Recently I found myself doing something that had the inside of my mind giving me a different narrative than what the outside was actually living. Let me explain.
I had been asked by a lovely knitting friend if I could make a wedding bouquet for her daughter’s wedding. I was so honoured to be asked. I have only ever made one wedding bouquet before – and it was a simple all-calla-lily affair. I have made thousands of flower bouquets though- and I was confident in my own flowers, and my research using my Floret books. I also had extra confidence in being able to give the bride the look she was after with the addition of two elements from two lovely local growers: Busy Bee Farm and Floral for some roses (and a couple of sprigs of eucalyptus) and Ivy Way Farm for some sweet peas- both in just the right colour way. That gave me confidence. I was also asked if I would make the groom’s boutonniere, and an arrangement that would be made in the Bride’s grandmother’s special vase for the head table.
It was a warm day and I had a banquet order of 22 to make as well. I waited until it was cooler in the late afternoon. When I was tying up the bouquet, with my sweetheart holding it when I got it “just right”, and I securing it with special floral tape that glues to itself as you pull it gently, I looked up and could see the new moon and the first planet. It was a still night, not a whisper of wind. I am so very fortunate to be in such as relationship after 30+ years together on this life’s adventure. I don’t take these things for granted.
I researched how to do the boutonniere , Zoe Woodward has a lovely tutorial. There was just one thing I had forgotten about. The extra long pin to attach it to the suit! I didn’t have anything in my sewing drawer- or anywhere else. It was 6:30 in the morning and I had time to get to a big store to get a pin before making the deliveries. But this is the part that had me rattled. What was I thinking? Who was I to be in the business of getting paid for wedding work…As Stu MacLaren would say: the gremlins! Doubt in the form of these gremlins! Sometimes, they appear when I am taking a risk- which, as an entrepreneur is part of the game. I recognize them, name them and then their power disappears.
My sweetheart had suggested calling a florist- “Oh no they won’t be open now!” I said with uninformed authority!
A few minutes later as I was packing up the orders to take for delivery, and planning to get to the big store when they opened at 8 am, he came around the corner and said: I’ve called Brown’s the Florist, they are open and they will sell me the pins. I’m on my way. It won’t take me long.
When he returned, he had these three pins and a story. They gave these to me. Guess who works there, who I just saw, who gave me the pins…he gave me a couple of difficult clues.. The answer? A friend of Ilse’s whom I have not seen in years, probably since the girls were in middle school. She is off to Toronto in the fall to do a very cool sounding three year masters degree. Ilse’s friend.
After I had delivered all the orders (one was over a two hour drive in total)- I decided I needed to see her and thank her myself. I wrote in one of my cards (from my Etsy Shop- the one with ALL THE FLOWERS, it’s so popular-) and I drove it downtown. I was not expecting to find parking in the afternoon on this busy street. Oh look at that! One parking spot- right outside!
I went in. We had a lovely conversation. Like all of Ilse’s friends, she is intelligent, generous, interested in the world, interesting and confident. I thanked her for her kindness. But I couldn’t really put into words how pivotal her gift was– it was the piece that either made me feel like a professional or “just somebody who should have known this thing”.
I know that I am not as hard on others as myself. I know that I would be patient and kind with others and tell them that it is not one pin that means they can or cannot do something. And really unless, I wrote it here, no one would need to know. But I know. I also know this…
- I listened to what the Bride’s preferences were, I honoured that I am an artist and so can take the inspiration, but make it my own. After our conversation, I made a mock up and asked the right questions of the Bride. I texted the pictures asking for feedback – she said she loved it, it was beautiful, she said.
- I asked my fellow flower growers to buy a few flowers of theirs so that I knew I had just the right colours
- I used a small quaker grass that a flower friend had given me- because it makes it airy and special
- I am so grateful to be married to someone who is a team player. We are each other’s biggest fans in whatever endeavour we have untaken. I accepted the help that was offered.
- I will know for next time.
- I was proud of what I made, it was for someone else, but it was made with my style.
- Under a moonlit sky, I got to make something beautiful with love and all my best wishes for a wonderful life shared with the one she loves.
- It is actually, a wish I have for everyone in this world. To love the one that they love and to receive love in return for a long and wonderful life together.
I wish you peace on your path today—
Lise-Lotte
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