Victoria ~ Owner and Lead Designer
Hi there! My name is Victoria Atkinson, and I’m so glad you’re here. I will be your guide through the world of flowers throughout your wedding planning process, and I will work with you and your vendor team to bring your vision to life. So that you can get to know me a little better, here’s a few tidbits of info about me, my business, and the amazing team behind Wildwood Flower Shop.
Firstly, I draw inspiration for my designs from the absolutely incredible beauty of Nature in all its seasons. If you notice that my floral arrangements tend to be on the wild side, that’s because I grew up in the mountains of Western North Carolina, hunting for wildflowers in the spring, frolicking in fields and pastures in the summer, and sitting at the bottom of the gravel driveway watching the fireflies light up the trees and the stars light up the sky. I was lulled to sleep every night by the sounds of the babbling creek, the melodic hum of summer insects, and bull frogs and spring peepers in the neighbor’s pond. I am at my most peaceful and content when I’m outdoors, admiring all that Nature has to offer and absorbing the grounding energy of the Earth through my bare feet.
My interests are many and varied, so to list a quick few: The Alchemist by Paulo Coelho, metalcore music, a nice patch of green moss, tattoos - 16 with more on the books, purple followed closely by black, World of Warcraft and Lord of the Rings, and my top 3 favorite flowers are lisianthus, rose, and butterfly ranunculus. I have a Bachelor of Arts degree in French Language from UNC Asheville, which comes in handy when we travel.
Photo by Tiffany McFalls Photography
Aaron ~ Assistant to the Regional Manager
Luckily for me, my husband and business partner, Aaron, is also most content outside. We spend a lot of our free time camping, hiking, and canoeing with our German Shepherd, Heidi. We all love to be outdoors, but we also enjoy spending quality time on our couch watching our favorite movies and TV shows and playing video games (this is what happens when nerds get married).
Aaron can always be found lending a helping hand in some capacity or another. He is a man of many skills, can build and/or fix anything under the sun, and has even tended a wedding bar or two. He comes from a family of artists, and his preferred medium of creative expression is photography. You can follow him on Instagram at Creekwalking Photography to see how his work is also heavily nature inspired.
We’re likely to be found at the nearest Taco Bell or local brewery after wedding set-up, and some of our favorite spots are Boojum Brewing in Waynesville which also doubles as our favorite date night, Qualla Java in Cherokee (usually accompanied by ye olde Taco Bell), and Nocturnal Brewing in Hayesville, where we had our wedding rehearsal dinner.
Photo by Maria Shook Photography
Sam ~ Designer and Second in Command
Sam reached out in early 2023 looking for some freelance design work, and neither of us knew at the time how profound this partnership was about to become. We immediately sensed that working together would be a breeze, and very quickly came to the conclusion that Sam could work as much as she wanted with me while also retaining the freedom to travel and pursue her other interests. She is a writer, farmer, yogi, baker, floral designer, chef, barista, coffee roaster, world traveler, and one of the most creative artists I know. Follow her on Instagram at The Freckled Heron for great content and the best vibes.
She is an incredible floral artist in her own right and has displayed her work in the prestigious annual art exhibition “Art In Bloom” presented by The Gallery at Flat Rock. Her favorite design style is editorial, usually featuring flowers she has grown herself. She is an advocate for sustainable practices in the floral industry and uses foam-free mechanics in her work.
Sam is an invaluable member of the Wildwood team, a kindred spirit, and the fiercest friend.
Photo by Tiffany McFalls Photography
Wildwood Flower Shop
Despite the name, we don’t actually have a retail location. We operate out of our home studio… aka our garage, which has served us just fine so far. I named my business after my favorite folk song, Wildwood Flower, made popular by The Carter Family, specifically June Carter Cash. I added the “Shop” on the end to notate it as a business, but also because I originally planned to open an actual shop. That may still be on the table in the future, but for the time-being, I am perfectly content to work from home and conduct meetings over lattes at my favorite coffee shops!
Wildwood Flower was also one of the first songs I learned to play on the guitar, and I played the song on repeat while creating my very first website.
Photo by Tiffany McFalls Photography
Please enjoy this “jam session” recording of my late grandfather, Doyle Barker on lead, great-uncle, Paul Barker on rhythm, and cousin, Del Barker on bass: Wildwood Flower
Lyrics:
Oh I'll twine with my mingles and raven black hair
With the roses so red and the lilies so fair
And the mirtles so bright with the emerald dew
The pale and the leader and eyes look like blue
Oh I'll dance I will sing and my laugh shall be gay
I will charm every heart in each crown I will sway
When I woke from my dreaming my idols was clay
All portion of love had all flown away
Oh he taught me to love him and promised to love
And to cherish me over all others above
How my heart is now wondering no misery can tell
He's left me no warning no words of farewell
Oh he taught me to love him and call me his flower
That was blooming to cheer him through life's dreary hour
How I long to see him and regret the dark hour
He's gone and neglected his pale wildwood flower
Photo by Tiffany McFalls Photography