Meet Alyssa Abshier | Sustainable Florist

We had the good fortune of connecting with Alyssa Abshier and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Alyssa, what’s something about your industry that outsiders are probably unaware of?
I recently read that a wedding with 100-150 guests can produce 400+lbs of waste in one evening. Across florals, catering, one time use products, it adds up quickly.
From the outside, the floral event industry looks like a glamorous and pretty craft with a lot of time spent playing with flowers. And it is that. About 5% of the time. The core of the work that I do (and my very hard working peers and freelancers), is long days of lifting, moving, staging, designing, cleaning. And to reduce the waste produced also takes more capacity. In the fast turn over of events, composting is not at the top of everyone’s priorities.
Sustainability in the event industry still a new concept. New biodegradable products are launched every year. But it’s still not common for florists to be committed to using these methods due to the expenses and how much time it takes to meticulously sort, prepare and break down every single component in an event.

Alright, so for those in our community who might not be familiar with your business, can you tell us more?
Right now I am re-releasing a collection of curated floral arrangements for micro weddings so engaged couples can plan luxe events with out high minimums. From a menu of fully styled and curated tablescapes and ceremony installations, clients can choose exactly what they want, be confident about staying within budget and it takes maybe 30 minutes. My clients work hard during the day and are planning their weddings at night. Shopping online for arrangements has no time limits so it’s way more accessible. They aren’t DIYers exactly but have had a hard time finding what they want without full service minimums. I wanted to offer them a customizable way to choose their designs with out second guessing if its enough. It’s a really simple process and we are there every step of the way to ensure everything is perfect.

I am lucky to have found a way to marry my art practice with my business practice. My floral designs capture the personalities and stories of clients who have an eye for design and care about their impact on the earth, so that couples can plan stunning weddings while partying responsibly, and brands can show their authentic commitment to sustainability.
I work with engaged couples, planners and producers, eco-conscious brands, local small businesses and casual flower enthusiasts who enjoy recurring deliveries. I especially love celebrating queer love!

A 5am call time, filling thousands of balloons in a Kardashian’s garage in Calabasas for a kids birthday party was my entry to the event industry. Three days of onsite production, elaborate planning and execution, all for a few hours of enjoyment, and then immediately popping every single balloon by the end of the day. It’s seared in my brain how much was wasted at these large events- corporate, private, non-profit. It’s just a standard part of the industry.

It brings me back to my previous career- for 10 years or so I was a hair stylist in San Francisco and I found my way into the world of organic products and color. It shifted my work away from the standard beauty industry to something meaningful, health focused and deeply creative. This foundation is something that’s stayed with me. Building my own small business has allowed me to vocalize how important it is to commit to taking care of the earth within my work.

In glorious California, we have a lot of local farms who grow amazing products. I am so thankful for my relationships with very small, hyper local farms that are equally as passionate about their work. The end result is striking arrangements, modern trends that lean towards an organic took, that are authentically farm-to-vase.

Let’s say your best friend was visiting the area and you wanted to show them the best time ever. Where would you take them? Give us a little itinerary – say it was a week long trip, where would you eat, drink, visit, hang out, etc.
I love a vintage/artsy itinerary! I’m always on the North East side of LA thrifting or better yet yardsaling. Either at Pasadena City College Flea, Rosebowl, Glendale yard sales, mostly looking for nostalgic hidden gems.
Coffee at Phils, lunch at Joy in Highland Park, happy hour at Ruby Fruit. And later seeing and show and hanging with friends at either Non-Plus Ultra or an Analogue LA event for a VHS retro media night. or

The Shoutout series is all about recognizing that our success and where we are in life is at least somewhat thanks to the efforts, support, mentorship, love and encouragement of others. So is there someone that you want to dedicate your shoutout to?
My work is dedicated to my mom who is creative and resourceful to her core. She shared her love of practical arts with me and my siblings from the time I was young. She taught me that I could create from my imagination and then use skills like sewing, drawing or building to bring things to life in real time.

My work is also inspired by the woman owned business that I’ve worked for and followed their professional journeys and become friends with some. Including Dominique Rose, Papillon Rentals, Grey Stone Table, Slaack Productions and Corrie in Color. Each of them has shown me so many different paths that I can follow and be inspired by. and they have made their careers their own

Website: https://elysianflowerclub.univer.se/

Instagram: @elysianflowerclub

Image Credits
All photos are taken by me except 3. The image of me working on an arrangement and of the couple posing are taken by Sun and Peak Studios, https://sunandpeakstudios.com
The girls in colorful outfits photo was taken by Paige Margulies https://paigemargulies.myportfolio.com