How Whitney Port and Laurenne Resnik Started a Fashion-Forward Floral Brand

Flower Fields at Carlsbad Ranch is 50 acres with millions of vibrant flowers in a rainbow of colors. Head to the fields through May 31 for more than just flowers. There are live music events, creative workshops like Flower Flow Yoga, Charcuterie Workshop, a flower crown-making workshop, a sweet pea maze, tractor rides, picnics, wine tastings, meditation, tea in the garden, food trucks, and more.

Plan to stay the day and bring home beautiful flowers and/or inspo for your own garden. Carlsbad itself is a stunning coastal escape, with seven miles of pristine SoCal beaches, amazing restaurants, and hotels + spas (girls trip, anyone?). Choose your fun of choice: surfing, biking, hiking, sunbathing, or massaging. From a floral-infused spa treatment or sipping on a botanical cocktail, the sleepy town of Carlsbad is actually the perfect year-round getaway.

Where To Stay

It was my daughter’s spring break, so after some fun in LA checking out the Tar Pits, California Science Center, Griffith Park, and more, we headed down to Carlsbad for the Flower Fields, Legoland, and a visit with family. We spent a night at the Westin Carlsbad Resort and Spa, a vast resort with fire pits, a spacious pool and jacuzzi so you’re not piling on top of other guests, ping pong and pool table poolside, and a cozy brunch-friendly restaurant.

Bonus: if you’re traveling with kids, the Westin offers a private entrance right into the Legoland Park. We had stayed at the Legoland Hotel before, which is fun for kids but not my ideal stay. The Westin was fun for me, my partner, my 9 year old daughter, and our dog!

In celebration of flower field season, the Omni La Costa Resort & Spa nearby has a Petals, Candles & Craft Workshop and a Power of Flowers kids program each Sunday; plus floral-inspired bites at the resort’s Test Kitchen Series. The Cape Rey Carlsbad Beach, a Hilton Resort & Spa also offers a seasonal Red Flower Fields Scrub & Massage at its spa and Floral Infusions cocktails at their bar.

The Beach Terrace also offers a Bloom Bliss Package, which includes accommodations, two tickets to The Flower Fields at Carlsbad Ranch, farm-to-bakery cookies from a local baker, and a donation to The Flower Fields Foundation.

Where To Eat

Outside of the Flower Fields and resorts, there are some amazing restaurants and cafes in Carlsbad too. We especially enjoyed Harumama Noodles + Buns, which creates adorable animal-themed sticky buns. All of the food was delicious for kids and adults! Other places to try: Jeune et Jolie, a beautiful French spot with SoCal influence, Campfire for comfort food and creative cocktails in an outdoor setting, and Handel's or Jeni's for homemade ice cream.

For Parents

My 9 year old daughter loves Legoland and this was our third time going. Beyond the build sessions and incredible Lego sculptures of our favorite cities, we did a few new things, like saw a fun extreme sports performance, a boat ride in their new dino exhibit, and a submarine ride with an aquarium of sharks, sting rays, and more.

More Flower Fields In The U.S. To See

Purple Haze Lavender Farm

Purple Haze Lavender is a 7-acre farm located in Sequim-Dungeness Valley of the northern Olympic Peninsula of Washington State. The town was rated one of the best small towns in the northwest by Sunset Magazine. The farm has a gift shop, ice cream stand with lavender ice cream and lavender lemonade (yum!), picnic area and you can pick the lavender from mid-June through early August.

PELINDABA LAVENDER FARM on the San Juan Islands is also worth a visit.

Skagit Valley Tulip Festival

Nothing says spring more than the arrival of the tulip. The Skagit Valley Tulip Festival in Mt. Vernon, Washington offers four stunning tulip gardens. Find breweries and wineries nearby, museums, tea houses, and more nearby. Here are some recommended stays in the area.

Wooden Shoe Tulip Festival

This family farm in Woodburn, OR has been growing tulips since the 70s. Visit now through the first week of May. Find fresh cut flowers, gift shop items, and all sorts of food and activities on weekends.

Crested Butte Wildflower Festival

This festival celebrates the wildflowers blooming in one of the most picturesque valleys in Colorado. It goes all summer long with hundreds of events and program. The festival takes place July 12-21.

Bluebonnets superbloom

You can find bluebonnets growing all over Texas this season, but one of the best places to spot the state flower is at The Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center at University of Texas, Austin. Explore nearly 900 different species of plants, including a great view of beautiful bluebonnets.

1. Before starting, ideate about the final floral arrangement.

Before buying flowers, think about what you want the final product to look like. Is your ideal floral arrangement big and luscious, or is it bare and playful? Consider the shape, color, and size of your arrangement to create a plan of what flowers and materials to buy! We love to scroll through our socials and Pinterest for the best ideas!

