Episode 646: Secrets of a Sustainable Wedding Florist with Jessica Stewart of Pittsburgh’s Bramble & Blossom

https://youtu.be/yOLV0XJX1ic?si=h_G5fRCyQrUj7WQE

It’s engagement season and many of our wedding and event designers are busy at this time of year, consulting with prospective couples and pulling together concepts and proposals. For Slow Flowers designers, those who infuse their business values with sourcing and sustainable considerations, there’s an important added layer involved.

Jessica Stewart of Bramble & Blossom

Today’s guest, Jessica Stewart, is well aware of the importance of educating clients about having a local and seasonal approach to designing their wedding flowers. We asked Jessica to unpack all the elements involved in running Bramble & Blossom, and to share her approach to communication during the sales process.

Sustainable and seasonal wedding arch by Bramble & Blossom

Jessica recently gave an incredibly detailed presentation for the January Slow Flowers Member (virtual) meetup and we recorded it to share it as today’s Podcast Episode. You’ll be treated to Jessica’s approach about how she designs for seasonality and sources from local flower farms to produce gorgeous, romantic, evocative weddings.

Wedding by Bramble & Blossom

Jessica’s presentation includes details on how she prepares contracts + proposals; and how she sources and plans for weddings and installations. Her expertise is priceless and you’ll want to listen in.

Here’s a little bit more about Jessica Stewart of Brambles & Blossom, an Eco-Friendly Pittsburgh Wedding Florist

The tagline for Bramble & Blossom includes these guiding principles: Ethical. Sustainable. Anti-Racist. Inclusive. Accessible. Intentional. Stunning.

Joy and Intentionality come across through florals

You’ll notice these characteristics in each Bramble & Blossom design, and in turn, realize how special and rare these qualities area. As Jessica writes on her website: “This seems like a #HumbleBrag at first glance. But the truth is, we wish there was more competition.”

She continues:

There’s a brief moment when each bloom has its peak. As a florist, that moment is what I love most about working with flowers. As a wedding florist, aligning that day with your wedding day is what I live for. That intentionality is the ethos of Bramble & Blossom. 

Our signature style centers on timing things just so. We select every shape, color, and texture in your arrangements to reflect the landscape and hues of the place where you’re getting married and the love story that you've shared with us. We exclusively source seasonal, American-grown flowers so that Mother Nature can wish you a happy anniversary each year as those varieties blossom. ​

Everything should feel connected. Because everything is. Your personalities, your love story, your flowers, your wedding day — they were all meant to be. Just like finding a wedding florist you connect with on a deeper, values-centered level was meant to be. 

Romance in bloom

We love this tribute to Slow Flowers on Bramble & Blossom's home page!

Before we jump right into Jessica’s presentation, I want to pause and mention how much I appreciate this gifted woman and her support as a Slow Flowers member. As you’ll hear in our opening conversation, I first met Jessica and her former partner Justine Lacey when they owned Foxglove Floral Design Studio in Brooklyn. They women appeared on Episode 136 of the Slow Flowers Podcast – in April 2014, during the first year of this podcast. It is so encouraging to me to continue that conversation now,