SAGE & CO'S FOUNDER, VANESSA, TALKS ABOUT IT'S BEGINNINGS AND HER JOURNEY...
"MY LOVE OF PLANTS AND FLOWERS STARTED FROM A VERY YOUNG AGE, AT 5 YEARS OLD I WOULD DRAG MY GRANDMOTHER AROUND THE GARDEN NAMING EVERY FLOWER IN THE BEDS AND SHOWING OFF WHAT I HAD LEARNT. SHE, OF COURSE WAS VERY POLITE AND ACTED JUST AS INTERESTED AND SURPRISED AS THE TIME I HAD TOLD HER THE WEEK BEFORE AND THE WEEK BEFORE THAT, AND THE WEEK BEFORE THAT.
LATER ON IN LIFE, AFTER LEAVING UNIVERSITY, I STARTED MY CAREER AS AN EVENTS MANAGER. I FELL IN LOVE WITH THE INDUSTRY AND SPENT MANY YEARS MANAGING EVENTS AT ICONIC HERITAGE LONDON VENUES, SUCH AS, ST PAULS CATHEDRAL AND KENSINGTON PALACE, WHICH GAVE ME THE OPPORTUNITY TO WORK ON SOME TRULY INCREDIBLE EVENTS! FROM THE MOMENT I ENTERED THE EVENTS WORLD, FOR ME, NO EVENT WAS COMPLETE UNTIL THE FLORIST ARRIVED! I HAVE BEEN LUCKY ENOUGH TO SEE SOME OF LONDON’S MOST TALENTED FLORISTS CREATE THE MOST BREATHTAKING FLORALS. WHAT ALWAYS STOOD OUT FOR ME WAS SEEING VENUES THAT I WORKED IN FOR YEARS AND THOUGHT I KNEW LIKE THE BACK OF MY HAND, BE COMPLETELY TRANSFORMED BY THESE SPECTACULAR FLORAL CREATIONS.
AFTER YEARS IN LONDON, AS A LOVER OF THE NATURAL WORLD THE CALL OF THE COUNTRYSIDE WAS TOO STRONG AND I RELOCATED BACK TO MY HOME COUNTY OF SUSSEX. HAVING FOUND A REAL LOVE FOR WEDDINGS I CAME TO WORK IN A STUNNING BARN WEDDING VENUE IN THE HEART OF THE SOUTH DOWNS NATIONAL PARK. I LOVE THE EXPERIENCE OF WORKING SO CLOSELY WITH COUPLES PLANNING THEIR PERFECT CELEBRATIONS AND THEN SEEING ALL THOSE PLANS AND HARD WORK COME TO FRUITION ON THE DAY.
ALONGSIDE WORKING AS A WEDDING PLANNER I STARTED TO TRAIN IN FLORISTRY, REALLY JUST AS A HOBBY IN THE BEGINNING. I SOON BECAME HOOKED AND KNEW THIS WAS THE PATH FOR ME! I WAS LUCKY ENOUGH TO ALREADY HAVE CONNECTIONS WITH SOME OF THE MOST TALENTED FLORISTS IN THE AREA, WHO TOOK ME UNDER THEIR WINGS AND TAUGHT ME EVERYTHING I NEED TO KNOW ABOUT THIS AMAZING INDUSTRY. NEEDLESS TO SAY MY PASSION AND CREATIVITY FLOURISHED UNDER THEIR TUTELAGE.
SAGE AND CO. WAS BORN IN 2018, I WAS COMPLETELY OVERWHELMED BY THE SUPPORT FROM FRIENDS, FAMILY AND INDUSTRY CONTACTS FOR MY NEW VENTURE. LIFE SHOULD BE ABOUT FOLLOWING YOUR PASSIONS AND GETTING TO WAKE UP EVERYDAY AND DO WHAT YOU LOVE, AND I CAN CERTAINLY SAY I HAVE TRULY FOUND MY PASSION!
MY WORK HAS A VERY NATURAL FEEL, TAKING INSPIRATION FROM SHAPES AND FORMS FOUND IN THE NATURAL WORLD. I LOVE THE WILD LOOK AND CREATING IMPACTFUL INSTALLATIONS. WORKING WITH CLIENTS TO DELIVER THE PERFECT FLORALS FOR THEIR WEDDING OR EVENT IS AN INCREDIBLE PROCESS, I REALLY ENJOY BOUNCING IDEAS WITH CLIENTS AND BEING PART OF THE SHARED CREATIVE JOURNEY.
SAGE & CO. IS LOOKING FORWARD TO AN EXCITING FUTURE WITH LOTS OF LOVELY WEDDINGS AND EVENTS ON THE HORIZON."