Focus On: Keri Klein of Flower City Nuptials

I believe in a world where we cheer one another on and we don’t see any other entrepreneur as a competitor. (It’s why I love the Rising Tide Society so much!) I love when I see other business owners support one another and I can’t possibly count all of the times I’ve been inspired or motivated by another business owner. It can be a lonely world, sitting in a corner of your home, balancing the roles of parenthood, wife, photographer, creative and just overall human with obligations to friends and the house and hobbies and passions. It feels a lot less lonely when you celebrate all the other people who get it.

Today’s Focus On is a spotlight on Keri Klein of Flower City Nuptials in Rochester, NY. Enjoy this peek into her business, her balance and her dreams. Be sure to follow her, cheer her on and stay tuned for more entrepreneur spotlights every two weeks.

Flower City Nuptials, Keri Klein, Rochester NY officiant, small business owner, Rising Tide Society

Introduce yourself!

I’m Keri Klein of Rochester, NY, and I own Flower City Nuptials. I custom-write wedding ceremonies so no two are alike.

When did you start your business? What inspired you to do this?

I started my business almost five years ago almost by accident. I had two friends who wanted an officiant who “wasn’t boring”. I said half-joking that I think I am not boring and I would do it. They loved that idea so I went through the process to become ordained. I truly thought it would be a one-time thing, but a few weeks later I received an email from someone I didn’t know asking if I would officiate their ceremony; they were having a hard time finding someone for their date. Her godmother was at the first ceremony, and recomended me. I said “yes”, and loved the whole process – meeting the couple, hearing their love story, writing something that showcases their story, and being a part of one of the happiest days of their lives. I was hooked and the rest is history!

About how many hours a week would you say you spend on your business? What are some of the behind-the-scenes things that your business requires that people may not realize?

Like any business, the time involved ebbs and flows. At a bare minimum, if I have a ceremony, it is time driving to and from the ceremony site which can be anywhere from 15 minutes to over an hour one way. The rehearsal can take up to an hour. For the ceremony itself again there is commute as well as I like to get there a half an hour before the ceremony to check with the couple if they have anything last minute they need from me, as well as simply to reassure them their officiant is there to actually marry them. I also check in with other vendors – DJ, photographer, etc to make sure we are all on the same page.

If I am actively creating ceremonies, it is even longer. At first I need to meet with the couple for a consultation. Drive time aside, this is at least an hour so I can hear their love story – how they met, challenges they’ve faced and overcome as a couple, what they love about each other, etc. Then I need the time to write. This is anywhere from an hour to four hours depending on what the couple wants included in their ceremony. I don’t use a template and each ceremony is personally crafted so that’s the biggest time commitment for my job. Then I work with each couple to make any changes or additions they would like after seeing the first draft. This can be up to an hour depending on how much they want to add or change.

Let’s also talk about networking events, emails etc. that come up. Networking events are a few hours once a month or so, and I spend at least 30 minutes a day sending/returning emails, posting on social media, etc.

On a scale of 1-10, how balanced would you say you are between your work and family/personal life?

I would say a 7. I am working on it constantly! I think the biggest help is setting “office hours”. I try to not check my email or post on social media when I am home with my family. I usually do most of my correspondence after my school day ends and before I pick my daughter up from daycare. I also have been trying to block off one weekend a month so that I have no ceremonies and can just have family time. Sometimes all of this goes by the wayside when I need to help a couple out when their original officiant has bailed on them (happened a bunch of times this year) or if my daughter is napping, etc. I am also super lucky to have my mom live nearby and my husband who is super supportive in watching our daughter so I can grow my business.

What would you say is the biggest challenge in owning your own business?

Figuring it out. I am an English teacher, so the writing and customer service piece I understood, but I had to find mentors for the for other parts of the business, and I didn’t have one for my particular niche. I was lucky to find seasoned vendors, albeit out of my field, to ask advice and I am so thankful for their kindness. I also had to join groups and really seek people out to find an officiant community. It took time, but completely worth it.

What has been your proudest moment/greatest victory as an entrepreneur?

Proudest moment: Officiating for a former student who I’ve known since she she was a sophomore in high school. I got to watch as she and her now-husband started dating, fell in love, got engaged, and be the one to pronounce them husband and wife. They were living in Chicago at the time and when she called to ask me, it was the only time I have ever cried when someone asked me to be their officiant.

Greatest victory: Officiating for a very prestigious photographer. She has seen literally thousands of weddings and could have asked anyone to preside over her ceremony, and she chose me. I was extremely flattered!

What is the hardest part of being a business owner?

Managing social media. Is my content interesting? Innovative? Driving traffic? Is anyone even looking at it? Most importantly, how do I not become beholden to it. While it is a great way to showcase our work, it does not define us!

How important is it to you to support other entrepreneurs and business owners? What are some ways that you try to do this?

THIS IS EVERYTHING!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! We are a community and where I live, a small wedding community. I think it is important to network because our paths all eventually cross and everything goes so much more smoothly on my end and for the couple when I work with who I call vendor friends – people I have connected with and are mutually supportive.

Some ways I try and show my support is tagging other vendors’ work in my posts – for example, if a bride is holding a bouquet in the picture I post, I try and tag the florist to showcase their work for an audience that might not otherwise see their brand. I try and recommend the vendors whose work I admire and enjoy working with. If vendors have events, like a venue has an open house, I try and attend. I feel like I have gained so much – friendship, knowledge, and business form being kind and supporting others in this industry.

What are your one-year and five-year goals for your business?

My one-year goal is to actually scale back a little. I officiated over 40 weddings this year, and I already have 15 booked for 2020. I would like to master the life/work balance even more by taking a little step back.

My five-year plan is to be professionally branded and be “the officiant” in my area.