Love Generously
So I have to be honest. Being a business owner is difficult for so many countless reasons. But one reason that haunts me often is the temptation to be greedy. It’s so bizarre knowing that every decision I make impacts my pocket. However, knowing this fact has not only been a temptation for me. It has also COMPLETELY changed my perspective on how I spend.
I want to spend my money (and your money) not only responsibly but to do good. To choose that I do not want my hard-earned money, that someone else worked hard to give me, to go to some greedy man who is taking advantage of child laborers in a faraway country. Sorry, I get a little intense on the subject! I want to love generously with my money and use it in a way that gives back beyond myself.
In the US, the event industry is a leading contributor to climate change. Well, I would like to not be a part of this unnecessary waste. For this reason, I’ve made some pretty drastic changes to the way we operate here. We use many vessels that have been hand made locally. Some of our favorite makers are Maek, Botanica and Rosmarine Textiles. I’ve also spent a lot of time collecting a beautiful antique brass and glass bud vase collection. While these gorgeous products are a lot more expensive, honestly, they are so much better than anything you could buy at the wholesale flower supply store. And SO unique! Also, by being able to use and reuse these materials were able to cut down on waste and create an incredible, unique experience for your wedding.
I’m sure it won’t surprise you, fellow flower lover, that I have been on the verge of tears every time I have to throw away perfectly beautiful flowers at the end of an event. It’s the worst! What a waste of beauty. Recently we have teamed up with a friend at Shap Hospital so that this is no longer an issue. Now, these leftover gorgeous florals can bless pregnant women in the intensive care unit instead of taking up space in landfills. I call that a win!
I got into flowers purely because of my love of nature. Being in nature, seeing flowers, watching the seasons, feeling the still wildness of growth; it made me feel free. And now that I’ve been in the industry, I’ve realized that so much of floristry is not the way nature makes me feel. We might be using flowers, but sometimes the practices surrounding these gorgeous gifts are less than ideal. You guys, changing the flower world is hard. Changing the way that things are done, so that we are kinder to the environment is also a massive undertaking. So, I’ve implemented a few best practices here that we utilize as often as possible.
I’ve noticed that by actually doing things the way nature intended, we also can create a higher quality product. Still, we here are just about completely foam-free for one thing! Floral foam is a single-use plastic that isn’t good for flowers and makes them wilt more quickly. For the most part, we use chicken wire or other materials instead when creating installations and other arrangements.
As far as actual flowers go, we also are dependent on our local San Diego community. We use quite a bit of foraged materials as well as purchase from local growers. One of our favorites is an urban farmer, Rachel at Psalter Farms who is growing in North Park.
"Do small things with great love."
- Mother Teresa

Choose Joy
By choosing joy as a business, we believe that your wedding day is that much more of a joyful celebration.

About With Flourish
With Flourish blooms with soul in San Diego. While beautifully arranging flowers for weddings in an organic, natural style, we love generously, choose joy and seek peace.

Seek Peace
Through all of these business practices, we as a team and I personally have the means to seek peace in a really demanding industry.