Today we’d like to introduce you to Tracy Pratt.
Alright, so thank you so much for sharing your story and insight with our readers. To kick things off, can you tell us a bit about how you got started?
When the summer of 2020 came and the pandemic had everyone still at home, what was once a dream, soon became a reality and the idea for Bloom and Ivy Weddings was born. Created by a mom, daughter, and daughter-in-law trio (Tracy, Jill, and Jen) who are also public school teachers, the idea for the business grew from a multitude of artistic talents that we knew could be useful in helping people create signature weddings that would create lifelong memories.
Initially, Bloom and Ivy began by only providing flower services for weddings and other events. In a short amount of time, the company has evolved into a full-service event business offering wedding coordinating, DJ services, bartending, and much more. In the summer of 2022, we decided to add our sister company, Top of the Table Designs, which specializes in decor rentals for special events. The two branches of the company complement each other well and offer our clients a type of one-stop-shop during the wedding planning process. What started out small has now turned into a family affair!
Our desire since the beginning has been to share in the joy of our clients by offering affordable and personalized products and services while doing business in a friendly and personalized manner. We thoroughly love our customers and often keep in touch with them long after their wedding day!
Our team:
Tracy Pratt (mother)
Founder & Floral Designer
Although teaching middle school language arts, special education, and social studies at Jefferson Middle School is my first love, I find my greatest passion in the arts and creativity. I have been a teacher for 11 years, and in my spare time, I enjoy being with my family, traveling, cooking, crafting, and creating art! I’ve always enjoyed growing plants and flowers, and I’ve decided to use my talents to bring joy to people’s celebrations! My specialty is creating memorable bouquets, centerpieces, and wedding designs for my clients. My greatest joy is realized when the bride, groom, and family members enjoy the day of their dreams and I end the day knowing that I’ve given them my very best.
Jill Pratt (daughter)
Event Designer & Wedding Coordinator
I am a preschool special education teacher in the Jackson County School System. I love to have fun with friends and family, bake, drink coffee, travel, and take care of my house plants. In addition to working with flowers, my expertise is in wedding coordination with a focus on day-of services. I enjoy helping a bride plan the intricate details of their ceremony and reception and then helping to bring those details full circle on the day of the wedding! Additionally, creating fabulous table designs, mantles, wedding arbors, and sweetheart tables brings me a lot of joy. Seeing others happy is what makes me happy!
Jen Pratt
Customer Relations
I’m a problem-solver at heart! Tracy calls me the customer relations rep, but I call myself the assistant-everything. I’m the first point of contact to new inquiries and I keep our calendar and booking systems organized, but I also help make arrangements, design tablescapes, bartend, coordinate, etc. Bloom and Ivy is the dream job I never knew I wanted! I get to work with the best in-laws ever, using both creative and administrative skills and never feeling like I’m draining either tank dry. Mostly, I’m just in awe that this company is run by teachers spending their days doing this incredibly difficult and necessary job serving our children, who then turn around and offer clients personable, customized service so they can have the weddings of their dreams
We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
Creating a successful small business has not come without challenges and obstacles. Initially, navigating how to obtain a business license, establish bank accounts, set up state and local taxes, and apply for wholesale status proved quite daunting as it was truly uncharted territory for us! Over time, new challenges have proven to be balancing our careers as teachers, making time for family, self-care, and managing how quickly our business has grown in just a few short years. Because our focus is exceptional customer service, we have to do a reality check every now and then to be sure we are living up to our own standards!
Appreciate you sharing that. What should we know about Bloom and Ivy Weddings?
Perhaps what sets us apart and makes us the proudest is that we work tirelessly to provide each and every client with exceptional customer service. From the moment a client reaches out, we are diligent to respond quickly and respectfully. We are careful to take into account budgets, cultural norms, religious practices, and so forth. Our favorite part is when we create lasting friendships with our brides who turn into friends.
We do not own a ‘florist shop’. Because we are teachers during the day, we run our business from home. Through social media and a strong website presence, we connect with potential clients through emails, phone calls, etc.
We specialize in full-service floral products meaning that we design and create everything from both fresh and artificial bouquets to grand staircases to precious wedding arbors. No undertaking is too big or too small for our team. We are careful to use the bride’s inspiration when choosing flowers and creating the designs. Sometimes brides will turn us loose to use our creative imaginations to bring their vision to fruition! This makes us the proudest!
We also specialize in rental items that are specifically geared toward special events. We have found that brides and grooms are grateful to be able to rent items for their big day as opposed to spending money given the high price tag of weddings We are also happy to offer our decorating expertise.
Additionally, event planning, coordinating, bartending, and DJ services help to put our clients at ease. Planning a wedding or event is a big undertaking, so assisting with the timing of the day, reaching out to vendors, welcoming guests, and assuring that the day goes smoothly are top priorities.
Who else deserves credit in your story?
We have come to believe that every personal or professional success has happened because of a few key players or ‘wingmen’ as we call them! A huge shout-out goes to our web designer, brand manager, and friend, Aline Elmurr, who has helped to bring our vision to reality in the form of terrific websites and forms of advertising. Additionally, from family members who pick up the pieces to friends and colleagues who are our cheerleaders, to wonderful community members who share our names, to clients who send us praise, it’s evident every day that we wouldn’t be successful without these folks! We are so grateful!
Contact Info:
- Website: bloomandivyweddings.com
- Instagram: bloomandivyweddings
- Facebook: bloomandivyweddings
Image Credits
My Point of View Photography – Alyssa Foster Shelby Nicole Photography – Shelby Scott Lucky 15 Photography Dash Photography Sabrina Thomas Photography Brandy Anderson
