Blooming in Adversity: A Guest Interview with Sustainable Florist Kathryn Miller
If weddings are a community event, then shouldn’t the whole community be involved? Kathryn Miller, owner and operator of Beautifully Bloomed, believes so. Down to the final flower.
Kathryn, after working at a boutique florist, decided to get dirty with the industry and start her own flower farm to change the way weddings do bouquets, boutonnieres, and center pieces. Her passion to reiterate the importance of bountiful, healthy marriages comes out in her ethical business and growing practices. With each sustainably grown bloom she improves the industry and leaves a lasting impact on this generation of brides.
We sat down with Kathryn to hear her story and how she is marrying flower farming and wedding floristry in a happy union. After reading, head over to her website or Instagram and enjoy all her gorgeous designs.
MK: How do you tell a love story with flowers and greenery? Describe your creative process.
KM: When I meet with a bride, I also ask for two things. The first is their love story. Not only because it is beautiful, but I look for something to cling to in the bouquets. I had one client whose boyfriend gave her lilies every month when they were dating so that was the first thing that I wanted to add to their bouquet. A special element that I was able to add to their wedding experience.
The second part is more on the creative side. I ask for a Pinterest board for not only colors and flower preferences, but textures and styles. This helps me create something that is closer to their personal style. If I have a bride who is soft and feminine, I will try to add soft elements like lamb’s ear or dusty miller to match her personality to their flowers.
MK: Is it possible you have a favorite flower?
KM: My favorite flower is the blue star thistle. I think the biggest reason I love it so much is that it completely blooms in adversity. We reflect nature around us, and I think that the blue thistle represents me well. There have been lots of things that have shaped my life, positively and negatively, but I press on. Even if there are so many things to compare myself to - the thistle can either grow up comparing itself to the beautiful blooms around it - who look nothing like it - or stand up straight and flourish in its own blooms. That’s who I am, and I think that's how we as people strive to be. Blooming at our own time and beauty.
MK: Can you talk about why ordering and growing local flowers is so important for shaping the industry?
KM: Ordering and growing locally is so important to me and my business. I grow because you (the client) deserve the best that we (the florist) can offer. The coolest part of this process is that I can make my business all about the client. When a bride books with me, typically six months to a year in advance, I can specifically grow exactly the color and type of flower the bride needs for her wedding. It is such a personal and intimate process that is different from every other florist in the area.
If for some reason I did not grow everything I need for a wedding, there are some great flower farmers in my area I support. Not only does growing locally support the bride but it supports the local businesses around here and helps the environment with constant pollinators and providing homes for beneficials.
MK: Let’s talk shop. What was the most challenging component of launching your own business, thus far?
KM: I believe the most challenging component of launching your own business is competition. There will be competition wherever you are, but the wedding industry can be brutal. It is so easy to get caught up in “I’m not as good as them.” “Why would someone buy from me?” etc. Most American weddings are being placed on pedestals. Everyone is trying to show someone up. I think some of the beauty of weddings are lost in the process of finding the best venue, dress, production, etc. If you get wrapped up in that stigma, it can be hard.
That’s why you have to LOVE whatever you start. It cannot be about the money. Of course you want to make money, but if you are starting a business just to make money - I highly doubt you will be able to make it. You have to love what you do, so at the end of the day when you feel the pressure and heat from the industry, you still have a direction.
MK: Do you foresee joining your education degree with opening the flower farm up to the public?
KM: Yes! I was just chatting with a principal who contacted me about a school garden. I believe school vegetable gardens can be very impactful - but I have started to see an influx in providing flower gardens in the elementary schools. Why, you might ask? Well, as trauma becomes more and more prevalent in younger and younger children, educators need to become creative in how to support these children.
One interesting idea is having a flower garden. The reason flowers over a typically vegetable garden are for three main points. First, flowers typically grow faster than vegetables, so if a student is growing flowers and wanting to see progress, that can be more beneficial. Second and third are hand-in-hand. For students who need a moment to cool down through a heated moment, they can go to the flower garden to smell different flowers (olfaction) and touch different flower textures (sensory). I hope to make a positive impact in my future school by providing a flower garden as a sense of community but also a sense of safety for students with trauma.
MK: You and your husband are multiple business owners. How is the flower business unique from the others? Can you offer advice to someone launching a creative services/artistry type business?
KM: The flower business is definitely different from others. Like I said earlier, it is such a personalized process. From choosing the flowers, the colors, and then the six month process of growing flowers for each individual bride makes this business unique.
My biggest advice for someone who is launching a creative service is one: find your audience and two: find your style. First, your audience. Figure out if there is a need. If there is not a need - it will be a hard and long road. Try different avenues of revenue. My goals are supplying weddings, farmers markets, CSA bouquet subscriptions, and florists. I have diversified my income so if one section is failing - like COVID hitting my wedding market, I have other facets to supply that income.
My second piece is find your style. People will appreciate your uniqueness. Not only will people appreciate that, but you will enjoy your work too.
MK: Thank you so much, Kathryn, for taking time out of your peak season and sharing with us your experience as a business owner, entrepreneur, and sustainable flower farmer. Good luck with all the weddings! Now, how about some gorgeous floral pics?
Hey All! Kathryn Miller here. In high school - I knew I loved flowers and applied at a flower shop. I didn’t even get an interview. In college, I pursued floral design and applied at another floral shop. I got an interview but not the job. End of my time at University of Northern Iowa, I applied at a floral design studio. I got an interview and an internship! It was truly the dream job with amazing people! Then, when my internship was over, I was not offered any sort of continuation with the company. To say that these setbacks weren’t easy would be an understatement. They were hard. Hard as hell. I really thought I was in the spot that I wanted to be, but God knows my path better than I do. Thank goodness!
I hit a point where I thought that I literally have nowhere else to go but up. I might as well take a shot at the business! So I started my own flower farm/ floral design company. I am investing in my own personal development to learn as much as I can about the business to better service those I run into. I am really thankful for all of these “heartbreaks,” and I generally want the best for my former employers, but if I wouldn’t have experienced these no’s, then Beautifully Bloomed would not exist! So here I am - ready to serve my beautiful clients with beautiful flowers.
You can find more information about the farm and my services at www.beautifullybloomedflowers.com.