About Us
A Brief History
Edna Pennell had a beautifully decorated career, she was in charge of floral arrangements, fresh and dried, for Colonial Williamsburg for over 20 years. Miss Pennell then went on to create her own venture, The Flower Cupboard, in 1975. The very same year Miss Pennell was greens consultant to First Lady Betty Ford, in decorating The White House for Christmas. In short, The Flower Cupboard was born from excellence - a standard still held today and further achieved by Owner Cathy Nester and her carefully curated staff.
Cathy Nester
Fearless leader, Cathy Nester, purchased The Flower Cupboard in 1996, and has planned and designed personal celebrations, corporate occasions, major conventions and hundreds of breathtaking weddings since 1986. She is famous for her southern charm, making brides, grooms, and mothers in particular feel comfortable and confident while planning their special day. She can as easily capture the beauty of tradition as she can the excitement of a contemporary palette.
When she's not designing spectacular events, Cathy enjoys spending time with her family, crafting of any sort and traveling the globe.
Amber Nester
Amber is Cathy’s daughter and a major part of the creative team at The Flower Cupboard. Having studied interior design in college, She has an excellent eye for color paired with her magnetic personality that will make you want to invite her to your wedding, she is an unstoppable force! With over 20 years of design experience and countless weddings and events under her belt Amber will easily capture and enhance your vision, picking up on details you didn’t know you were looking for.
Amber enjoys a deep love of reading, cooking, spending time on the water, and spending time with her family and friends.
Jacob Howe
Jacob is the son of a prominent Williamsburg area wedding photographer meaning he has been around the wedding industry his entire life. From assisting photographing weddings, to now designing them Jacob has worn many other hats including bustling dresses, tying ties, pinning on boutonnières and anything in between. In over 10 years with The Flower Cupboard he always knows how to go the extra mile to make your event go as smoothly as possible - even if you aren’t around to see it.
When Jacob is not busy setting up events he enjoys home improvement projects, making clothes and copious amounts of coffee.
Clark Taggart
In Memoriam
Clark may have one of the most impressive resumes you have ever seen! Trained at the National Trust of Scotland’s Threave estate, Clark soon came to shape The Colonial Williamsburg Floral Department since its establishment in 1985. With his creativity, ingenuity, and a unique sense of style Clark has made thousands of arrangements with quite a list of recipients. From Queen Elizabeth II and King Carl Gustaf of Sweden, to Tina Turner and Margaret Thatcher. The rather notable list also includes American icons such as The Bush Family, The Reagan’s, The Clinton’s, and even Barbara Streisand. Clark now works with us at The Flower Cupboard bringing his excellence and world renown reputation to your special day.
Clark unfortunately passed away in 2021, leaving behind a legacy of greatness. Clark’s love of history and unique sense of design & style will live on through our “Taggart Collection”. Directly from Clark’s estate we acquired a collection of Palin Thorley pottery & china in addition to an expansive collection of antique posy vases - available on a rental basis for the events of lovers of antiques and those who appreciate local history.