Today we’d like to introduce you to Emma Kelsey.
Hi Emma, so excited to have you on the platform. So before we get into questions about your work-life, maybe you can bring our readers up to speed on your story and how you got to where you are today?
I have loved flowers since I can remember. In fact, some of my earliest memories are of my mother’s extensive cutting gardens. Growing up with a florist for a mother who would put on the most elaborate events for her friends and family shaped the way I viewed event design. To this day I think of her when I throw gatherings and all the intention and detail feel like second nature with her voice in the back of my mind. My sister and I started out doing both planning and floral when we lived together almost 10 years ago. We would throw the same kind of elaborate celebrations our mother did and our partners were the ones to encourage us to turn it into a business. Eventually, we found our true passion was in floral design and embraced that as we dropped planning from our business. We have been lucky enough to work with some of the best planners in the Minnesota wedding scene who have been instrumental in our success. This year we are making another huge transition as I, Emma, will be taking over the business solo. It’s a bittersweet transition but we are excited to be able to enjoy each other as just sisters again. I love flowers, I truly do. It’s not lost on me how lucky I am to get to work with them for a living.
I’m sure you wouldn’t say it’s been obstacle free, but so far would you say the journey has been a fairly smooth road?
On one hand, it has been a smooth road, I have so much to be grateful for in regard to the success we found in this highly competitive market. On the other hand, working with perishable products comes with its own share of drama. Of course, we can’t ignore the elephant in the room that is that last two years of operating as small business through a pandemic and in the event world no less. But other than that it’s coming up daisies…no pun intended.
Thanks – so what else should our readers know about your work and what you’re currently focused on?
My work is definitely rooted in classic design with a modern twist. I love to work with traditional flowers such as garden roses, peonies, etc but in a way that feels fresh and organic. I think we are definitely known for that as a brand in addition to our commitment to sustainability. The flower world has quite the carbon footprint and it’s been a goal of mine to implement new practices each year to work towards operating as sustainably as possible while still upholding our commitment to quality blooms for our clients. I would say the amount that I prioritize sourcing flowers locally here in Minnesota(shout out to twin cities flower exchange for making that easier than ever) and nationally from farms that use safe growing practices as well as fair work environments is one of the things I’m most proud of. The best part about that change is that the quality of the blooms are better than ever with more unique offerings that your average wholesaler while also making less of an environmental impact.
Can you talk to us a bit about the role of luck?
I would say we were lucky in the world of Instagram. We cultivated a healthy enough following early on that allowed us to invest elsewhere rather than in traditional advertising.
Pricing:
- We have a $10k minimum for 2023
- Our average wedding floral cost ranges from $10-17k
Contact Info:
- Email: [email protected]
- Website: www.kindredblooms.com
- Instagram: @kindred.blooms
