Q&A with Shawna of 'Flower Divas' in San Jose, CA

When you choose a wedding venue with sweeping views of the beautiful Almaden Valley as the backdrop, it's a natural choice to adorn it from head to toe with beautiful flowers. That's where Flower Divas comes into play, our premier floral design partner for Boulder Ridge in San Jose, CA. Flower Divas, led by the lovely Shawna Futagaki, is an award-winning floral design studio for weddings and corporate events. Get ready for an exciting Q&A with Shawna where we explore the art of floral design and creating beautiful weddings.

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lovebirds at BOULDER RIDGE BY WEDGEWOOD WEDDINGS
beautiful classic bouquet by FLOWER DIVAS | PHOTO BY LYNN CHANG LEWIS

Welcome, Shawna! Will you tell us about your business?

Thank you for having me! With a B.A. in Clothing Design and Textiles, an MBA, and a love for flowers, I decided to combine the three and open a floral design business. Flower Divas officially began in 1990 as a retail flower shop here in the Silicon Valley area. After 10 years in business, we transitioned away from retail to focus on weddings, special events, and corporate events. This pivot allowed us to move into a production site and focus on the part of floral design that we really love making big, elaborate floral creations. 

What's the most important advice that a newly engaged couple needs to hear when planning their wedding?

Don't stress over the minutiae. Most guests will never notice the little details, so it's not worth the added stress. Ultimately you, your spouse, and your guests will remember how the wedding and the beautiful decor made them feel. That's what you should focus on.

Beautiful sunset-colored bouquet details by flower divas
venue: boulder ridge | photo: corinna rose

dramatic gold and dusty rose centerpieces by flower divas
venue: boulder ridge | photo: corinna rose

Do you have any wedding bloopers to share?

Once we were working at a wedding where the groom faced his worst fear: he forgot the rings! We quickly got to work, hand-making beautiful rings out of curly willow branches from the centerpieces. The crisis was quickly averted, and the temporary wedding rings will forever be a fun, whimsical part of their story.

How would you describe your ideal wedding floral client? 

The ideal client knows what they want, has done their research on the realities of floral wedding planning, and is prepared to trust the experts completely. We once worked with a bride who was my absolute favorite—the bride was absolutely vivacious and fun to be around. While we don't expect every client to come that full of energy, the ideal client is pleasant to work with and helps to make the experience fun from start to finish. We always recommend preparing a Pinterest page with your floral inspiration before coming to your consultation, it makes the process so much smoother! Focus on textures, colors, and shapes, rather than specific flowers, for the best possible result. We'll take your vision and insert the best flowers based on aesthetics, durability, season, and budget.

stunning wedding bouquets of pink roses and gold accents by flower divas
venue: boulder ridge | photo: QUINNA MARIE

beautiful flowing wedding arbor with burgundy roses and greenery by flower divas
venue: boulder ridge | photo: QUINNA MARIE

What are some of your favorite floral trends?

I absolutely love a natural, English Garden style bouquet—it's amazing to see this style become more popular. We're also loving trends like draped silk and pastels. Corals and pale blues are going to be huge in 2021 and beyond. 

stunning white baby's breath arbor by flower divas
venue: boulder ridge | photo: allison stoddard

beautiful white floral crowns by flower divas
venue: boulder ridge | photo: allison stoddard

It's been such a pleasure chatting with you, Shawna! 

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Flower Divas is a boutique wedding and corporate event floral studio serving the Bay Area and Santa Clara Valley. Over the years, the team at Flower Divas has proven to be reliable, trustworthy, and infinitely talented with flora and fauna. They make such an excellent vendor partner with and we're always proud to showcase their stunning portfolio to new clients. We love their natural, timeless style that looks beautiful in both bright bold hues and subtle neutral shades.

For endless floral inspiration, beautiful portfolios, and 5-star testimonials, visit the Flower Divas website. If you're planning a wedding in the Santa Clara Valley, Flower Divas is for you!