Today we’d like to introduce you to Cecilia Guinea.
Hi Cecilia, thanks for joining us today. We’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
I’ve always known I wanted to have my own business but I never really knew in what area. Once I hit 10 years at my corporate job I knew it was time for a change. I truly felt like something was missing and event though my job was great I was not happy. I have always loved flowers and event planning but I never thought that it could be any type of business. When the idea first hit me I made a mockup of my 1st flower bar set up, found the carts and decided to buy them right then and there! Even my own family thought I was a little crazy when I first pitched them my ideas.
My very 1st event was actually for my mom and her friends. They were having a ladies brunch and I offered them my bloom bar so that they could all make bouquets. They were so excited because none of them had made flower bouquets before and it was their first time experiencing this type of activity in their life. That gave me the opportunity to really learn how I would set up everything and see all the logistics to know how I could offer this to potential clients. Once I posted those first photos and my packages on social media I started to get bookings and I will be honest… I was completely shocked!
During that same time my husband proposed to me so we started wedding planning! From my own wedding I learned so much on how weddings work, the logistics of a wedding and I fell in love with wedding florals! From there I decided to also start offering wedding arrangements. I actually took some floral classes as well to train, learn even more and expand my floral expertise. Little by little I started to get booked for weddings!
After only 1 year in business, I decided to put everything into it and run it full time. It was such a scary process because I wasn’t sure if it was going to work and leaving my secure job was honestly a bit hard as well. As soon as I made that decision, I re-named my business to be Social Fleur, narrowed down my services on what I truly wanted to offer and truly saw the vision of what I wanted my business to be.
Once I did that, everything really took off! Since then, I’ve had the opportunity to be part of so many wonderful events, from bridal showers and bachelorette parties to corporate and some insane brand activations. Our set up literally looks like a mini flower market and every time people see it, they are soo excited to make their own bouquets! I have also had the pleasure of being part of some amazing weddings and I couldn’t be happier! Seeing a brides joy when they see their full vision truly come to life with flowers is honestly a feeling like no other!
It’s been two years now, and I couldn’t be more grateful. What started as weekend hobby has grown into a small team, and it brings me so much joy to see how far we’ve come! My hope is to continue growing while bringing beauty, and meaningful experiences to people through flowers.
Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
Nothing is a smooth road! To run your own business I truly believe that one of the main skills you need to have is problem solving. You need to be able to manage things going wrong at anytime and be able to problem solve on the spot no matter what it is, specially when it comes to large events and weddings.
Aside from having small struggles like wedding arrangements falling on wedding day, to my carts falling off a truck and breaking, there was one bigger struggle early on that I’m glad I solved and that was deciding what services I wanted to offer. When people think of a floral business a lot of the time they automatically think of a flower shop and I have never wanted to have one! Early on, I honestly thought Social Fleur would be more of a rental business but, after a lot of trial and error, I realized that simply renting items wasn’t for me.
I spent time exploring different areas by working events, selling daily bouquets and participating in farmers markets (which, if I’m being honest, I quickly learned were not for me either!), and figuring out where I truly fit in the floral and event industry. Through that process, I discovered that I didn’t want to sell bouquets or be a traditional florist.
I found so much joy in bringing people together through flowers. Seeing people connect, get creative, and leave with something they made themselves felt feels more meaningful to me than simply selling a finished product. That’s when I realized that Social Fleur wasn’t just about flowers or esthetic set ups. To me its about creating memorable experiences that bring people joy specially for big and memorable events like weddings.
Can you tell our readers more about what you do and what you think sets you apart from others?
At Social Fleur, we focus on two main floral services: Our bloom bar experiences and wedding florals.
Our Bloom Bars are where guests get to create their own custom bouquets to take home as a party favor, and they’ve become one of our most popular offerings, especially for bridal showers and baby showers. We’re known for our signature flower cart setups, and people always love the experience. One of my favorite fun facts is that flowers have actually been scientifically shown to boost happiness, and I think you can really see that during our events!
What I’m most proud of, though, is the peace of mind we bring to all our clients but specially our wedding clients. So many brides come to me feeling overwhelmed because they don’t even know where to begin with their florals. One of the things I hear most often is how easy and stress-free I’ve made the process for them.
I think that’s what truly sets Social Fleur apart. Of course, we create beautiful florals and set ups, but I care just as much about the experience as I do the flowers themselves. My goal has always been to provide an unforgettable experience, be a solution, not another source of stress. I keep things simple, communicate clearly, and guide our clients every step of the way so they can feel confident that their florals and decor will come together even better than they imagined on their day!
What were you like growing up?
For most of my childhood, I was essentially an only child. My little sister wasn’t born until I was 12, so I spent a lot of time entertaining myself and learning how to be independent. Looking back, I think that’s a big reason why I’ve always been a self-starter and someone who takes initiative.
I was also a very creative kid. I loved painting canvases, doing pottery, and even making sculptures. I was always drawn to projects where I could create something with my hands.
I’ve also always loved exploring and seeing new places. That curiosity has definitely stayed with me into adulthood. I still love being creative, whether that’s through my floral work or other projects, and I love traveling and experiencing as much of the world as I can. I think both creativity and curiosity have been consistent themes throughout my life.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.socialfleur.com/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/social_fleur/
