About Kalin Kalin + Matt Farm Timeline
Workshops Camp Sweetwater
Write Us a Note FAQ
Floral Design in Northern Michigan
 
 

Welcome to Sweetwater

we design beautiful wedding flowers in northern Michigan.

 
 
MeganEvan_0362.jpg
 
 

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.

 
 
Sweetwater Submark Lavender.png
 
 

Flowers

Wedding Floral Design
Screen Shot 2018-10-04 at 11.36.59 AM.png
Screen Shot 2018-04-07 at 1.39.52 PM.png
LaurenSteve0108.jpg
 

Farm

Lavender Love
Screen Shot 2018-06-04 at 2.30.38 PM.png
Screen Shot 2018-04-07 at 1.54.35 PM.png
Image uploaded from iOS (1).jpg
 

The Blog

Stems & Sprigs
Okay yeah, its a bad one.
Okay yeah, its a bad one.
Soups on.
Soups on.
The 2019 Sweetwater Squad
The 2019 Sweetwater Squad
Write the next chapter.
Write the next chapter.
 
 
 
 
 

Read More

Rave REviews

Join Us

Farm Events

 
 
 
 
Sweetwater_118.jpg
 
 

Stay in the Know

Follow us

This photo is from July. Mid July. We hadn’t seen rain in who knows how long. ⠀ ⠀ The farm is a weird mess of hoses and sprinklers and gas cans to fill mowers and a big dog that hates the heat and a tiny ass fluff puppy who has a tail so long for his body he looks weird. ⠀ ⠀ The contrast in seasons of our life is not something I take for granted.⠀ ⠀ Before we know it I’ll have 10,000 steps before 10am and wake with the birds again and this guy will keep this place looking nice and he’ll golf on Monday nights and I’ll swim at my parents and draft email responses past my bedtime. ⠀ ⠀ We’ll host events and flower events and install and tear down and train a team and fall back to the pace of summer. ⠀ ⠀ The rhythm to our life is one I know by heart. One I adore. Even when we’re about to change key and tackle the unexpected - as long as we keep walking around this farm and taking it all in. We’ll be doing just fine. ⠀ ⠀ Happy Saturday my friend. ⠀ Coffee clinks ⠀ Xo⠀ ⠀ K ⠀ ⠀
I’m Kalin. ⠀ ⠀ I talk too loudly and sleep like a rock and love red wine and Costco. ⠀ ⠀ I despise shopping for clothes, people who don’t say please & thank you and the process of boarding an airplane. ⠀ ⠀ I only buy cheap sunglasses because I’m incredibly hard on things. ⠀ ⠀ I wear denim on denim as my typical uniform and I design beautiful wedding flowers. ⠀ ⠀ I love science and also put my crystals out on a full moon. ⠀ ⠀ I love to day dream with my head in the clouds but I’m also V into saving for retirement. ⠀ ⠀ My favorite part of weddings is when all the formalities are over and you’re dancing with your people and someone is randomly peeing on a tree just outside the tent. ⠀ ⠀ A Juliette garden rose is probably my favorite flower smell. It reminds me of perfume even though I hate perfume. ⠀ ⠀ My nose is always stuffy and my heart is super loyal. ⠀ ⠀ Thanks for being here and happy #fridayintroductions ⠀ ⠀ Clinks ⠀ Xo⠀ K⠀ ⠀ ⠀ Image: @thecompasspointshere ⠀ ⠀ ⠀ ⠀ ⠀ #upnorth #northernmichigan #puremichigan #weddingflowers #weddingplanning #flowers #floraldesign #petoskey #harborsprings #traversecity #leelanau #engaged #theknot #mackinacisland #goodvibesonly #vsco #walloonlake #charlevoix #bayharbor #bride #bridalbouquet #sweetwaterfloral
I used to be an insane person before I hosted. Wanting my house to be absolutely magazine perfect, needing to make copious amounts of food with over the top recipes that I had never tried before. Getting stressed that the dogs would bother people because they are enormous and shed and bark sometimes. ⠀ ⠀ One of the things I'm most proud of over the last few years, is my ability to now recognize what matters. ⠀ ⠀ People don't want to come over to your house and have you apologize for how it looks, or how messy it is, or how you should have made more food, or yada yada. ⠀ ⠀ People want you to open your door, greet them, acquire them something to drink and then they want YOU THE HOSTESS to have fun. ⠀ ⠀ I hosted last night. I try to monthly. Its so laidback I wear leggings and a giant sweater and hop out of the shower 20 minutes before everyone arrives. ⠀ ⠀ And since its my girls, I tell them I'm not making food. I'm hosting, y'all bring the snacks. ⠀ ⠀ Here's what I do:⠀ -Vacuum.⠀ -Move all dog toys to a central location.⠀ -A 20-minute 'quick tidy' fluffing pillows and putting stuff away.⠀ -Turn on some music.