Rosemary’s Yearly Reflection 2025

Hello, friends!

As I sit down to write this letter, I can hardly believe that 2025 is already coming to a close. This year has been nothing short of transformational for me as a person, as an artist, and as the heart behind Rosemary’s Garden Florals. It’s been a year of courage, grief, celebration, and growth, all woven together into a story I’ll carry with me for the rest of my life.

In February, I made one of the biggest leaps I’ve ever taken: after four years of growing my business while also working a full-time job, I became a full-time florist! After years of dreaming, planning, creating, and doing everything in the margins of time I could find, I finally gave myself the space to pour fully into this work I love so dearly. That decision, while equal parts exciting and terrifying, was the jumpstart for so much that followed.

Since going full-time, I’ve joined four amazing professional organizations for wedding vendors, attended my first multi-day wedding pro educational summit, and met so many inspiring creatives who have already become friends and collaborators. I also began a full rebrand of Rosemary’s Garden Florals and designed a new website and online store that finally feels like the perfect home for my business online. Shoutout to my amazing web designer Emily Foster for helping bring that vision to life and to my photographer Jennifer Nicole Photo & Films for capturing brand photos that truly reflect who I am and what my floral studio stands for!

In case you didn’t know, my floral studio is operated entirely out of our home in Winter Haven, Florida! Earlier in the year, in April, we brought in a professional organizer, Morganized Living, to help overhaul the entire house. My husband Jim and I spent two full weekends with Morgan reorganizing everything. We cleared out the clutter, made room for what matters, and built custom shelving units to support my growing floral inventory and tools. Having a clean and organized environment makes such a huge difference in my mood, so it’s incredible how much lighter and more focused I’ve felt since that process!

This year also brought some new personal experiences: some joyful, some bittersweet. In May, my dear grandmother Mimi passed away at the age of 93. She was my last living grandparent, and losing her was both heartbreaking and deeply sentimental. Even as she struggled with the end of her battle with dementia, my Mimi remained spirited and full of warmth. We visited her nearly every day during her final weeks, bringing little treats like milkshakes and pastries and laughing with her as she flirted with her nurses and told stories from her youth.

One of my favorite photos of her is from my own wedding day nearly five years ago. She’s holding our framed engagement photo I had just given her, looking up at me with a huge smile. This image reminds me, always, how weddings bring people together in the most meaningful ways. Weddings are not just about flowers or details: they’re about family, memory, and love that lasts long after the day ends.

This year, I celebrated love at my first Polk Pride parade in June, closed on the sale of our next door neighbor’s house which I renovated with my dad, and celebrated my golden birthday in August: turning 30 on the 30th!

We took time this fall to travel and recharge with a cruise to the Bahamas in September and a week-long trip to Philadelphia in October full of sightseeing and enjoying the perfect fall weather. Jim has always been a homebody, so I’m very proud of him for stepping outside his comfort zone and coming with me to see the world!

Professionally, the most important lesson I’ve learned this year is how different it feels to step into the role of not just a floral designer, but a CEO. I’m still learning every single day: how to lead, how to delegate, how to think strategically, and how to make choices that honor both my creativity and the future I’m building. It’s uncomfortable, emotional work. Some days I question everything. But I know I’m transforming into the kind of business owner Rosemary’s Garden Florals needs me to be and I’m so grateful for the people who believe in me, who see something in this business worth rooting for, and who’ve offered their wisdom, encouragement, or simple kindness along the way.

To everyone who supported us this year, whether by ordering flowers, sharing our posts, referring a friend, collaborating, or simply cheering from the sidelines: thank you! I’ll never stop being amazed at what this little dream is growing into and I can’t wait to see what 2026 brings.

With love and blooms,
Rosemary