Belli Fiori Joins WIPA: Elevating Floral Design Through Education, Community & Creative Growth

Feb 1

At Belli Fiori, we’ve always believed that doing beautiful work starts with doing the work behind the scenes—learning, growing, connecting, and staying curious. It’s how we continue to show up for our clients with confidence, creativity, and intention. That belief is exactly why we’re so excited to officially join WIPA (Wedding Industry Professionals Association) and to celebrate the launch of the St. Louis WIPA Chapter.

As a St. Louis–based wedding florist, being part of an organization rooted in education, ethics, and meaningful industry connection feels like coming home. It’s an honor to grow alongside professionals who value excellence as much as we do.

What Is WIPA & Why It Matters to Wedding Professionals

WIPA is a not-for-profit association for leading wedding professionals across North America and around the world. Founded in 2008, the organization now includes 23 chapters throughout the United States, each dedicated to elevating our industry through education, collaboration, and shared standards.

At its core, WIPA exists to empower wedding professionals with the knowledge, resources, and relationships needed to innovate responsibly and lead with integrity. That mission deeply aligns with how we approach our work and how we approach our business.

The beauty of joining national professional wedding associations is that we get to learn and be inspired from event pros from all over the country and globe. It’s the best way to expand your working knowledge, get inspired, and discover new resources to make our clients’ experience seamless.

Our Commitment to Higher Learning & Industry Leadership

At Belli Fiori, education is not a checkbox—it’s a mindset. Members of our team regularly attend multiple conferences, workshops, and industry events each year, including national conferences like WeddingMBA, Illinois State Florists’ Association, and Pillars of Production because staying inspired and informed directly benefits the couples and partners we serve.

Joining WIPA is another way we’re investing in growth—not just our own, but the growth of the wedding community here in St. Louis. We believe the best work happens when talented professionals learn from one another, share ideas openly, and continue raising the bar together.

Floral Sponsor Spotlight: WIPA St. Louis “Gateway to the West” Launch Event

We were truly honored to serve as the floral sponsor for WIPA St. Louis’ very first meeting, and it was anything but ordinary. The evening embraced a playful, thoughtful theme—“Gateway of the West”—a nod to our iconic Arch paired with a little western flair. It was the kind of creative brief we love: rooted in place, rich in story, and full of room to explore.

The theme invited a beautiful fusion of western influence with a modern, professional edge. As Erin, one of the floral designers behind the look, shared, the first inspiration was the desert itself—cacti, succulents, and that sun-warmed landscape that instantly comes to mind when you think “western.” We used both succulents and cacti as a foundation, then built the color story intentionally warm to balance the coolness of the navy and forest green linens. Desert equals hot, after all. While we layered in touches of blue and green to keep everything cohesive, the overall goal was for the florals to feel rich, warm, and full of contrast against the décor.

The palette reflected that balance beautifully, featuring copper, navy, sage, and earthy neutrals alongside tactile elements like tanned leathers, cowhides, and plaid flannels. We also pushed the design further by manipulating the flowers themselves—removing petals from sunflowers, reflexing tulips and roses, and even pulling apart carnations to give them a more open, lisianthus-inspired look. The final arrangements were intentionally wild and asymmetrical—far from our usual rounded designs—giving the whole space an elevated Wild West energy that felt organic, playful, and thoughtfully refined.

It truly felt like nature showing off—in the very best way!

Some of our favorite ingredients used to bring this look to life included:

Cacti and Succulents
Roses and Tulips
Amaranthus
Eryngium
Safflower
Copper Beech
Balloon Milkweed

Sunflowers with the petals removed
Blue thistle and Orange Kangaroo Paws
Meyers Asparagus Fern
Foxtail and Curly willow
Brown Molly Anjers Verf (Carnations)
Queen Anne’s lace and Green Japanese Lanterns
Foraged fall branches with autumnal leaves

Floral Design That Goes Far Beyond Weddings

While weddings will always be at the heart of what we do, Belli Fiori team’s design expertise extends well beyond the aisle. Our team brings the same thoughtful approach, creativity, and attention to detail to corporate events, galas, fundraisers, and social celebrations of all kinds.

From milestone anniversaries and retirement parties to holiday gatherings, bar and bat mitzvahs, and large-scale installations, we love creating floral moments that elevate an experience and bring people together. Fresh florals have a unique way of adding warmth, energy, and a sense of celebration…and we believe there’s always room for a little more nature when marking life’s most meaningful moments!

Celebrating the Versatility of the Belli Fiori Signature Style

While we’re known for our Belli Fiori Signature Style, events like this allow us to stretch creatively and showcase just how versatile our team truly is. From garden-inspired designs to ballroom elegance, minimalist palettes to richly layered statements—we love meeting each event exactly where it wants to go.

Design challenges like this remind us why we do what we do. They push us, inspire us, and allow us to tell new stories through flowers. We truly have the best job!

Community, Connection & Creative Energy

Beyond the design itself, one of the most meaningful parts of the evening was the people. It was wonderful to reconnect with so many St. Louis wedding professionals we admire—and to meet new faces just entering the fold.

We were honored to gather alongside members of both the WIPA National Board and the St. Louis Board, and to learn from the evening’s incredible guest speaker, Meghan Ely, past WIPA President and owner of OFD Consulting.

And of course, when wedding and event pros gather, it’s never boring. From thoughtfully curated signature cocktails and delicious bites to custom-branded desserts, live themed entertainment, photo experiences, and the inspiring Idea Corral, the gathering was filled with creativity and collaboration.

Thinking About Joining WIPA?

If you’re a wedding or event professional looking to deepen your expertise, build genuine connections, and be part of a community that values excellence. we can’t recommend WIPA St. Louis enough and we’re grateful to be part of this organization and excited for what’s ahead.

The good news is that you can attend their events as both a member and non-member so it’s a good way to experience this organization for yourself. The Belli Fiori team hopes to see you at a future event soon!

With Gratitude to THe Incredible St. Louis Event Partners

The start of something new is always exciting, but we were thrilled to be able to work with these fabulous wedding and event pros on this momentous launch!