Meet Jess Sanders | Owner and Floral Designer

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

Hi Jess, what principle do you value most?
Integrity and authenticity go hand in hand. People have become skilled in morphing from situation to situation and not truly being authentic, which causes distrust. Integrity means you are who you say you are and no matter the setting or crowd you are authentic. This impacts the relationships you have, both professionally and personally. It heavily influences the work you do and the trust you earn.

Can you open up a bit about your work and career? We’re big fans and we’d love for our community to learn more about your work.
Since nearly day one, I’ve been drawn to the beauty of flowers. When you think about a significant day – a birthday, a party, prom, a baptism, a wedding day and a memorial service – flowers play a part and I’ve always noticed their presence.

I grew up in the Southeast, where blooms abound in the Spring, and even as a little girl I was often cutting flowers from outside to bring inside and enjoy. By college age, I was determined to learn how to design them and had the opportunity to do just that at a local flower shop. I started as a delivery girl but persisted until they taught me some basics in arranging. Once skill met creativity, I knew designing floral expressions of all kinds was something I enjoyed and could use to bring joy to others for their special occasions or just because. Over the years that followed I created wedding florals for many of my friends and was quick to offer my floral skills when planning any party.

Five years ago, the desire to have a floral design business of my own began to come to life. I was working in a completely different industry and didn’t know how I’d get from point A to B. In 2020, as my side hustle was growing, my position was eliminated with my primary job. As much as I wanted to be excited to have an opportunity to go full throttle into floral design, I sensed the uncertainties of this new life in a pandemic and was very nervous. There certainly wasn’t a sign in the sky telling me to go for it, but I did, and while there were most definitely ups and downs to starting a business in such crazy times, I’m so grateful that I took a leap of faith and have landed in my dream come true. Years later and I still pinch myself trying to grasp that doing what I love every day is my reality. My business keeps growing and I love getting to be a part of all sorts of significant days in people’s lives through creating floral arrangements for them.

There is a definite ebb and flow as you build a business. Growth comes like waves rushing the beach and it can make you nervous during the in-between. You have to keep persisting forward, connecting with people and giving your very best in the work you’re doing. It is hard not being able to predict exact income, and as a floral designer, working with flowers is also unpredictable because they are fragile and a temperamental medium which can bring interesting challenges. It’s imperative you remain steady and resourceful.

While I love creating all sorts of floral designs, weddings are where my creativity is best expressed. Each wedding has its own personality and every couple has different likes and dislikes. I enjoy learning about each person and aim to make them feel cared for as I pay close attention to the details they express. Sometimes I think I am as excited for their wedding as they are because that’s when the dreams come to life. It still makes me giddy to step back from a floral arch and soak up the beauty… not because I made it but because I appreciate the artistic expression coming to fruition. It is such a huge honor to enhance what is already a beautiful and sacred event.

Any places to eat or things to do that you can share with our readers? If they have a friend visiting town, what are some spots they could take them to?
One great thing about living in Denton is that it is a place with history and a story. I love our Square and the variety of shops and restaurants there. It also includes my favorite Denton venue, Sunago Bell. There are so many great photo ops around the Square. Barely and Board is a favorite place for drinks and food. A couple of new places have arrived in the last few months that I enjoy as well – El Taco H and Two Gentlemen of Verona. On a nice afternoon, Miss Angeline’s patio is the perfect spot for a drink with friends. The Meat Up is a fun new spot with great smash burgers and more. Osteria il Muro is a fantastic Italian restaurant (reservation only) with incredible food and a quiet atmosphere so you can enjoy conversation without competing with loud music. Thai Square has the best Thai in town. If you’re in need of the best snow cone ever, Gnome Cones also resides in the heart of Denton. They have the smoothest ice and homemade syrups and the store is so whimsical. If you’d like to support local artisans, DIME Store is the place to shop! They offer so many fun things, including the amazing pottery of Diana Barns.

Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
My friends, family and community have been an incredible support to me and my business. From encouraging words to gifting me with my first floral cooler to spreading the word about my business to ordering floral arrangements from me and allowing me to design their wedding florals, I have the BEST people in my corner!

Website: Jgfloraldesign.shop

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jg_floral_design

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/JGFloralDesign

Image Credits
Emily Nicole Photography, The Teagues Photo, Witte Idea Photo & Film