2. Have a range of different flowers.

At the most basic level, floral arrangements make use of several different types of florals: focal flowers, line flowers, and filler flowers.

Focal flowers are larger and hold more visual weight. These are the flowers with eye-catching factor, like lilies or roses. Line flowers are a bit thinner, with blooms growing along the stems — think snapdragons or other line-shaped greenery. Finally, filler flowers are smaller stemmed blooms used to balance out your floral arrangement. Zinnias, baby’s breath, or mums are just a few examples.

"Flowers with stronger stems are ideal for beginners. When you're just getting started, work with carnations, mums, roses, spray roses – basically any grocery store blooms," says Malori Maeva, CEO and Founder of Form Floral. "It'll give you an opportunity to experiment without a huge price tag and they're more forgiving than super delicate blooms like dahlia or poppies. Plus, if you can make grocery store flowers look beautiful, you're going to have no problem making more luxe flowers look beautiful."

Depending on your OG arrangement idea, you may need more of one type of flower than others. Big, lush arrangements (more focal flowers) are most suitable for special occasions and celebrations, while thinned out arrangements (more line and filler flowers) give off an artsy, experimental vibe.

Some floral combos to try out:

• Rose + Eucalyptus + Tulips
• Dahlia + Ruscus + Ranunculus
• Chrysanthemum + Fern + Cornflower

3. Use color theory.

Color theory isn’t as daunting as you may think. Essentially, you can use color theory as a tool to guide which color flowers you’re buying for your arrangement, and how to place them together.

Using monochrome colors means your arrangement will be the same color all around. You can add different hues of the same color for variety – say you’re crafting a red arrangement – then you can also incorporate some pink shades!

Analogous color palettes make use of like colors. More technically, analogous colors are next to each other on the color wheel. So, reds are analogous to oranges, and greens are analogous to blue shades. A good way to think about it for beginners is to either work with a warm or cool color palette.

Complementary colors lie directly opposite from each other on the color wheel. Some pairings include red and green, yellow and purple, and blue and orange.These combos are known for their boldness, so move forward with complimentary colors if you’re looking for a jaw-dropping arrangement!

Considering saturation (strength of the color) and contrast (lightness vs. darkness) is also helpful in building an arrangement.

Though design rules like color theory are helpful in floral arranging, sometimes the best way to learn the art is by getting your hands dirty, says Maeva. "Play around with different heights, shapes, textures, and color palettes. So much of floral design is figuring out your personal style, and the only way to make good work is to make some not-so-good work first."

4. Start small.

Begin filling your arrangement with line and filler flowers, and small greenery you’ve collected before adding bigger focal flowers. This provides a good foundation for where you want the arrangement to go. Remember, nothing is permanent, and you can experiment with different placements before you’re finished making your floral arrangement!

5. Play with layering.

Layering flowers refers to the height each bloom is placed. Instead of having every focal flower stand at the same height, you can layer them by trimming the stems at varying lengths, so they lie closer to the lip of the vase you’re using. This adds visual interest and diversity to your floral arrangement! When layering, aim to get a feel for the natural shape of each stem and flower, and cooperate with that.

6. After you're done, be sure to take care of your floral arrangement.

Now that you’ve assembled quite possibly the best beginner floral arrangement, make sure you’re caring for it so it lasts! Checking the water levels each day and topping your vase off when it’s low helps your flowers live longer. Adding flower food is better supports them, too!

"Those little packets of flower food that come with your blooms? Use them! The directions are easy to follow and you'll want to make sure you get the right ratio of food to water for most longevity," says Maeva. "If you don't have flower food, don't fret. Changing the water in your vase every day, keeping your flowers in a cool spot out of direct sunlight and away from any air vents, and giving your stems a fresh cut when you change the water out will go a really long way in keeping your flowers fresher for longer."

If you catch your flowers looking a bit dull, trimming the ends of their stems every few days with shears allows them to drink up the nutrients and water more effectively. Once your arrangement is on the way out, repurpose the petals to make some gorgeous flower DIY projects!

Dyson Special Edition Airwrap Multi-Styler

The Dyson Airwrap is like the Lamborghini of hair tools. It's bougie, for sure, but it's oh-so good. This premier hair tool can dry and style strands simultaneously, all without heat damage. Mom can easily customize her hairstyle with the 6 attachments – she'll never need another blow dryer in her lifetime.

Fellow Stagg EKG Pro Studio Electric Gooseneck Kettle

I use this kettle every single day, so I can confidently say it's well worth the splurge. If your mom's a major tea (or coffee!) drinker, she'll appreciate that this kettle heats up quickly, can hold its contents at a custom temperature for however long she wants, and provides a very even pour. It also just looks like a total work of art when it's sitting on the countertop, so it won't mess up whatever feng shui she's already got goin' on in her kitchen.

