Stone House Creative Turns 5!
I’ve been trying to think about what I would say in this post for a couple of months already. Somehow, Stone House Creative turns 5 this month! And I’m finding that I really can’t put into words…well, anything!
5 years is a long time, and it’s an impressive feat in small businesses. I’m so proud of how this company has grown over these years. When I launched my first website on June 24, 2014, I had no idea where it would go. I received such an incredible response from the wedding community, with the result that I crushed my year 1 goal of booking 2 weddings in that year, and booked 32 instead! In my year-end review blog post after that first full wedding season, I commented that I seemed to be working with the kindest, most excited clients - and in 5 years, that hasn’t changed at all!
I’ve been trying to think about what I would say in this post for a couple of months already. Somehow, Stone House Creative turns 5 this month! And I’m finding that I really can’t put into words…well, anything!
5 years is a long time, and it’s an impressive feat in small businesses. I’m so proud of how this company has grown over these years. When I launched my first website on June 24, 2014, I had no idea where it would go. I received such an incredible response from the wedding community, with the result that I crushed my year 1 goal of booking 2 weddings in that year, and booked 32 instead! In my year-end review blog post after that first full wedding season, I commented that I seemed to be working with the kindest, most excited clients - and in 5 years, that hasn’t changed at all!
When I started this biz, I was the ripe old age of 25. I was too cautious (I won’t say afraid) to actually tell anyone other than my husband and a couple of close friends that I was launching a business - I didn’t even tell my parents until after I had done it! I have always hated self-promotion and I think that’s what made me keep my lips shut - I really didn’t like the idea of shouting from the rooftops about what I was doing. But you know what? Looking back on that 25 year old young woman, going out on her own and starting a business, I’m pretty dang proud.
I had known for many years that I wanted to run my own business. I just didn’t know what it was going to be. For a while, I thought I wanted to be a wedding planner (thank goodness that didn’t happen…wedding planning is no joke. That is a HARD job). When I started SHC, I had already been working in weddings for 5+ years, in varied positions including banquet serving, writing for a local wedding publication, working as the wedding coordinator for a local floral shop, and doing ad sales and blog/social media writing for Once Wed. I came to the realization that maybe I just wasn’t the best employee. My personality is the type that wants to be integral, that wants to be recognized for my work, and that always wants to take on more. And when you’re not the owner of a business, taking on that kind of workload and responsibility is not necessary, and for me, it was too much. I was always burnt out and exhausted, while still saying YES to taking on more.
So it was a pretty natural fit for me to then open my own doors, so to speak. I had already been shouldering a workload and responsibility far greater than the average employee. One of the things that I love best about running my business is that it actually IS my responsibility. If something goes wrong, it’s MY fault. And if something goes really well and deserves praise, that all comes to me. That’s what my personality type thrives on!
That 25 year old Lauren was ready to take a leap and dive in. I didn’t know then that it was going to be a full-time career, but I did know that I WAS READY TO DO THE WORK. And work I have!
There’s so much that I love about my job. I love sitting down with prospective clients and hearing about their wedding plans, and then dreaming up a custom design for them. I love the recipe writing - I write recipes for every single piece that I design. I love to work with different types of flowers and varieties to create different combinations for each of my clients. I love cleaning the studio (except not on a Saturday afternoon…that’s too exhausting!). I obviously love the actual floral designing! I’d say the only thing I really don’t love about my job is the endless vase and bucket cleaning 🤪
So what’s planned for the next 5 years? That’s a good question! I have ideas and dreams, and some very concrete goals. One big project I have coming up that I’ll be letting you see sneak peeks of is a new brand and website, coming this winter. I’m excited to be working with one of my industry idols, Creme Brands - which is actually something that was on my goal list when I wrote my first biz plan 5 years ago! Now that I have a child, I’m learning to prioritize my time a little differently. I’m taking on fewer weddings that are even more exciting to me. I only take 1 wedding per day, so that I can spend as much time as I need to really make sure it’s perfect.
I won’t tell you too much about my other large goals quite yet, because they require some other big things to fall into place first and we’re a few years out. But you can be sure that in the next 5 years, you’re going to see a lot more flowers and I’ll be putting in a lot more work - and loving it almost every step of the way.
“Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord.” Colossians 3:23
If you’re interested in following along for more regular updates, I post on Instagram every few days with snippets of my summer wedding season and behind the scenes of my work!
The Winnipeg wedding industry is an amazing industry to be a part of. There are a lot of great people, working to make sure that all of your weddings come together wonderfully. There is also a lot of creativity and professionalism, a lot of knowledge and excellent service. It’s an honour to be a part of that. Thank you to all of my colleagues for making every wedding such a great work environment.
