Growth begins long before it can be seen.
This year's Gather & Grow is a celebration of the roots that nourish our creative community—our purpose, our people, and the land that makes beauty possible.
Before every breathtaking arrangement is a flower farmer who has risen early, worked through the summer heat, trusted the seasons, and lovingly tended each bloom. Their quiet dedication reminds us that the most meaningful work often happens long before anyone notices.
Today, we also celebrate the incredible floral designers who generously donated their time and talents to transform those blooms into a shared work of art. Their creativity, collaboration, and willingness to create together are a beautiful reflection of this community.
Every stem on this table tells a story of hard work, generosity, and hope.
As you gather with us, may this be a reminder to stay rooted in your purpose, to nurture what matters most, and to never underestimate the beauty that can grow when a community comes together.
Meet our Vendors
Photography & Videography: TruVision Studios | Layla, Matt, & Emma Trubac @truvision_studios
Photography: The Fourniers | Leidy Fournier @the.fourniers
Food: Gandia Catering @gandiascatering
DJ: Luxx Entertainment, @luxxentertainmentkzo
Dessert: Sweet Details @sweetdetails.gr
Dessert: True North Ice Cream @truenorthicecream
Tabletop Rentals: Reverie Linens @reverie_social
Tabletop Rentals: Bluesky Rentals @blueskyeventrentalsllc
Meet our Growers & Designers
Jess Kills | Kills Custom Creations @killscustomcreations
Jessica Kill has been practicing the art of floral design for over a decade. With a focus on large scale installations that mimic natural forms and an unending curiosity surrounding the innovation behind the structural framework or “mechanics” of design, Jessica works hard to utilize a special set of skills, tools, and fresh flowers grown in her small garden to inform & elevate her freelance design work.
Megan Braman | Northern Sky Floral / Megan's Flower Garden @northernskyfloral @megansflowergarden
What started as a garden of less than 200 square feet, has evolved to over a quarter acre of growing space and counting. This once seemingly far-fetched idea has turned from a passionate hobby into my career. I am Megan, owner and operator of Megan’s Flower Garden, a wholesale cut flower farm, as well the owner and designer behind Northern Sky Floral, a wedding design floral business. As a flower farmer my focus is to find those stems that are unique, that require the time and attention that feeds my soul. As a designer, my goal is to create whimsical garden-based designs, push my creative boundaries and bring to life the vision and dreams that those I am blessed to work with. My passion is growing beautiful, seasonal blooms and turning them into one of a kind, hand crafted arrangements. I love finding new ways to create sustainable practices and bring joy, beauty and a true connection to nature to every piece continues to be my primary focus.
Sue Dykstra | Creekside Growers @creeksidegrowers
West Michigan Flower Market is a Collective of 10 local cut flower growers suppling surrounding florists, designers and stems for Do it yourself. We are open to both wholesale and retail customers, with 80% being wholesale. The Hub is located at Creekside Flower Farm in Middleville, Michigan. It is owned by Sue Dykstra and began 4 years ago.
The ideal of a collective to bring local cut flower growers together started when Sue decided to turn her Garden Center of 25 years into an 100% cut flower farm. She realized there was much more strength in numbers with the ability to provide customers with the quantities and selection they desire. This has
proven true with each year showing considerable growth in both flower production and customer base. Currently, West Michigan Flower Market is able to grow local flowers for 11 months out of the year- January being the one off month.
Our goal is to help educate our customers on the importance of using local flowers. Sue has been on the board of American Grown Flowers and Foliage for 3 years and is passionate about the local flower movement. We understand not all desired flowers are available locally, and we are happy to be included in any design work. It is not an all or nothing idea. We view any addition of local flowers in design work as a win. Growing unique and design worthy flowers and greens is our goal. As proof, Creekside Flower Farm has dedicated their design work to only using 100% locally grown flowers. In 2026, over 50 weddings and events will be designed by Kelly Lewis, our head designer using only locally grown flowers and greens. As we like to say, when you think of flowers, think local
Kari Geary | Ruby Moon Floral @rubymoonflowerfarm
Ruby Moon Floral is a flower farm and floral design studio located just outside Fort Wayne, Indiana. Owner Kari Geary’s love of flowers began on her grandmother’s farm and grew into a lifelong career in floral design. Today, she grows seasonal blooms for weddings, bouquets, workshops, and farm experiences. Everything at Ruby Moon is rooted in hospitality, thoughtful design, and a desire to help others feel more connected to the beauty of the seasons.
