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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
So long 2018.
So long 2018.
The Month of Light
The Month of Light
Thanksgiving.
Thanksgiving.
Wedding Season 2k18
Wedding Season 2k18
 
 
 
 
 

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Please do not email me asking if you can 'copy our tiny house design and layout and if so - do you have plans you can share?' OH SURE. LET ME GET THAT ATTACHMENT FOR YOU BOO. ⠀ ⠀ I will spit out my coffee and laugh about this because you should get your Google Phd like anyone who has started a successful and profitable business and DO RESEARCH ON THE INTERNET. ⠀ ⠀ It's all out there. For free people. Youtube videos. Pinterest. Google. My goddess, sending an email asking for a shortcut to success just looks - lazy. ⠀ ⠀ Appropriate emails to send: kind ones, that offer to take you out to coffee or wine to ask you questions and look at you as a mentor- emails that explain your story, tell us about you, emails that don't seem like you want quick, free solutions to starting your business.⠀ ⠀ Yes, of course, in the beginning I sent emails. Emails saying - I really admire what you're doing and would love to PAY YOU FOR YOUR TIME in helping me with some questions I have. ⠀ ⠀ Shit, I still email industry friends who are doing things I cannot for the life of me figure out via my research and say 'whats your consulting fee I'll happily pay for an hour of your time' ⠀ ⠀ Take a class. Go to a conference. Head off on a retreat. Buy a course. ⠀ ⠀ SO yeah, my short response does not really 'seem like her' but its because I'm not entertaining it. So I'll email you 'we found what lavender varieties worked best for us through tons of research online based on our growing zone' and I'll email you that we 'spent a year planning the tiny layout based on what our needs were' and that 'we've found that spending a good amount of time on planning and research via free outlets on the internet works best.' ((Hairflip 💁🏼‍♀️))⠀ ⠀ So honey lamb, get on google, and start doing the work. ⠀ ⠀ I believe in you. But I'm also not here to do the work for you. ⠀ ⠀ xo⠀ K⠀ ⠀ photo: @mmivphoto ⠀ ⠀ ⠀ ⠀ #upnorth #northernmichigan #puremichigan #weddingflowers #weddingplanning #flowers #floraldesign #petoskey #harborsprings #traversecity #leelanau #engaged #theknot #mackinacisland #goodvibesonly #vsco #walloonlake #charlevoix #bayharbor #bride #bridalbouquet #sweetwaterfloral
Okay, time to talk about your wedding party. Because, this is a big part of the day. There is SO MUCH that goes into this part of your wedding, but remember - you love these people and they love you, so let's just be considerate.... ⠀ ⠀ -- Give your people options: Please do not be that couple that requires a $700 outfit for your wedding with zero wiggle room and you asked your friend who is a starving actress in LA to be in your wedding and she's gotta fly across the country 3 times and now you're pissed she seems 'not excited.' Asking someone to be in your wedding is an enormous investment of their time and money. So please give them options on outfits.⠀ ⠀ --Lean on them, but please don't put the entire pressure of the day on them. Good idea for a bridesmaid: she's gonna make sure that our dog Fluffball gets to Aunt Barb after the ceremony to get a ride home. Bad idea: my bestie Sarah who is emotionally compromised and on fertility drugs is going to move all the flowers from the ceremony to decorate the reception space & then also double check that the bartender is ready with the signature cocktail & then she's gonna give a speech. (hint: this is why you have someone day of who you are not related to who you hired for this stuff- inquire within I’ve got a planner list that’ll knock ya socks off) ⠀ ⠀ --Flowers for your wedding party are important. And a bouquet is not cheap. I know its tempting to want to have your best friends carry a single stem down the aisle to save money but this is your wedding, not an episode of the Bachelor, 'will you accept this rose?' 'no, actually but I will take that badass bouquet that Kalin designed for me.'⠀ ⠀ You've got this boo. ⠀ Tag your bridal party to let them know. 😊⠀ ⠀ xo⠀ K⠀ ⠀ Image: @carriechouse ⠀ ⠀ #upnorth #northernmichigan #puremichigan #weddingflowers #weddingplanning #flowers #floraldesign #petoskey #harborsprings #traversecity #leelanau #engaged #theknot #mackinacisland #goodvibesonly #vsco #walloonlake #charlevoix #bayharbor #bride #bridalbouquet #sweetwaterfloral