Burgundy and Gold Fall Wedding at Qualico Family Centre
I’m continuing on with sharing more or my fall weddings, even though what we’re all longing for right now are the lazy, hazy days of summer :) Those days will be here in a flash, but if there’s one thing I’ve learned from working in weddings, it’s that time moves very quickly. One minute you’re engaged and getting married in a year and a half, and then next you suddenly find yourself collecting RSVPS and making your floor plan. So, those fall weddings are really just around the corner!
I’m continuing on with sharing more or my fall weddings, even though what we’re all longing for right now are the lazy, hazy days of summer :) Those days will be here in a flash, but if there’s one thing I’ve learned from working in weddings, it’s that time moves very quickly. One minute you’re engaged and getting married in a year and a half, and then next you suddenly find yourself collecting RSVPS and making your floor plan. So, those fall weddings are really just around the corner!
Jaclyn and Chad’s wedding was in September at the Qualico Family Centre, featuring a palette of burgundy and gold with a fairly formal feel and some really beautiful flowers.
Amanda Gundrum Photography (and some iphone photos from me!) ~ Amanda Douglas Events ~ Qualico Family Centre ~ Two Chicks and a Bag of Makeup ~ Planned Perfectly ~ C&T Rentals
Oh, how I LOVED Jaclyn’s bouquet! It was lush and delicious with one special little ingredient: faux lily of the valley. I don’t normally use faux flowers, but Jaclyn’s grandma’s favourite flower was lily of the valley and since that’s only available for about 12 minutes in May, I suggested I track down a high quality silk and it worked beautifully. It tucked in really nicely!
Bridal Bouquet ingredients: burgundy dahlias, quicksand roses, sahara sensation spray roses, mauve astrantia, rice flower, and antique carnations with hasmine vine and nagi foliages. The spray roses were actually a sub for something else that I was hoping to get, but in the end, they were actually my favourite variety in the entire bouquet!
I always like working at the Qualico Family Centre. Why? Because it’s so easy to make beautiful! It’s a nice, neutral space on its own with a warm and airy feel thanks to soaring ceilings and enormous windows, but with the right colour palette in there, the space really becomes something special. Personally, I love using warm neutrals with an accent of rich colour at Qualico. You can see how the gold and champagne tones are the perfect base, and the accents of burgundy are just delicious.
The focal point of the reception design was definitely the head table. Set in front of a wall of floor-to-ceiling windows, the long table was set apart with a contrasting sequinned linen and a full greenery and floral garland lining the front. On the guest tables, we alternated tall arrangements with low ones. The tall were designed on a baroque-style brass pedestal we sub-rented from Dream Day Decor, and the low arrangements were a lush combination of blooms from the bouquets in my ceramic brass urns.
Looking for a Wedding Floral and Event Designer in Winnipeg?
I’m now booking 2020 wedding dates for both floral and event design!
I offer a limited number of dates for event design each year, in order to allow me to work closely with each couple. Combining event and floral design is the perfect option for couples who live out of town, or couples who feel they need a little extra help in creating the visual plan for their wedding day. Click this link to learn more!
Modern and Organic Wedding at Cielo's Garden
Prepare yourselves to see a real-life Disney princess, folks. Chrystalle is one of THE most photogenic people I’ve ever seen and truly, in those gowns (that’s right, gowns - she had two) she honestly looks like a living, breathing Disney princess.
I love the way this wedding design contrasts modern and organic elements. From photos on a rooftop in the Exchange District to the natural beauty of Cielo’s Garden, and organic-inspired greenery arrangements lining the guest tables to the clean-lined glass vases I used, it all came together really beautifully. The planning process was quite simple, considering that Chrystalle did all of her planning from Vancouver (I love working with out of town couples!). We went back and forth on a few different centrepiece ideas, but always kept in mind her initial vision of a minimalist design with just black, white, and green with a touch of metallic accents.
Prepare yourselves to see a real-life Disney princess, folks. Chrystalle is one of THE most photogenic people I’ve ever seen and truly, in those gowns (that’s right, gowns - she had two) she honestly looks like a living, breathing Disney princess.
I love the way this wedding design contrasts modern and organic elements. From photos on a rooftop in the Exchange District to the natural beauty of Cielo’s Garden, and organic-inspired greenery arrangements lining the guest tables to the clean-lined glass vases I used, it all came together really beautifully. The planning process was quite simple, considering that Chrystalle did all of her planning from Vancouver (I love working with out of town couples!). We went back and forth on a few different centrepiece ideas, but always kept in mind her initial vision of a minimalist design with just black, white, and green with a touch of metallic accents.
