Get To Know - Reenie Rose

Mid-December I attended a new brand launching party for a fellow event planner. It was a fabulous event with a guest list to match of other local wedding industry folks. Among these amazing vendors was Loreen Hospodar from Reenie Rose. Loreen had made the drive up to the party from Chicago and I am so glad that she did. She was such a pleasure to chat with throughout the night and I am so pleased to have made this new connection!

Reenie Rose is such a creative company and I am excited to share a little bit about it and about Loreen with you! I had a little Q & A session with Loreen and this is what she had to say:

1. What type of services do you offer?

Reenie Rose provides a unique and modern alternative to traditional bouquet preservation by creating a custom oil painting of a bouquet as fresh as it was on a wedding day.  There is a lot of time, money and symbolism that goes into producing a bride’s bouquet. At the end of the day, it is such a shame to literally “toss the bouquet”.  With a Reenie Rose painting, a couple is able to remember their wedding day through a piece of artwork in a creative, timeless and modern way. Long after wedding day flowers are dried and gone, a Reenie Rose painting continues the memory of a wedding day as it should be remembered....as a masterpiece.

In order to share a painting others, I do offer prints, note cards and a new 2013 calendar featuring my paintings.

2. Where are you located and what area do you service?

I currently live and work in the lovely city of Chicago, but lucky for everyone, I can create paintings of weddings from near and far, past or present.  Because I work from digital images I receive from photographers or take myself, I can really paint anywhere.

3. How long have you been business? How and why did you get started?

Like many entrepreneurial businesses, Reenie Rose was more of a happenstance than a drawn out desire to start my own business. In 2008, a family friend that had purchased artwork from me in the past wanted me to paint something for her niece as a wedding gift. After brainstorming a bit, we decided that I would paint the bride's bouquet since I had always gravitated towards painting natural objects. Upon completion of the painting, we both stood back from it and realized that this painting was more than just a painting….it was an idea (and not one that many had discovered). So, I did my research and found this great niche in the wedding industry.  Reenie Rose jumped into the wedding industry with both feet in 2009 and has become a regular part of the wedding timeline….photographer, venue, florist, Reenie Rose! 

4. What do you think sets you apart from other vendors in the industry?

The need to preserve the bridal bouquet in a way other than drying it to become a dust collector or sending it off to be put under a glass dome was brought to my attention by many florists and planners who were happy to have this modern alternative to suggest to their wedding clients. I have recently seen my client base embrace my paintings as a group gift option as well. I love this idea of bringing more people on board for a Reenie Rose painting….lots of love in one gift!

5. When you’re not busy working, how do you like to spend your downtime?

Chicago is a great city to have downtime in because there is always something going on. Definitely on top of the list is catching up with good friends and trying something new at one of the many delicious restaurants. I feel like a new one opens up every week!

This video beautifully illustrates the painting process: http://www.vimeo.com/reenierose/unveiled
and course, to keep up to date on Reenie Rose's latest projects, check out her blog http://www.reenieroseblog.blogspot.com/.

Thank you for sharing with us Loreen! I cannot wait to see what all you create in 2013!