About Kalin Kalin + Matt Farm Timeline
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Floral Design in Northern Michigan
 
 

Welcome to Sweetwater

we design beautiful wedding flowers in northern Michigan.

 
 
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We are so glad you found our corner of the internet. Whether its flowering for your wedding day or hosting something special for you here at the farm, this brand is dedicated to making the special moments in life feel that way.


We are obsessed with Northern Michigan, flowers, lavender, jumping in the lake and bubbly beverages.


Sweetwater was born from our love of the fresh water that surrounds us. We cannot wait for you to experience a bit of what we do.

 
 
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Flowers

Wedding Floral Design
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Farm

Lavender Love
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The Blog

Stems & Sprigs
The 2019 Sweetwater Squad
The 2019 Sweetwater Squad
Write the next chapter.
Write the next chapter.
So long 2018.
So long 2018.
The Month of Light
The Month of Light
 
 
 
 
 

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So many new faces!!! Curious what the heck is going on here?⠀ ⠀ My name is Kalin. ⠀ I design wedding flowers for a living in Northern Michigan - like way north, google "Petoskey, Michigan" - thats us. It's beautiful here, please come visit. Please do not litter on the beach.⠀ ⠀ 3 things I'm really good at: talking to groups, making my dirty hair semi-presentable utilizing braid techniques, designing stunning bridal bouquets. ⠀ ⠀ 3 things I'm terrible at: keeping my minivan clean, talking with an 'inside voice', remembering your name (i. love. nametags)⠀ ⠀ I don't wear matching socks because time is a non-renewable resource and time spent looking for matching socks is time I could be doing things I love.⠀ ⠀ Speaking of things I love; my people- man are they amazing, our dogs, our tiny farm, good glassware, appetizer spreads, early bedtimes, cheese, smilax & my parents. ⠀ ⠀ I'm a left-handed Taurus who needs to be near the water at all times. ⠀ ⠀ 3 things I take very seriously: lighting, safe driving & keeping your mom in a good place on your wedding day. ⠀ ⠀ 3 things I should probably take more seriously: meetings with my accountant (he calls me his most 'entertaining' client), dress codes & the 'rule' that you're only allowed one sample at each Costco station. ⠀ ⠀ I left a career in Television to flower full time and run a small farm and jump into creative entrepreneurship.⠀ ⠀ I absolutely freaking positively adore my life. ⠀ It is so so so far from perfect.⠀ And that is exactly what I need. ⠀ ⠀ Happy #fridayintroductions ⠀ xo⠀ K⠀ ⠀ ⠀ ⠀ ⠀ #upnorth #northernmichigan #puremichigan #weddingflowers #weddingplanning #flowers #floraldesign #petoskey #harborsprings #traversecity #leelanau #engaged #theknot #mackinacisland #goodvibesonly #vsco #walloonlake #charlevoix #bayharbor #bride #bridalbouquet #sweetwaterfloral
So you love flowers, and plants and all the things. You appreciate beautifully designed moments. You don't mind a mess, you can schlep and lift and work hard and don't mind that your feet get wet when it’s time to wash buckets. ⠀ ⠀ You wanna learn, like, a LOT and you love working. ⠀ ⠀ You sound perfect. Let's chat about you designing florals with me this upcoming season shall we? ⠀ ⠀ My end all be all requirement is that you're a hard ass worker. I put a LOT of weight in this and so far, every single woman I've ever welcomed onto the squad has been a hard worker, and they all like snacks. Such a good fit. ⠀ ⠀ All the info you need about working with me this summer is on my blog (link in profile) this morning. Please read the posting carefully. The deadline to apply is 2 weeks from today.⠀ ⠀ Can't wait for our in person clinks!⠀ xo⠀ K⠀ ⠀ ⠀ #upnorth #northernmichigan #puremichigan #weddingflowers #weddingplanning #flowers #floraldesign #petoskey #harborsprings #traversecity #leelanau #engaged #theknot #mackinacisland #goodvibesonly #vsco #walloonlake #charlevoix #bayharbor #bride #bridalbouquet #sweetwaterfloral
