About Kalin Kalin + Matt Our Team Farm Timeline
Fall 2018
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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
Make new friends, but keep the old...
A year of no 'new' programming.
A year of no 'new' programming.
Bright & Waggy
Bright & Waggy
The week I stopped running.
The week I stopped running.
 
 
 
 
 

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No one makes me laugh harder than my besties. That’s a fact. ⠀ ⠀ We laugh about stories that are 10 years old. We dance like we are all single and ready to mingle and 19 at some bar in Chicago. ⠀ ⠀ We brunch like we’ve always brunched. Nowhere fancy. Just somewhere with coffee and eggs and bacon and toast. ⠀ ⠀ And the greatest joy I feel in my⠀ Life is that when I leave my best friends and think it couldn’t get any better. I remember that my favorite person at that brunch table is coming home with me and we lay on couches and nap and make dinner. ⠀ ⠀ We’re better together. Me and my besties. And me and my best friend & life partner. ⠀ ⠀ Happy Monday babes. ⠀ Xo⠀ ⠀ K ⠀ ⠀ Image: @carriechouse⠀ Planning: @foxandfernevents
Im gonna keep this short because my list today is long and it ends with me on a dance floor with the people I love most. ⠀ ⠀ When I started this journey of floral design I never really thought about one day designing for those I love. ⠀ ⠀ My sisters bouquet. My best friends boutonnière. The corsage for my mom. My own bridesmaid/ matron of honor bouquets to carry. This one, for my dear friend H. ⠀ ⠀ Designing for those I love is extra special. ⠀ And I’m so so glad they trust me to do it. ⠀ ⠀ Happy wedding day H+M. ♥️⠀ ⠀ Coffee clinks and not one but TWO minivans 🚐 full of blooms. Life is good. ⠀ ⠀ xo⠀ K⠀ ⠀ ⠀ ⠀ ⠀ ⠀ #upnorth #northernmichigan #puremichigan #weddingflowers #weddingplanning #flowers #farmHER #floraldesign #petoskey #harborsprings #traversecity #leelanau #engaged #theknot #girlboss #mackinacisland #goodvibesonly #vsco #walloonlake #charlevoix #bayharbor #bride #bridalbouquet #sweetwaterfloral
A few months after we moved here we needed a tractor. Badly. So we took the hefty five figures we had saved for one out of the bank, I had them put it in a leather envelope in cash stacks and I drove to the tractor place. ⠀ ⠀ "In my 23 years of selling tractors, you are the first woman I've ever had in here doing the negotiating" the sales guy told me. I test drove a few in the lot. Acting like I knew what the hell I was doing. I knew which one we wanted and what price we needed it at and they had told us on the phone the price was firm and I didn't believe that for a second. ⠀ ⠀ I wore knee high leather boots and red lipstick to do the dirty work. "We can't budge" he told me.⠀ I threw the cash on the table in stacks. Literally. I said nothing. ((S)he who speaks first loses people) ⠀ ⠀ We sat in silence for 2 full minutes staring at each other. I like to do this thing when people stare at me where I bug my eyes out and 'stare bigger.'⠀ ⠀ "How much cash is that?" He asked flatly. ⠀ I answered with the amount. ⠀ ⠀ A full 90 seconds more of silence. I looked at my fingernails. Stared bigger at him. Smiled at a woman awkwardly watching from the hallway, she looked sweaty. ⠀ ⠀ "I guess that'll work." ⠀ ⠀ I leapt from the chair and hugged him. "You just made the best deal ever" I told him, smiling. ⠀ ⠀ On the ride home I called Matt. ⠀ "I got it done. We own the tractor we wanted." ⠀ He laughed, not surprised in the least, 'you are the family negotiator' ⠀ ⠀ 5 days later the tractor showed up. ⠀ I had no idea how to start it.⠀ I still cant back it up with the trailer on it.⠀ It needs a new battery right now and I'm worthless there.⠀ ⠀ But I get things done for this family and always will. ⠀ Also shout out to spouses who acknowledge your strengths and let you run with them and SPEAK IT OUT LOUD. One of my favorite things ever is when Matt is like "you gotta here Kalin negotiate, she ALWAYS gets what she wants." ⠀ ⠀ Hairflip. 💁🏼‍♀️⠀ Bye.⠀ I"m Kalin. ⠀ ⠀ Happy #fridayintroductions ⠀ ⠀ xo⠀ ⠀ ⠀ ⠀ ⠀ Image: @thecompasspointshere⠀
