Hola!
I’m Tobey. I’m a silly, sarcastic, optimistic plant freak. I’m a hard worker and a people pleaser. I get excited about creating beautiful floral designs and gardens for my clients. I am also super passionate about sharing my knowledge. I love helping the floral industry be more sustainable by teaching my tricks to other florists and event pros. I am an enthusiastic educator about anything gardening related and I speak to many garden clubs and at related events throughout the year.
I’m fascinated by nature. I can’t resist dark chocolate or a nice glass of red wine. The garden is the place where I find my peace. I’m obsessed with flowers, plants, beekeeping, sustainability and floral art.
Thank you for stopping by. How can I help you? Shall we make your wedding beautiful with some luscious seasonal floral creations? Do you need some help in your garden? Maybe you need a speaker for your next event, or someone to help you hone your floral design & sustainability skills? Drop me a line to say hi and let me know how I can help!
If you were looking for more of a pedigree, well then: I have a BS in Horticulture from Michigan State University circa 1993. I have studied floral design in person with Tomas deBruyne, Gregor Lersch, Hitomi Gilliam, Francoise Weeks, Susan Mcleary, Joseph Massie and many others along the way. I am a Certified Professional Horticulturist through the WSNLA and have almost 30 years experience in the field of horticulture. I’ve worked as a private estate gardener and nursery buyer. I worked for several garden designers and keepers before founding my own garden design, build and maintenance company.
Our philosophies:
Tobey Nelson Events + Design was founded on 5 core principles:
Beauty Matters
Humans benefit from connecting with the beauty of nature – you’ve heard about Flower power, right?! Any day or occasion is enriched by the addition of flowers or plants. We can help you figure out your best flower choices for the look you desire, and how to transform your event by inviting nature to the party.
Every couple deserves a beautiful wedding day
We do mean EVERY couple – we are BIG believers in marriage equality!! We support love in all its forms, and support the LGBTQQIP2SAA movement. I’m a she/her and I’m cool with whatever you are. We also do not discriminate on the basis of race or culture.
Business practices can have positive impacts
We like to “do good” with our flowers. We practice sustainable floristry.
Origin matters: we source our flowers from local farms & we hire local businesses. People matter: we pay our employees a living wage endeavor to be a good place to work. Sustainability matters: we employ eco-friendly methods whenever possible and endeavor to be as low waste as possible. When you hire us, you are “doing good” too!
The best weddings are a reflection of the couple
Every couple is different, so every wedding should be unique. We like to get personal with our clients. Tell us your story so we can help you make your wedding truly feel like you. Sometimes it only takes a tiny touch to make a big impact.
Floral design is a craft
We aren’t just slapping daisies in a jar over here. Each floral creation is a carefully considered contribution meant to engage your guests and enhance your special day. We love flowers, and want you to love what we create for you.
Big Huge Thanks to WhidbeyTV (a division of Whidbey Telecom) for including me in their Artistic Expressions series. Watch and learn more about my business and flower philosophy:
Gratitude to the talented team at Fusionspark Media for this beautiful piece!