⠀ -Pull out some glassware, napkins and appetizer plates. ⠀ -And I wait for my friends to arrive.⠀ ⠀ Here's what I don't do:⠀ -Buy stupid cheap shit for my house that day at homegoods because its gonna be new and awesome (#oldkalin)⠀ -Try a new recipe on a crowd, when I cook, I keep it to my standby can't fail favorites. ⠀ -Keep the dogs separate from the party. (#oldkalin) They literally sleep on a floor near where food might drop for the entire party. ⠀ -Apologize a million times for things I don't need to apologize for. ⠀ ⠀ My friends, opening your door to people will change your life. Your house is fine just the way it is. You are fine just the way you are. Go create relationships over food and drink. ⠀ ⠀ Happy Thursday⠀ xo⠀ K⠀ ⠀ ⠀ ⠀ ⠀ #upnorth #northernmichigan #puremichigan #weddingflowers #weddingplanning #flowers #floraldesign #petoskey #harborsprings #traversecity #leelanau #engaged #theknot #mackinacisland #goodvibesonly #vsco #walloonlake #charlevoix #bayharbor #bride #bridalbouquet #sweetwaterfloral
Dear 2019 couples, ⠀ ⠀ You emailed, we chatted, you got the pricing info, perhaps we even discussed your dog being in the wedding, you inevitably heard me blow my nose while we were on the phone. (Seriously working on it) ⠀ ⠀ But that was a bit ago. And you’re still making a million other decisions for the big day. ⠀ ⠀ I totally get it. But here me out, we are booking fast for 2019 and I wanna makesure if you have a Saturday you want you are able to get it. ⠀ ⠀ Move quickly so we can make some magic like this happen for you. :)⠀ ⠀ Coffee 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⠀ ⠀
Since Matt and I discussed the summer project priorities this weekend I'll admit I'm itching for the snow to melt. Which is laughable because we have easily another 8+ weeks before the ground thaws and we can actually do things around here. ⠀ ⠀ The first step is usually spending an entire week burning all the sticks. Branches. Logs. Having a tiny little 10 acre parcel with lots of mature trees makes for an interesting time when the snow melts. ⠀ ⠀ Right now our Christmas tree is so covered with snow on the fire pit that the dogs run OVER it when I call them inside. It's like a packed down little ice hill. ⠀ ⠀ Another weird thought is how our priorities have changed since we got here. How you need to live on a piece of land a bit before understanding what you want from it. ⠀ ⠀ I've got a while before we start moving fences and studios and landscaping for the year. But that doesn't mean I can't get excited. ⠀ ⠀ xo⠀ K ⠀ ⠀ ⠀ ⠀ ⠀ #upnorth #northernmichigan #puremichigan #weddingflowers #weddingplanning #flowers #floraldesign #petoskey #harborsprings #traversecity #leelanau #engaged #theknot #mackinacisland #goodvibesonly #vsco #walloonlake #charlevoix #bayharbor #bride #bridalbouquet #sweetwaterfloral
4 years ago when I started this business on our dining room table, it looked a lot different.⠀ ⠀ Different name, different service, different idea of what I thought the brand would be. ⠀ ⠀ It's just our family and close friends who have been here since those days. When i was a television reporter who worked mornings and played with flowers in the afternoon and hosted pop up shops with tiny little arrangements. ⠀ ⠀ I'm here on a Monday morning to remind you that it will change. Your day to day will not be whatever it is right now forever. It'll change for the better and for the worse, it'll get easier and harder. If you own a business people always say 'stay in your lane' but I like to add 'but keep checking your blind spots.'⠀ ⠀ We are humans. We adapt. Our lives change. We move and grow and get older and maybe a little wiser. If you're like me as you get older you care less and less about what people think and its such a beautiful ride to be on. ⠀ ⠀ When I started I cared about how many followers there were and how many likes a photo got and what other floral designers were doing. I would compare my work to others and think about how much better they were than me. ⠀ ⠀ And little by little I cut that shit out. We were gonna design flowers the way I loved to design them, and they were beautiful, and I was gonna run a business that focused on people and stories and allowing flowers to be a part of that. I stopped chasing editorials and followers and shiny magazine spreads and having everyone know about