Opportunity

When I was at Market Flowers last spring working on a wedding, I was approached by many a stranger asking about my business (there isn't one), and if they could get a card (naturally none of those for my non-existent business).  But! my resourceful sister was assisting me that day (along with my cousin/comrade Megan), and designed some beauties with a Bic and Post-it combo that would make even the best marketers shutter at her- ahem- brilliance.  Enough people asked, to warrant a stack of pre-made 'business cards' fashioned on site by my lovely assistant.  Out of that, I got an email from a gal who lived in Chicago and whose mother had seen me at the market.  We began correspondence for her October wedding, meeting once to discuss specifics, and then again the morning before the wedding, right there at Market Flowers where it all began that fateful day in May.

We got to the market a few minutes after they opened- I had two lovely 'associates' along, one of whom is a florist (would've died without you, Sarah and Emma!).  We set to work straight away, hoping to be done with the 10 bouquets, 13 boutonnieres, 20 centerpieces, and 1 alter arrangement by the time the market closed that afternoon.  Here's where the story goes from fine to eek.  The morning flew faster than a falcon (Oliver tells me they're the fastest birds..?), and suddenly we found ourselves with a half hour left to finish more work than we had done (not true, but it felt true).  But the last 30 minutes had to be spent cleaning our work station and packing flowers securely in any boxes we could find or fashion, then loading them into the Odyssey (Goldie went from family van to Transformer, flipping, removing, and moving seats until she was officially a flower delivery truck).  We said goodbye to Emma at closing, but then Sarah and I had to think real fast about how and where we were going to finish these arrangements.

You know the kind of panic that paralyzes you and makes you wish it was tomorrow so that your current pickle was solved but you didn't have to live through it?  I had one of those.  But, as I'm really good at getting as many people involved in my personal crises as possible, I called my brother living Minneapolis and asked if we could use his house (we were approx. 2.5 hours from my own house, so that wasn't an option).  Brother Isaac had plans to work on his home renovation project since his wife and babe were gone for the weekend.  Oh dear brother, if only you had known...I had him working for me more than his house.  But in all fairness, he has known me for 30 years, and should expect these kind of opportunities when I call on him (not that he's boring, but if it weren't for me, he would have far less stories...and life experience).  Anyway, my florist partner and I sat in the front yard of that 38th street God-send cutting and arranging and working and reworking til long after dark.  I miscounted a couple of key elements that served to prolong the twilight-zone-esque day.  But alas! we put a pin in the last posy and said goodnight and a big thanks to my brother dearest and set off to deliver those blessed flowers.

I have to make a [written] toast to the bride and groom, who were the sweetest, most understanding humans.  They expressed thanks and admiration for our work in such a way that it made the long day worth it.  Looking back, I am so thankful for this amazing opportunity (did I just win a Grammy?).  God has interesting ways of teaching humility and gratitude.  The more I learn, the clearer it becomes that we are all part of a metaphorical puzzle that our Creator is setting, and when we let him put the right piece in at the right time, there is such satisfaction.  I love that my life's puzzle intersects with other peoples'.  Trying to jam pieces in or trying to avoid the less pleasant ones never works.  Wow, this just accidentally got philosophical- way above my pay grade.  Here, I'll come back down.  Eek.

All that to say, here's to a beautiful couple and a fun challenge!  The photographer- DnK Photography- did an extraordinary job.  Just look...

The adorable Mr. & Mrs.

Beautiful ladies!

Another moment of brilliance from Sarah, wrapping the stems in hosta leaves for a more polished look.

*Visit the website to see more amazing wedding photography.