Meet Heather Siu | Artistic Floral Director

We had the good fortune of connecting with Heather Siu and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Heather, do you have a favorite quote or affirmation?
One of my favourite quotes comes from the Bible Verse Isaiah 41:19, : “I will put in the desert the cedar and the acacia, the myrtle and the olive. I will set junipers in the wasteland, the fir and the cypress together,” Myrtle et Olive, the name, was gifted to me by one of my best friends and business partner Karla Lim of Written Word Calligraphy with reference to Isaiah 41:19. This verse expresses the relief that God has sent, fainting with heat in the journey through that hot country, destitute of shelter, by causing shady trees, and those of the tallest and most beautiful kinds, to spring up for your defence. A creative entrepreneurial journey can be lonely and difficult. Often times, we feel defeated as if we were stuck in the middle of a desert, especially this year with event industry has been hit so hard by the pandemic. It feels as if a business you’ve worked so hard on building, just crumbled down before your eyes. And this verse come into light, it reminds me that no matter how hard this journey is, I have support and I am not alone. The road to recovery might be hard, but I am so thankful for Myrtle’s close circle of vendors. We are all in this together and we have been providing each other mental and physical support during this hard time. I am also extremely grateful for my family and my husband, they have been so comforting while our business is in the midst of many unknowns. And I hope this verse will bring peace and joy to all of those who are affected by the pandemic.

Let’s talk shop? Tell us more about your career, what can you share with our community?
My name is Heather Siu, Artistic Director and Floral Designer of Myrtle et Olive. We are an international floral & event studio – call us the Travelling Florist. we love using flowers to create beauty around the world and have proudly worked with some of the wedding industry’s most renowned talents in the world’s most exclusive luxury venues across France, Italy, Canada, United States and Asia. I started off painting at a very early age, however, I have always been told that art can only be a hobby and not a career. I would never have dreamt that my passion to own a floral design firm would come to fruition. I was at a point of my career as a Real Estate Appraiser where I feel creatively deprived. I had multiple heart to heart conversations with my husband and a few good friends, and they have all encouraged me to take the leap of faith to start my own business. This is how Myrtle et Olive was started 7 years ago. When Myrtle et Olive first started (it was named Chandelier Wedding), we took on a lot of projects that might not be exactly what I have envisioned our brand to be. I went on an “Eat, Pray, Love” trip to Santa Barbara to get my mind straight and to really set a direction on where I wanted Myrtle to go. When I got back home from the trip, I had to put my foot down and decided to only accept work that spoke our brand aesthetic. It was a scary decision to say no to a lot of projects, but at the same time, a curated portfolio has gained us so many more dream clients and projects than we could ever have imagined! Running a floral & event studio in such a competitive market is definitely not easy at all, in all aspects. It was hard financially in the beginning and we had to sacrifice a lot of personal time and weekend. Running a small creative business is never easy, but my grandmother has always taught me that grit and perseverance will take me a long way. Don’t let your defeat define you, but allow it to strengthen you.

Let’s say your best friend was visiting the area and you wanted to show them the best time ever. Where would you take them? Give us a little itinerary – say it was a week long trip, where would you eat, drink, visit, hang out, etc.
I am a beach junkie so I will definitely start the day off by spending some time on the beach in Santa Monica. We will stroll around the famous Third Street Promenade that’s filled with small boutiques and cafes – love shopping small! We will finish the day off in West Hollywood, the heart of Los Angeles, right in the middle of all the action. Cocktail hopping following by a sushi fest at Nobu

Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
Karla Lim, Written Word Calligraphy

Website: www.myrtleetolive.com
Instagram: myrtleetolive
Facebook: myrtleetolive

Image Credits
Jen Huang Photography, Vasia Han Photography, Blush Wedding Photography, Greg Finck Photography, Jada Poon Photography