Steph Schulz Photography ~ Cielo’s Garden ~ Alexandra Lillian Weddings & Events
Chrystalle’s bouquet was actually the only piece I used actual flowers in! Her bouquet had an organic, freshly picked from the garden feel with all white blooms, including garden roses, snap dragons, lisianthus, and scabiosa mixed with ruscus, leather leaf fern, and seeded eucalyptus. The bridesmaids carried bouquets composed just of greenery.
Okay, I lied - Ray’s boutonniere had a flower in it ;)
Ah, I love Cielo’s Garden! One of the best things about this space is that it’s very versatile, so lots of different design styles look fantastic here. You’re not competing with awful patterned carpet or busy wallpaper - as long as you respect the beauty of what’s beyond those clear tent walls, you’re good to go!
After debating a few options for centrepieces and ending up with a somewhat last minute seating plan change, we chose to mix together tall greenery arrangements with clustered, modern glass stem vases with single stems of greenery and lots of candles. They added clean-lined, modern stationery details and other than that, kept the reception space very simple and minimal!
Looking for a Wedding Floral and Event Designer in Winnipeg?
I’m now booking 2020 wedding dates for both floral and event design!
I offer a limited number of dates for event design each year, in order to allow me to work closely with each couple. Combining event and floral design is the perfect option for couples who live out of town, or couples who feel they need a little extra help in creating the visual plan for their wedding day. Click this link to learn more!
Why It's Important to Me (and my business) that I'm Constantly Learning
Right from the start of my business, I knew that I wanted to invest in myself with continued education for many years to come. My first job in the wedding industry was working for a local wedding magazine, and I learned so much by observing the many small businesses in the wedding industry that we worked with. One of the main things I realized was that SO many people in this industry hit cruise control and then a few years later, watch in horror as their businesses start to crumble around them. I never wanted to see that happen in my business, and I knew that investing into education, inspiration, and relationships with other wedding professionals was one way to stay at the top of my game, while always keeping me searching for new ways to progress in my biz. As a result, I’ve attended floral design workshops, taken online courses in event design, business management and marketing, learned how to build a website, and attended conferences specifically for floral professionals.
Right from the start of my business, I knew that I wanted to invest in myself with continued education for many years to come. My first job in the wedding industry was working for a local wedding magazine, and I learned so much by observing the many small businesses in the wedding industry that we worked with. One of the main things I realized was that SO many people in this industry hit cruise control and then a few years later, watch in horror as their businesses start to crumble around them. I never wanted to see that happen in my business, and I knew that investing into education, inspiration, and relationships with other wedding professionals was one way to stay at the top of my game, while always keeping me searching for new ways to progress in my biz. As a result, I’ve attended floral design workshops, taken online courses in event design, business management and marketing, learned how to build a website, and attended conferences specifically for floral professionals.
I recently attended the Team Flower Conference, and not only that, I was actually a featured keynote speaker as well! It was an incredible honour to be asked to speak and my presentation was all about the importance of client communication and how to truly do it well. As you can see, I talk with my hands a lot 😂
At the conference, my love for learning was reaffirmed, once again! There were sessions on design, flower farming, hiring a team, being a parent working in the floral industry, and more. One of my favourite sessions was presented by Natalie Gill of Native Poppy, a retail floral shop specializing in weddings in California. She said a lot of things that really stood out to me:
“Sweat builds you a job. Systems build you a business.”
“I think there’s a solution to everything.”
“For years I had been a student of flowers. Then I became a student of business.”
That last one really stuck out to me and has been inspiring me since. Why? Well, I’m pretty confident in my design style and I know how to take really good care of flowers. I, too, have been a student of flowers. What’s really firing me up right now is learning how to build the very best business that I can, so that YOU, my clients, can benefit! I want you to have the very best experience possible in planning your wedding, and I know that the way I serve you plays an enormous role in that. If your interactions with me suck, then you might just end up with a tinge of unhappiness that seeps into other aspects of your wedding planning. I don’t want that!
I also want to build the best business possible because of the plans that I have for Stone House Creative. This biz turns 5 years old this summer. The past 4 years have been about hustling and working hard and loving (almost) every minute of it. This year is the first wedding season when I’ll have a baby beside me (except not actually beside me, because we have childcare to take care of him while I work - thank goodness, because I’m a good multitasker but not that good!). It’s really important to me to show him that women in business are POWERFUL and can achieve a lot, and that working hard for something that you value is important. I want him to grow up knowing that hard work itself is valuable, whether you’re working your “dream job” or not. I also want my business to serve my life well, and that means allowing me flexibility to take off specific weekends in the summer so my family can go to the lake, or not working on my son’s birthday weekend so we can celebrate. And I have some pretty serious goals for the future, which aren’t even close to being unrolled yet but are going to be amazing down the line.