One of the farms we looked at but didn't buy is also on the same road. I sometimes drive by it. Looking at the 40 acres and rolling hills and green & red workshop building that was perfect for a studio. ⠀ ⠀ But it didn't have feelings. "Vibes" I like to say. When we walked in I was like "yeah, not gonna work."⠀ ⠀ When my doctor told me to go see a specialist she thought was amazing I told her thanks for the recommendation, I'd go meet with him, but I was gonna need to pick who we went with based on 'vibes.' ⠀ ⠀ Had a client meeting last weekend and came home to tell Matt I was excited about working with them, "they had good vibes, I caught some good energy."⠀ ⠀ The second I meet someone I can tell. Good or bad. Gonna work or not gonna work. ⠀ ⠀ My mom loves telling the story of how at my Kindergarten graduation she told me to go pose with our principal of our tiny tiny school growing up for a photo and I declared loudly "no thanks, she hates children." ⠀ ⠀ Newsflash: I ended up being right. ⠀ ⠀ Have I been fooled? Sure. Let down by people? Absolutely. Have some people I adored made decisions that made me change my overall opinion? Yes. ⠀ ⠀ But time and time again I realize, my gut, my 'vibes meter', the energy, the 'feelings' - its all been spot on. Nearly every time. ⠀ ⠀ Reminder on a Wednesday, trust your gut, follow the vibes. ⠀ ⠀ Clinks,⠀ xo⠀ K⠀ ⠀ PS- posting this favorite of mine (frame on our wall) from @thecompasspointshere in an effort to tell the snow gods we are ready for more days like this ⠀ ⠀ ⠀ ⠀ #upnorth #northernmichigan #puremichigan #weddingflowers #weddingplanning #flowers #floraldesign #petoskey #harborsprings #traversecity #leelanau #engaged #theknot #mackinacisland #goodvibesonly #vsco #walloonlake #charlevoix #bayharbor #bride #bridalbouquet #sweetwaterfloral
Still one of the most popular bouquets I've ever made. ⠀ ⠀ Didn't have a studio or a cooler or a fancy website. Didn't have a 'team' —it was myself and Taylor that year, I sometimes cannot even believe she stuck it out for 6 months because we had NO CLUE What we were doing at this farm. ⠀ ⠀ The beginning of anything is slow friends. Your new business is just that, its new. And the packed calendar, and 'not a seat left in this place' coffee shop dream and work load where you can turn down work -- it takes time. ⠀ ⠀ Because in the beginning you're just creating. You're throwing stuff at a wall and seeing what sticks. You're making a LOT of mistakes. (newsflash: you'll still be making lots 4 years later) ⠀ ⠀ But its slow. So please. Do not tell me its failing, its slow. Anything is slow in the beginning. ⠀ And you gotta pick up the phone. And call people. And make sales. And meet with them in person. You cannot live behind a screen and expect people to think you're legit. ⠀ ⠀ So get out, and go make a sale, and create something beautiful or delicious or build an amazing space and they will come, they will purchase- but first they need to know about it, and learn about it and hear about it- and that. takes. time.⠀ ⠀ Happy Tuesday boo⠀ clinks⠀ xo⠀ K ⠀ ⠀ ⠀ #upnorth #northernmichigan #puremichigan #weddingflowers #weddingplanning #flowers #floraldesign #petoskey #harborsprings #traversecity #leelanau #engaged #theknot #mackinacisland #goodvibesonly #vsco #walloonlake #charlevoix #bayharbor #bride #bridalbouquet #sweetwaterfloral⠀
