Best of State 2023 Volume 2

Volume II

Artisan in the Community

Our Internship Program

Each year, Kellie and her Production Managers journey to BYU and BYU-I to recruit interns in the Horticulture Program who are possibly interested in a career in Event Floral Design. On this trip, we teach workshops on bouquet design, large installations, and most importantly, responsible business ethics. We hire 3-5 students for a PAID internship for the summer season where they are given an immersive, hands-on experience for 5 months. This is the most rigorous and intensive internship in the Utah event industry to date. Our internships almost always result in a permanent post-season offer for continued employment.

As creatives in the business world, it is our responsibility to ensure our field's future remains passionate and fiscally sustainable. We take great pride in the internship program we have developed, in which we recruit eager artists from nearby Universities to nurture their talent and forge a future in what they love at a livable wage. While many interns in our industry are unpaid, we pay our interns throughout their entire program - a notion that is hard to come by in this industry- and more often than not, their internship program develops into a permanent position at Artisan Bloom. Our hope is to encourage young talent to explore and monetize their passions, all while contributing to the growth of the growing Utah wedding industry.

"My internship was a six-month-long masterclass from some of the best and brightest in the industry. I can confidently say that interning with Artisan Bloom was one of the best decisions I have ever made."

Taylor Osbourn, 2022 Intern

"My internship experience with Artisan Bloom was incredibly rewarding! By working for Utah’s premier wedding and event florist, I was able to learn so much and get hands-on experience on what a large-scale production looks like - something that was never available in a classroom setting. I got to work side by side with some of Utah’s most talented designers. Even though I was the “inexperienced intern”, they made me feel like an integral part of the team.

Accepting an internship with Artisan Bloom has provided me with the skills and knowledge to grow in the industry and was the best decision I could have made"

Jacee Lowry, 2020 Intern, Current Executive Assisstant

We strongly believe that everyone deserves the opportunity to honor their passions and interests despite their age and experience.

During our recruiting and hiring months, we journey to various High School Technical Programs and inform and teach inquiring floral students about the possibilities of career experience and advancements.

Each Spring, Artisan Bloom holds workshops and allow students to submit applications for Junior positions, providing them with immersive job experience in a highend market.

At the end of each week, we compile all unused products and donate it to local tech programs, so students can continue to develop their talents with hands on exposure to fresh product, explore their interests, and - most importantly - establish confidence in both themselves and their creations.

WIPA - Elevating the Industry

Kellie is a big believer in the aphorism “a rising tide lifts all boats”, embracing the idea that an improved industry will benefit all participants.

Because of her deep-rooted belief in community over competition, Kellie was one of the founding executive board members of the Utah Chapter of the Wedding Industry Professional Association.

WIPA is an International non-profit organization with a mission to provide industryleading education for members, produce inspirational networking events, and advance the ethical stands of the wedding industry. An organization that is focused on diversity equity, and inclusion, the Utah chapter of the WIPA has established a community of diverse voices and identities. Kellie has continued to be an active member of the executive board for 3 years where she works to improve opportunities for her industry partners.

Icon Events

In 2022, we collaborated with various local industry partners and hosted the ICON event. This event brought in worldrenowned wedding planners and introduced them to the beauty of Utah and the incredible talent of its vendors. By hosting and sponsoring events that involve out-of-state and international planners, we hope to increase our clientele, elevate our industry, and put Utah at the top of luxury wedding destinations.

We were incredibly honored to be featured in this year's issues of Utah Bride and Groom Magazine a generous 9 times. We are continuously in awe of our industry's skill and the drive of our creative partners.

The opportunity of a lifetime! We were THRILLED to showcase our beautiful florals in PEOPLE Magazine this year. As a business owner, you are always striving for career milestones and inspiring moments for your employees, and this one takes the cake.

Engage Summit

Each December, Kellie attends the Engage Summit- a masterclass on the global luxury wedding and event industry. Each year, the world's top innovators and thought leaders gather for inclusive and immersive experiences that spark connection, creativity, and collaboration.

Kellie invests in attending one hands-on, action-packed workshops to focus on recipe refining, technique, and improving business practices.

This year, Kellie worked side by side with Stephen Sinclair of Sinclair and Moore for a real wedding set in picturesque Seattle.

Artisan Bloom has been a creative partner of the Sundance Film Festival for over 2 decades. Being one of Utah's largest weeks of tourism, we are honored to showcase our beautiful designs, local talent, and professionalism to a grand audience.

The Sundance Film Festival is an opportunity for our designers to immerse themselves in a purely creative way - challenging their skill sets and promoting designs that are unconventional.

By enhancing the tourism experience, we hope to increase the allure of the beautiful state of Utah, and encourage repeat tourism and events, thereby increasing our clientele and positively effecting the industry as a whole.

