Hello and Welcome!
/A bit about me...
I want to take a moment to share my story with you...after all, (if I'm lucky enough to meet with you and discuss your wedding flowers) I get to know your stories...so it's only fair, right?
All of my life I have been crafty and enjoyed making things...thanks to my grandmother and mom, my childhood was filled with crafts such as painting, sewing, embroidery, jewellery making, and drawing (to name a few). My sister and I would bring our creations to craft fairs and sell them alongside our grandmother. That came to a halt during high school and university, but after I graduated and started working I missed having a creative outlet.
After university, my nine to five office job didn't quite feel right...it gave me little professional & personal fulfillment. So, I searched for something... first I dabbled in professional jewellery making. It wasn't for me. So, I found myself giving up on my creative side and settling again with my office job.
Fast forward a couple years to when I got engaged...
Planning my wedding became my creative outlet. It was the first time in my life I was exposed to the wedding industry (as my husband and I are both the oldest children & first in our close groups of friends to get engaged, so we hadn't experienced the wedding planning process yet).
I fell in love with all things wedding related especially the flowers. It opened my mind to the beauty of wedding floristry. One day, I had a bit of an 'ah-ha' moment, where I thought, maybe I can do that and decided to research floral design courses.
I found a continuing education floral design program at Niagara College AND they were still accepting enrolments for a course starting in two weeks time (talk about perfect timing?!) I took the leap of faith and signed up! The course was at night so I was able to take it and keep my office job, for the time being.
The first course taught me all about proper handling, processing of flowers, design techniques, types of shops, and arranging. I became so inspired in my floral class. I couldn't wait to learn new techniques and try different arrangements and I was excelling. It came naturally, and I finally thought.... I found what I had been missing.
I took two courses at Niagara College, started helping a local wedding florist and then decided I wanted to fast track the process of becoming a professional in the floral industry. So I enrolled at the Canadian Institute of Floral Design (CIFD) which has a full-time intensive program where I could get my floral design certificate. Although, this did mean a commute from Grimsby to Toronto each day I didn't mind because the 8 hrs spent in the classroom were well worth it! My time at CIFD was so rewarding and inspiring.
After graduating from CIFD I took the next steps towards opening up my own studio. I connected with the Hamilton Small Business Centre and began the Starter Company program (a grant program for entrepreneurs who are 30yrs or under, check it out if you are thinking about starting your own business). I completed my business plan, presented it to their panel small business experts and received the grant (yay!) and mentorship that comes with it.
So with that, Mint & Magnolia began full-time... with my full focus and energy going into it. It can be a scary thing, being a small business owner, but it is so rewarding to see my wildest dreams (of working for myself) become a reality.
I believe in running a company that is honest, trustworthy, and passionate about providing high quality service. A wedding is most likely the biggest (and most expensive) event that you will throw and I am here to work with your budget to design beautiful, bespoke floral arrangements to enhance your special day.
Thank-you for reading and for supporting Mint & Magnolia!
