Friday Introductions: The Whimsical Rose, Charlotte Wedding Stylist and Vintage China Rental

Meet Heather, Owner of The Whimsical Rose- a Charlotte based event stylist and china rental company

Photos taken by Click Away Photography, scanned by Photovision Prints

When did The Whimsical Rose begin? 

My passion for vintage china began when I was young growing up in Dorset, England, always having tea at home or out and about in cafes and tearooms.  In September of 2013 I got married back in England close to where I spent my childhood, we had the most wonderful wedding I could of hoped for. I had always imagined a unique and elegant wedding, so I decided to rent mismatched china for my reception, teacups and all!  The response to the china was wonderful, everyone loved it, especially my American relatives! It made a wonderful conversation piece, I simply wanted to bottle the day up and never let it go.  So, after many years working in the travel industry and after the response I got at my wedding I decided to create my own business and bring a little piece of England back to North Carolina.  

Did you grow up in NC? 

No, I grew up in a town called Wimborne in Dorset, England.  I was actually born in Virginia but spent my childhood in England up until I turned 21 and then I decided to give life a try in the USA.  At that time I moved from England to Asheville NC.

Why China?

I just love the history of it, all the different brands and styles, there are so many.  There is something so elegant too about a teacup, I think it's timeless and romantic.

What is your favorite piece of China? 

After collecting china for the past four years I started to like certain brands of china, Royal Albert will always be a favorite but I do like patterns that Royal Tuscan offers, Foley, Minton etc.  The teacup is my favorite by far though, so dainty and pretty! 

What has been your favorite thing about being a business owner? 

I would say it's the flexibility to figure out your own schedule and what works best for you, but you really do have to stay focused to get your work done, structure is everything, especially working from home.  Naturally being a business owner can come with its own stresses, you do have to learn a lot during the process, I am still learning!  You also have to become adaptable to an ever changing market!

Married? Kids? Pets? 

I am married yes, to a French man, believe or not, we met here in the States.  I have one crazy cat called Alfie who runs the show at our house pretty much!

Favorite meal to cook? 

Cooking is not one of my most strongest points but I do love to cook a good pasta meal or a Mexican dish, I just got my first Hello Fresh box, so I'm going to see how I like that! I do try to make an effort! 

Favorite movie or TV show?

Oh this one is easy Game of Thrones, it's fantastic!  Anyone who hasn't watched it is really missing out.  

Favorite place to visit? 

Well I do love to go back home to England to see family, friends and eat all the food I miss out on whilst I'm here in the States.  I do love also to go to Normandy to visit my husbands family and recently we took a trip to the Mont St Michel which was just magical.  I really do like Spain also, especially Barcelona, I have some great fun memories of a trip I took there with my best friend which involved a tad too much sangria!

Coffee or Tea? 

Take a guess? Tea, of course, in the mornings the one thing I must have is a large cup of tea with milk, then after breakfast I have a coffee.  If I don't get my cup of tea in the morning though, I'm not a happy camper!

Advice to those who want to own their own business? 

Go for it!  Realize there may be things that you may have to figure out along the way such as the financials/legalities etc.  Also be open to new challenges and changing up how you do things, every industry changes, expectations change so along the way you may have to learn new skills.  Don't be afraid though, it's a great feeling to create something that is yours!

If you haven't already, check out Heather's work HERE

If you are a vendor in the Charlotte area, and are interested in being featured on our Friday Introductions, feel free to send us an email at moreinfo@clickawayphoto.com