WILD AND WHIMSICAL FLOWERS with Paulina Nieliwocki

Paulina is on a mission to teach flower design that is wild, whimsical, artful and refined, and she’s now bringing her delightful teaching approach to Italy! Based at a boutique, family-owned venue, on the Tuscany border – a region that has inspired artists for thousands of years – this retreat-style workshop includes daily, hands-on instruction with Paulina, a stunning assortment of organically grown stems from a local flower farm, and an exciting variety of tips and techniques that you can use immediately in your own floral designs.

ABOUT Paulina Nieliwocki

Paulina started her journey into the world of flowers while teaching high school foreign language. After falling in love with flowers as a medium, she left teaching and in 2014 she opened her floral design business, Blue Jasmine Floral.

As a floral designer with her own distinct style and approach, Paulina loves dainty accents, color, texture, and each stem’s unique shape. By highlighting the nuances of nature, she allows each design to tell its own story, to communicate a specific tone, and to elicit a particular feeling. Paulina feels it is a true pleasure to work with the natural beauty that Earth delights us with, and a privilege to be a part of her clients’ own floral journeys and celebrations.

WHAT YOU’LL Learn…

• Paulina’s unique, whimsical approach to Floral Design
• Principles of Design and Design Perspective
• Color Theory
• Centerpieces: Design and Recipe Making
• Bridal Bouquet: Design and Recipe Making
• Water source Centerpiece Mechanics
• Small Scale Designs
• Centerpiece accents
• Setting a layered table for a luxe event
• Aisle Decor Mechanics and Design
• Ceremony Installation: Mechanics and Design
• Ceremony Installation Pricing Guide
• Attracting the Ideal Client: From Initial Inquiry to Tips of Communication

TRIP ITINERARY

Day 1: Arrival 

• Highlights: Group pick-up Rome Fiumicino Airport, welcome with Strada Toscana, Overview with Paulina
• Dinner

Upon your arrival at Rome Fiumicino Airport, our private drivers will transport you to the Italian countryside, and your boutique hotel accommodations in the unspoiled village of Città della Pieve. After check in, you’ll enjoy a walking tour of the historic center of the village before gathering together for a workshop overview with Paulina. This evening you’ll enjoy aperitivo, followed by dinner prepared by the talented Chef Vito.

Day 2: Puscina Flower Farm

• Highlights: Tour and flower-gathering at Puscina Flower Farm, onsite instruction with Paulina
• Breakfast, lunch and dinner

This morning, after breakfast, our drivers will transport you through the stunning Tuscan landscape as you make your way to the beautiful Puscina Flower Farm – run by sisters Laura and Teresa. Here you’ll enjoy an up-close tour of the gardens, which feature hundreds of varieties of organically grown flowers, followed by time to cut your own stems. Then it’s back to the farm’s light-filled workshop space for hands-on instruction with Paulina that includes a focus on color theory, principles of design, perspective, mechanics and recipe making – plus tips on educating and attracting the ideal client. Afterwards you’re in for a treat as you enjoy lunch right here, featuring exceptional foods produced on the farm. 

In the afternoon, it’s back to studio space for a continued session with Paulina, using the gorgeous blooms you’ve collected at the farm for a compote design. This evening it’s off to a local trattoria for fireside aperitivo with bruschetta, followed by dinner cooked alle brace (over coals). 

Day 3: Cortona

• Highlights: Instruction, excursion to Cortona, pizza night
• Breakfast, lunch and dinner

This morning, after breakfast, you’ll join Paulina in the studio for this morning’s lesson on bouquet design, using the flowers you selected and gathered at the flower farm. Paulina will also be doing an inspiring demo on how to design small satellites, after which you’ll be creating your own – with her expert guidance. Then it’s time to design a table setting that includes candles, linens and the satellites you’ve created. Lunch will be served up at a nearby cafe, followed by free time.