UGG Tasman Slippers

As reliable as a gift house shoes can be, giving her a pair that'll actually last is a way better choice than opting for cheaper styles that'll crap out after a few months of use. These UGG slippers are super durable, thanks to their grippy outsoles. That way, she's not relegated to only wearing them inside the house – she can easily take them outside to check the mail or run errands. If your mom lives somewhere where it gets extremely cold in the winter, these wool-lined bad boys will also keep her toesies ultra-warm!

Soft Services Smoothing Set

Mom's new skincare routine is loading! This trio helps revive dry, flaky skin with a gentle exfoliating bar that doesn't dramatically strip the skin's moisture, a soothing gel exfoliant for the bod, and a lightweight lotion that delivers deep hydration for softer skin. Soft Services' packaging is also so beautiful and feels like a nice, somewhat-bougie upgrade from the products your mama may use on the daily.

e.l.f. Celestial Winter 10-Piece Eyeshadow Palette

I know my mom goes crazy for an eyeshadow palette, which is why this one from e.l.f. caught my eye. Inspired by a winter's night sky, this 10-shade palette hosts the ideal mix of warm and cool tones, plus a good variety of matte, shimmer, and metallic hues. The range of this palette makes it a great fit for any eye color, too. This will allow her to create so many different looks in one easy-to-use product!

BrüMate Era Straw Tumbler Water Bottle

I like to think of this water bottle as the famed Stanley tumbler but (dare I say it) so much better. I sip from it on the daily to hit my daily water intake goals, and it's an absolute delight – I know your mom will think so, too! What I love most about it is the leakproof lid. And it's not just one of those leakproof lids that's not actually leakproof, it really lives up to its name: I haven't spilled once! Plus, this bottle's stainless steel lining helps keep its contents cold for over 24 hours for an ice-cold sip every single time.

Baggu Large Nylon Sling Bag

If your mother is a lady on the go, there's no question she's in need of a large bag to help her tote her stuff around. This pick from Baggu will definitely earn her major style points, as it emulates a lot of the trendy bucket bags we're seeing rise in popularity. I like that it offers the convenience of a large tote bag without the taxing upkeep of leather or suede – Baggu's signature nylon material is easily machine-washable when it's time for a refresh! This bag comes in 5 different colors so you can track down the one that really suits her vibe.

Dieux Glow Trinity Skin Set

Every single skincare product from Dieux is super gentle, yet effective. This set includes their Baptism cleanser, Deliverance serum, and Instant Angel moisturizer, which all work wonders on their own, but operate better together. The cleanser is my personal favorite of the three – it always leaves my face feeling clean without really stripping any of its existing moisture. This power trio will save mom's dry winter skin in an instant!

Breda Jane Bracelet Watch

Is it a bracelet? Is it a watch? This time, it's both. This style from Breda feels especially jewelry-like, but offers practical use by telling the time. I like how minimalistic the design is – mom will be able to rock it across all different kinds of looks, from workdays to dinner parties. The 14k-gold plate, quartz, and mother-of-pearl construction make it perfectly elevated and elegant as a gift.

Quince Mongolian Cashmere Crewneck Sweater

A good cashmere sweater can run you upwards of $100, but this style is just $50. Plus, it comes in 14 different colors. Mom will want to bathe in its "irresistibly soft" fabric all winter long!

Uncommon Goods Modular Honeycomb Serving Set

This is the coolest gift idea for the hostess with the mostess! This innovative serving set connects magnetically, so mom can fashion it however she pleases. From busy get-togethers to chill movie nights at home, she'll be able to set out snacks in perhaps the most aesthetically-pleasing way possible. Once the snacking's over, each component conveniently stacks on top of one another for easy storage!

SeaVees Acorn Trainer Sneakers

Step up mom's shoe game with these sleek sneaks! I promise they're going to be one of the softest shoes she's ever (literally) step foot in. Though super lightweight, the thick, cushiony memory foam footbeds of these sneakers provide unparalleled comfort and support. Plus, the '90s-inspired sporty silhouette can work with a variety of outfits, thanks to the chilled-out color palette.

Flamingo Estate Roma Heirloom Tomato Candle

'Heaven in a candle' is the only way I can accurately describe this scent. Encapsulating of "balmy summer nights in the garden, where tomatoes hang heavy from freshly watered vines and the leaves become their most fragrant," it burns the most delicious herby, peppery, potent smell. This makes a refreshing gift for the moms out there that simply can't stand floral- or vanilla-forward candles!

Ember Temperature Control Smart Mug

Mom is too good for microwaved coffee. Help her keep her brew fresh with this self-warming mug! It can keep 14 ounces of liquid warm for up to 80 minutes on a single charge, or even a full day if she keeps it connected to the coordinating coaster. The set-up itself is very compact, so it can fit on her desk fuss-free.