yes, I can arrange fruit baskets and welcome baskets. I like to add little details and special touches to make it feel more personal.
E: What kind of event do you help plan or assist?
A: I plan all of kinds of theme events, such as birthdays and weddings, and I also arrange table decorations and set ups. I like to add details and special touches to the themes. I have a section of my website where you can see my work.
I also have a service called ‘wedding planning and coaching’. A wedding coach offers emotional support to the bride and groom, keeping them relaxed and focused, and plan the wedding. I will stay in constant contact with the client and help them organize their wedding step-by-step. I offer different services, which come in packages.
E: How does it feel to be such a big part of a person’s wedding?
A: At the beginning, it can be difficult as you need to learn all about the clients and learn their style and desires. However, once you know the couple, you’re on the other side and it’s really fun and nice. I love to be part of their big day and helping them make it perfect!
E: What makes you unique to other florists?
A: I love to be involved and do all of the personalized arrangements. I like to put a touch of my own style into each arrangement and my style is different because of my experience learning from great florists.
I work with the most delicate and expensive flowers, because they’re the prettiest and create amazing arrangements. I want my work and my flowers to be quality and beautiful. I like to make unique arrangements for each client, creating different styles using textures and form of the leaves and petals. I am a perfectionist and it’s really important to me that my clients love the flowers!
E: Last question (and maybe the most difficult for a florist)! What is your favorite flower?
A: My favorite is called Ornithogalum! I don’t have any in store at the moment as it’s a seasonal flower. They’re really pretty and dainty! It’s hard to work with these flowers as they’re so delicate but they look really nice in an arrangement.
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Thank you to Alejandra for allowing us the opportunity to interview you and learn all about Fleurale! It was a wonderful and fun experience!
If you’d like to learn more about the services that Fleurale offers or if you’d like to order flowers for a special occasion, you can contact them via Instagram @fleurale.am or call them at either: (322) 351 3585 or (322) 209 6370
