A Conversation With: Sarah Ogden of Horseshoe Flowers
My very first indie publishing moment owes it all to the fact that I fell in love with the wedding industry. The first magazine I ever created – Way Out Wedding – owes its existence to the desire to collate, in the printed form, all the creatives I encountered who were doing incredibly beautiful things for their clients. As a witness to everything they do to make sure your wedding day is the magical event you hope for, my publication was a love letter to them.
Over the years, I’ve been so excited and heartened to see many of the suppliers turn to print to impart advice, creativity and joy in the keepsake forms of magazines, zines and books. Sarah Ogden (she/her) owner of the floral design studio, Horseshoe Flowers is one of these creative souls, and I’m thrilled to have been able to chat to her about her beautiful first publication!
In the autumn of 2025, Sarah released her first book Design & Style Modern Dried Flowers: the essential guide for weddings, events & the homewith independent publishers The Crowood Press.
Described as, “a stunning visual treat that is not only beautiful but informative,” Sarah’s book is an absolute must-have for anyone wanting to get into dried flowers and needs a helping hand from the expert to begin. Sarah says it’s where you can, “learn all the basics for dried flower floristry, including how to get inspired, what tools you’ll need, and where you can follow step-by-step tutorials on how to create all your favourite floral items, such as bouquets, buttonholes, table arrangements and more. After that, we’ll walk you through how to style your event or wedding to perfection with all your floral designs. With over 200 gorgeous photographs, our book will look stunning on your coffee table. It’s perfect for someone who would like to find time to be a little more creative, or for florists who would like to hone their craft or learn more about dried flowers, specifically. The book is packed with handy tips on how to come up with floral concepts and colour palettes, where to buy your materials from (and which ones you need), and over 20 tutorials for you to learn the skills needed to start creating your very own florals.”
Being nosy about indie publishers’ origin stories, I asked Sarah what prompted her to create this book. She said, “I realised that there was a gap in the market for a book to teach all about the craft of designing with dried flowers that also looks vivid and colourful. The books already out there in the market lacked the intensity of colour that my brand Horseshoe Flowers is known for. So, I thought it would be amazing to put together an inspiring as well as informative book showcasing all the knowledge and expertise I’ve learnt since starting my business over five years ago, all with a bright and colourful slant.”
Holly Booth Photography
Behind the Scenes of the Book
Quickfire Question Time
Who do you publish for?
“I wanted the book to be easy to follow and understand so that even someone with no prior floral knowledge would be able to pick up the book, get inspired, and feel the confidence to make something for themselves. So, the book is ideal for anyone who is interested in floral design, whether they have no knowledge, all the way through to established florists who would like to know more about dried flowers and further hone their skills.”
Do you have a team or are you flying solo?
“Flying solo, but I am lucky enough to work alongside lots of other amazing creatives within the wedding industry (two of which are featured in the book with interesting interview segments, talking about wedding photography and wedding styling within the context of wedding florals).”
Are you self-taught or did you study publishing/design/etc.?
“I studied floral design at The New York Flower School before starting my floral design company. I'm brand new to publishing and I'm thrilled to be a part of it!”
First magazine/zine you ever bought and why?
“I can't remember the first magazine I bought myself, but I remember being very little and visiting Grannie who always had copies of Vogue and Harpers delivered to her house. I think that's where my interest in fashion design began (I spent the first 18 years of my career working as a fashion designer, with the last 13 years spent in New York). This love of fashion has driven my desire for working with bold, vivid and colourful flowers. I love colour stories and colour combinations, and I hope this shows in the book.”
What's your favourite publication, and why?
“I'm a huge fan of buying museum books when I've been to a really inspiring exhibition and I want to make sure I can revisit the feeling of being in the gallery. I love a good coffee table book.”
What does print media mean to you?
“There is nothing quite like opening the first page of a book or magazine; there is something so beautiful about not knowing exactly what you are about to begin to read. I love the intrigue and anticipation that that brings. I think imagery also plays a huge role in that, so I really wanted my book to be a visual treat with lots of gorgeous photography within it.”
Sarah has written a deep-dive blog post all about the entire journey from how the idea came about to holding the book in her hands on her blog. It’s a dream of a read when you’re a lifelong fan of all things print, as I am!
Holly Booth Photography
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