Unreal flower business blooms
Don’t ask Kris Kirshaw to name her favourite flower.
As a florist by trade for more than 30 years, who then founded the largest artificial flower showroom from Brisbane to the Gold Coast, she baulks at the suggestion she could possibly settle on just one bloom.
‘It’s like asking to choose your favourite child!’ Kris says with a laugh.
Considering the massive array of flowers, both real and artificial, that Kris has handled over the past 3 decades, it’s fair enough she can’t bear to choose her pick of the posy.
However, when it comes to helping others with choices for everything floral, Kris has become a specialist in the art – learned through a combination of her former life as a Loganholme florist, and founding Realistic Artificial Flowers at Belivah, just south of Beenleigh.
Coming from a farming background and having family around her who loved gardening, such as her late grandmother, Kris had an early passion for the beauty of flowers.
‘I love being a florist with no 2 days being the same, and I get to bring joy to brighten people’s lives every day,’ Kris says.
‘I love weddings using fresh flowers but was limited to working weekends and wanted to expand beyond a 100-kilometre radius.’
So Kris transitioned into artificial floral design and now helps brides from the City of Logan to across the world.
‘Seasonal flowers can be expensive and hard to source so our artificial flowers can be combined with fresh flowers or on their own,’ Kris says.
‘This makes our flowers perfect for elopements, micro weddings and dual country weddings.
‘We had a wedding recently in Logan where the bride had our flowers at her ceremony here, and then took the same bouquet to Denmark for another celebration with the groom’s family later on.’
Over the years, Kris has noted certain flowers are more popular with local Logan brides to carry down the aisle as a bridal bouquet, make a wedding arbor arrangement or dress up the reception table.
‘Roses definitely, although our frangipani and hibiscus are very popular among the Islander community,’ Kris says.
As for floral arrangements for homes and offices, and flowers by the stem, Kris says the most popular are roses, sunflowers, hydrangeas, and natives.
‘I pride myself in sourcing the most realistic flowers and, after working with fresh flowers for so long, I feel I have a very good understanding of what they should look like,’ she says.
Having just celebrated 5 years in business, Kris ships orders worldwide daily, but her business is also blossoming as more local businesses and residents discover her ‘hidden gem’ … her Belivah showroom.
‘I get so many people saying “These are all fake? I can’t believe they’re not real!”,’ Kris says. ‘Artificial flowers have come a long way from the original plastic and cheap silk versions – now they look forever fresh.’
For more information, go to: realisticartificialflowers.com.au
PHOTO AT TOP: Realistic Artificial Flowers CEO and head designer Kris Kirshaw in her Belivah showroom. Photo: VVS Photography.
