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

Nelly, thanks for taking the time to share your stories with us today Can you open up about a risk you’ve taken – what it was like taking that risk, why you took the risk and how it turned out?

In December 2023, one unexpected phone call brought my nine-year corporate career to a sudden halt. I had spent nearly a decade building what I believed was a secure, successful path – earning my MBA, becoming a Certified Fraud Examiner, and working at one of world’s largest accounting firms. I poured so much of myself into that chapter. And just like that, it was over.

What followed was a wave of grief, uncertainty, and the lingering question: What now?

I started applying for jobs and going to interviews, but something felt off. I couldn’t shake the knot in my stomach. Deep down, there was this quiet, steady sense that I was being called into something different – something that required more trust, more intention, and a deeper connection to purpose.

So I did the scariest thing I could imagine: I turned my floral design business into my full-time job. No steady paycheck. No clear roadmap. Just a deep sense of grit, creativity, and faith the size of a mustard seed. I’d been building the business quietly on the side – taking on projects during nights and weekends – and every time I finished one, the fulfillment was undeniable. I knew it was time to give it my full attention.

It wasn’t a move I had mapped out in advance, but God’s timing was undeniable. Years of consistent saving, both through financial discipline and saving toward a home, created a cushion that ended up being the provision I didn’t know I would need to go all in. I also had the support of loved ones, and a faith that anchored me through every unknown. I believed that if God brought me to this, He would carry me through it.

Now, over a year later, I’m still learning, still stretching, and still trusting. Every challenge has strengthened my resilience. Every chance to create reminds me why I took the leap in the first place. This journey hasn’t been perfect or linear, but it’s mine. And that’s what makes it worth it.

Nelly, before we move on to more of these sorts of questions, can you take some time to bring our readers up to speed on you and what you do?

Fleurished Affairs started with a quiet but steady pull to create. For years, I felt this creative energy building inside me, but I wasn’t quite sure where to put it. I saw glimpses of it in fashion – mixing textures, playing with silhouettes, finding joy in the details. It felt like my own form of art. But it wasn’t until the stillness of the pandemic that I really began to listen to that creative pull.

With gatherings on hold, I found joy in making family holidays feel special – layering linens, picking the right charger plates, building centerpieces that turned simple meals into something memorable. I realized how design could transform a space and set the tone for connection. That’s when it clicked: this was my creative language.

In 2022, I started helping my sister and her husband with their party rental business. We figured things out as we went – learning how to build balloon installations and handle client requests on the fly. Soon, people started asking for more – florals, tablescapes, full event styling. When one client asked me to handle the florals and table design for her daughter’s intimate at-home elopement, I said yes (even though I had no formal training). That moment shifted everything.

It gave me the confidence to launch Fleurished Affairs in 2023. I started with curated luxury picnics that combined my love for floral design and table styling. Since then, it’s grown into a full-service floral studio specializing in weddings, milestone celebrations, and branded activations – all rooted in thoughtful, expressive storytelling.

Fleurished Affairs is built on intention. I love designing beautiful florals, but what matters most to me is how those flowers feel. The emotion they create. The atmosphere they set. Every arrangement is part of a story – one that’s personal, thoughtful, and deeply felt. What might seem effortless is usually the result of hours spent finding the right textures, colors, and structure to create a specific mood. Every detail is chosen with care, all to create an experience that lingers long after the flowers are gone.

What I’m most proud of is how Fleurished Affairs continues to grow alongside me. It’s become a space where I get to share my creativity with people who trust me with their most meaningful moments. That trust means everything. It’s not something I take lightly – and I’m deeply grateful for it.

Learning and unlearning are both critical parts of growth – can you share a story of a time when you had to unlearn a lesson?

I didn’t expect floral design to teach me how to let go of perfectionism – but it did, gently and consistently.

I come from a background where structure and precision mattered. And honestly, I still care about the details. The way a napkin is folded, how a candle leans, the balance of color on a table – those things matter to me. They always will.

But flowers don’t follow rules. They shift, bend, bloom when they’re ready. They rarely look exactly how I imagined – and over time, I’ve come to love that. The imperfections, the little surprises, the way something slightly off can make the whole design feel more alive.

I’ve also had to rethink what beauty means. There’ve been moments when I felt unsure about an arrangement, thinking it wasn’t quite “right,” only for a client to tell me it was the most beautiful thing they’d ever seen. Those reminders help me let go of needing everything to be perfect. Because perfection isn’t the point – connection is.

Learning to release control has helped me design with more feeling, more freedom, and more trust in the process.

What do you find most rewarding about being a creative?

For me, the most rewarding part of being a creative is knowing that something I made with my own hands can set the tone for a meaningful moment.

Watching a design bring people closer, spark a memory, or simply shift the energy in the room – that’s what stays with me. It’s a quiet kind of impact, but it’s powerful. There’s something deeply special about that.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://fleurishedaffairs.com/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/fleurishedaffairs/
• Other: TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@fleurishedaffairs

Image Credits

Planning & Design: Grace Gutierrez Design – @gracegutierrezdesign
Photography: Raimer Thompson – @raimerthompson
Photography: Chester Canasa – @chestercanasa
Rentals: Columbia Tent Rentals – @columbiatentrentals