Life & Work with Zoey Chen

Today we’d like to introduce you to Zoey Chen.

Alright, so thank you so much for sharing your story and insight with our readers. To kick things off, can you tell us a bit about how you got started? 
Hi, I’m Zoey from Taiwan! I’m someone who went from being completely unfamiliar with flowers to deeply fascinated by them. Despite having no background in art, I’ve always been particularly interested in aesthetics and have a natural knack for color coordination. I enjoy making or drawing anything by hand, and after working, my love for design led me to enroll in adult education classes to learn design software. Subsequently, I worked in graphic design. Taiwan has many excellent floral studios. Outside of work, I spent a lot of time learning floristry to relax and enjoy the moment. Unlike in Western countries, people in Asia do not usually have the habit of buying flowers regularly; supermarkets don’t even sell them. However, I remember enjoying those moments deeply, and I always felt very happy after each class, which left me with fond memories. Six years ago, I immigrated to the United States. Being in a new environment filled me with anxiety; I had no friends or family nearby, and without proficient language skills, I couldn’t return to my familiar job role. After several unsuccessful job experiences, I started to think about starting my own business! I tried a few things during the entrepreneurial process, starting with areas I was interested in. I tried making desserts, but eventually, I got sick of eating sweets. I also tried being a makeup artist and even obtained a Japanese makeup artist license and sign up in one of Canada’s top makeup artistry schools. However, I had to postpone my classes for a year due to the pandemic. During that year, I returned to Taiwan and attended my usual floral art classes, which made me wonder why I had never considered pursuing floristry! This reignited hope in me. During my two months back in Taiwan, I continuously improved my skills. After returning to the US, I went to a floral school in the UK to learn more comprehensive floral art techniques and knowledge, which finally set me on my artistic journey! 

Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not, what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
Along the way, I can say there have been many difficulties as well as smooth sailing. The biggest challenge has been communication due to the language barrier. Although it seems like everyone should speak English nowadays, growing up without an English-speaking environment made it really hard to become fluent. Because of this, I used to wake up at 6 a.m. every day to take online courses and practice speaking with a teacher for two hours, continuing this routine for nearly a year. Another significant challenge was figuring out where to start. Where do the clients come from? How do I make clients trust me with their big day? So, from the moment I decided to step into the floristry industry, I never stopped learning. Every year, I would schedule to travel to different countries to learn from florists I admired to improve my skills. Starting from my first wedding, where I earned only $300, many people slowly began to recognize my work and appreciate my aesthetic. Some venues, photographers, and planners started recommending me to their clients. Every time I received feedback from clients saying that the outcome was even better and more beautiful than expected, it filled me with immense satisfaction! Although there have been many challenges along the way, and I still face various situations to this day, each obstacle has been a new learning opportunity, and I have managed to solve each problem smoothly. So, I would say that my journey has been filled with obstacles as well as being smooth sailing! 

As you know, we’re big fans of you and your work. For our readers who might not be as familiar what can you tell them about what you do?
I am a wedding florist, and I decorate any floral arrangements at newlywed couples’ weddings. From small items like the bride’s bouquet and boutonnieres to large ones like ceremony arches and table settings, our team handles it all. We specialize in natural-style weddings, creating a dreamy and romantic atmosphere with dozens of different types of flowers. At the wedding, you will see many special flowers that are not commonly seen, displaying their beauty in various ways on this important day. We are particularly proud of our ability to match different flowers; we prefer to use delicate, seasonal blooms, whose light and airy presence add vitality to our creations. I think it’s also because we have the courage to try these delicate flowers that our works and style stand out from the rest. 

Can you tell us more about what you were like growing up?
I was not born into a family filled with art, so I often wonder where my innate sensitivity to beauty comes from. Reflecting on it… perhaps it’s because I was born into a very happy family, loved by many! This has always made me very cheerful. Since childhood, I have been doted on by many aunts, grandmother, and uncle, who supported any decision I made. I had no excessive after-school tutoring and could choose my own schools, majors, and jobs. Maybe these factors allowed me to truly enjoy freedom and use that freedom to understand myself better discover what I like; and once I commit to something, I continue to persevere until the end, doing my best to perfect every detail. I think this is also one of the reasons why I have been able to successfully progress to where I am now and why more people are noticing our work! 

Contact Info:

• Website: https://eveni-floral.com/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/eveni.floral/
• Other: linktr.ee/eveni_floral