Today we’d like to introduce you to Samantha Hwang.
Hi Samantha, so excited to have you with us today. What can you tell us about your story?
The Mad Florist started in the most unexpected way: as my creative outlet when I was completely burnt out. I’m Sam, and I run a fashion blog and social media channel called Wear is Sam. A few years ago, I found myself creatively drained and searching for something tactile, something real. I dove deep into floristry, teaching myself through trial, error, and an obsessive love for flowers. Then came the leap: I took on my first wedding without any prior floral experience. It was bold, maybe a little mad, but it worked.
That first wedding sparked something. I discovered that wedding flowers didn’t have to follow the same tired playbook of baby’s breath and eucalyptus at every turn. There was room for creativity, for risk-taking, for designs that made people stop and stare. The Mad Florist was born from that realization: a floral studio built on bold choices, unexpected elements, and a refusal to play it safe.
What started as my creative escape has grown into a full-service wedding floral studio with an incredible team. Together, we’ve designed everything from intimate elopements to elaborate 200-guest celebrations, always with the same philosophy: not your grocery store flowers.
We’re known for making sculptural and art-driven floral designs along with other elements such as dramatic drapery, candles, and using unusual elements for styling such as fruits, veggies, and earthly elements.
Today, The Mad Florist serves clients across Southern California and beyond (we travel to NYC too!), creating florals for weddings, brand events, and large-scale productions. We’ve moved into full-scale event production with our sister company For the Table and continue to grow. What started as one burnt-out creative taking a chance has become a studio where art meets floristry, and every design is anything but ordinary.
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?
Smooth road? Not even close. That first wedding I mentioned? The client loved it, and honestly, it looked great in photos. But behind the scenes? It was a logistical disaster. I had zero experience, no idea how to properly condition flowers, no clue about timing or setup logistics. I was winging it completely, and looking back, I’m amazed it all came together.
The learning curve was sharp. I had to be incredibly resourceful, teaching myself everything about the logistics and care of working with a live product. Flowers aren’t forgiving. They wilt, they bruise, they don’t cooperate when you need them to. I made every mistake you can imagine: ordering the wrong quantities, underestimating setup time, not accounting for heat or transport. Every wedding was a crash course in what not to do next time.
The other huge challenge? Scaling without capital. I had nothing but confidence and ideas. I knew from the start I couldn’t do everything myself. I got really good at selling my vision to clients, painting this picture of what their event could look like. Then I’d find people who knew more than I did in certain niches to help execute it. That became my specialty: surrounding myself with experts who could fill in the gaps and bring these ideas to life.
It forced me to get scrappy. I borrowed equipment, bartered with vendors, called in favors, and learned to stretch every dollar. Looking back, that struggle actually shaped how we operate now. We’re resourceful, we’re problem solvers, and we know how to deliver on big ideas even when the budget or timeline says we shouldn’t be able to.
Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know about your work?
I’m a floral designer and event producer, but really, I think of myself as someone who brings art, engineering, and business practices all into one space. At The Mad Florist, we create sculptural, art-driven floral installations for weddings, brand activations, and large-scale events. We specialize in designs that feel unexpected: dramatic drapery, unusual styling elements like fruits and vegetables, and installations that require real structural problem-solving.
What I’m most proud of is how we approach each project like a creative challenge. It’s not just about making something beautiful (though that’s the baseline). It’s about figuring out the logistics, the engineering, the timing, the budget, and then executing flawlessly. We’ve scaled from that chaotic first wedding to managing multi-day productions across the country, and we’ve done it by treating every event like it needs equal parts artistry and operations.
Do you have any advice for those just starting out?
My biggest advice? Recognize your strengths and weaknesses early. I’m creative, I can sell a vision, and I’m scrappy when it comes to problem-solving. But I’m not great at everything, and pretending otherwise would have killed this business before it started.
It takes a village to build something real. You need people with different mindsets, different skill sets, and different ideas than yours. I knew from day one I couldn’t do it all myself, so I found people who were strong where I was weak. That’s how we’ve grown. Surround yourself with experts, listen to people who know more than you, and don’t be afraid to admit when you need help.
Also, don’t wait until you’re ready. You’ll never feel ready. I took on that first wedding with zero experience and figured it out as I went. Confidence and resourcefulness will get you further than perfection ever will.
Pricing:
- Full-Service Minimum: $7,000
- A La Carte Minimum (Weddings): $2,000
- Delivery Minimums (Small orders/bouquets): $200
Contact Info:
- Website: https://the-mad-florist.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/the_madflorist/
- Other: https://www.pinterest.com/the_madflorist/
