Today we’d like to introduce you to Melanie Eubanks
Hi Melanie, thanks for joining us today. We’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
Growing up in an Alabama home with parents who loved to entertain, and my love of decorating, planning, and entertaining led my husband Jim and me to create Lemon Drops Weddings & Events in St. Pete, FL (although officially starting in August of 2013 with our niece’s wedding back in Alabama). After many weddings in the Tampa Bay Area in the following years, and successful business expansion, we then bought The Flower Centre of St. Petersburg in November 2017. Since becoming the homebase of Lemon Drops as well as a daily flower shop and delivery service, we’ve continued to grow and expand our services, including our new business venture which we’re SO excited about: Lavish, specializing in boutique life-styled gatherings & dinner parties. As of today we’ve done over 400 weddings and events and have over 40 scheduled for this year.
We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
All things considered, since starting in 2013, it’s been relatively smooth. We started out designing flower arrangements in our garage, and handling the planning and administrative side in our home office. We even built a walk-in flower cooler in our garage! As business boomed, I’d say the biggest bumps in the road became our limited space, so acquiring The Flower Centre was a huge help. Obviously the most recent, and biggest challenge we face is the COVID pandemic. The effects it had on the wedding industry as well as the couples themselves really took a toll, and in some cases continue to do so. Some couples had to cancel, some had to downsize. Though it was and continues to be a challenge, it’s one that we’re finding ways to overcome. Micro weddings are trending, we’re creating one of a kind floral masks, and couples are enjoying the idea of a more intimate wedding. It’s allowed our team to be more creative, from floral and decor designs to the day-to-day operations of flower deliveries and beyond.
We’ve been impressed with Lemon Drops Weddings & Events, but for folks who might not be as familiar, what can you share with them about what you do and what sets you apart from others?
Here at Lemon Drops we pride ourselves on our motto, which really sums up who we are: “A zest of elegance. A splash of sophistication. A twist of southern charm.“ We specialize in one of a kind wedding and event planning, as well as luxury floral installations and retail/delivery. Our new venture Lavish, is an exciting one where our team can (safely) come into your home and provide unique tablescapes & dinner party kits, seasonal decorating, or refresh & repurpose any of your own decor. So what really sets us apart across the board is our team of super talented and creative designers. Whether we’re setting up a home gathering with Lavish, providing stunning flowers & decor for a wedding, or delivering unique floral designs for your home daily, our team is top notch. We pride ourselves on our ability to execute big bold ideas and are always looking for ways to be creative.
Are there any books, apps, podcasts or blogs that help you do your best?
I’m obsessed with Pinterest and Instagram – it’s where I get a lot of my inspiration and is where I can see the most popular trends, both within the community and around the world.
Pricing:
- Everything is customized to each individual client
Contact Info:
- Email: melanie@lemondropsfl.com
- Website: https://www.lemondropsfl.com/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lemondropsfl/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/LemonDropsWeddingsAndEvents/
- Other: https://linktr.ee/lemondropsfl
Image Credits
The Ganesh Photography @theganeys
Curtis Graham @cgrahamddp
Hannah T Photos @hannah.t.photos
Ardency and Arrow Co @ardencyandarrowco
Landrum Photograhy @landrum.photography
