Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Courtnie Van Gorder. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.

Courtnie , thanks for joining us, excited to have you contributing your stories and insights. We’d love to start by getting your thoughts on what you are seeing as some the biggest trends emerging in your industry.

Flowers always have and always will be a huge part of life’s biggest events! It sets the tone for your day and helps bring any vision to life. See which flower trends will be all the rage in 2023 and 2024!

First and foremost, we will be seeing plenty of fun colors! From whimsical pastels to bold sunset scapes, couples are opting out of the modern monochrome to something more vibrant. Especially trendy this year is Pantone’s color of the year, Viva Magenta– a bold shade of wine that is sure to make a lasting impact.

We’ll also be seeing weddings and events with more of an earthy, organic, and free flowing vibe. This will include multiple textures, unique shapes, quirky ceramic vases, and various heights to add dimension. It’s also an upscale way to incorporate dried florals to your event. Colors such as green, white, beige, brown, and rust will dominate this natural theme.

Over the past few years we’ve seen a major shift in wedding ceremony decor, and this will carry over into 2023 and 2024. Free-standing asymmetrical floral pillars will continue to dominate the industry. However, semi-circular ground arches are also becoming very popular. We will not be saying goodbye to floral installations anytime soon.

Last but definitely not least, let’s talk bridal bouquets. The giant bouquet trend seems to be coming to an end, and is being replaced by a smaller, more whimsical, free flowing bouquet. Some brides prefer a loose, round shape with dancing blooms, while others prefer more of a dimensional V-shape. We are also going to be witnessing simple bridesmaids bouquets, with one type of flower for each bridesmaid.

Personally, we love all of these trends.. Will you be implementing any of these to your next event?

Courtnie , love having you share your insights with us. Before we ask you more questions, maybe you can take a moment to introduce yourself to our readers who might have missed our earlier conversations?

Hi my name is Courtnie, the owner and lead designer of Bloom and Boom Florals! We are a floral design studio located in Southern California that specializes in weddings and events for all of life’s precious moments. We absolutely love what we do, which is exactly why we pour our heart and soul into our work. Our goal is to stand out and create something you will never forget. To form a fun and exciting experience for all of our clients, and to build everlasting relationships!

My floral journey began when I was assigned a task to make floral arrangements for a private jet company I was working for at the time… little did I know, I was about to discover my passion. Flight attendant turned florist.. Bloom and Boom Florals stemmed about in 2020 as a floral delivery service, and was more of a side hustle. Now it’s a full-time gig with weddings, large scale events + so much more! This has been a dream of mine since I started creating arrangements for the jet company, and the fact that this is my job is so surreal. I’m blessed to have an amazing support system from my hubby, family and friends. Fun fact: my childhood best friend came up with the name Bloom and Boom! Anyways here’s a little bit about me… I love rom coms, meeting new people, camping, traveling, and any kind of live music event (just maybe not heavy metal lol). I also love that flowers bring so much joy into people’s lives, and I’m forever grateful God gave me this gift!

Something that makes Bloom and Boom stand out, is that we see this as more than just a job. Not only is it because we are so passionate about what we do, but rather we like to get to know our clients and build lasting friendships! We don’t want it to feel like another business transaction, but a fun experience where we get to know what you’d like for your event and who you are as a person!

What’s a lesson you had to unlearn and what’s the backstory?

A lesson I had to unlearn and something I still struggle with, is that good things take time and practice makes (semi) perfect. Living in a world with instant gratification for basically everything makes this extremely challenging and at times un-motivating. Imposter syndrome would come sweeping in and I couldn’t help but compare myself to other florists in the industry and wonder why I wasn’t where they’re at on their journey. Just remember to trust in God’s plan, and know that you will reach your goals if you stay focused, work hard, and build a strong community with others in your niche. You’ll be surprised at how many people are happy to help you along the way!

What’s been the most effective strategy for growing your clientele?

The most effective strategy for growing my clientele is a lot of things.. but the most important strategy that I believe has brought success is that I am authentically myself. My presence on social media is unfiltered – literally. People get a glimpse of our work but also my personality, and I think that attracts people to Bloom and Boom Florals. It’s more than just before and after’s, we show the not so pretty side of flowers and give people other reasons to connect with us. Also we schedule calls with all potential clients when they inquire with us, that way we can chat details for their event but also get to know them right from the beginning!

Contact Info:

• Website: https://bloomandboomflorals.com/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/bloomandboomflorals/

Image Credits
Kate Garcia Weddings Brooke Borough Alyssa Ruby Photo Tawny Lynn Photography Emily Magers Cecily Breeding Photography