This month, we’re delighted to introduce DP from Ecozest Flowers as our featured vendor. Known for his creativity, calm energy, and unique design approach, DP has been shaping weddings across the Garden Route with his signature floral artistry for over two decades. We sat down with him to learn more about his story, his philosophy, and his thoughts on creating weddings that truly resonate with each couple.
1. How, when, where, and why did you start your career as a wedding vendor?
Ecozest began in the Garden Route in 2003, after I returned from London, where I worked with top florists and event stylists for four years. It was a natural evolution—people started noticing the quality and creativity of our floral design and resonated with our passion for thinking differently and expressing ourselves uniquely.
2. Describe the services you offer to potential clients and what they can expect when working with you. How do you ensure that each wedding reflects the couple’s individuality, needs, and desires?
We offer full wedding design, décor, floral concepts, and complete planning and coordination. We partner with the best vendors and venues in the Garden Route to create weddings that flow with ease, beauty, and style—taking away stress and ensuring everyone enjoys the day. Over the years, we’ve learned how important energy, layout, and styling are in creating a harmonious celebration. When clients approach us, it becomes a shared journey. We explore their tastes and preferences, conceptualize ideas that work within their venue, and come up with creative, budget-friendly solutions. We may challenge ideas, but always to align with their core vision. With so much visual inspiration available today, our role is to be a calm, guiding presence toward something truly unique.
3. What distinguishes weddings in the Garden Route and Klein Karoo from those in other regions?
The Garden Route and Klein Karoo have a natural gentleness that radiates from the landscape. It’s important to embrace this and make it part of your celebration. Each venue here has its own energy, and local vendors take immense pride in their work, always going the extra mile. Weddings in this region are often weekend-long gatherings focused on connection and togetherness. In our floral and styling work, we always attune ourselves to the natural harmony of the environment—because the setting here is already so spectacularly unique.
4. How do you stay inspired and continue to innovate in your work?
It’s a personal growth journey as much as a creative one. We stay open-minded and aware of how we relate—to each other and to nature. Trends come and go; creativity, however, blossoms from stillness. Spending time in nature, playing, and experimenting with ideas keeps the creative flow alive. Through honest creation, there truly are no limits to innovation.
5. With your extensive experience, how have you seen the wedding industry evolve over the past 10–20 years?
Weddings have shifted from being simply about marriage to being full celebrations and shared experiences. The fundamentals remain, but couples are far more intentional now—focusing on personal expression and creating events that reflect who they are.
6. What advice would you give couples planning a destination wedding in the Garden Route or Klein Karoo regarding flowers?
If certain flowers are important to you, plan your wedding date around their season. This makes your wedding more unique and naturally aligned. Winter in the Garden Route, for example, is a hidden gem with a wonderful variety of flowers available. Once your date is set, consult your florist about seasonal availability—it affects both cost and design. Remember, florists work with living materials, and climate and environmental shifts can influence what’s possible. Keep an open mind and allow your florist the flexibility to create something beautiful.
7. With so many florists available, what should couples consider when choosing theirs?
Choose a florist with confidence and creative integrity—someone who won’t just replicate a Pinterest image but will bring a fresh vision to life. A good florist will ask questions, collaborate with your styling team, and ensure the floral design complements everything else. Harmony and teamwork among vendors are key. Also, consider ecological values—at Ecozest, for instance, we avoid using floral foam and invasive plant species. A responsible florist will educate clients about sustainable practices that matter.
8. Having worked on hundreds of weddings, what are your key “do not do” pieces of advice when it comes to flowers?
Rather than “do not,” I prefer focusing on what to do: don’t go against nature—trust it. Be mindful and allow your floral designer to bring your vision to life. Embrace spontaneity and trust the creative process. Let nature’s abundance surprise and delight you.
