One of our greatest joys from hosting workshops is the people we have gotten to know over the years. I never imagined that so many diverse people would be drawn to our studio and what we do, but our studio has been filled with people from around the world and from every walk of life. They bring their unique stories, personalities, dreams, hopes, fears, insecurities and talents with them and they leave a lasting impact on me. Our intersecting journeys have enriched my life more than I could possibly put into words.
Steph Wall, the creative force behind Wallflower Studio, is one of these past attendees who has left a deep and lasting impression on me. She originally applied for a scholarship (which she didn’t get- sorry Steph) but then decided to make the investment to still come. She flew all the way from Australia to be part of our workshop. I’m humbled and blown away anytime someone chooses to come that type of distance to be with us. The workshop had a deep impact on her life, and she was generous enough to share her experience with us.
FROM STEPH:
“This June I flew to the US to attend the Sinclair and Moore Real Wedding Workshop in Seattle. Turning up on the first day I was honestly so nervous! This had been on my bucket list for so long, and now it was actually happening! There aren’t really adequate words to describe the surreal feeling of actually walking into that iconic workshop space for the first time. I held back tears and I couldn’t believe that I was really there! I made sure I took a moment to be still and present and soak it all in, but honestly, once I saw all the incredible flowers waiting for us I couldn’t stop grinning!
There was a real energy shift as soon as Steve arrived and the nerves really kicked in for me. After opening the most beautiful welcome gift boxes (seriously, the MOST beautiful!) Steve really encouraged us to be totally open and vulnerable and share our stories, our dreams and our struggles. This proved to be so pivotal for me as someone who has a tough time being vulnerable, I suddenly realised that I connected with and related to every other attendee there. All the nerves I had been feeling immediately fell away and there was almost a sense of family between this group of us that had only just met.
The immaculate Sinclair and Moore Instagram feed of perfect weddings and that beautiful family really don’t let you see how openly candid, authentic and hilarious Steve is. Our conversations felt more like I was chatting to an old friend, not this guy that I had followed and admired from afar for so many years. His approach to his business, his clients and even his competition is completely refreshing, enlightening and completely inspiring as well. Getting the opportunity to work on a real wedding is so unique as far as workshops go and having an abundance of beautiful flowers at our disposal was not lost on any of us. The end results were so incredibly beautiful that we all cried when the Bride arrived!
The workshop not only taught me some excellent new practical skills but it taught me so much about myself. That was something I was not expecting and it opened up so much for me personally, it has been truly life changing and the flow on effect from that has been so incredible and so surprising in the most excellent way. For anyone who might be sitting on the fence and not sure if it will be worth investing the money in a Sinclair and Moore workshop, I can tell you honesty that I would do it again in a heartbeat, without a second of hesitation. It’s true that investing in yourself is so important. Attending the workshop changed everything for me and I am so grateful. I left with a new group of international friends, a new sense of purpose, feeling reenergised and inspired to drive my business forward. “
Thanks Steph for taking the time to write about your experience!
Since that workshop Steph attended 5 months ago, she has flown back to the United States twice to continue learning from us and working in the studio on some of our major weddings. She has become a dear friend that we consider part of our family. Like I said at the start of this blog post… the connections that we have made with people is absolutely the biggest highlight and greatest joy of hosting these workshop.
We hope to meet you, welcome you into our studio, hear your story and get to know you this year at one of our workshops! Registration launched yesterday and the courses are starting to fill up! Make sure to snag a seat! Early bird pricing and payment plans available! Click here to check out all of the details!
photos: Ryan Flynn Photography
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