On Valentine’s Day of this year, the Funk Zone scene blossomed with a lush new neighbor: Wren Floral, opened by Carla Wingett and Emma Lauter, two of Santa Barbara’s most practiced event florists.
“We both wanted to do the exact same thing and thought it would be more fun to do it together,” says Wingett, who bonded with Lauter over an interest in contemporary aesthetics and a desire to curb some of the waste created by traditional floral-industry practices.
“The traditional flower shop is getting the same product every week and is offering the same menu,” said Wingett, who compares Wren’s product sourcing to farm-to-table restaurants. “Whereas we are going to the farms and growers every week and we know what’s available. As that shifts, so does our product.”