Maple is my protector, and this guy is my buddy. ⠀ ⠀ We call him little. Even though in just 10 lbs he’ll weigh more than his sister. ⠀ ⠀ Mapes and so so I love one another, but if Matt and I were both standing with a treat she’d pick Matt, everytime. ⠀ ⠀ Little buddy is attached to my hip. Sometimes I think he knows that the reason we got him is because I was so damn sad during that season of loss. Of course he knows! Dogs always know. ⠀ ⠀ Him and I also have something, that day, that really really bad day in the animal hospital, I sat outside that kennel he was in and sobbed. And I looked at him and held his face in my hands and I said “try harder. I need you. You must get better. You can and you will.” ⠀ ⠀ And he looked and me and something shifted. ⠀ ⠀ So Maple sometimes doesn’t listen to me, and always barks in my face when she protecting me. Her and I lay on the floor daily while Wall is outside and cuddle... ⠀ ⠀ But this guy is my little sidekick. My shadow. ⠀ ⠀ I started writing my final blog post for the year the other day and of course there’s an entire section about dogs and of course I was legit openly sobbing in the coffee shop. Make sure you have tissues for that one. ⠀ ⠀ Happy Saturday my sweet. 😊 hugs to your furry pal this AM. ⠀ ⠀ 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
Hey here's us. All gussied up at our friends wedding. ⠀ ⠀ I did the flowers that day. And like almost always, it involved a 11th hour phone call to this guy.⠀ ⠀ "Any chance you can swing by here on your way before getting ready for the wedding? We've got a chandelier issue." ⠀ ⠀ He knows I'm scared of ladders. (big tree fall hard) ⠀ ⠀ "Yeah for sure, what do you need me to do?"⠀ ⠀ He never hesitates. Ever. One time when we were discussing love languages and how his is Acts of Service he literally said, "this entire farm is my ultimate act of service for you" and I burst into tears. ⠀ ⠀ So he climbs ladders with no fear, hoists up floral chandeliers, he is the BEST at tear downs because he can magically bag smilax without it shedding all over the floor. ⠀ ⠀ And we are a good match. A great pair. Better together. ⠀ ⠀ We are both stubborn. as. hell. We both love being right. We both are the oldest of 3. ⠀ ⠀ We both excelled at things in high school. Matt excelled at being a straight A student and captain of like every sports team, I excelled at talking out of turn and graduating with a 2.3gpa. ⠀ ⠀ He's serious. Quiet. Funnier than hell. Could live off of steak and potatoes. ⠀ ⠀ I’m emotional. Impatient. Creative. Could live off a good cheese & prosciutto spread. ⠀ ⠀ But here we are. Together. Matt worked at Camp that summer because an internship he had lined up fell through at the last second and he needed a job. I worked at camp that summer because another camp told me they didn't have room for me on staff. ⠀ ⠀ And here we are more than a decade later. ⠀ Life is funny and weird.⠀ ⠀ ⠀ Happy #fridayintroductions from us.⠀ ⠀ xo⠀ K⠀ ⠀ #upnorth #northernmichigan #puremichigan #weddingflowers #weddingplanning #flowers #floraldesign #petoskey #harborsprings #traversecity #leelanau #engaged #theknot #mackinacisland #goodvibesonly #vsco #walloonlake #charlevoix #bayharbor #bride #bridalbouquet #sweetwaterfloral
Anytime I try and explain to people what this brand means to me, or what its brought into my life, it always goes back to the people. ⠀ ⠀ I think about these women a lot. Because this group, they took a BIG chance on me. I was like 'come to the farm for something called Camp Sweetwater' and they were like, 'sure strange girl on the internet- we'll be there!" ⠀ ⠀ Each year our Wreath Workshops have a 'theme' and if you were there this year you know the theme was 'show up'. I talked a lot about how many people in my life have showed up for me during this weirdly tough year, how the women there showed up for themselves, how we show up everyday in our lives and choose how we are going to do it. ⠀ ⠀ So thanks. Thanks for showing up every morning here to read this stuff. For coming to Camp. For hiring us for your wedding. For showing up at a workshop, or yoga, or anything at the farm. Thanks for showing up by sharing our stuff. ⠀ ⠀ And a reminder to show up for your female tribe, but also - show up for yourself daily- you come first my sweet. ⠀ ⠀ Clinks⠀ xo⠀ K⠀ ⠀ PS- Yes, there's camp this summer. No, we don't have the date yet, Yes, I'll let you know. Promise. ⠀ ⠀ Image: @rusticrefresh ⠀ ⠀ ⠀ #upnorth #northernmichigan #puremichigan #weddingflowers #weddingplanning #flowers #floraldesign #petoskey #harborsprings #traversecity #leelanau #engaged #theknot #mackinacisland #goodvibesonly #vsco #walloonlake #charlevoix #bayharbor #bride #bridalbouquet #sweetwaterfloral
