Questions and Answers - asked and answered on Here Comes The Guide
Tell us about your company name.
Petal Town Flowers was the name created by the original owner of our business back in the 1990s. (We took over the business in 2008.) Petaluma is a town in the heart of Sonoma County, right at the gateway to the Wine Country. Locals refer to it as P-Town, so Petal Town seemed like a natural evolution.
Why should someone hire you?
Petal Town Flowers is a family-owned and -operated business. Martin is the main business manager, and also the lead designer behind every wedding, event or single arrangement we create. Elizabeth is the wedding coordinator, marketing and website manager and all things numbers. Working together we put our personal attention into every event, and work directly with each client to make sure all your details are taken care of. This personal attention means our clients feel valued, and can trust that the flowers ordered will exceed expectations on their wedding day.
What are the common misconceptions about your services?
The question we are asked most is: “What packages do you offer?” Every bride is unique and has their own style and vision. For that reason, we customize every event to match the couple’s theme, color palette, style, and budget. Having clients complete our wedding questionnaire, as well as share their photos and Pinterest boards with us lets us hone in on their uniqueness.
What drew you to this field/how did you get started?
Martin grew up in family of florists in Mexico. His first memories of working with flowers is when he was 4 years old. His grandmother cultivated flowers, and used to make little bouquets of calla lilies, sweet peas and pansies to sell at the local street market. She taught Martin how to hand gather and tie the bouquets when he was just a little boy. Years later, when he moved to the US in the mid 1990s, he naturally gravitated to his original passion: floral design.
What is the best advice you give a couple when planning their wedding?
Take a deep breath and don’t forget to have fun planning your big day. Often we meet brides and grooms during their planning stage and they are fairly stressed out. Coordination, budgets, tastings, fittings and all the other activities that go into planning a wedding can run you thin. We try to make the floral design decisions as stress-free as possible. We are flexible to any changes our clients make, and encourage our clients to continue the dialog of creativity throughout the planning process. Nothing needs to be set in stone until about two weeks before the wedding when we typically place the orders for the flowers. This means if a bride suddenly decides to scrap the peonies and go with anemones, that’s totally fine!
What's your favorite marriage advice?
We don’t know if there is any one secret to a successful marriage. However we have just celebrated our own 20-year wedding anniversary. Ironically, as a florist, our wedding wasn’t lavish and full of flowers, but our marriage has been full of love, respect and patience. Not only have those qualities made for a strong marriage, but allows us to work together to run Petal Town Flowers as husband and wife.
What are some of your favorite places to eat—either everyday spots or special occasion splurges?
Petal Town does a lot of wedding business in the Sonoma and Napa wine country, especially at wineries, estates and boutique hotels. One of our favorite things to do after a consultation, site visit, or wedding setup is to find a new local café, bistro, or tasting room and discover what they have to offer. There are so many hidden gems tucked away in the vineyard covered hills and valleys.