Wren Floral Blooms in the Funk Zone

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.”

As a result, Wren has a pronounced Carpinteria flower farm bias. But Wingett admits that they still rely on seasonal flowers from around the world to fully satisfy their customers, which is their central concern. Most of Wren’s bouquets are custom-made and can be ordered in person at the shop or online. However, the florists also intend to sell ready-made bouquets out of their studio on Thursdays and Fridays and plan pop-up events for special events like Easter and Mother’s Day.

“We run it more like a studio,” explained Lauter, who focuses on providing wedding, hotel, and house accounts with lengthy boutique consultations. “We offer a more pampered floral experience.”

13 Anacapa Street; wrenfloral.com