1. A brief introduction about yourself?
My name is Tharindu Godakumbura. I hold a degree in Visual Arts. Additionally, I worked for 15 years as a Creative Director at a leading company in the floral industry. On top of that, I am also a jewellery designer. To elaborate, I worked in jewellery design on a freelance basis. It was in 2011 that I entered this field of floristry.
2. Could you briefly explain how you entered this field?
Yes, to talk about that, I entered the floristry field in 2011. My current business, Candella Flora, has only been officially established for about three months now. However, in that short time, I have already accomplished a significant amount of work. Currently, our business handles both flower bouquets and wedding decorations. The experience I gained from jewellery design, along with the knowledge I acquired, is what gave me the foundation to enter this field.
3. What were the challenges you faced and the experiences you gained within the field of flower decorations?
Regarding that, I have 15 years of extensive experience in this field. Every wedding celebration we handle presents its own challenge for us. We take on every design and every concept as a challenge right from the start. It is by approaching them this way that they all become successes. The most important thing is that our work has zero complaints. Through the experiences I’ve gained over these 15 years, I’ve learned to work in a way that ensures no complaints arise. Because of these things, we have been able to build a distinct customer base and a unique creative identity.
Furthermore, when working in this field, especially when doing decorations in hotels, you need to know about every flower and every leaf available in Sri Lanka. You also need to understand the dimensions and specifics of every location. Success comes from having that knowledge, which I possess thanks to my experience.
There’s also a technical and almost scientific aspect required when working with fresh flowers; it’s essential. My creativity always supports my work. I’ve built up my creativity over time. I studied arts in school, and at university, I learned Archaeology, Photography, and Drawing under the field of Visual Arts. It was from these studies that I gained the necessary skills for this industry.
Speaking about the wedding field, the concepts there change daily, or at least monthly. The key to the creative side is identifying those trends and leveraging them effectively for that time period. It’s by mastering these elements that we have been able to move forward.
4. What is the number of weddings you have decorated so far, and which was the most unique one for you?
It’s difficult to put an exact number on how many weddings we’ve done up to now. Since our beginning, we have had a special group of clients who believed in us and stuck with us. For us, what’s important isn’t the quantity of weddings we’ve done, but how perfectly we can execute each one exactly as the couple wants. That’s where we focus our attention.
Because of that, it’s hard for me to single out one wedding as the most special. Every wedding I have been a part of has been special to me.
5. In your opinion, how much do floral decorations contribute to beautifying a wedding? And how do you support the customers who come to you for your services?
When a customer comes to me, the first thing I do is sketch and show them a design. Many people use this method now, but within my business, this is a style I developed in my own way.
According to current floral decoration trends, some customers want decorations made entirely of flowers, while others prefer a more subtle approach, focusing on a specific number of flowers. Additionally, there is a group that requests decorations using other elements, such as props, instead of flowers.
In such instances, my job is to properly understand their vision because it’s their dream day. I discuss their budget with them, as everything depends on that. Even the best ideas won’t work if the budget isn’t managed correctly. So, what we must do is fully grasp their idea and then customize a design that matches their budget and the venue. We can do this perfectly because we truly understand the core idea.
When clients first come to us, we educate them about how floral decorations work, for example, how certain flowers are placed or how a particular flower is highlighted. A bride who comes to us with a design she found online may not know whether what she wants is feasible within her budget. In those situations, to avoid disappointing her, we create and offer a design that works for her budget.
Another specialty of ours is that our clients can change their designs if they wish. If they want to make alterations after informing us, we allow them to do so without any extra charges. These are the additional benefits a bride gets from us, beyond just our creativity.
Some clients ask for fresh flowers, while others ask for artificial ones. However, what’s important here is not whether a flower is fresh or artificial; what matters is how those flowers are arranged for an event like this. We can also import flowers not available in Sri Lanka to create these decorations. We support our clients in every way like this.
6. What advice do you give to a couple planning their wedding? And how can someone get in touch with you to plan their wedding day?
Another specialty of ours is that we always maintain a very friendly relationship with our customers to understand exactly what they want. The main thing is that our clients need to feel comfortable with us. They should be able to clearly explain their ideas to us. That’s how our work becomes successful.
Regarding how to get in touch with us, my office is located at No. 15/2 Stratford Avenue, Colombo 06. You can contact us by phone at 077 883 5529. You can also connect with us through social media platforms like Facebook, Instagram, and WhatsApp. Our business name is Candella Flora.
7. What is your opinion about Poruwa.lk’s wedding matchmaking service? And if you offer any discount to customers who come through Poruwa.lk, please mention it.
Regarding the Poruwa.lk wedding matchmaking service, this modern, technology-driven service is essential for Sri Lankans. It allows them to find a partner very quickly and easily. For customers who come to my service through Poruwa.lk, I am pleased to offer a 15% discount on the total cost of their required floral arrangements for their wedding day.
8. On this successful professional journey you’ve had so far, who are the people you are thankful to?
Yes, first and foremost, I must thank my wife. She provides me with tremendous support in everything I do. I am also grateful to all my teachers from school and university who taught me the arts, which helped me develop my creative side. And no matter how many designs I sketch, there are the florists who bring them to life, and a separate art team. They are the ones who give soul to the designs we create. It is through the effort of everyone that we can carry this forward successfully.
We can’t do this alone in this field. The success of this journey depends on the support of hotel staff, wedding planners, rental suppliers for the things we need, and every other vendor connected to this industry. So, I would like to acknowledge every single one of them at this moment.
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