Jubilee Flowers

By Sarah Blizzard Robinson

On rare occasions, neighbors peer into shallow waters along our Bayfront with shouts of “Jubilee!” Like an Eastern Shore alarm, the excitement from the sight of fresh fish coming ashore spreads word of mouth, prompting Baldwin Countians to “Come, now!” and gather as much wiggly shrimp, fresh crabs or flounder as their coolers can hold. The phenomenon of a free, bountiful catch is one of legend. When I raise the subject with artist Katherine Taylor of Jubilee Flowers, Jubilee Flowers Fairhope – Wedding & Events Florist in Fairhope Alabama Eastern Shore, she laughs.

“That’s the theme of a rehearsal dinner I’ll be decorating for in April. I’ve had a good time planning for it. I suggested each table reflect a theme of the Jubilee: Shrimp, Mullet, Wharf, Fishing Net…” For the artist and floral designer who is Jubilee Flowers, Taylor knows freshness is key.

Running the business full-time for the past six years, Taylor’s instincts are heightened with each event. This week, she doesn’t seem phased to be balancing two weddings on each of two consecutive Saturdays. Taylor works with an experienced team and makes the work sound inspiring and fun. It makes a difference when celebrations are your business, and Taylor, quite familiar with the venues, creates one-of-a-kind décor with all of the details in mind.

When I first met her, I was simply looking for a handful of table centerpieces for my daughter’s baby shower, which was to be held in a small event space at the lovely Fairhope Inn. The Fairhope Inn - Restaurant and Bed & Breakfast - Alabama

When Taylor first answered my call, and I told her what I needed and when, she said, “I’m doing a wedding at the Inn the next day. Why don’t you meet me there early the day before your event, and I’ll transfer your arrangements to you, or someone on my staff can just set them on the front porch where you can find them. But first, tell me about the colors on your invitations.”

“Well, first of all,” I said, “It’s a boy. Our first grandson. He’ll be born in New Orleans. It’s a bayou-themed shower, the invitations include baby alligators, pelicans as storks, and turtles, etc.” That was all she needed to know. Taylor arranged fresh blue flower sprigs, variegated greenery, and off-white roses (which were still beautiful a week afterward) in a keepsake, rustic wooden containers. She even took the time to paint the keepsakes in soft blue.  

Taylor got started in the flower business when she began helping her mom, bayfront homeowner Kitty Chew, when her mom had a flower business in Birmingham, AL. When Chew relocated her business to Fairhope, Taylor was living in Asheville, NC at the time. For big weddings, Taylor found herself flying in to help her mom. Now, it’s Chew who’s there to advise her daughter. “I learned everything from her,” Taylor says. “I’ve been in charge now for six years. When Mom raised her house, it created a nice space underneath for workbenches, storage, and refrigeration. I use the space there for my studio work.”

Jubilee Flowers is also well-stocked with candles, vases, assorted containers, votives, glassware, metal stands, chairs, linens, and props, all stored in her warehouse. Taylor’s work caters to every imaginable rite of passage.

Taylor’s website highlights flowers and greenery displayed for life’s most important moments.

• Sturdy tent supports become backdrops for flowered pillars inside a reception in the courtyard of the Inn.
• A church’s arched wooden doors look like they could be in Hawaii. They’re enhanced by hundreds of fresh blossoms, an ethereal greeting for wedding guests.
• In Point Clear, flowers cascade along centuries-old southern oaks, as Taylor has magically attached fresh blooms from the root systems upward and along enormous limbs, enhancing the majestic trees’ shapes on the grounds of The Grand Hotel. Point Clear Resort | Grand Hotel Golf Resort & Spa, Autograph Collection (grand1847.com)

Taylor’s flower business began naturally, through her mother's hard work, training, and reputation. Jubilee Flowers is their legacy and is so much more than bouquets and corsages. As the theme suggests, Taylor provides fresh flowers and her signature design skills to enhance Eastern Shore life’s momentous celebrations.

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