FLOWERS, WITH FRIENDS
WRITTEN SEPTEMBER 2026
01 - THE PARTY
An afternoon of fresh-cut flowers and learning the art of arranging them.
HOSTs / CYnthia leal & eduardo lua · 26 GUESTS · the bedford, williamsburg
also obsessed with this handmade hat? buy one from manolito.
02 - AESTHETICS
Between the personalized envelopes and named canvases already propped on easels, every guest arrived at a spot that already felt like their own.
And for the soundtrack? A live harpist played through the opening cocktail hour, adding even more romance to a room filled with fresh flowers.
03 - how it came together
BUT FIRST, THE MAKING OF A SERIAL HOST /
Cynthia grew up playing and refereeing soccer. As a big fan of the sport, she started hosting World Cup watch parties in college, so when the games picked up again over the summer, she started gathering friends around New York to cheer on Mexico. Different friend groups began coming together and before long, Cynthia was showing up with crowds of 40 or 50 people.
After one of her gatherings, the owner of the venue came over to her. He had noticed the crowd she was bringing in, introduced himself, and mentioned that he owned several other spots around the city. They exchanged information and stayed in touch.
That chance introduction became the start of Cynthia's life as a serial host. She went on to organize more gatherings with the owner - from karaoke to a reggaeton dance party - and was introduced to other venues she might not have found on her own.
It also taught her one of her biggest hosting lessons: hosting is a relationship business, too. She says getting to know the person behind a space can open the door to other interesting venues and, when the timing works, more flexibility on pricing.
It was actually this relationship that helped Cynthia secure a great deal on The Bedford's back room for this floral experience.
FROM WATCH PARTIES TO FLOWER ARRANGING /
The idea for the afternoon came together with Cynthia's friend Eduardo, a luxury floral designer and founder of LUA Floral Artistry. Consider LUA's Instagram and website your next floral rabbit hole. Together, they dreamed up an afternoon built around flowers, craft cocktails, and a little hands-on creativity.
Eduardo brought the floral expertise and led the creative side of the experience while Cynthia took on much of what was happening behind the scenes.
Part of Eduardo's preparation was making an easy-to-reference PowerPoint to walk guests through the process visually - where to cut their stems, choosing flowers with different heights, etc. With 26 people arranging at once, he knew he wanted a visual aid to keep everyone on the same page while still leaving him free to move around the room and help individually. His recommendation: when everyone needs to follow the same steps, come prepared with something for them to look at, not just listen to.
A COMMUNITY AFFAIR /
From the beginning, Cynthia and Eduardo wanted the afternoon to be as much about celebrating their community as bringing people together. They intentionally brought friends and their talents into the experience: Amanda performed on the harp during cocktail hour, DJ Durlo provided the soundtrack for flower arranging, and their friend Nelson showcased his Manolito hats. Rather than bringing in outside vendors, they saw the event as an opportunity to support the talented people already in their circle.
24 HOURS OUT /
Cynthia and Eduardo packed all the supplies they would need and attached personalized messages to canvases the night prior to the event. Eduardo sourced flowers from New York's Flower District in Chelsea the day of. The hosts were grateful to have a venue that kept them calm. The team at The Bedford's Brooklyn location was relaxed and flexible. Cynthia says their demeanor made her feel at ease during the inevitable day-of scramble, a reminder that the people behind a venue can matter just as much as the space itself.
04 - THE SHOPPING LIST
WHAT EVERYTHING COST. AND WHERE IT CAME FROM.
THE VENUE, FOOD + DRINKS / VARYING MINIMUM SPENDS
Private events in The Macchina Dining Room at The Bedford in Williamsburg are booked around a food and beverage minimum, which varies by day and time:
Monday to Thursday: $1,600
Friday to Sunday brunch: $2,500
Friday to Sunday 6-9:30pm: $4,000
Friday to Sunday 9:30pm onwards: $1,500
Minimum spends last updated September 2026.
THE HARPIST / $500 FOR TWO HOURS
Amanda's two-hour performance rate, including harp transport, is $500. You can contact her via her Instagram account.
THE DJ / XYZ
Following cocktail hour with Amanda playing the harp, DJ Durlo took over and played upbeat tracks while guests got to work on their flower arrangements. Check him out on SoundCloud.
The music never stopped, creating a lively backdrop for guests to mingle, create, and connect.
NUMIA VASES / $6-7 PER VASE
The hosts brought in Numia as a collaborator. Numia custom-made half-vases for canvases and 3D-printed easels for this event. You can shop its vases here. Small vases are typically $35 retail, but Cynthia negotiated wholesale pricing and Numia's involvement in ticket promotion. In exchange, Numia appeared on flyers used to market the event, and it got space at the event to sell decor in person as well.
THE FLOWERS / MP
Eduardo sourced flowers from New York's Flower District, on West 28th. You are not required to have a license to get wholesale flowers there. Eduardo just recommends you get there early! Most sales are from 4 AM to 11 AM.
All attendees paid $149 each to cover flowers, all the materials required, and food and drink. Guests came largely through Cynthia's network of regular partygoers. Word-of-mouth marketing and social media videos and posts helped fill the room.
The hosts' friend Nelson Arellano also sold his handmade hats at the event!
05 - debrief
WHAT WORKED / Making something people actually wanted to take home.
No one wanted to "accidentally" leave it behind…
There’s a particular kind of craft-night creation that you don’t quite like enough to display but feel too guilty to throw away. This wasn’t that. Cynthia says guests were “gagged” by their finished pieces, excited to bring some color back to their New York apartments or gift their arrangement to someone they love.
Plus, after learning how to build beautiful and balanced arrangements, guests left knowing a little more about what makes a good arrangement work, and how to recreate one next time.
Cynthia and Eduardo were grateful that so much worked. Making the first hour a cocktail hour gave everyone time to connect, which made arranging together even more fun. The PowerPoint kept everyone on track, and both the venue and vases delivered.
WHAT DIDN’T / The invitation flyer.
Cynthia and Eduardo did not like the flyer they created with AI. They felt it wasn't until they hired a real designer that their visuals had soul. You can reach the designer they used via her Instagram.
ADVICE / One point person.
Cynthia recommends establishing exactly who owns the event on the venue side and putting everyone who needs to be involved in one group chat. It avoids the inevitable “I thought we already confirmed that” problem.
06 - STEAL IT
SHOP FLOWERS LIKE EDUARDO /
Eduardo's biggest advice is to find a supplier you trust and prioritize quality over finding the cheapest stems. "Buy cheap, buy twice." When it comes to the arrangement itself, he looks to what's in season rather than sticking to the same formula every time.
OR, JUST STEAL EDUARDO /
Not quite ready to brave the Flower District at 6 AM? Eduardo is available to bring the floral experience to your own gathering. DM LUA Floral Artistry on Instagram to inquire.
HOSTS / CYNTHIA LEAL & EDUARDO LUA