Wedding season number one as Sprig & Spring came to a close last saturday. It wasn’t until I was unloading my car, vacuuming up scraps of eucalyptus that I realized how big of a deal that was. I made it through a wedding season! Brides (and moms!) were happy! I didn’t cut my finger off with a pair of clippers! That being said, here are ten lessons I’ve learned in my first season as a floral lady and business owner.
I should have never made fun of my mom’s minivan. Throughout my entire childhood, my mom has owned a minivan and no one has made fun of it more than I have. However, jokes on me because the loser cruiser has single handedly made any and all deliveries happen this past year and my mother has been there along the way to remind me just how practical of a vehicle it is for more than just moms (still never owning one).
Zip ties have the power to make everything look good. Without them, you wouldn’t have any installs.
Ask for help. This one’s really hard for me. I’m independent, I don’t want to bother anyone but the reality is, Sprig & Spring can’t succeed without the help of many. Also it’s way more fun working with friends. Plus, after we finish an event I buy everyone dinner and drinks which to be honest is one of the best parts of the day.
I can name more flowers now than I ever knew existed. It’s my new super power.
Pricing is hard. As someone who had a math tutor for the entirety of her academic life, the money part of business has been the most challenging but I’ve become so much better at it. I can look at a spreadsheet now and not cry. I can look at a bouquet and gauge how much it would cost to make. I wish I could go back and tell 9th grade Angela that someday she’d own a business and have to do math everyday (or maybe I wouldn’t bc she’d probably get really upset).
Instagram friends are real. I’m going to be honest, I was skeptical but I’ve gained more like-minded business friends and received more encouragement from people on a little app from my phone than I ever thought possible.
I’m an artist. What?! I’ve always secretly wanted to be an artist. I have thought of myself as creative, but not really artististic. I’ve come to realize that flowers are a form of art. Colors and textures have new meanings to me. More than seeing if something looks nice, I can anticipate what a type of greenery will look like paired with a rose or a protea. Color blocking is a term I use regularly and it makes me feel really cool.
Don’t go to an event set-up without snacks. It’s a long day, people. You’ve been on your feet for the past few days prepping, most likely you haven’t slept in the past 24 hrs, and you are weak. BRING A SNACK. As someone who has been called “hangry” on multiple occasions, trust me.
Go to bed by 1 am before an event. Any work done after this time is absolute garbage. Wake up early instead.
Walking into the getting ready room- filled with bridesmaids drinking mimosas and the smell of hairspray- delivering the bride her bouquet is the best part of my job. It makes the late nights, allergies, and permanent thorns in my thumbs 1,000 percent worth it.
Catch us back on the wedding game in January. We’ll be premiering up in Seattle! In the meantime, regular programming will still commence. We have a few holiday events coming up, some custom orders, and as always, shaking up cocktails.