We have big plans for the barn in 2019. ⠀ ⠀ Crazy to think how when we moved here I thought it would be the very first thing we tackled. 🤷🏼‍♀️ ⠀ ⠀ But as with many life projects it took us a few years to learn how the business would fit into the farm. ⠀ ⠀ What we needed exactly, what we didn’t need, what we wanted to offer here, what we thought we wanted to offer but realized we didn’t wanna offer. ⠀ ⠀ And so, the wheels and planning boards begin for another big one. Budgets and numbers and risk but no risk that will ruin us. ⠀ ⠀ And me obsessing (always) over light fixtures and area rugs and Matt being the voice of reason and brain that can plan and organize. ⠀ ⠀ Life is good. ⠀ The project list is never ending. ⠀ It’s Monday and I’ve got work to do. ⠀ ⠀ Clinks⠀ Xo⠀ K ⠀ ⠀ ⠀ ⠀ ⠀ #upnorth #northernmichigan #puremichigan #weddingflowers #weddingplanning #flowers #floraldesign #petoskey #harborsprings #traversecity #leelanau #engaged #theknot #mackinacisland #goodvibesonly #vsco #walloonlake #charlevoix #bayharbor #bride #bridalbouquet #sweetwaterfloral⠀ ⠀ ⠀
Sometimes I look at my photos of the summer. Endless green, Walloon blue, so many snapshots of flowers and more flowers and lavender and the farm an oasis of beauty. ⠀ ⠀ And sometimes in those moments it’s a bone chilling beautiful January morning here at this tiny farm. ⠀ ⠀ And there is no way I’m wishing this slowness away. ⠀ ⠀ Happy Saturday. ⠀ Xo⠀ ⠀ K ⠀ ⠀ #upnorth #northernmichigan #puremichigan #weddingflowers #weddingplanning #flowers #floraldesign #petoskey #harborsprings #traversecity #leelanau #engaged #theknot #mackinacisland #goodvibesonly #vsco #walloonlake #charlevoix #bayharbor #bride #bridalbouquet #sweetwaterfloral
Matt, thanks for being my best friend.⠀ ⠀ Thanks for telling me multiple times per day 'we are inside, you can lower your voice."⠀ Thanks for always without fail saying, "good dinner honey, thank you.” ⠀ ⠀ Thanks for being better at laundry.⠀ Thanks for moving the snow. ⠀ Thanks for fixing everything in our life when it feels the most broken. ⠀ ⠀ Thanks for laughing at me and my jokes and shows and characters daily. ⠀ ⠀ Thanks for being the hardest working. ⠀ Thanks for being brilliant. ⠀ ⠀ Thanks for wearing Hawaiian shirts and loving them. ⠀ Thanks for laughing so hard in Florida that you cried, like hard, and then I started crying I was laughing so hard.⠀ ⠀ Thanks for loving my siblings like your own. ⠀ Thanks for referring to everything as 'ours' - 'our truck, our farm, our home, our life' I don't know why, but I really love that.⠀ ⠀ Thanks for listening to all my crazy ideas and nodding and saying they are good when they are good and telling me I need to calm down and take a second when they are not. ⠀ ⠀ Thanks for dealing with the basement mousetraps. ⠀ Thanks for believing in me every single freaking day.⠀ Thanks for being my biggest fan. ⠀ ⠀ Y'all marry your biggest fan. Its so so fun.⠀ ⠀ Happy #fridayintroductions ⠀ xo⠀ K⠀ ⠀ ⠀ #upnorth #northernmichigan #puremichigan #weddingflowers #weddingplanning #flowers #floraldesign #petoskey #harborsprings #traversecity #leelanau #engaged #theknot #mackinacisland #goodvibesonly #vsco #walloonlake #charlevoix #bayharbor #bride #bridalbouquet #sweetwaterfloral
I saw something yesterday— 'remember when you wanted exactly what you have right now?'⠀ ⠀ WHOA YALL.⠀ ⠀ I remember dreaming about the farm, and the business being profitable. I remember dreaming of being self employed. I remember dreaming of working at a tv station. I remember dreaming of being in college. ⠀ ⠀ Can we all calm our asses down a little bit? Myself included. While this app is amazing and I do believe it does so much good, its REALLY EASY to always be finding the 'next thing' we need. ⠀ ⠀ The next thing we need is to get out of bed, pee and go start our day. That's really it. It will all fall into place, I promise. ⠀ ⠀ Let's just take a second to be like 'whoa - right here is nice.'⠀ ⠀ Happy Wednesday⠀ clinks ⠀ ⠀ xo⠀ K ⠀ ⠀ ⠀ PS 2019 couples coming in HOT with loads of colorful requests and I am here for it. 🙌🏼⠀ ⠀ ⠀ #upnorth #northernmichigan #puremichigan #weddingflowers #weddingplanning #flowers #floraldesign #petoskey #harborsprings #traversecity #leelanau #engaged #theknot #mackinacisland #goodvibesonly #vsco #walloonlake #charlevoix #bayharbor #bride #bridalbouquet #sweetwaterfloral