my business. ⠀ ⠀ And wouldn't you know, when I grew it the way that felt most like me- the shiny magazine spreads, and people knowing about our business and all that stuff that can help you feel legit - it followed. In a way that made me really really proud because it was so us. ⠀ ⠀ So stop comparing and obsessing and checking the number by your name. At the end of our days no one will say 'she lived a good life - with X number of followers' people are gonna remember how you made them feel and what you created in this world. ⠀ ⠀ Happy Monday babes⠀ coffee clinks⠀ ⠀ xo⠀ K⠀ ⠀ #upnorth #northernmichigan #puremichigan #weddingflowers #petoskey #harborsprings #traversec
A year ago today I was reeling in the grief of my first miscarriage.⠀ ⠀ I'd spend the day like I spent most of those days immediately after- eating take out on my couch, watching Queer Eye and crying.⠀ ⠀ But little did I know that on that February 16th, hundreds of miles away in Ohio, a fluffy tri-colored puppy was born. ⠀ ⠀ A few months later, Matt asked me if I was ready for another dog. We thought it might help make things a bit brighter around the house. ⠀ ⠀ I called the breeder asking if she would have puppies in the fall, "we actually have one male left from our Winter litter, and he's just so sweet I have no idea why someone hasn't snagged him."⠀ ⠀ I knew why. He was meant to be ours. ⠀ ⠀ So on a Saturday in June, while I flowered for a wedding, Matt drove to Ohio and met Wally. Named after Walloon Lake. Matt called me on the drive and said "he's so cute and pretty goofy and you're gonna love him."⠀ ⠀ Wally immediately jumped into our pack and was the perfect fit. My heart felt better when he was near. It was as if he was the missing link. ⠀ ⠀ In September, as many of you know, Wally got really really sick. And in a really dark moment at the Animal Hospital, I got the talk from our vet team about how it would be quite expensive to keep Wally alive and this was a family decision and I stopped them mid sentence.⠀ ⠀ "Whatever we have to do, I will not let this dog die."⠀ ⠀ So I saved Wally. My little buddy from day 1. He loves Maple and adores Matt but nothing compares to the bond him and I share. ⠀ ⠀ (here come the tears)⠀ ⠀ Wally knew I needed him. To pull me off the couch. To lift the veil of grief that had seeped into every crack of my life. And just months later, he knew I would save him. He looked at me at the hospital that day and I promised him I would do every single thing in my power to get him healthy again and save his life, just like he had done for me. ⠀ ⠀ (I am full blown sobbing now)⠀ ⠀ Happy Birthday to you Wally. Our Walnut, Walter, Pumpkin, Walls, Wall, our "Little." You are 1 today. A year ago I didn't know you existed. But all along, you were meant to be right here, with our family. ⠀ ⠀ Coffee clinks and Birthday Pumpkin treats!⠀ ⠀ xo⠀ K
No I'm not stealing your clients.⠀ No I'm not a fraud.⠀ No its not all fake.⠀ No I'm not price gauging you. ⠀ No I don't want to go to coffee and help you put your business plan together stranger I barely know.⠀ ⠀ ⠀ Yes I believe in your business.⠀ Yes there is room for all of us.⠀ Yes I really am 'like this' in real life.⠀ Yes if we are real life friends I will want it so badly for you I'll sit with you for hours in my den and we'll make a marketing plan. ⠀ Yes I do design those flowers myself.⠀ Yes they are real. ⠀ Yes I do use that many swear words. ⠀ Yes I love carnations.⠀ Yes I wanna get coffee and connect and network. ⠀ ⠀ Thank you for your time.⠀ Thank you for believing in this team to provide you the best wedding flowers imaginable.⠀ Thank you for being here every morning and reading these weird blurbs on the internet from a random girl up north.⠀ Thank you for loving the Boopings.⠀ Thank you for understanding I still LOVE my privacy and respecting that.⠀ Thank you for talking all the shit and thinking you'll take it all down - let ya haters be your motivators.⠀ Thank you, next. ⠀ ⠀ ⠀ Happy #fridayintroductions⠀ xo⠀ ⠀ K⠀ ⠀ Image: @thecompasspointshere ⠀ ⠀ #upnorth #northernmichigan #puremichigan #weddingflowers #weddingplanning #flowers #floraldesign #petoskey #harborsprings #traversecity #leelanau #engaged #theknot #mackinacisland #goodvibesonly #vsco #walloonlake #charlevoix #bayharbor #bride #bridalbouquet #sweetwaterfloral