Suzi Henningson and Mike Maloney | Henningson Farms @henningsonfarms
My name is Suzi Henningson, and in 2024, I founded Henningson Farms alongside my daughter-in-law, Kayla. Nestled in the heart of Mid-Michigan, just north of Lansing, we have built a thriving flower farm dedicated to supplying Michigan florists with exceptional, locally grown blooms.
We proudly serve florists across the state, from Petoskey to the Detroit metro area. Our focus is on growing unique specialty flowers that are often difficult to source because they do not ship well internationally. By cultivating these varieties locally, we provide florists with access to fresh, distinctive blooms they may not typically find through traditional wholesale channels.
Our six-acre farm includes nine hoop houses, providing over half an acre of protected growing space. This allows us to extend our growing season from April through December, ensuring a reliable supply of premium flowers throughout much of the year.
We specialize in a diverse selection of sought-after cuts, including double tulips, lilies, lisianthus, ranunculus, dahlias, snapdragons, stock, and a wide variety of perennials and woody stems. Our goal is to offer florists an exciting range of colors, textures, and unique varieties that inspire creativity and help their businesses stand out.
At Henningson Farms, we are passionate about growing extraordinary flowers and supporting Michigan florists with the quality, freshness, and selection they deserve.
Leah Bayes | LB Floristry @lbfloristry
After receiving a certification in floral design from Trim International Floral School in 2012, Leah has designed for hundreds of weddings over the last decade. With a sole focus on weddings, LB Floristry was established in 2017 as a studio florist in South Bend, Indiana. Since then, Leah has continued to bring her talent + expertise for lush, organic florals to each and every one of her client's wedding days.
Chelsea Farrugia & Robin Wilson | Graham Stanton @grahamstantonco @hellofarrugia
Graham Stanton is a hard-working and client-loving machine of Floral Design, Large-Scale Installation, Event Design + Planning. We’re Robin and Chelsea, the two halves of Graham Stanton. We’re proud to be a woman-owned and Detroit-based Floral and Event Planning company.
We genuinely enjoy connecting with our clients, and our best creative work comes from that place of personal understanding; and the most effective planning happens when we know you and are confident in your priorities. It’s also just so much more fun. Weddings, Events, Giant Floral Installations: everything we do is a lot of work, a labor of love. And it is our work, and our job to allow you the room to enjoy it!
Chelsea Hohn | Wildscape Floral @wildscapefloral
Wildscape Floral was created for couples, people, places and spaces that value natural design. Wildscape Floral was founded by Chelsea, who has always had an interest in design. Traditionally trained as a journalist, she found her way into marketing, and then found herself as the director of a coworking and event space. Flowers found her in 2018, and Wildscape has been growing since.
Chelsea prides herself on being an excellent problem solver, and working well under pressure or on a deadline. She also has an uncanny ability to tell when any given plant is in season, and how best to work with it. She is drawn to wild and textural work, while weaving delicate petals throughout. She is deeply inspired by travel and the different landscapes she encounters along the way.
Alicia Gonzalez Winn | Joy & Bloom @joyandbloomdesignco
My name is Alicia and I am an event florist based in Grand Rapids, MI! I was born and raised in a small town north of Grand Rapids and returned to West Michigan after college. I own a little yellow house with a flower garden with my husband Casey. We love road trips and visiting National Parks together. Our pride and joy are our rescue puggles (pug and beagle mixes) Newton and Mondo! As well as our precious cat Tortellini.
I studied psychology in college and have always had passion for serving those with mental and developmental disabilities. In the floral off season, I enjoy mentoring individuals at a coffee shop that employees people with a wide range of abilities. I enjoy all things pretty, retro, pink and have a preference for anything botanical.
Ashlee Brotherton | Thistledown Floral @thistledownfloral
Ashlee Brotherton is the owner and creative mind behind Thistledown Floral. A former theatre and dance director, Ashlee’s training in visual execution of art informs her floral design work. She is intensely passionate about sustainable growing and floristry, growing many varieties of flowers herself in a boutique farm format, and brings a vibrant and compassionate energy to interactions with her clients.
To my Modern Day Collective, Greencrest Manor, and The Millhaven family—thank you. Gather & Grow has always been so much bigger than an event. It is an opportunity to extend hospitality to the very industry that pours so much into others. Service is black and white, but hospitality is color and each of you brings that color to life. Thank you for believing in this vision from the very beginning, for serving with generous hearts, and for helping create a place where our creative community feels welcomed, encouraged, and celebrated. I am endlessly grateful to all of you.