This afternoon it’s off with our private driver to the panoramic hill town of Cortona, with its beautiful position, overlooking the rolling hills of Tuscany. Here you can shop and explore on your own (with lots of suggestions, of course), and enjoy the lovely Tuscan atmosphere of this charming town. This evening you’ll enjoy wood-fired pizza at our friends pizzeria – perfetto!

Day 4: Città della Pieve

• Highlights: Instruction with Paulina, pasta-making lesson
• Breakfast, dinner

This morning, after breakfast, you’ll join Paulina in the studio for a lesson on the mechanics and basic recipe for aisle design. Then it’s off to our friend, Cristian’s, cozy bistro for an oh-so-fun pasta-making lesson that includes lunch – featuring your handmade pasta, of course.

This afternoon brings exciting instruction with Paulina on installation mechanics plus her tips on pricing, recipe-making, color theory and perspective. Afterwards you’ll enjoy an evening walk to a private location for aperitivo, followed by free time for dinner on your own in the village. 

Day 5: Città della Pieve

• Highlights: Instruction with Paulina, stylized photo shoot with Sara Cencetti
• Breakfast, lunch and dinner

This morning, after breakfast, you’ll join Paulina for a lively morning session, as you work with your fellow students on an arch design. You’ll also take part in a wrap-up session with Paulina that includes demos of both corsages and boutonniere, plus a Q&A session.  Lunch will be served up at a nearby cafe. 

In the afternoon you’ll be joined by local photographer, Sara Cencetti who will be photographing your floral designs with her distinct, colorful style – the perfect compliment to Paulina’s floral design approach. 

This evening youì’ll enjoy a farewell aperitivo with Paulina, and your fellow students, followed by dinner served up by Chef Vito.

Day 6: Departure 

Early morning departure to Rome Fiumicino Airport

ACCOMMODATIONS Boutique Hotel Vannucci

Hotel Vannucci began as a project of Vittoria Spinola, daughter of King Vittorio Emanuele II, who fled Pisa (and an arranged marriage with her elderly husband) to start a new life with her lover in Città della Pieve. Here, she and her soon-to-be new husband, Paolo, built two villas that became luxurious holiday accommodations for wealthy Romans vacationing in the countryside. In 1903 one of the villas became Hotel Vannucci, and today it maintains the elegance and refinement of its inception, with luxurious sleeping rooms, marble bathrooms and inviting gardens. A stay here is truly special, nestled just outside the medieval walls of the historic, and unspoiled, village of Città della Pieve.

VIEW the Photo Gallery

WHAT’S INCLUDED

•  5 nights stay at Boutique Hotel Vannucci
• Group transportation to/from Rome Fiumicino Airport on arrival and departure days
• Private van service to/from all towns and sites included in the itinerary
• All breakfasts with a multitude of delicious choices, plus teas, juices and Italian coffee
• All delicious lunches featuring regional specialties and accompanied by regional wines
• 4 delectable dinners featuring regional specialties and accompanied by regional wines
• Pasta-making lesson
• Daily instruction with Paulina, both small-group and individual
• Stylized photo shoot of your floral arrangements
• Q + A Wrap-up Session with Paulina
• Workshop booklet curated with the Blue Jasmine Approach to designing Whimsical and Wild Flowers
•  Special Free Gift from Paulina

Not included: Airfare, ground or water transportation outside of that listed in the trip itinerary, alcoholic drinks, wines or meals ordered “on your own”, gratuities for drivers and staff

The Unexpected is Part of the Journey: Sometimes unexpected things come up. If there is unscheduled closing or schedule change, we carefully pivot to include something that is equally as wonderful and interesting, so that the quality of your experience is never at risk. ☺️

DATES & DETAILS

• Dates:
  • April 12-17, 2024
• Trip Price: 
  • $3,495 – $3,995 USD, per person (choose room type upon booking)
• A $700 deposit is required to secure your space on this workshop
• Arrival/departure airport is Rome Fiumicino
• See our Terms and Cancellation Policy

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