The vines on the barn are always one of the last things to change. And when they do. The peak of the color is here. And with that, another season rounds a bend here at the farm. ⠀ ⠀ Today we start designing for a hella beautiful wedding this weekend. ⠀ ⠀ I'm always blown away by how the season feels never ending and then in the same moment it feels like it was just a weekend in May with so many women I love working on one of the best events of my career. ⠀ ⠀ And now, the rain brings down the leaves around the farm. I won't rake until spring. It's just my thing. ⠀ ⠀ The tiny, bustling with visitors for color tours, closes in just 3 weeks. And Matt and I will have a sleepover there (still have never stayed in our own tiny house) and we'll toast to a season that made us 'Superhosts' and super strong. ⠀ ⠀ One things for sure. Before we know it my friends, the snow is gonna fly. And while everyone will moan and groan and I know two adorable, fluffy, giant dogs who will have their absolutely favorite season. ⠀ ⠀ Wherever this Fall day finds you - I hope it involves something that brings you the kind of joy these two bring me.⠀ ⠀ Clinks babe⠀ xo⠀ K⠀ ⠀ ⠀ ⠀ ⠀ #upnorth #northernmichigan #puremichigan #weddingflowers #weddingplanning #flowers #farmHER #floraldesign #petoskey #harborsprings #traversecity #leelanau #engaged #theknot #girlboss #mackinacisland #goodvibesonly #vsco #walloonlake #charlevoix #bayharbor #bride #bridalbouquet #sweetwaterfloral
Coffee is hot and my mom comes back up north today and the leaves are so beautiful I could cry and Matt and I snuck away for an overnight date last night so I'm gonna keep this short. ⠀ ⠀ Pro tip: when thinking about the tables at the reception. Consider a couple different types of centerpiece 'height.' ⠀ ⠀ Garlands? Of course, they are beautiful. But maybe on a few tables let's put something tall to help create some visual interest. ⠀ ⠀ Low and lush compote? I got you boo. Consider a few different style tables with an entirely different, yet cohesive, look. ⠀ ⠀ I'll bring the flowers. You bring the ideas. I cannot wait to flower for your big day. ⠀ ⠀ xo⠀ K⠀ ⠀ ⠀ image: @theweberphotographers⠀ ⠀ ⠀ #upnorth #northernmichigan #puremichigan #weddingflowers #weddingplanning #flowers #farmHER #floraldesign #petoskey #harborsprings #traversecity #leelanau #engaged #theknot #girlboss #mackinacisland #goodvibesonly #vsco #walloonlake #charlevoix #bayharbor #bride #bridalbouquet #sweetwaterfloral⠀
Oh man I loved this house. ⠀ ⠀ Sweetwater Floral started in this basement. On a ping pong table. We did 8 weddings my first year. 6 of which I was subcontracted by a planner who took a chance on me when we were both babies (thank you @sincerelygingerweddings) ⠀ Our website was a joke. I thought I had to Instagram images of flowers everyday but that was hard because I had designed like 5 things in my life and oh yeah- I was sorta not that good at it. ⠀ ⠀ My wholesaler wouldn't send a truck because my budgets were so low so @lilybelle85 would drop the flowers off with 2 babies in the back of her car. ⠀ ⠀ Maple was so little and would run through the basement knocking over buckets and jumping on a couch we had down there. She destroyed the back yard of this house, digging up the tree we planted on our