About
Once Gathered is a bespoke floral design studio specializing in garden and gathered arrangements.
Serving clients throughout North Carolina and beyond, the Once Gathered team uses their expansive knowledge of flowers and immense creativity to design one-of-a-kind florals that leave a lasting impression.
Owner & Lead Florist, Jennifer Wood
Inspired by both the simplicity and complexity that flowers embody, Jennifer creates unique florals, individual to each couple. She stays true to each client’s vision, while enhancing it with her own style, creativity, and extensive knowledge of flowers. The result is unique florals that foster an unforgettable ambiance. After many years excelling in the industry, Jennifer began Once Gathered out of a desire to more widely explore expressing herself through flowers and a love of creating memorable experiences for people. Her portfolio and clientele are as diverse and inclusive as the florals that she includes in her arrangements.
Owner, Frankie Xelhua Garcia
Frankie began his career processing flowers for floral shops in New York City’s Flower District. Spurred by his passion for flowers, he quickly worked his way up to designing florals. His path eventually took him to Durham, NC where he met Jennifer. Frankie crafts arrangements with speed, efficiency and quality, pouring himself into each design. Known for his love of building large-scale installations, his work is elevated and elegant. Jennifer and Frankie met while working at the same florist, where they soon fell in love and married. Together they raise four children, two dogs, and a cat in Durham, NC – a beautiful blended family, not unlike the gathered arrangements they craft.
Creative Director , Katie Dawson
Katie Dawson is a Virginia Native who spent 7 years in the Chicago Wedding floral industry before transplanting back to the East Coast in 2020. She now lives in Chapel Hill with her husband and their hound dog. The floral industry has drawn Katie back in by allowing her to use both sides of her brain to challenge her creatively and logistically. She loves building large, lush installations in architectural shapes, just as much as she loves composing airy and delicate, wearable pieces. Though Katie loves the creative freedom and ability to let her personality shine through florals, she never forget the client behind the vision of each event.