Have you ever tried arranging a floral bouquet or centerpiece on your own? Even for the most gifted green thumb, knowing how to put an elegant arrangement together can be challenging.
Florists are artists. But instead of paint, these Picassos use colorful, aromatic flowers as their medium.
Locally, Michelle LaPraim, owner of Elle’s Floral Design in Lacey, is an expert on choosing the perfect arrangement for any occasion. From brightly colored bouquets to liven up a modest tabletop to elegant arrangements designed to accentuate the mood of your big day, Michelle uses her extensive industry knowledge and creative vision to craft unique, one of kind bouquets, right here in Thurston County.
Michelle first started arranging flowers in the floral department at the Yelm Highway Safeway when she was 18 years old. “I learned on the job,” Michelle says. “My manager took a leave of absence and never came back, so I started running the department.”
Michelle says after five years in the floral department at Safeway, she decided to leave her job. “I didn’t want to work at a grocery store forever,” she says.
However, in the years that followed, opportunities in floral departments at stores like Albertsons and Bayview and Ralph’s Thriftway kept drawing Michelle back.
This time, however, there was one major difference: Michelle was slowly building a clientele of her own. In her spare time, Michelle worked as a freelance florist. “I started pursuing doing more on my own and business kept growing,” Michelle says. “I thought, ‘Wow. I can really do this.’”
Eager to take the next step, last spring Michelle enrolled at the Floral Design Institute in Portland, Oregon. “I had never really been formally trained,” Michelle says. “The program was a combination of online classes and intensive trainings.”
As Michelle continued to learn, business continued to grow. “I was working at Thriftway and it got to the point where I couldn’t do both.” In April 2015, Michelle started working out of her home full time. Less than four months later, she opened Elle’s Floral Design in Lacey.
And business is off to a great start.
“I had 32 weddings over the summer,” Michelle says. “That’s where my business has mostly been.” But Elle’s Floral Design is more than weddings and events. Because Elle’s offers online ordering through Teleflora, sending a bouquet to your loved one is as easy as placing your order online.
Although, if you would rather peruse the shop firsthand, which Michelle encourages customers to do, you may walk out with more than just flowers.
Elle’s Floral Design shares its location with Olympia-based Miss Moffett’s Mystical Cupcakes, a partnership Michelle says is a match made in heaven. “You can come in and get flowers and a treat all at once,” Michelle says. “It’s great for birthdays.” What’s more, if you don’t have time to come in and pick up your order, Elle’s will deliver — flowers, cupcakes and all.
Sharing a space with Miss Moffett’s has been a great experience for Michelle. As a new small business owner, she loves the sense of comraderie she gets working alongside another passionate businesswoman like herself, and Michelle supports fellow small businesses whenever she can.
“I try to source local when I can,” Michelle says.
In the summer, Michelle worked with local farms like Lynch Creek in Shelton to source fresh, seasonal flowers for her bouquets and arrangements.
However, the selection at Elle’s Floral Design is not limited by season or region. Elle’s has access to a full inventory of greenhouse-grown flower varieties. “Nowadays, you can get pretty much anything,” Michelle says. With so many types of flowers available at her fingertips, the opportunities for creativity are endless.
“I really enjoy the creative side of being a florist,” Michelle. “Being able to let your mind go and just create — sometimes you don’t know what you’ll end up with.” And for Michelle, there’s nothing better than that. “What’s more fun than playing with flowers and making someone happy?”
Elle’s Floral Design offers a variety of fresh flowers and arrangements as well as gifts, chocolates, balloons, fruit baskets and more. You can learn more about Elle’s Floral Design by visiting Elle’s website, by calling 360-791-5704, or visiting the shop firsthand at 730 Sleater-Kinney Road SE in Lacey.
Elle’s Floral Design
730 Sleater-Kinney Road SE
Lacey, WA 98503
360-791-5704
Sponsored