wedding day and barking at our neighbors all the time. ⠀ ⠀ We hosted a Thanksgiving here, Matt's 30th birthday, one too many wine nights with friends. ⠀ ⠀ And in that basement with literally the worlds smallest window and a bathroom that had hot pink tile, Matt and I started down what would be the toughest and most rewarding challenge of our professional lives. Business ownership. ⠀ ⠀ It doesn't happen overnight. That glitzy retail space she has. The perfect studio he works from. The big office building. The nice cars, the farm, the 60 weddings a summer. Oh honey, it takes time and humble beginnings and like 2398203 mistakes. ⠀ ⠀ So keep at it. ⠀ We all gotta start somewhere. ⠀ ⠀ Clinks to the basement warriors. Also a reminder that 4 years later and I've upgraded to a 3 car garage with no water as a flower studio. ⠀ It's a slog. ⠀ ⠀ that's showbiz baby.⠀ ⠀ xo⠀ K
And then there were 7. ⠀ ⠀ We've got 7 pairs of lovers still to tie the knot on our calendar for 2018. ⠀ ⠀ My Monday morning message for the more than 175 Sweetwater Couples over these last few years, and to all the ones to come and shit ok to ANYONE who loves someone enough to commit a lifetime to them.... ⠀ ⠀ Do Sunday together. Or Tuesday. Or Saturday. Whatever day works for you. Do it together and do it well. Lay on a couch. Cuddle your family. Watch football. Take naps. Eat a meal together. ⠀ ⠀ Don't put on a bra all day. Talk about the future. Talk about right now. Try and explain why you're crying. Listen to one another. Make each other laugh, like really hard. ⠀ ⠀ Smooch.⠀ ⠀ Have a day of the week that you try and reserve for your family. No matter if its 8 of you or 3 of you or 2 of you and 2 giants dogs. ⠀ ⠀ Spend time with just them. ⠀ Everyone else can wait. Love the hardest on the people who are with you when life isn't easy.⠀ ⠀ Happy Monday⠀ xo⠀ K⠀ ⠀ ⠀ image: @danandmelissa
Now that its a bit slower, I sometimes feel guilty. ⠀ ⠀ I was in a terrible mood most of the summer. And I feel like, I let my grief and anxiety and fear and frustration dictate how I operated. ⠀ ⠀ We didn't sleep in our tent. We didn't see friends. Whenever I did rest or swim or lay I felt nothing but guilt. ⠀ ⠀ This summer was a whirlwind of beautiful weddings and heartbreaking losses and the constant hum drum of the 12 weeks of the year I can really make a living. ⠀ ⠀ I hope you don't read this as a complaint. I am well aware that summer will always be crazy for us, I'm overjoyed daily that I get to design flowers for a living with the best clients and answer to absolutely no one other than myself professionally. The freedom this life has granted me is unparalleled. ⠀ ⠀ But I have one family photo of the 4 of us from the summer. One. It makes me think a lot about our future, how quickly time is passing, how little so much of the little things matter. ⠀ ⠀ How the people. Matt. My family. My friends. The boopings. That matters. ⠀ ⠀ I'm sad for the summer I lost to being sad. ⠀ Read that one again because it takes a second. ⠀ ⠀ There were such highlights. Camp Sweetwater being a huge one. The 4 of us escaping to the UP to eat BBQ and drink too much wine and sleep in and walk the dogs 5 times a day. The tiny being finished..⠀ ⠀ But most of it, was spent in survival mode.⠀ My sweet, survival mode ends. It really does. Hear me on this one. And you open your eyes on a Saturday and you're getting ready for work and you can think clearly, and everything just feels slower.⠀ ⠀ The coffee is hot. ⠀ There is a beautiful wedding to install.⠀ There will be summer next year. And you'll do so much the same, but so much will be different. ⠀ ⠀ Survival mode ends. I see you girl. ⠀ ⠀ Sending love⠀ xo⠀ K