Today we’d like to introduce you to Lauren Lopez.
Hi Lauren, please kick things off for us with an introduction to yourself and your story.
Adelita Florals is named after my mom, Marcia Adela. She died of brain cancer when I was 16. She was the kind of person who would “stop and smell the roses.” She really paid attention to the little things in life and always pointed out beautiful moments we often dismiss in the craze of the day. Adelita Florals is an ode to my mother, that while she may not be here, I am able to carry with me a part of her through what I do. I started in this industry with pure luck. I had juggled multiple jobs at a time for years, serving and bartending nights on the weekend, and early work Saturday and Sunday mornings at farmer’s market with 3 Porch and other local farms. Working for 3 Porch was such an amazing experience to be able to learn about different varieties of flowers, and really opened my eyes to how much I loved working with flowers. Eventually, I realized I needed health insurance and decided I should try out corporate work. After a year of a desk job, I was restless and knew I needed more. Along with my desk job, I started picking up restaurant work again and happened to run into a friend who got me in touch with Sasha Fierro of 27 Florista, who was looking to hire a floral designer. She took a chance on me and the rest is history. I decided I could really grow by freelancing, as I am able to work with different designers and pick up different skills and styles and figure out what I align more with. I love this place I am in my career, as I feel like I am laying a solid foundation for myself as a designer.
I’m sure you wouldn’t say it’s been obstacle free, but so far would you say the journey have been a fairly smooth road?
Has it been a smooth road? Of course not! Honestly, my biggest challenge is 100% mental. Truly believing in the value of my work has been the ultimate struggle. Advocating for myself is something that does not come naturally for me. I feel like I had struggled for so long to find my place and what I wanted to do with my life. I believe that art is so dimensional, so very subjective. It is not one size fits all. I believe that there is a place for everyone in the creative industry. I believe that with anything in life, we are always evolving. There is such vulnerability in sharing something you put so much of yourself into with the world. One thing I can thank my dad for is teaching me to not be afraid of the word “No.” You will hear no after no until you get the right “yes.” Not everything is supposed to work exactly how you want it to, but that’s ok. That is how we learn. That’s how we grow. You have to trust that your persistence has a purpose.
As you know, we’re big fans of you and your work. For our readers who might not be as familiar what can you tell them about what you do?
I’m a floral designer! Florist, event florist, whatever you want to call it. Tomayto, tomahto. I share a 1 bedroom apartment with my amazing grad student boyfriend and hyperactive black lab, so I am not taking on as many personal jobs until our housing situation changes. But this has given me the opportunity to take on more freelance work, which honestly, I feel is perfect for this stage of my life. I am so thankful for the opportunities I have to learn different styles and skills. I have found such a home in floral design and I just know there is no looking back. What gets me so excited about this industry is working alongside some of the most talented, hard-working, and strong women I have ever met. It is funny how often people assume this job is just playing with petals and that’s about it. But this industry is laborious work. We are constantly using our hands and bodies. The amount of time it takes to choose your products and vessels, process flowers, prep and build mechanics, create dozens of arrangements. constantly battling with your own criticism, lugging around heavy buckets of flowers, and non-stop event days. Woof. But I wouldn’t have it any other way. I catch myself often thinking “THIS is what I get to do for a living. How lucky am I?” I think I am proud most of myself for becoming comfortable with taking risks and really believing that I have something to bring to the table. I am still so new in this industry, in comparison to many of the other designers I get to work with, and I know there is so much I have yet to learn. But that is what is so exciting; this is just the beginning, and it’s already so amazing.
What’s next?
Oh jeez, so many plans. I cannot wait, but I am also so grateful for this time I have right now. For the future, I see myself taking on more events and projects on my own. This installation I did for Downtown Atlanta for Valentine’s Day was such a great experience. It really let me do whatever I wanted creatively and it was just the boost of energy I needed. More projects like that, please! I would love to start challenging myself with more weddings. I am an emotionally driven person and I feel like a silent empath sometimes. A lot of what I do is very intuitive, especially creatively. Being a part of someone’s wedding is not something I take lightly. Getting to bring to life someone’s dream day is a gift. I have a dream of working out of my home and growing some of my own flowers. I would love to travel out of the country for work as well. I think that might be “I’ve made it!” moment. I’m manifesting all of that, and I feel like it’s all an attainable dream of mine.
Contact Info:
- Instagram: @AdelitaFlorals
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/people/Adelita-Floral-Design/100054344448775/
Image Credits
Alan Chiang @Chiangggg
