It’s time to let go – and trust your florist to do their best work. Recently, I’ve been talking with a lot of my colleagues about what their business will look like next year (you know, when maybe, possibly, weddings might be happening, and we might be kind of sort of, “back to normal”).  Some have changed their business plan.  Some have closed.  Some are trying to stay afloat and ride out this insane storm.

I’d love to share with you what I’ve taken from this year, and how my business might be changing a little.  This post is a collection of strictly seasonal arrangements – designs I created for people wanting to send birthday arrangements, Mother’s Day arrangements, “just because” arrangements.  While these are all non-wedding arrangements, I can envision these designs and styles as statement pieces for placecard tables, bars, or ceremony designs (could be placed on pillars or wine barrels).  They could also be modified for reception tables and give inspiration for bouquets.

In addition to these images being “non-wedding” designs, all of these designs are 100% Maryland grown, which has become an inadvertent goal of my business this year.  But also, for all of these arrangements, my clients LET GO of some of their control.  Let go – and trust your florist to do their best work.

You might be thinking, “Blair, my wedding is the most important day of my life, how can I give up control of something as important as the flowers??”

I’m not asking you to give up full control. But I do ask that you consider why you came to me for your event’s flowers? Do you like my style? Do you like the colors (or the combination of colors) I use? Do you like the CORE Values I have on my website? Maybe you are interested in environmentally friendly business practices?

I’m asking that if you picked Sweet Blossoms for any of the reasons I just listed, I ask that you consider giving me a color palette and possibly a shape/style and then….

LET GO.

Let me be the artist. Trust me to know and have relationships with farms all over the country and to be able to source the most amazing, fresh, unique stems from these farms. Then trust me to create something beautiful that will compliment your colors and venue.

I believe that I have created some of my best and most creative work this year, and I believe it is for two reasons.

The first is because I am finding that more of my clients are coming to me with broader requests. More and more they are bringing me color palettes and telling me to “create something beautiful.” I don’t know if that’s because people have changed their expectations during COVID, perhaps people are remembering to appreciate the little things in life, and that includes flowers. Maybe people are wanting to support small businesses in new and different ways. I don’t honestly know for sure. But I know my client’s requests are changing.

The second is because I have used nothing but American Grown flowers all year. This has given me the freshest, most unique, most inspiring flowers I have ever worked with.  When COVID disrupted the imported flower market, many florists were left scrambling to find flowers.  I have to admit, I felt at an advantage because I had already been doing the work to source many of my flowers domestically.  This year sort of forced my hand to complete that journey, and without actually setting out to do it, I ended up sourcing only American grown product for my entire season!  You know what? I am not going back! I have spent this year forming relationships with even more farms (and a new wholesaler!) that support my plans to use more and more domestic flowers for my designs!  And this has made my designs better than ever!

Will it be hard, to give up a little control?  Yes, maybe a little.  But what will you gain from it? I submit that you will gain even better florals for your event!  You will gain flowers that are unique and don’t look exactly like every other image on Pinterest.  You will gain flowers that will last longer after your event so you can continue enjoying them!  You will gain flowers that have meaning behind them, whose purchase supported multiple small businesses and families.

When you pick your florist for your next event, take a look at their portfolio.  Take a look at their website and social media.  Look at what they stand for and their entire body of work.  Determine if you TRUST them to design your flowers.  If you do, book them.  And then…

LET GO.

Trust them to make you something beautiful.  The more room you give your florist to be creative, the better work they will do for you.  And if that happens, everyone wins!

All of the flowers you see here were grown right here in Maryland, a few from my own garden but mostly from the following farms.

Petal Patch Flower Farm || Belle Blooms Farm || M and M Plants || Hidden Ridge Flower Farm || Cut Flowers by Clear Ridge ||                  Tierra Blooms Farm || Grateful Gardeners