Owner: Rachel Fortune
By Ann Marie Byrd, Feature Writer
Tildy Floral is nestled away in a quaint little second-story shop on 244 ½ Middle Street, by entering a door positioned between Tom’s Coins and Antiques and the Black Cat Shoppe.
This unique boutique floral shop specializes in custom arrangements that are fresh and modern, with interesting design elements that evoke an elegant, airy lightness, and can be seen regularly in restaurants such as Cypress Hall.
Customers enjoy having custom arrangements made for weddings, holiday floral, birthdays, anniversaries, thanksgiving, get well gifts, thank you presents, and more.
Tildyfloral.com has beautiful photos of sample arrangements, that are not the standard cookie-cutter designs. Orders can be placed online or customers can call and discuss the types of flowers that they would like included in the arrangement and a one-of-a-kind creation will be delivered to the lucky recipient!
One client remarked in a text message to Rachel: “My wife said that the arrangement you made were the most beautiful flowers I’ve ever given her—and that says something. Trust me! You made our night. The look on her face when I approached the dinner table at Morgan’s was wonderful. There were so many jealous other patrons too! Your design was flawless and we both loved the originality. You’ve got a new client.”
The owner of the shop, Rachel Fortune, first opened her shop here in New Bern a year and a half ago, after having previous incarnations in Carmel, CA, Morehead, and the Art and Wellness Building during Hurricane Florence.
Rachel’s background is in Interior Design, and she holds a degree from the Sacramento Institute of Design and Merchandising. Her training led her to being a wedding co-ordination planner, which then led her down the path to wedding floral design after having an apprenticeship in Wilmington.
“You can’t do this job if you are not passionate about it,” says Rachel. “I’ve been doing floral arrangement for 27 years and I love creating for people, for their special events. It’s so awesome to create a unique bridal bouquet and know that on the most memorable day of her life she will be looking down at it, and that it will calm her and make her happy. It’s such a blessing.”