Check Out Lola Urena’s Story

Today we’d like to introduce you to Lola Urena

Hi Lola, we’re thrilled to have a chance to learn your story today. So, before we get into specifics, maybe you can briefly walk us through how you got to where you are today?
The first job I ever acquired in the world of flowers was working with Deana Nguyen when she was designing florals for Brewery Bhavana in downtown Raleigh. This is where I learned the names of flowers, how to identify them, and how to care for fresh stems. Deana now owns her own studio called Feature Flora, also located in Raleigh. Later on, I made a big life decision to experience something new and exciting, which led me to move to Colorado in 2018. While in Colorado I was working at a bookstore (and, frankly, not getting paid enough), and ended up finding floral design work with a company called The Painted Primrose. Owner, Sabia Magurn, and my manager, Tiffany Smith, taught me everything I needed to know about floral design and the wedding industry. Believe me, if you had seen my design test you would have wondered why she hired me in the first place! Over the course of the next year we had completed 360 weddings as a team of around ten (or less) folks. I was designing and delivering whole weddings on my own and Sabia’s business was growing rapidly — then the Covid-19 Pandemic hit.

After businesses closed down for public safety, I made my way back to my home state of North Carolina where I begun freelancing for various florists in the area as the world began to slowly open up again. At a certain point I thought to myself, “I can be doing all of this on my own, I just need the space and equipment.” I submitted my LLC paperwork and began working out of my apartment in October 2021. When creating my business, I wanted weave a little bit of magic into it (hence our packages being “Quartz,” “Moonstone,” and “Emerald”) but I also wanted to emphasize that Flowers by Lola is a queer-friendly business that prioritizes giving back to our local queer community. I attempted to find more gender-neutral ways to refer to floral items that can typically be assigned gender (for no good reason other than, “that’s what it’s always been called”). For example, when writing proposals for I’ll refer to “Bridesmaid Bouquets” as “Talismans” (a much more magical term), or use first names to denote the specific floral item — i.e. “Rachel’s Bouquet,” or “Myles’ Boutonniere.” In addition to altering our language, we donate a percentage of our profits from tabling at events to local LGBTQIA+ organizations that give back directly to the community. Since its inception, I’m happy (and very lucky) to say that my business has flourished. More bookings are always welcome, of course!

I’m sure it wasn’t obstacle-free, but would you say the journey has been fairly smooth so far?
I think my biggest struggle as a business owner has been navigating the learning curve of everything that goes into event preparation prior to my favorite part (and the most fun part), designing. I’m an artist first, I’ve always been incredibly creative, so it can be difficult to sit down in front of a spreadsheet and crunch the numbers, plan the floral recipes, stay within budget, make sure I have all the hard goods I’ll need, etc. However, my admin skills have really skyrocketed because of all the paperwork and planning necessary to execute a successful event, which has translated into other areas of my life — so I’m grateful for it.

Appreciate you sharing that. What else should we know about what you do?
The art of floral design is my absolute FAVORITE part! Design is what keeps me coming back for more and what keeps me excited when I’m bogged down by paperwork and prep work. I feel I’ve been able to hone my design skills as a florist and that, in turn, has created a clearer vision for my design style. If left to my own devices, I tend to design very whimsical, wildflower-style pieces with lots of airiness, bounce, and texture. I also design color-first by narrowing down a clear vision for the palette, which allows me to also incorporate different varieties of blooms to ensure texture and color are working in harmony. Some of my favorite things to design are bridal bouquets, (I just love making them the real star of the show!), arch florals (I love exploring all the different shapes and sizes), and compotes (they’re just such an eye-catching centerpiece!).

What I’m most proud of thus far in my floral career is definitely winning the Director’s Choice award at NCMA’s Art in Bloom during my FIRST YEAR participating! My co-designer and dear friend, Treasa McDonald, and I had joked about winning a ribbon, but we were *not* expecting such stellar recognition from Museum Director, Valerie Hillings, and Art in Bloom Project Manager, Laura Finan. Art in Bloom is a fundraiser for the NC Art Museum where each year floral designers apply to participate by interpreting a work of art from the People’s Collection and turning it into a stunning floral art piece. Photos of my March 2024 design piece are posted to my Instagram page: @lolalovesflowers and to my website, www.lolalovesflowers.com.

Is there anyone you’d like to thank or give credit to?
Like I said before, I wouldn’t be where I am today as a designer without the help of Sabia Magurn and Tiffany Smith. They were invaluably helpful during my early days as a baby designer. I also have to mention my wonderful sister Lauren Urena who is a spectacular and enthusiastic extra pair of design/installation hands when I’m in need! Treasa McDonald has been my design parter-in-crime for the last couple years and we make such a kick-ass team. My loving and devoted partner, Mike, is a champion and my right-hand-man whenever a florals need to be hung from the ceiling (which happens more often than you’d think!). I don’t think he intended to be a floral designer’s assistant, but he fills the role perfectly. Last, but not least, the wholesalers I’ve had the pleasure of working with have been wonderful assets to my business: Mayesh, Piedmont Wholesale, Stemz, and CPF have been my go-tos for the past few years. I love to prioritize local blooms, but I like to diversify my sources — especially if I’m looking for specific flowers.

Pricing:

• Wedding/Event Minimum: $1,000
• A La Cart: See Website Under “Services”
• Local Deliveries: $60+
• Flower Subscriptions: $75+
• Pop-Up Tabling for Events: $250+

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.lolalovesflowers.com
• Instagram: @lolalovesflowers