Winter here at the farm is something special. Its quiet. Like, really quiet. It's dark. It's long. ⠀ ⠀ The dogs are in heaven, I mean, they are bred for the snow so they really can't get enough. ⠀ ⠀ I'm happy to report, overjoyed in fact, that this year is the MOST prepared for winter around here we've ever been. The water lines are totally blown out (lets just say - for the last 2 springs we've turned at least one spiggot on with fingers crossed and been like 'holy hell I hope this works'), everything is stored away, the lavender lot is blocked off, we are sorta- I guess, ready. ⠀ ⠀ The tiny, sits out here alone and locked and waiting for visitors next year. ⠀ ⠀ And inside the house we begin on all the planning for spring. The big fence project, the bigger studio project, a full calendar of beautiful events and couples to serve. ⠀ ⠀ But here in the quiet, on a tiny 10 acre slice of paradise in the world's best little town by the bay, there's a girl who just cooks a lot of food and watches a lot of netflix and works really hard to get in shape and sleeps a lot. ⠀ ⠀ The ebbs and flows my dear, be sure that you honor them as well.⠀ ⠀ clinks⠀ xo⠀ K⠀ ⠀ PS- Just realized we never put the plow sticks in OR tucked away the fabric from the cutting garden - #cantwinthemall ⠀ ⠀ ⠀ ⠀ ⠀ #upnorth #northernmichigan #puremichigan #weddingflowers #weddingplanning #flowers #floraldesign #petoskey #harborsprings #traversecity #leelanau #engaged #theknot #mackinacisland #goodvibesonly #vsco #walloonlake #charlevoix #bayharbor #bride #bridalbouquet #sweetwaterfloral
Alright today we are talking ceremony flowers... And my fav few tips for stretching your wedding floral budget a bit further. Ready class? Here we go⠀ ⠀ -- Go easy. One focal piece typically does the trick. An arbor, statement urns, maybe it’s petals in the aisle, maybe an overgrown aisleway. A bit of flair here and there, but babes - everyone is looking at you two. I mean look at these two? Can you possibly look at anything else? ⠀ ⠀ -- I know that in 1981 it was really cute to do some aisle markers and decor, but please don't think that spending a tiny bit for a bunch of eucalyptus on the chair ends is going to make your day or have a major impact in your design. If you're doing aisle decor because its what you think you have to do - release that. But.....⠀ ⠀ --If you're gonna go big, lets. go. big. One of my favorite things I've ever designed was a Mandap - I also love Chuppahs - but if people are gonna stand around in a semi circle for 20 minutes and smile at you and Aunt Barb is annoyingly using her ipad as a camera- let's not go crazy. ⠀ ⠀ Ceremonies are beautiful and emotional and amazing. The flowers can be a huge part of it - or you can do none at all. Remember it’s your day. 😘 ⠀ ⠀ Clinks ⠀ Xo⠀ K ⠀ ⠀ ⠀ ⠀ image: @halliekohler ⠀ ⠀ ⠀ ⠀ ⠀ ⠀ #upnorth #northernmichigan #puremichigan #weddingflowers #weddingplanning #flowers #floraldesign #petoskey #harborsprings #traversecity #leelanau #engaged #theknot #mackinacisland #goodvibesonly #vsco #walloonlake #charlevoix #bayharbor #bride #bridalbouquet #sweetwaterfloral
This is my friendly, gentle, in your face reminder to you: ⠀ ⠀ Its ok to cancel on the work party because you hate social situations & it makes you uncomfortable. ⠀ Its ok to not put up a tree because it reminds you too much of your brother who died.⠀ Its ok to avoid a holiday tradition because everyone there has babies and your arms are empty.⠀ Its ok to lay a foot down finally and tell your spouses family that no, you do not need to find a new job. ⠀ Its ok to cry because your best friend got engaged and you're single and your heart hurts. ⠀ ⠀ The holidays make the good great and the hard ten times harder. It's a proven fact in the Science of Kalin's Brain. ⠀ ⠀ Remember that you come first. And that on January 1st, none of this really matters except that you were happy and treated yourself well.⠀ ⠀ So sign off from the stuff that will make you UNHAPPY and sign up for more of what makes you feel good during a time of the year we are all trying to enjoy. ⠀ ⠀ Clinks babe⠀ xo⠀ K⠀ ⠀ ⠀ ⠀ #upnorth #northernmichigan #puremichigan #weddingflowers #weddingplanning #flowers #floraldesign #petoskey #harborsprings #traversecity #leelanau #engaged #theknot #mackinacisland #goodvibesonly #vsco #walloonlake #charlevoix #bayharbor #bride #bridalbouquet #sweetwaterfloral