It has been a genuine pleasure working with Salt Spring Wedding Florist Lolo of Buttercup Sandwich Florals on the weddings we curate across Salt Spring Island. Her work feels both wild and refined, an effortless meeting of nature and intention. Every bouquet, installation, and stem she touches reflects the same qualities that define this island itself: grounded, artful, and deeply human.
At Folklore Weddings, we believe that weddings are not just events but living collaborations between the people, the land, and the creatives who bring them to life. Lolo’s approach to floral design captures this vision perfectly. Through her art, she transforms flowers from simple decor into something living and expressive, a way of storytelling through color, scent, and season.
A Floral Journey of a Salt Spring Wedding Florist.
Lolo’s path to becoming one of Salt Spring Island’s most beloved wedding florists began in the most natural way imaginable, through community. Long before she was designing centerpieces or arches, she was working with her hands in the soil at a local flower farm. “My friend had Earth Candy Farm and asked if I wanted to work with her,” she remembers with a smile. “I didn’t have any farm experience, but I always loved flowers.”
Those first few seasons growing blooms gave her a profound respect for the process behind every stem. Over time, she realized she wanted to play a larger role in shaping how those flowers were experienced. “I started to feel sad that I was sending the flowers away and not getting to be creative with them myself,” she says. “I wanted to be part of the whole process, from seed to bloom to design.”
That impulse to see beauty through every stage of its life continues to guide her work today. Her studio, Buttercup Sandwich Florals, is a reflection of that full-circle philosophy: deeply rooted in the island’s ecology, patient in its craft, and always led by curiosity.
An Intuitive and Organic Design Approach
When asked to describe her design style, Lolo doesn’t cite trends or rigid principles. Instead, she speaks about feeling. Her creative process is guided by intuition, not imitation, a dialogue between her and the couple, between the flowers and the season. “Even if two couples have the same color palette,” she says, “they always have a different feeling. I let that guide me.”
This approach makes every arrangement feel distinct, like it could not have existed for anyone else. She often mixes blooms from her own garden with flowers grown by nearby farmers, letting the personality of the couple and the spirit of the island shape what emerges. Nothing is formulaic, and nothing feels forced. “It’s never about recreating something,” she explains. “It’s about responding to the people, to the moment, to what’s in bloom.”
The result is a kind of floral storytelling that feels intuitive and alive, a reflection of Salt Spring Island’s own rhythm, equal parts refined artistry and natural abundance.
Inspired by Season and Place
Every piece Lolo creates begins with what the island offers. She believes that true beauty comes from honoring the seasons rather than resisting them. “Almost all of my flowers can be sourced right here,” she says. “It feels amazing to work with blooms that are grown without pesticides and don’t come in plastic.”
This commitment to local sourcing gives her work a sense of authenticity that cannot be replicated with imported stems. The textures, colors, and shapes of her arrangements shift as the months do, from early spring’s tender blossoms to late summer’s sculptural blooms. “Right now, Nerine is a favorite,” she says, describing its delicate, luminous petals. “And Clematis, it’s this beautiful vine that turns into a wild, fluffy seed pod later in the season.”
Lolo’s excitement for unusual, character-filled plants speaks to her creative spirit. She laughs, calling them “a little weird and alien,” but her eyes light up when she describes how they bring energy to a design. It’s that willingness to let nature lead that makes her work so alive. Each piece she builds feels connected, not just to the couple, but to the land it came from.
Rooted in the Salt Spring Island Community
Floristry, like all art, is strengthened by community, and Lolo is deeply connected to the network of growers and artisans that define Salt Spring Island. Her work is both creative and collaborative, built upon relationships with the farmers who cultivate the island’s flowers. “Between our farms and a few others, we can always find what we need,” she says. “It’s such a supportive community.”
She often sources from friends like Laura at Summer Love Flower Company and Molly and Zach at Bullock Lake Farm, both of whom grow exceptional flowers using sustainable practices. Working closely with other local producers allows her to design with a level of freshness and integrity that simply isn’t possible with imported stems.
At Folklore Weddings, we share that same belief that local artistry isn’t just an aesthetic choice, but an act of care. Every bouquet made from island-grown blooms supports small farms, reduces waste, and strengthens the creative economy that sustains Salt Spring’s vibrant wedding community.
Collaboration and Creative Trust
When couples begin working with Lolo, they’re invited into a process that feels personal and thoughtful from the very start. She takes the time to understand their story, their tone, and the feeling they want to create. “I start with a questionnaire and then make a vision board and quote,” she explains. “It helps me tune into their personality and style, and usually they say, ‘Wow, you captured it perfectly.’”
This approach aligns beautifully with how we curate weddings at Folklore. It’s about connection, understanding not only the logistics of a day but its emotional landscape. Through conversations, images, and inspiration boards, Lolo builds designs that are as intentional as they are expressive. Her work reflects the couple’s energy and the island’s natural rhythm, resulting in arrangements that feel effortless but are deeply considered.
Advice for Couples Planning Their Floral
One of the most valuable pieces of wisdom Lolo offers to couples is simple: trust your florist. Too often, people fixate on specific flowers they’ve seen online, forgetting that floristry is a seasonal craft. “Don’t get too attached to specific flowers unless there’s one that’s really meaningful,” she says. “Unless you’re timing your wedding around the season that flower blooms, it’s best to trust your florist. We’ll always pick what’s freshest and most beautiful.”
This mindset, letting the florist respond to what the land is offering, is what allows her work to feel so harmonious. When couples release control and trust their creative team, the results are always more authentic. It’s the same principle we carry across every Folklore wedding: the most beautiful celebrations happen when people allow artistry, nature, and trust to intertwine.
The Work Behind the Beauty
While her designs appear effortless, there’s a demanding craft that happens behind the scenes. Every floral installation is a delicate balance between time, temperature, and structure. Lolo is candid about the challenges: “For clients, the biggest challenge is usually budget,” she admits. “Flowers are perishable and take so much time and care to grow and handle.”
From her side, it’s often the elements that create the biggest obstacles. “Wind, heat, keeping things hydrated, making sure nothing blows over,” she says. “You’re fighting time and nature to keep everything looking effortless.”
Her calm, focused presence is what allows her to navigate all of that with grace. On a wedding day, you’ll often find her quietly working in the background, clipping, misting, adjusting, and ensuring every stem sits exactly where it should. There’s something grounding about her energy, a steadiness that mirrors the very flowers she works with.
Looking Ahead
As the seasons turn, Lolo continues to nurture new ideas. Her curiosity as a grower and designer keeps her work evolving. “I’ve ordered new spring perennials and I’m growing some really unique, interesting plants for next year,” she says. “And I have some incredible couples lined up, people who trust me with big, creative visions.”
That sense of collaboration and mutual trust is what makes working with her such a joy. Each season brings new textures, new colors, and new relationships. For couples seeking a Salt Spring Island wedding florist who blends artistry, sustainability, and heartfelt connection, Buttercup Sandwich Florals represents everything that makes this island so special.
Her work is not only beautiful, but also deeply meaningful, a reminder that the most memorable weddings grow from the same soil as the community that surrounds them.
About Buttercup Sandwich Floral
Buttercup Sandwich Florals is a Salt Spring Island wedding florist specializing in locally grown, sustainable floral design for weddings, elopements, and special events. Founded by Lolo, the studio emphasizes natural design, collaboration, and a commitment to supporting the island’s creative ecosystem.
Learn more about Buttercup Sandwich Florals and explore other Salt Spring Island wedding vendors through the Folklore Weddings Vendor Collective.
Interview & Photos by Sydney Woodward.
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