Le Début
Le début is French for "the start." It felt like the right name for the first post of my new blog, Flower Field Notes, and also because this is the story of how my journey to becoming a full-time florist began.
In May, I left my career as a full-time teacher to pursue my luxury floral design business full time. I'm still getting used to typing those words, "full time"…
Leaving Wasn't Easy
I taught as an early childhood & elementary teacher for eleven years, and I sincerely l o v e d it. Over that decade+, I made profound memories and built connections with students, families, and colleagues that I will carry with me always. I taught in Missouri, then here in San Diego, and my last school especially felt like my second home. Walking away from a community and a profession that gave me so much purpose was one of the hardest decisions I've had to make. There are still a lot of days I miss the classroom. The huge hugs doled out by unassuming tiny humans, all that messy process art, Read Alouds, seeing bento box lunches made with love, supporting children as they navigate emotions, walking around barefoot in the Outdoor Classroom and occasionally joining kiddos to splash in the mud. The list goes on.
In earnest, I learned more than I probably ever taught.
the block area. the morning messages. the work wife. the floral fits.
〰️
the block area. the morning messages. the work wife. the floral fits. 〰️
Teaching undoubtedly shaped the entrepreneur and small business owner that I am. The classroom is where I found resilience and humor when things go wrong, the ability to form deep connections with people, and a scrappy side that always finds a solution. It helped me refine my ability to explain a creative process with clarity and calm. Those skills I harnessed in education are put into action every time I sit down with a couple or collaborate with a wedding planner.
And the same spark that finds me when designing a bridal bouquet or a ceremony installation feels a lot like watching a student finally understand something.
I feel fortunate to have found two career passions in one lifetime, and I carry the first one with me into the second.
Falling in Love with the Craft of Floral Design
First, some quick background on how I found florals. Or rather, how they found me maybe? December 2021. Red Feather Lakes snowstorm that had us trapped inside. Girl gets Masterclass as Christmas present. Girl browses course catalog to pass time. Girl finds floral design session and the obsession is instant. Passion + months of practice and more online workshops + loved ones hyping me up = delusional confidence. Add in a heartbreak one year later and voilà: the birth of French Girl Florals.
I knew right away that I loved working with florals for the meditative, immersive, and explorative experience they offered me. A chance to slow my monkey mind down. To get out of my brain and back into my body. It brought a sense of peace I didn't expect. I've always been creative and welcomed any chance to work with my hands, but it wasn't just the arranging aspect of flowers I was learning to love. At first, I just sold everyday bouquets, then slowly I started to take on workshops, which felt a lot like being in the classroom, except there was something new and shiny about it.
Eventually, I landed my first wedding. Getting into the industry was a slow burn for me because of school (and candidly, it's hard to dive head first into a new venture on a teacher's salary).
Moonlighting
So, for two years, I lived a double life. By day, I was in the classroom. On evenings and weekends, I was creating reception renderings, building event installations, answering inquiries, and executing luxury wedding florals for couples across Southern California.
A few days a week, my alarm would go off at 5am for wholesale runs. I'd drive 45 minutes to the flower market, arrive by 6, and fill my car with buckets of stems. (Cumbia music is my caffeine.) Then I'd turn around and make it to school by 7:30, ready for a full day of teaching.
a glimpse into my two worlds
〰️
a glimpse into my two worlds 〰️
a bouquet made in the backyard, cleaning candles on my lunch, an ikebana for the cubby wall, before school market runs, processing flowers with the kids & trying to impart a new artistic medium <3 , the kiddos art & mine, digitals from a styled shoot I had to miss because I was at school
The business ran in the margins of my day. I updated my website during my lunch break. I called my sales rep on my 10-minute breaks to place orders, and I got very good at doing it quickly. It was a lot of early mornings, stolen minutes, and learning on the fly, and I wouldn't trade a moment of it.
Soon my events calendar was starting to fill up, which was a good problem to have, but I was starting to get stretched thin and I knew it was time to go all in.
Those two years gave me the foundation and courage to take this leap.
Stepping into Entrepreneurship
Don't get me wrong, some days I'm still scared as hell. No biweekly paycheck - actually, no guaranteed paycheck at all. No school schedule or daily routine to follow. Feeling like a fraud. The beast that is marketing and Meta. Wearing all. the. hats.
In the same breath, I'm also loving the entrepreneurial side of this journey. Owning a small business is a new challenge, and I was ready for it. It asks me to be a designer, a strategist, and a storyteller all at once, and I'm learning something new every week.
I'm especially grateful for the community around me. The Southern California wedding industry is full of talented planners, photographers, venues, and fellow creatives, and collaborating with them is one of the great joys of being a San Diego wedding florist.
Time and Attention for Every Luxury Client
Going full time allows me to offer something I believe luxury weddings and events deserve: unhurried, focused attention.
I knew I wanted to create a couture client experience for my couples (what can I say? I'm French!). Luxury floral design is built on conversations, thoughtful sourcing, and a close understanding of each client's bespoke vision. Exceptional florists look at a wedding holistically, seeking a through line that runs from the venue's architecture to the colors of the paper goods suite, all in pursuit of the atmosphere you want your guests to feel. That's my goal, and now I can give every couple the time to bring their design to life, from the first Discovery Call through the final details on the wedding day. As a San Diego luxury wedding florist, this personalized process is how I create refined floral designs that are custom-made for each Southern California wedding and event, rather than pulled from a template.
Thank You for Being Here
If you made it all the way down here, THANK YOU. I'm sure there were a load of typos and syntax errors. Hey, I never said I taught English.
This blog is where I'll share what's happening behind the scenes of my luxury florist business. And here's what you can expect:
Definitely romantic & cool wedding floral inspiration + visuals. Maybe some trend forecasting and debate.
Tips & hard truths for couples on planning wedding florals
Honest stories about building a small business
Anyway, whether you're an engaged couple searching for a luxury wedding florist in San Diego or beyond, a wedding planner, or someone who simply loves flowers, thank you for being part of the beginning. I'm so grateful to be here and can't wait to see where we go.
Here's to le début.
Ready to talk about your wedding or event florals? Book your Discovery Call to start the conversation →
