We were lucky to catch up with Rebeeca Price recently and have shared our conversation below.
Rebeeca, looking forward to hearing all of your stories today. Earning a full time living from one’s creative career can be incredibly difficult. Have you been able to do so and if so, can you share some of the key parts of your journey and any important advice or lessons that might help creatives who haven’t been able to yet?
Sometimes I am still amazed that I can earn a good living doing what I love! I started working part-time in a florist when I was 14 years old and quickly learned that I had discovered my passion and natural talent! During high school and college I worked at a couple other florists in my area. I learned so much at each shop, but I knew that I wanted to be my own boss. I think designing my very first wedding all on my own about 5 years ago was a major step for me. Last year, another major milestone was quitting what other people thought was my “full-time job” to focus solely on my business. I should have done that long ago! I just needed the faith and confidence to make that leap! Now I can’t imagine how I ever tried to work another job and design for all my beautiful brides and other events!
Rebeeca, 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?
I’ve always been crafty, creative, and a hands-on person. I’m a little quirky, too! It wasn’t until my mother got remarried when I was 14 that realized that flowers could be a creative outlet for me. I was mesmerized watching my grandmother and her friend create floral designs for my mom’s wedding day. That spoke to me even more than the painting and other crafts I was already doing. Now I’m 25 years old and have designed the florals for my brother’s wedding, my twin sister’s wedding, my own wedding, and about 300 other brides! I found my niche in the wedding world through flowers. I think having my own successful business as a young woman is a special thing. I can relate to many of my brides because most of them are about my age. I enjoy helping my clients bring their “Pinterest” visions to life! Sometimes the brides don’t understand the growing seasons, types of flowers that might work best, etc. I get to share lots of knowledge with them and help guide them through the floral planning process. I don’t have a website and have never paid for advertising. All of my success has been through word of mouth and people sharing on social media. That makes me proud to know that my designs “speak for themselves.” My yound little artsy self would be proud that I can support myself and my family making beautiful things and making others happy!
Any resources you can share with us that might be helpful to other creatives?
One of the things I’m most known for is being the crazy “recycle” queen! Yes, you heard that right! I used to worry about how to transport my bouquets and bouts/corsages safely and cost effectively. I probably wasted some money on vases that I never got back and worried when I had to leave a “good box with slats” at a wedding venue. I also probably lost a couple good bouts or corsages to the baggies I was trying to carry them in. My mom cooks a lot of green beans for Sunday lunch after church. One day it struck her that the large green bean can might work as a disposable vase! Fast forward two or three years, and now everybody in my family and community saves cans, coffee containers, take-out plates, fruit containers, 2-liter drink crates, etc. for me! Sometimes I come home to huge trash bags full of recyclables that someone has left on my stoop! My brides literally laugh out loud when I deliver their beautiful bouquets in green bean, baked bean, or corn cans! I even have have brides ask to make sure that I’m bringing their flowers in green bean cans! They love it! It’s become a part of who I am. My husband thinks I’m crazy because I never throw anything away that has potential resource for my business.
Has your business ever had a near-death moment? Would you mind sharing the story?
Sadly, yes. A near-death moment for my business happened at my own wedding. My husband and I were doing a branding service as part of our outdoor ceremony. I created a beautiful space full of flowers for our special time. I made a big flower arrangement to sit on the whiskey barrel where we were going to brand a wooden box. I filled the arrangement with pompas grass that I had cut several weeks earlier. I looked online for ways to preserve them and found out that hairspray would help keep them from shedding. What I didn’t consider was having live flame and smoke so close to the pompas grass. Needless to say, my entire arrangement caught fire as we branded our box, and the whole thing went up in smoke! Crazy enough, the photographer was snapping away at that very moment and caught the whole thing in a series of epic pictures! The photographs actually went viral on her page! I didn’t realize that we were going to have fireworks at my wedding. The floral queen caught her own wedding flowers on fire. I have never used hairspray again.
Contact Info:
- Instagram: @brushedbybec.florals
- Facebook: Brushed By Bec
Image Credits
Dylan Cook Photography (main photo) Aline Botti Photography Brett and Jessica Photo Whitney Chase Photo Him Her Photo Emily Saunders Photography Dylan Cook Photography