I have always believed that God places people in your life at just the right time. After having coffee with Laura Dooley of LoKey Designs, I fully believe He was a part of this connection and I am so very thankful.
For the last two years I have been following Laura’s gorgeous succulent terrariums and authentic personality on Instagram. When we finally met, it was like I was catching up with a best friend. Not only did I get to learn about her business, but she challenged and inspired me.
After buying fresh flowers every week, Laura was looking a more frugal and effortless way to add greenery and life to her home, so she started creating terrariums. A group of friends asked her to teach them how to make their own arrangements; after two classes in her basement, she taught her first public class.
“I feel like I’m the best me when I’m teaching classes. I never anticipated that I would see people have such a great time doing something I love, too. When you do the thing you feel you were created to do, that’s pure bliss” Laura gushes.
From there, she started selling arrangements at Joy’s Collective Market on Main Street in St. Charles, MO. Right now, she is working on adding terrariums and DIY kits to her website so people every where can enjoy these tiny plants. Just last week she successfully mailed an arrangement to Portland, Oregon!
Showing me around her corner of Joy’s Collective Market, Laura points out the chic home decor her mom creates and the set of white shelves her and her dad made. “My dad inspires me. He’s always working. But he’s happiest when working on accomplishing things or when he’s with his grandkids. I think I have his drive.”
You can see the love Laura has for her family, daughter and husband by where she places her priorities. “Saying yes to the things that feel right is so important. There may be good decisions for the business, but they’re not for my husband and family.”
What I love most about Laura, is how she pays such a close attention to the small details that others might leave unnoticed. She’s intentional. Not just in how she arranges each pebble in the beautiful glass dish, or how she carefully handles each plant, but how she nurtures her relationship with her husband.
Today I was reminded why I delight in telling love stories. While succulents may thrive off neglect, Laura reminded me that marriage is a continual cycle of cultivating a relationship with your spouse. Each love story is unique and intentionally designed for both people to blossom into what The Creator has in mind.
Bri Whitman Photography is a natural light wedding photographer based in the Mid-West. She delights in telling the love stories of couples passionately in love with Jesus and each other. Brianna can be found at www.briwhitmanphotography.com or by email at bri.e.whitman@gmail.com.
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