Lessons, Goals, and Highlights
In welcoming endings as a time of reflection, I want to take a look back at 2017. What a big year it was! There were so many amazing moments, both personally and professionally (although being a small business owner I don’t really differentiate the two – every experience touches me personally). I worked with absolutely wonderful people, created some very unique designs, learned a ton both as a florist and as an entrepreneur, and got married. My plan is to take all of that and move forward into 2018 with an abundance of gratitude, tools and knowledge to improve, and a greater resolve to better serve. I am so excited for the weddings I have booked in 2018 and can’t wait to see the other wonderful things that manifest during the year.
Lessons
Things I learned and was reminded of in 2017:
- While I absolutely adore flowers and the ability to dream, design, and create using flowers, it’s the couples that I work with that make being a Wedding Florist truly special. I am so grateful for all of my couples this year – for trusting me with your visions, for all of your hugs, and for those of you that I got to talk with on a deeper, more personal level. It meant the world.
- I can do more than I ever thought: from successfully designing, installing, and striking during incredibly busy weekends, to overcoming on-the-spot challenges that required resourceful and innovative thinking, to crafting some of my best designs to-date.
- My husband, when I need him, is the best floral design assistant in the world (but I already knew that).
- I am not capable of making a skimpy bouquet.
- Small details are important and can really elevate the look of a design.
- Floral design is very physical work and I need to be mindful to take better care of my hands. Shea butter was my saving grace.
- Wedding planning sometimes can be overwhelming and involve many other outside factors and influences. Experiencing being a bride gave me a new level of understanding on weddings.
- Always, always be thankful.
Goals
Goals for 2018:
- To provide even better service as a Wedding Florist and to really enhance the overall experience I give to my couples.
- To use more organic and natural mechanics of floral design. The future of our planet has been weighing heavily on my heart/mind and I have resolved to increase my implementation of more sustainable methods of floral design: sourcing locally when I can, composting and recycling all the by-products that are produced by floral designing, and moving away from synthetic preservatives.
- Blog on a more consistent and regular basis. There are so many amazing weddings I have yet to feature! I feel embarrassed by how long my blog sat dormant while I stayed busy with all the other aspects of running a business.
- Celebrate the work and artistry of other wedding vendors.
- Spend less time on Social Media.
- Take Love Letters Floral Design to a new level. I am a dreamer, a planner, and a big picture kind of gal and I have a clear vision of what I want Love Letters Design to become. I hope you’ll continue with me on this journey and see this vision manifest itself.
2017 Highlights
Florabundance Inspirational Design Days
2017 started out with the Florabundance Inspirational Design Days Conference in Santa Barbara presented by Florabundance. During this 3-day this National Conference I connected with other Florists from United States/Canada and attended several hands-on workshops where we learned from some of the very best Floral Designers: Amy Osaba, Holly Heider Chappel, Francoise Weeks, Hitomi Gilliam, and Ariella Chezar. The conference was held in the most beautiful of gardens and at each workshop there was always an abundance of flowers to design with. It was floral heaven!
Pictures courtesy of Taken by Sarah and Winter Creative Co.
Weddings in Colorado
2017 was a big year with weddings for Love Letters Floral Design! I designed and created floral arrangements for so many fabulous couples, worked at numerous venues all across Colorado, and collaborated with some lovely vendors that I am fortunate enough to call friends. To all my couples of 2017 – thank you for trusting me with your wedding flowers. Thank you, especially, for all the smiles, the hugs, the opportunity to create, the feedback and sweet words, and for just being hands-down amazing.
Many of my beautiful couples who tied the knot in 2017
Photography from Top to Bottom, Left to Right: Lily Rosenthal Photography, Juli Photography, Libbie Holmes Photography, Aaron Saldana, Cedar and Pines Photography, Tony Gallagher Photography, Sarah Hill Photography, Libbie Holmes Photography, Yellow Paddle Photography, Complete Weddings and Events, Stolen Glimpses, Amber L Photography, Jonathan Kohlwey Photography, Kris Farruggia Photography, Rockin Bar M Photography, Megan Simpson Photography, Drake and Co. Photo, Ashley Kidder Photography, Mountain and Mood Photography, Stevie Rhiannaon Photography, Bellagala, Joe and Robin Photography, Daly Proof Photography, Mallory Olenius Photography, Bride’s Niece, Kristopher Lindsay Photography, Gretchen Foster Photography, Chris Loring Photography, and Kathryn Marble Photography.
*A special note to all the wonderful and incredibly talented Photographers – without your generosity in sharing images I would not be able to showcase these beautiful couples and their gorgeous weddings. Thank you, thank you, thank you. Your kindness will not be forgotten.
I also want to give a big THANK YOU to the Wedding Planners who were a significant part of my season this year and who I will always be forever grateful to. Thank you for all of your love and for amazing me with your fabulous coordination/planning/execution skills. You don’t know how impressed I am by what you do. You are all absolutely rock stars: Sara Brown Weddings, Glow Events, Muse Events, Root + Gather, A Touch of Bliss, Organically You Events, Pink Diamond Events, Wendie Bass Weddings, Piece of Cake Weddings and Events, and First Look Events
Holly Grabs The Mike
While I had a wonderful season as a Wedding Florist, the most memorable event of 2017 was my own wedding in July. Having been a part of so many weddings I thought I knew what my big day would be like. After all, I had been in the industry for several years at this point and had talked about weddings with so many people. I didn’t know, though, the full magnitude of what my wedding would feel like. I am 99% positive I can say that July 22, 2017 was the most amazing, fun, and incredible day that I have ever experienced. I have never had an extended time of pure bliss, so much laughter, many, many happy tears, and an overwhelming abundance of love. It was absolutely incredible! Mike and I spent four days in a beautiful mountain house with our closest family members and our oldest friends. During that time there was laughter, adventure, and delicious meals. The day of our wedding was an even grander celebration. And the best part about it all was marrying the most amazing man I have ever had the pleasure of knowing.
The amazing team of vendors that made our wedding day oh so fun!
Planning: Sara Brown Weddings / Photography: Chris Loring Photography / Venue: Casa Vista Colorado / Catering: GB Culinary / Floral Design: Farmette Flowers / Music: TH Entertainment / Beauty: Katie B Beauty / Arch: Noah’s Ark Woodworking / Suit: Bespoke Edge / Dress: Anabella Poletti Design House