As passionate as we are about design and expression, we are equally as passionate about giving back. We are grateful to be in a position wherein we have the ability to positively contribute to the quality of life in Utah. It was our pleasure to be a premier sponsor and donor of this year's Utah Foster Care Gala, a charity event that gave support to Utah's vulnerable children in foster care. Our contribution was an honor, and every dollar raised went to supporting programs that foster hope and healing for kids and families in foster care.

Thank you for joining our Fostering Hope Gala and for your generous gift of flowers. Your support sends a message to families and children that a community stands behind them and will continue to support future generations of Utahns. Thanks to you, children in foster care have one more friend on their side. Your support of foster families and the children reduces stress, encourages friendships, fosters mentoring, builds self-esteem, and prepares the children for a brighter future. Thank you for being inspired to give in support of Utah Foster Care, helping to provide hope and healing for foster families and the children in their care!"

Mike Hamblin, CEO, Utah Foster Care

"Dear Kellie,

"Thank you just doesn't seem sufficient for the AMAZING flowers and table decor that you provided. It made the entire event, and we are so appreciative!"

Nikki MacKay, Development Director

We had the privilege of donating our services and designs for the grand opening of a beautiful new venue - Siempre. While tucked away in the gorgeous foothills of the Salt Lake valley, Siempre adds a spectacular contemporary venue option to our clients.

Asasmallbusiness,wechoosetoshowothersmallbusinesses supportinanywaywecan.Insupportofthisnewvenue,We chosetofullysponsortheirGrandopeningwithafloraldesign utilizingcropsthatweresourcedentirelyfromlocalfarms.

Wewerehonoredtowelcomeanewpartnerintotheindustry andbringattentiontoanewbusinessthatsharesthesame passionandeyeforelegancethatwedo.

Artisan Bloom has sponsored the following programs:

Utah Foster Care

WIPA Gala

Ballet West Gala

WC Kitchen Ukraine Relief financial contributor

Care.org

Ukrain Relief financial contributor

Ronald McDonald River Bottoms Ranch Charity Event

Navajo Nations Hoop House financial contributor

The Single Parent Project financial contributor

Walk MS Event

Mama Dragons

University of Utah Athletics

The Road Home

Torrent Cycle's Breast Cancer Awareness Ride

Utah Youth Village Donation Drive

Vow for Girls Partnership

Girl Scouts of America Charity Dinner and Auction

Artisan Bloom has sponsored the following programs:

Granite Technical Institute

BYU Idaho Horticulture Program

Rescue Haven care kits

Volunteers of America (Youth Resource Center)

St. Regis Gin Launch

Juan Diego Catholic School

Legal Aid Society

Festival of Trees

Primary Children’s Hospital

Jordan School District Theater and Arts Department

Jordan School District Athletics Department

Floral Donations to Huntsman Cancer Institute

Floral Donations to Park City Peace House

Floral Donations to IHC Women’s Center

Floral Donations Utah Valley Regional Medical Center

Floral Donations to Harmony Hills Senior Center

It is an honor to submit this letter of recommendation to the Best of State Committee on behalf of Artisan Bloom.

As an event planner, I know how important florals are for any event! Whether our clients are looking for something simple and sweet or show-stopping statement pieces, we always know we can count on Artisan Bloom for incredible results. We thoroughly appreciate how owner, Kellie Jackstien, pays special attention to the little details that make her floral recipes truly special for our clients. Kellie is always a team player. She enjoys a creative challenge and is always up for helping us create something unique and different for our clients. From hanging floral chandeliers and custom floral backdrops to the perfect centerpieces, there isn’t a challenge or color palette Kellie and her team can’t conquer. Beyond the beautiful and intricate designs Artisan Bloom offers our clients, their customized approach is extremely convenient for our clients (especially those who do not live in Utah)! Kellie takes extreme care in developing her floral recipes and the quality of her product is top-notch! Often times we’ll hear our clients express that Artisan’s flowers were so beautiful, they thought they were looking at faux blooms.

We love working with vendors we can depend on. In addition to providing an excellent product, Artisan Bloom is a reliable vendor we know we can count on to meet deadlines and provide the necessary information our clients need to make quick decisions. Furthermore, Kellie is easy to work with when it comes to scheduling floral mockups with our out-of-state clients. We understand she serves many clients but because of the personal way Kellie operates, she has a way of making us feel like we are the only event planner in Utah she serves.

I proudly recommend Artisan Bloom to our clientele time and again, and my team and I are very excited about the upcoming events we have scheduled with them for our 2023 event season. I confidently recommend Artisan Bloom as Utah’s Best of State award.

Sincerely,

Michelle Cousins Owner, Michelle Leo Events