Soulful Stems by S & K: 10 Questions with Sarath & Kari

Florist - Sarath McClennon & Kari Hartley

Business: Soulful Stems by S & K
Location: Jacksonville, Florida FL
Experience: 8 Years
Profile: Soulful Stems by S & K
Website: soulfulstemsjax.com

1. Introduction: What's your story?

Meet Kari

Hi there! I cannot wait to meet you!

I am an adventurer by nature and have lived in many places! As an Illinois girl born and raised, I knew there was a whole world waiting to be explored. I joined the Navy and moved to Florida for my first station! It was here in Florida that I fell in love with flowers and weddings!

Fun Facts:

- I am the daughter of a woman who owns a bookstore yet I do not like to read (not enough pictures haha!)
- I love all foods spicy, not sure if I have a limit
- I am a builder and woodworker
- I LIVE in my boots, jeans and band T's
- I traveled more as a civilian than as a sailor
- Roller coasters, theme parks, tattoos, classic rock, and all things ADVENTURE make me happy

MEET SARATH!

I’m glad you’re here!

Born in Thailand and came to the United States in ’89! I’ve lived in Florida since ’93 so this is home! I studied Culinary Arts but quickly learned that I didn’t really have a passion for cooking but rather eating. When I’m not arranging flowers, I am scouting out new restaurants. Operation Manager for a Finance firm by day, Florist extraordinaire by weekend!

Fun Facts:

- I speak 3 languages! Khmer, Thai and English
- I have a teenager (WHAT!?!??!)
- Orchids are my favorite and I will likely try to convince you that it should be yours too
- Self-proclaimed food critic

2. What's your experience as a wedding florist business? How many weddings are in there in your portfolio?

Business Facts: Kari

I am a licensed florist who recognizes that being a part of one of your most special days is an honor and a privilege. I love working with my clients to help execute a vision that gives life to their dreams. I know that this can be a very stressful time so I make it a point to be available to my clients around the clock. I am always striving to be better for you. I work alongside other wedding professionals practicing new trends and sharing ideas to provide you with the most up-to-date information as possible! I live for a challenge and cannot wait to meet yours!

Business Facts: Sarath
Licensed Event Planner and Florist. What I love most about being a florist is that we’re such an intricate part of your big day and we take great stride in that. The adrenaline that brides feel when walking down the aisle is the same that we feel when we’re designing your bouquet. How can we make your big-day dream come true?

3. How far in advance do couples need to secure your services?

6 month - 1 year prior to your wedding date is when we best like to be booked. That gives us plenty of time to ensure that your date will be available and enough time to come up with killer designs!

4. How do you price your floral arrangements? What are the different packages that you offer and which one is your most popular package?

All floral arrangements are completely custom which means no standard pricing! We design based on our clients needs and what will look most like them. In turn this also means no package deals.

We offer both a Full Service wedding option as well as a Micro-Service wedding option. We have a $3,000 minimum for Full-Service weddings. However, we offer a pickup option in our Micro-Service wedding option that is accommodating to any budget!

5. How many meetings will you have with the couple, and how will they be involved?

We have a very thorough 1-hour long consultation at the very beginning. During this time we get to know all about who you are as a couple and individually. This is so we can ensure your florals look just like you on your wedding day!

6. Who else is in your team and how many people on your staff will be at the wedding?

Soulful Stems is co-owned by Sarath and Kari. But we have a full team who help for our larger-scale weddings & events!

7. How would you describe your design style? (e.g. traditional, modern, rustic, organic)

We are lucky to be able to design in almost every style, however, we do have our specialties! Sarath specializes in luxury/romantic florals and Kari specializes in edgy/boho florals. Together, our style is garden with an edgy flair.

We are also an eco-friendly company who uses all reusable and recyclable materials, and we are continuously looking for ways to reduce our waste.

8. Who will handle setup and delivery? What other services do you offer?

We offer full delivery, setup and breakdown.

9. What happens to the flowers after the wedding?

The flowers can either be given to the family, since they paid for them of course, or can be donated back. When they are donated back, they are broken down into smaller arrangements and donated to random people in the couple’s names as a “Spread the Love” moment!