A BLOSSOMING PARTNERSHIP It’s a Perfect Day Wedding Florist Celebrates 15 years of Partnership BY ZANDRA WOLFGRAM
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atty Bilbo didn’t catch a bridal bouquet at a wedding, but her foray into the florist industry was about as serendipitous. When her husband, Stoney, retired from the U.S. Air Force and they relocated to the Emerald Coast, working as a florist was something flexible she could do while raising three children. It takes a special kind of family to own and operate a business together, and Patty has that with It’s a Perfect Day Wedding Florist, which she established in Freeport in 2003. “There’s really no boss; we’re all partners and we work well as a team. Being military, you learn to depend on each other,” Patty says. Everyone has a key role in the Bilbo family business. Her 37-year-old daughter, Amber, is her right hand. Amber’s husband, Jerrold, is a woodworker and makes custom sand kits for unity ceremonies, among other things. Dad (Stoney) officiates. Brother Paul helps with building arbors and designing flowers. In 2005, Patty designed florals for the sister of a bride whose wedding was held at Hilton Sandestin Beach Golf Resort & Spa. The resort team was duly impressed, and It’s a Perfect Day became a preferred vendor following that. During the ensuing 15 years, Patty’s business blossomed. Not only does It’s a Perfect Day deliver beautiful wedding flowers for Hilton Sandestin Beach brides, but it also provides florals for large group events, special events, employee appreciation, lifestyle photo shoots, resort VIP guests and more. “We work seamlessly as a team,” Patty says. “The hotel’s banquet set-up team, their 78 HILTON SANDESTIN BEACH 2020
wedding crew, the banquet staff — everyone at the Hilton Sandestin Beach is absolutely wonderful. We count on them, and they know they can count on us.” On wedding days, Patty and Amber are admittedly in a floral flurry, but being on a first-name basis with everyone from the concierge to the valet is part of what makes a Hilton Sandestin Beach wedding come off without a hitch. “There is a mutual respect,” says Patty. “We are treated as though we are an extension of the staff, not just a vendor.” Though this florist insists “nothing is the same” about any of the year-round destination weddings she designs and “every single bride is different,” the one constant is Patty’s simple approach. She reviews her bride’s Pinterest page to get a feel for their vision and then shares It’s a Perfect Day’s Facebook page, where the bride can browse the 5,000 images of their work. Patty asks the bride to choose 10 final photo favorites. “Inevitably, I can see the patterns emerge in what a bride is looking for,” Patty shares. “We start with the color theme, and pretty much everything goes from there.” Last year, Amber designed 700 bridal bouquets. Beyond bouquets, they also design wearable flowers, flower girl baskets, centerpieces, décor, cake flowers; offer beach set up and rentals of everything from arbors to vases. But as much as Patty knows, this “flower girl” says there is always more to discover. “I still learn something new every day, and there’s always new ways to do things,” she says.
Bridal Tips from the Experts Do’s ♦B e flexible, some flowers may not be in season. ♦C reate a Pinterest board of your vision. ♦T rust the professionals … your florist, DJ or baker.
Don’ts ♦S top putting Sprite in water, just cut the stems and place in clean vases with clean water. ♦D on’t try to reuse your flowers from an outdoor beach ceremony. ♦D on’t stress the little things. No one knows what went wrong except you, so enjoy your day!
