Hometown Happenings - Country and Lace Florist

This month I want to introduce you to Chris Bucknam who runs Country and Lace Florist… flower lover, mother of three, dog owner, wife, Mt. Pleasant resident, and local business owner.

How did you get into the floral world? 

My grandmother had a floral shop in Raleigh that she ran. She worked in that shop and another until she was 91. And my mom was always really good with outdoor plants and had a beautiful yard. I came here in ‘88 to go to College of Charleston and then worked at MUSC. I worked in Radiation Oncology for 28 years, and still cover some shifts occasionally now. During this time, I enjoyed working in floral with my friend Debbie part-time, and I took over the business full-time in September. The majority of our orders are for weddings, and we’re currently booked 15 months out. Lots of people are having destination weddings here. 

When we moved to this home two years ago, we thought it was meant to be. It was a big leap of faith to quit a job. This was an unfinished workshop that the previous people had, and last summer we worked really hard to finish it - sheetrocked, insulated, and added air conditioning. These tabletops were previously nailed to the wall as shelving. We took them off and put feet on them because they were the right height. 

Love that repurposing. 

We try to reuse what we have. We compost. We are moving away from floral foam to chicken wire. 

What are some of your favorite flowers? 

Hydrangeas, ranunculus, peonies, and of course roses. I love all flowers. Our daughter got married in March and we had a good tropical mix of funky flowers with bright colors. We source our flowers from a couple of wholesale florists, and we order a few weeks out. Some come from California, but most are from Ecuador, Columbia, or Chile. 

Any favorite venues? 

We do all venues. I like Heart Meadows Ranch out on Johns Island. They spent years redoing it and it’s beautiful. So many places - the Citadel Beach House, Carolina Girl, the Legare Waring House at Charlestowne Landing, Alhambra, and Hibernian. We recently did a 40th wedding vow renewal at Hibernian and it was a surprise from the groom. He arranged it and had all of her original bridesmaids come. It was great! 

Any tips for home arrangements? 

The style now is not super round traditional and with things sticking out. Very few have that roundy moundy look now. It doesn’t have to be symmetrical all the way around. Lots of my stuff has yard greenery in it… just go out in the yard and pick something. 

For larger events, there’s a trend toward lots of candles. We have glass shades, tapers, votives, and can bring in other custom elements. We always have extras on hand and an emergency kit with us whenever we go to a project. And God bless the wedding planners. 

Any wedding day bloopers? 

There will always be bloopers on a wedding day, but no one ever notices. Advice for any bride is that it’s going to be beautiful no matter what. For us, it’s all about the bride's bouquet. 

Reach out to Chris Bucknam with Country and Lace Florist to discuss your upcoming floral needs at www.countrylacefllorist.com or call 843-324-3557. She’s fabulous! 

Check out CountryandLaceFlorist on Instagram for wedding day and bouquet photos. 

And feel free to reach out to me for any real estate needs. I’m a local realtor that loves highlighting our town and the folks in it. If you’re looking to rent, buy or sell locally, let’s chat Local!