Introduced to the world of horticulture at a young age, Michelle Joy Howard was raised in the floral and event industry beginning with her family owned and operated businesses in Los Angeles. Howard holds a BA in English from Cal Poly Pomona and brings over 40 years of experience to the entrepreneur, floral and event industry.
Her love and respect for the industry, coupled with her passion for design, is something she has never been without. She opened Flora Couture 24 years ago and Flora Couture has been unquestionably the most prestigious floral design studio in the Las Vegas valley ever since. Still a family owned and operated business, Flora Couture ensures each arrangement is designed fresh and tailored to the customer’s individual desires.
Howard has proudly consulted for and has served in the capacity of consulting Aesthetic Director for the Conservatory inside the world-class Bellagio Resort, Hotel & Casino. Many of her celebrity and corporate clients include, Siegfried and Roy, Chanel, DKNY, Kate Spade, Sephora, Zappos, Jennifer Lopez, Pink, Elle and the Kardashians for their custom floral and décor needs. Featured on TheKnot.com, Las Vegas Bride Magazine, Luxury Las Vegas Magazine, Grace Ormond Wedding Style Guide and the Art of the Party South West Edition, she has also contributed wedding, event and floral advice to Chanel 8 – CBS and Chanel 3 - NBC Outlets as well as Fox 5, and has been included in numerous event blogs and articles.
Howard is also proud to have been a contributing designer to the Academy Awards during the time her family businesses were in Los Angeles. Awarded numerous Top Industry honors and having been honored as Florist of the Year by The Las Vegas Review Journal, Howard seeks to give back to the community. She passionately donates time and services to several non-profit organizations including The Boys and Girls Clubs of Southern Nevada and of Henderson, National Charity League, Opportunity Village, Miss Nevada Scholarship Organization, and Shade Tree. She also serves on the Board of Directors for It Ain’t Chemo and is also the Vice President to the Las Vegas Fashion Council. Her ultimate passion is to bring her client’s emotions to life and to #MakeLifeBloom.
You can hear from Howard directly when she speaks during Catersource + The Special Event (March 27-30 in Orlando, Fla.)
Hands on: Floral Tablescaping
Wednesday, March 29 from 11:15 am - 12:30 pm
How do you build a beautiful tablescape incorporating lush florals? Join expert Las Vegas florists Michelle Joy Howard and Mylo Lopez as they randomly select audience members for this hands-on class, and then instruct and provide tips for building gorgeous tablescapes. This is a can't miss class to learn from the pros and watch how it gets done quickly and efficiently. Tables will be available for photography afterward!
Let's Talk Floral 1.1
Tuesday, March 28 from 4:00 pm - 5:00 pm
Build a better and stronger community relationship among wedding and event industry leaders and learners by learning the floral language of design, market, and retail pricing.
This will teach wedding planners and designers, CSMs and others that deal with the design and sale of floral—but have no real floral background—the hows and whys of your floral partners. Understanding these things will help you educate your clients and help them understand the value of their floral and decor elements for their events. What are the different types of florists and what they can accomplish for your client? How do you understand the cost of florals? This session is great for both Social and Corporate; examples of showstopper florals will be in the session—guess how much they retail for and gain inspiration for your next installation!
