Four Studios, One Creative Direction: Inside Larry Walshe Studios

Larry Walshe Studios now operates from London, New York, Lake Como, and the Côte d'Azur. But it started smaller than that - much smaller. "I explored a few different paths before launching the studio from my dining table with £500, and what began with flowers has grown into a global floral and event design studio," Larry says.

It's the kind of origin story that could read as a humble-brag footnote. For Larry, it's closer to the whole point. The studio's growth was never really about flowers expanding into something bigger; it was about what flowers were for, from the very beginning. "Floristry was the starting point, but the work has always been about much more than flowers," he says. "For me, it is about storytelling and transforming a space in a way that feels completely right for the couple and the occasion."

Four Cities, One Standard

Ask Larry where he works, and the answer resists a simple pin on a map. He's based between London and New York, with studios also in Lake Como and the Côte d'Azur, and from there, the work goes everywhere. "Our work takes us all over the world, creating weddings, private celebrations, brand events and large-scale installations for clients in a wide range of destinations," he says.

He's careful to draw a distinction between the studio's reach and its roots. The four cities aren't simply markets the studio travels into. "These are not simply destinations we travel to," he says. "They are physical bases, with local teams, trusted suppliers and strong regional knowledge." That structure, he explains, is what lets the studio move fluidly between an English country wedding and a celebration on the shores of Lake Como without losing its creative thread. "This allows us to work in a much more considered and efficient way for our clients, while maintaining the same creative direction and level of detail across every project."

And the studio doesn't stop at those four bases. "Yes, we are available to work worldwide," Larry confirms.

We are very used to working across different countries, cultures, venues and production requirements.

A Labyrinth Instead of an Aisle

Pressed for a standout project, Larry doesn't reach for the biggest or most photographed wedding in the studio's portfolio. He reaches for the one with the clearest idea behind it: a white rose labyrinth at Hotel du Cap-Eden-Roc. "Rather than creating a traditional aisle, we designed a sculptural ceremony space that invited the couple to move through the flowers in a symbolic way," he says.

The symbolism wasn't decorative; it was the design brief. "The labyrinth represented the two separate journeys they had taken before finding each other," Larry says. "They each entered from different points, walked their own path and met in the centre." For him, the project distills what the studio is always chasing. "It was romantic, personal and completely unique to them, which is always what we aim for in our work."

The Trust Behind the Reaction

What keeps Larry doing this work, after building it from a single dining table into a four-city operation, comes down to one moment, repeated differently for every couple. "There is also nothing quite like the moment a couple sees the space for the first time," he says. "That reaction always reminds me why we do what we do."

Getting there, he says, depends on something less visible than the final design. "Weddings are incredibly personal, so there is a huge amount of trust involved," he says.

To take someone's story, their hopes for the day and the feeling they want to create, then turn that into something they can walk into and experience, is very special.

Rules for Going Off-Script

Larry's studio is known for working outside the conventions of traditional floral design - fruit, foliage, branches, sculptural structures, fabric, candlelight, even architectural materials show up in his work. But he's strict about why. "I love using non-traditional elements when they have purpose," he says. "For me, it is never about adding something unusual just for the sake of it. It has to support the story, the setting or the atmosphere we are trying to create."

The goal, he says, is depth without losing coherence. "These details can give floral design more depth and help it feel truly connected to the venue and the couple," he says. "The key is balance. It should still feel beautiful, considered and completely right for the occasion."

On Trends - and Why They're Not the Point

Larry has a clear-eyed read on where floral design is heading, but he holds it loosely. "I think couples are becoming much braver with flowers, which is lovely to see," he says. "There is less pressure to follow a traditional wedding formula and more interest in creating something that feels personal to them and to the setting."

He points to a few specific shifts. "We are seeing more sculptural work, more immersive floral moments and a greater appreciation for seasonality," he says. "Colour is also being used in a more confident way, not necessarily as a theme, but as a way to create feeling and atmosphere."

But trends, for Larry, are a starting point at most - never a destination. "I never think the best weddings are trend-led," he says.

Trends can be a useful starting point, but the design has to come back to the couple, the venue and the experience we want to create for everyone walking into that space.

Advice for the Undecided

For couples who don't yet know what style they want, Larry's advice skips style entirely and starts somewhere more basic. "I always suggest starting with the feeling you want to create, rather than trying to pin down a style too quickly," he says. "Think about how you want the day to feel when people walk into the room. Do you want it to feel romantic, joyful, intimate, dramatic or full of energy?"

From there, he suggests looking sideways rather than searching directly. "It can also be helpful to look at the details you already love," he says.

Your venue, your clothes, your home, favourite restaurants, travel, art and even the colours you naturally return to can all give clues about your style.

And he's quick to reassure couples that arriving without a clear vision isn't a problem to fix before the first meeting. "You do not need to arrive with a finished vision," he says. "Often the best ideas come through conversation, trust and a little bit of creative exploration."