Today, we’d like to introduce you to Monica Bodnar.
Hi Monica, it’s an honor to have you on the platform. Thanks for taking the time to share your story with us – to start maybe you can share some of your backstory with our readers?
My journey into the floral world essentially began when I met my amazing husband, Joey. We were set up on a blind date in 2018, my birthday, with two of our friends. Joey’s parents, Joe & LuAnn Bodnar, own the flower shop and greenhouses, which have been in business for over 70+ years. They are a true staple in this community. Joey and I will be the 4th generation to take over one day. I began working at the shop in October of 2020, right around the time we got engaged. I slowly started to pick up designing and began growing some of my own flowers during the spring and summer months in our garden. We originally were going to get married on Sanibel Island, Florida, but six weeks prior, hurricane Ian devastated the entire island, and we had to postpone. After taking some time to find a new venue, I knew if we were going to have a wedding locally, I was going to do all of my own florals. Six months of combing through hundreds of varieties of flowers until I found the perfect blooms for our golden hour color palette. This was a true labor of love, and I am so happy that I was able to bring my own vision to life for our special day. We married on July 14th, 2023, in front of all our family and friends. Since then, I have now begun handling all wedding clientele and have booked over 18 weddings since July! I love being able to work alongside my husband and continue the great work his family started.
Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
Our journey has been filled with of a lot of change, especially within the last year, but you learn to adapt and keep pushing forward! I love working alongside my husband and his family. I am very grateful for the respect we have for each other and the creative freedom they give me to flourish in my space here. I have also learned a lot from our lead designer, Sharon McKeegan, who has been in this industry as well for over 30 years.
Appreciate you sharing that. What should we know about Bodnar & Son Florist?
We are a 4th generation family owned retail florist and seasonal greenhouse that can be found in Rayland, Ohio. We handle arrangements for all of life’s events, ranging from sympathy work to weddings. I love all aspects of this job, but I would say weddings are my specialty. I love garden-style designs with lots of different color palettes and textures. It is a privilege to be a part of such a monumental day for our couples and to bring the beauty of fresh flowers into their space and photographs for years to come. I love creating vision boards and showing my brides the level of detail that goes into their event, whether it is a full-scale installation or ceremony personals. The little details go a long way, and I believe that is what will set you apart from the rest in addition to your skill set and style.
We’d love to hear what you think about risk-taking.
I think taking risks is essential. You have to put yourself out there to see what works and what doesn’t. What works for some demographics may not work for yours. I love to try different styles of design & color palettes so it can be a lot of trial and error. I think the biggest risk so far that I have taken in my limited time in this industry would probably be taking on my own wedding as the first wedding I had ever done on my own but I truly couldn’t have imagined it any other way. I am so proud of what I accomplished, and now my husband and I get to bring that same love and beauty into someone else’s day!
Contact Info:
- Website: www.bodnarandsonflorist.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/monica_bodnarflorist/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/BodnarFlorist/
Image Credits
Mustard Seed Photography
TK Photography
Pittsburgh K+M Photo & Films
