Making decisions and changing your plans.

by Alyssa Rainville

Earlier this year on January 7^th, we closed down the entire shop for a whole day to host an all-staff retreat for the 26 humans that make Vault + Vine possible.  We discussed our shared and individual values.  A mid-day nature hike gave us a break for fresh air, and afterwards, we discussed solutions-based communication strategies to employ in times of stress and conflict.  To conclude the eight-hour day, we broke open a piñata together. 

At Vault + Vine, we always come back to a guiding question;

“How does this decision impact or influence our community?”

We are in community with one another as coworkers, and we are in community with our customers and clients.  We are a part of the community of East Falls, and Philadelphia at large.  Our circles run wide and deep, and the decisions we make as a company will affect more than just our staff.  Conversely, dear Reader, we are affected by your decisions.

I write this to speak to you as if I am a friend who is planning on attending your wedding, who is so, so excited to see you marry the person you adore.  I write as the friend you are eager to dance with in celebration and revelry, late into the night. 

When the day arrives, what kind of celebration do you imagine sharing with your dear ones?  Do you imagine it is with tenuous distance and constant discernment of risk, or do you imagine it is with closeness and joy, vibrating through the room?

If you choose to carry on as planned, how does that decision impact or influence your community? 

It is understandable that any decision you need to make right now is complicated and possibly even gut-wrenching.  This particular type of heartache – the heartache of delaying an anticipated personal milestone – is not fair. It absolutely stinks.  Even so, it is unfortunately a necessary option you must weigh, out of love, for the safety and well-being of others.

As your floral designer, I share the feeling of this friend.  Our interests at Vault + Vine align with your interests.  It is in your desire to receive beautiful flowers for your celebration, and it is our desire that we be able to do exactly that for you. 

Your wedding day might look different than you originally planned – perhaps you no longer need as many centerpieces, because you’ve rescheduled to a new venue on a different date, with fewer guests. You might instead opt for a City Hall ceremony now, with a large party next year. Or you might not be entirely sure of how your plan will be different, and could use some help figuring that out.

We can make changes and adjustments to account for increased safety measures for us all, and we have the ability to delay the plans we have already made. Share all the what-if’s and questions with us – we want to help create a possibility where you might otherwise be feeling stuck or blocked! We’re right there beside you in the delay.  When it is time, our hands are ready to get back to making flowers for you.