Golden Afternoon Design Co

03/08/2024

Just some thoughts on International Women’s Day.

It's International Women's Day! Thank you to all the women out there for everything you do. Today, I celebrate how far you've come despite the obstacles and challenges and honor the resilience and perseverance it took you to get to where you are.

So often, our labor (especially the labor of caring) is unseen, unacknowledged, and unpaid. Yet it is that very labor upon which society has been built.

The United Nations has chosen "Invest in Women: Accelerate Progress" as this year's International Women's Day theme. Being the nerd I am, I decided to put my degree in Gender and Women's Studies to work and dug into information about how we invest in women financially, both here in the US and globally.

Folks, the picture is...less than inspiring. Globally, women are 55% of the unbanked population (World Economic Forum, 2021). Being unbanked has profound consequences for women, as access to financial services and credit can help women lift their families out of poverty. At our current rate of progress, it will take 169 YEARS to close the global economic gender gap (World Economic Forum, 2024). That's simply unacceptable, and we can do better.

Women's participation in the formal economy improves outcomes for everyone-- if women and men participated equally as entrepreneurs, global GDP could rise by 3%-6% (Boston Consulting Group, 2019). Women are better at scouting, hiring, and developing diverse talent, and have happier employees, which leads to better business performance. Over 5 years, women-owned businesses generate, on average, 10% more revenue than male-owned businesses here in the US (Washington State University, https://onlinemba.wsu.edu/blog/women-in-business #).

Senator Paul Wellstone said, "We all do better when we all do better." This International Women's Day, I would like to add that we all do better when women do better. The data backs this up. So, today, let's commit to investing in women to better invest in humanity's future.

Much love,
Sara

02/29/2024

8 years. It’s been a blooming beautiful adventure. ❤️

02/09/2024

I know, I know, I’ve been really quiet. I’ve been planning and preparing, and I promise updates are coming soon.

On another note, Valentine’s Day is coming, and we’re all scooting to get everything done. Check out sweetalicefloral.com soon to get the best selection!

Much love,
Sara

10/05/2023

A bouquet full of raspberry sorbet— a huge thank you to the amazing Lizzy Odonnell for handling delivery, set up, and temperamental flowers on a really hot September day. ❤️

10/04/2023

10/01/2023

If you know me, you know that I always have a cup of coffee at hand. I suspect if someone checked my blood caffeine level they would be amazed I sleep so well.

One of my favorite parts of wedding season is this: getting to enjoy a cup of coffee on Sunday morning in a regular coffee mug. My travel mug is always with me when I work, but coffee just hits different when you get to sit down and enjoy it in a cup without a cover.

08/11/2023

Two words for you this glorious Friday morning:

Bee butts!

I hope you have a wonderful weekend.

Much love,
Sara

08/09/2023

The dahlias are beginning to bloom…

I can’t wait to use these beauties. 😍 For now, you can find a few at Sweet Alice…

08/07/2023

The Arpeggio set is one of our favorite rental arch options! 🌿

08/07/2023

This is my serious farmer face, which appears after 2” of rain and a morning of hardcore weeding.

07/24/2023

When life gives you roses…make art!

Hey folks. We had a big, beautiful wedding this weekend (pictures are coming, I promise), and when I went to tear down, the lovely MOB asked if I had a way to repurpose the flowers. I immediately said yes!

While I always encourage couples and guests to take flowers, what’s left over comes back to the studio and is repurposed. So whether you take your flowers to dry or press, or leave them behind, rest assured that whatever flowers are left are handled in an intentional way. These gorgeous blooms will be used to make a delicate garland, and all of the stems and left over bits will head to our compost bin.

When I think about designing, I do my best to think all the way through the process. I create in a way that allows for re-creation and reuse of materials. Having flowers left over from weddings and events gives me the freedom to experiment, and make new art. So rest assured, when you work with Golden Afternoon Design Co, your flowers are handled with respect and intention from the first placement to the compost bin.

Stay tuned for the finished product. And have a beautiful Monday!

Much love,
Sara

07/21/2023

We know wedding and event florals and décor can be overwhelming. That's why we're here to help.

https://goldenafternoondesign.com/pages/contact

07/20/2023

Hey folks! I’m putting this out in the universe and hoping the right person sees it.

Golden Afternoon is hiring for one part time position as an assistant. The position is part time and seasonal, and requires Friday and Saturday availability. The position is working as an assistant, which means you’ll help with prep for weddings and events, and help with setups and tears downs for weddings and events. The position includes occasional travel to the Twin Cities and other nearby towns (no personal driving, as we use business vehicles). There are no guaranteed hours, as the hours are determined by the weddings and events we have scheduled. It’s a perfect position for someone who thinks they may want to work in the floral or wedding and event industries and is looking for a way to dip a toe into the water.

Interested? Please email me at [email protected]

Much love,
Sara

07/18/2023

After years of growing Sweet Alice , Sara branched her wedding and event design side of business into Golden Afternoon Design Co .

While clients will still receive the same beautiful florals that she has always designed for her clients, this allows more flexibility and more service options with rentals, DIY packages, and full-service design.

Check out our website for more information!

07/17/2023

Things are blooming here on the farm. The coneflower and liatris are in bloom, along with wildflowers for days. Some of these beauties even made it into a bridal bouquet this week.

The hours of work that go into weeding, watering and caring for these blooms always pays off when I get to use them. There’s something magical about working with flowers from seed to stem.

Thank you to all of our local flower supporters. We couldn’t do this without you.

Much love,
Sara

07/15/2023

Where flowers bloom so does love. 🌹

07/12/2023

I LOVE color! I relish saturated hues, dusty tones, deep shades and pale tints. And this bouquet has it all.

A deep, heartfelt THANK YOU to Per Benjamin Flowers for the incredible color intensive at AIFD this year.

Folks, prepare yourself for a whole new journey into the world of color, because that's the rabbit hole this designer is headed down next...

06/28/2023

Are you a candles or a flowers person? (We’re both 😜)

06/27/2023

We will always have a sweet spot for bud vases 🌷These (plus more) are available to rent for any occasion on our website!

06/26/2023

Anyone else love tulips as much as we do? 🙋‍♀️

06/21/2023

Happy first day of summer! ☀️⛱️

06/20/2023

timeless and classic 🥀

06/15/2023

What's your opinion? We've seen "guest books" done in so many unique ways. What are some of your favorite ways you've seen couples gather their wedding guest's signatures? 📕✏️

06/14/2023

Have you ever seen a more enchanted centerpiece? ✨

06/13/2023

Just look at this color 🤩

📸:

06/12/2023

it’s all in the details 🕊️🤍

06/09/2023

Holy head table! 😍

06/08/2023

Designing for weddings and events at The Capitol Room is always a treat! This incredible space allows for a large variety of showstopping floral and décor.

06/07/2023

"You can learn a lot of things from the flowers, but especially in the month of June." - Golden Afternoon ✨

05/23/2023

Ger-min-ate! 📣 Ger-min-ate! You got this, buddies! 👏🏼