A DREAM has come true for a woman who got to create the floral arrangements for this year’s Boodles May Festival at Chester Races.
Emma Smith, based in Sandymoor, Cheshire, couldn’t believe it when she got an email asking her to do the festival.
“I am surprised that they didn’t hear me squealing down the phone,” said Emma.
“We spent a considerable amount of time with them doing site inspections, drawing up illustrations and really trying to understand their brief.
“I’ve been an avid horse lover all of my life from being very young.
“To actually go and experience the races but also walking around and knowing 30,000 on Ladies Day have seen products that you have created is unreal – it’s like a dream.
“It was a completely surreal experience seeing them in person – it’s really been a dream come true.”
The Chester Races arrangement
Emma, who grew up in Stockton Heath, is a wedding stylist but during lockdown spent time doing floral installations for Warrington businesses such as Parrs Bank and two Stockton Heath hairdressers under her business Event Cheshire.
The 40-year-old continued: “Whilst it’s been challenging, we’ve really soared through it because we have created a new set of skills for ourselves which have been a real pleasure to learn.
“Now the business does the floral design and architecture as well as the wedding side.
“I feel really blessed and the fact that it is local to Cheshire, I can’t wait to see what is next.
“Had anyone have said to me 12 months ago that I would be doing Chester Races, I would have laughed and said ‘don’t be silly’.”
Emma has made the #ChesterRaces sign and two flower wall installations that will remain for the full race season.
Additionally, she has created three installations outside city centre shops – a typical job would take 18 hours to complete.
A market stall trader in Chester said there have been thousands of people taking pictures and that their faces have been lighting up.
Emma, who said the designs take ‘a lot longer than people realise’, added: “We are so honoured and the feedback has been amazing.”
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