For the past 15-plus years, third-generation floral artist and businesswoman, Mandy Majerik, has been making her mark on the wedding and events industry. After taking the reins of her family-owned florist shop in Birmingham in 2006, Mandy revamped the store's mom-and-pop feel by rebranding it as HotHouse Design Studio. Equipped with the heart, hustle and headspace for creativity, she then began building a small wedding empire. Realizing that couples needed a go-to source for wedding props, Mandy also created PropHouse Birmingham, a specialty boutique rental business. Together, both locations offer an outlet for couples to let their imaginations run wild and realize their dream wedding day plans.
In 2012, Mandy's career further exploded when she was announced as Mayesh's first Design Star. Today, she continues to pursue her passions in floristry and entrepreneurship, offering her design expertise to clients such as the Rose Bowl Parade, Accent Decor, and many others.
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1. What is your idea of the perfect flower arrangement? An arrangement that includes the unexpected. Whether it features a twist of technique or unusual components such as fruit, I always love an arrangement that provokes conversation.
2. How did you get started in the floral industry? I'm a third-generation florist, beginning with my maternal grandmother. After graduating with an interior design degree, I took over my family's business, reinventing the mom-and-pop florist shop into a wedding/event studio.
3. If not a florist, what would be your fallback profession? I would be a visual merchandiser or a travel buyer of curiosities for companies like Anthropologie.
4. What's your present state of mind? Opportunistic. I have several opportunities I'm about to embark on, and I couldn't be more excited with anticipation for what is to come!
5. Which words or phrases do you most overuse? "Shit it and Get it," which means you better move fast and then even faster than that (aka "haul ass"). You'll find it in the Urban Dictionary.
6. Where do you find inspiration outside the flower world? From other creative mediums. I'm fueled by interior design and multiple art platforms through trade publications or simple art images.
7. What do you consider your greatest achievement? Being financially stable enough to give back and be generous to others.
8. What's one thing you would tell your younger self? Confidence is key. And be careful what you wish for!
9. What event or job has been your favorite? Too many in my wedding/event world to pick one! I also continue to enjoy my working relationship with Accent Decor as a floral catalog designer; getting the first chance to design new products and prototypes is always exciting.
10. What is your most marked characteristic? Being a creative, trend-setting, calculated risk taker.
11. Who are your heroes in real life? The hustlers—the people who are self-made and have the drive to strive for their own success—are my heroes. My dad happens to be one of those hero hustlers.
12. Who is your floral hero? My original floral hero is my grandmother, Tommie Miles. She introduced me to this flower-filled world at an early age and revealed how being a business owner is not just about talent, but more about heart.
13. What is your favorite color? For a car: white; for a cat: orange; for a wall: green.
14. What is your favorite flower? Tulips. I love how they dance to the light.
15. What flower could you live without? Sunflowers.
16. What would you call your style of design? Modern artistic with Southern flair.
17. What is your favorite tool for working with flowers? Bind wire. I love to create armatures with willow and begin a design with a simple statement.
18. Who's on your playlist? Adele, Taylor Swift, Reba McEntire, Brandi Carlile and Angie K.
19. What's on your to-do list? What isn't on my to-do list?! I'm doing good to even have time to create a to-do list! I typically write quick, Post-it note ones.
20. What flower best represents your personality? Why? A garden rose. You have to be around me for a while to truly see my personality bloom. It takes a bit for me to open up to new people and show them the layers, depth and reveal the beauty inside.
21. Who is your favorite artist? Thomas Gainsborough, simply because he painted "The Blue Boy"— the piece of artwork that created my secret obsession of collecting en masse. I currently have over 150 versions of the same painting.
22. What's the last book you read (and loved)? "Ralph Lauren: The Man, The Vision, The Style." I've always loved his style and story.
23. Any pets? Jasper, Cash, Ford and Byrd to name a few…I have four dogs and three cats.
24. How do you unwind after a long day? A cocktail and a magazine.
25. Favorite beverage? Sangria is my summer go-to, although an extra dirty martini is my classic.
26. What do you see trending in floral design? Design where individual, specimen blooms are appreciated. Also, more minimal designs using premium flowers.
27. What's out? Submerged blooms in cylinders.
28. What is your flower motto? "Simple yet significant."
29. What's your motto in life? "Be an educated risk taker and magic maker."
30. How would your friends describe you? A creative mind that is quiet. So quiet, that when I talk, you better be listening.
31. What would surprise us most about you? That I can stand up and lecture to a room of 1,500 people, but in an intimate setting, I'm very introverted.
32. What have you learned from flowers? Two things: 1. People really do love to stop and smell the roses. I've never met a person who doesn't love flowers. My profession is a conversation starter for sure! 2. Flowers can unite some of the most creative people in the world. I have met members of my inner tribe through flowers…what a gift.
33. If you could invite 3 people (dead, alive or fictional) to a dinner party who would they be? Describe the centerpieces. Oscar Wilde, Oprah Winfrey and my grandmother, Tommie Miles. The centerpieces would be minimal; mono-floral, specimen blooms—such as lady's slipper orchids—would pair with lily grass in single stem vases mixed among heirloom pottery bowls filled with natural elements (like pinecones or fruits). Color would unify the tabletop, while textures would mix it up.
34. What's your best advice to someone just starting out in the flower industry? Don't compare your beginning to someone else's middle.
35. What did we forget to ask? About my Enneagram type. I'm a FIVE (wing FOUR).
To stay connected with Mandy and view more of her work, click on the links below.
Mandy Majerik Website | Mandy Majerik Instagram | HotHouse Design Studio Website | HotHouse Design Studio Instagram | PropHouse Birmingham Website | PropHouse Birmingham Instagram
