Meet Emily Neubauer, AIFD & Team

How did you get into floral design? I was high school student that needed an after school student that needed an after school job, and I have never left.

Are there specific influences you draw upon when you are in the creative process? At Belle Fiori, we try to find inspiration in many of the same places as our brides. We love Instagram and Pinterest. Other florists inspire us, as well as the new flowers that are available with each changing season.

Where did the name Belle Fiori come from? The original owner selected the name. It is Italian, loosely translated to mean "Beautiful Flowers," I apologize to anyone who speaks Italian; I know the grammar is incorrect!

What do you like most about where you located? I love all of Milwaukee; it is the best small, big city around. Our exact location on the East Side, just north of downtown, makes so many of the best wedding venues right in our backyard. It's like we have home field advantage every weekend.

Where do the flowers you use come from? It's wonderful how small the world has become in terms of shipping. We source flowers by the best location for each variety. We get flowers domestically from warmer states all year through, and internationally from South America, Holland, Israel, New Zealand and Australia. Our favorite source is right here in Wisconsin! We work with a fabulous flower farm for sustainably grown local flowers from April to November.

Besides flowers, what other elements can you incorporate? We love to include the unexpected: feathers or fruit, succulents, and air plants. We've also incorporated sentimental items like family heirloom jewelry or modern elements like a GoPro!

What are some unique experiences and requests you've had over the years? A wedding from just a few years ago had a very detailed Harry Potter theme where we filled potion bottles with flowers. We also worked with a bride who was an artist that had a Day of the Dead theme. We included hand-made paper flowers from an Etsy vendor.

What can a couple expect from you as their wedding florist? We always customize the designs for each couple. We take pride in each creative design and paying attention to even the smallest detail.

What are your words of wisdom for brides and grooms? Don't expect the day to be perfect; there is always something that happens. At my wedding, our cake was the wrong shape and icing pattern, but the yummy flavors were correct. None of the guests even noticed!