It should also be important to YOU to hire someone who is constantly learning and evaluating their business, making shifts to serve their clients and themselves well, rather than just building something that works alright and letting it lay stagnant for years. I’m not saying this to convince you to hire me - I’m saying this because I truly think that the best businesses, the best client experiences, the best wedding days come about when you hire people and businesses who are passionate and ENGAGED in what they do.
“True experts never stop learning and work relentlessly on pushing [themselves] to be better.” - Think Splendid
If you’ve made it this far, you get rewarded with a picture of the cutest baby of all time…mine! To close the Team Flower Conference, there was a dinner in which everyone needed to wear something floral. Being a new mom, I decided that my family had to match 😂BUT it’s very hard to find floral printed clothes for baby boys in February! I was pretty pumped to find these Pick Flowers Not Fights t-shirts so Jack and I could match. I couldn’t find one in time for my husband, but I thought a slightly floral printed white t would be good enough.
But seriously…isn’t he the cutest baby you’ve ever seen? He’s WAY huger now and he has slightly more hair (only slightly, lol!), is moving CONSTANTLY and he’s super chatty. Basically it’s just the most fun I’ve ever had.
Professional Photos by Hannah Haston Photography
Warm and Cosy Fall Wedding at Whitetail Meadow
We’re looking forward to sunny days right now, but the weather this past September was super weird - when we normally would have mild temperatures, often with some serious heat still coming through when the sun is high, we instead got rain and snow. I can’t be the only one who thought it was a major bummer! Mackenzie and Brendan planned their wedding for the end of September, and they woke up to a windy, chilly day with sprinkles of rain throughout…so what did they do? Switched around their plans and decided to make their Whitetail Meadow as warm and cosy as possible!
We’re looking forward to sunny days right now, but the weather this past September was super weird - when we normally would have mild temperatures, often with some serious heat still coming through when the sun is high, we instead got rain and snow. I can’t be the only one who thought it was a major bummer! Mackenzie and Brendan planned their wedding for the end of September, and they woke up to a windy, chilly day with sprinkles of rain throughout…so what did they do? Switched around their plans and decided to make their Whitetail Meadow as warm and cosy as possible!
Luckily, Whitetail Meadow’s indoor space is really beautiful, with several options for layout if you need to do your ceremony indoors. Mackenzie decided to make the fireplace the focal point, and with the warm autumn tones that we were already planning for the flowers, it worked perfectly. I was so happy they decided to move the ceremony indoors - not just because it would have been cold for me to design outside, but because I think the backdrop they ended up with indoors is gorgeous!
We went really textural and deep for Mackenzie’s bouquet, focusing on the deep reds, plums, and touches of oranges with plenty of deep greenery. I loved the cascading foliages and the movement they brought! We kept things simpler for the bridesmaids, focusing more on the greenery with just touches of the fall tones tucked in.
Bridal Bouquet Ingredients: Several varieties of roses, dahlias, mums, sweet William, scabiosa, and amaranthus with pepperberry and ruscus foliages.
You can see why it was a good call to move the ceremony indoors! While it was raining outside, guests were treated to a warm, cosy atmosphere inside with a crackling fire. I loved designing the mantle piece - Mackenzie just let me do whatever I wanted, which in my opinion is always the best move! I repeated a lot of the floral elements that we used in her bouquet, adding in lots of texture through the use of sedum and amaranthus and then adding in the focal points of the different toned red roses and rust mums. The couple had collected all of these old family wedding photos from the various sides of their families, some going back a LONG time, and it was a nice touch to tuck those in as well.
I also added a garland-style piece to the top of the staircase that became the aisle, so those shots of the bride walking down the aisle would have a beautiful touch, along with large arrangements in stone urns and varied sizes of potted fall mums to mark the aisle itself. Mini pumpkins and gourds were tucked in throughout as well!
We decided to design two complementary table styles for the reception. The long wood tables at Whitetail are so pretty, so to emphasize that and pick up on the warm tones, one table was a moss runner with touches of flowers tucked right in, and the other featured repeating long arrangements in rustic wood boxes with arrangements that coordinated with the bridal party flowers.
I just had to include this one of me and the babe. Luckily this was my only wedding on this day, because that baby was feeling HEAVY. Little did I know it could get sooooo much bigger and heavier 😂You don’t quite realize how much bending and lifting a florist does until you have this massive weight throwing you off balance and making you exhausted!
Looking for a Wedding Floral and Event Designer in Winnipeg?
Whether you’re planning a whimsical garden-inspired celebration or a formal ballroom fete, I think flowers are the best way to make a statement at your wedding. Maybe you already have a specific vision or you might want me to dream up something custom just for you - either way, reach out to Stone House Creative for stunning bridal bouquets, truly unique ceremony backdrops, and beautiful floral centrepieces to create the perfect ambiance for your wedding!
Now booking 2020 wedding dates!