Today we’d like to introduce you to Amanda Gruetzner.
Hi Amanda, can you start by introducing yourself? We’d love to learn more about how you got to where you are today?
Beautifully Wild Flower Truck was created in 2023, inspired by a lifelong passion for flowers and a deep love for sharing their beauty with others. For years, I’ve loved gifting flowers and arranging them for special events, including my own wedding in 2013. Flower arranging has always come naturally to me, and gardening has been another love that has filled my life with joy.
Before the flower truck, I worked in the wedding industry as both a wedding coordinator and venue manager. Hosting and planning events has always been another love and passion. I love the creativity behind it. After my son was born in 2015 I was a stay at home Mom which was so incredibly important to me. Creativity is my outlet, so I started my own etsy shop in 2017 for several years. I created many event related items such as hand lettering and custom calligraphy items. Eventually I branched out to faux floral hoops too. Those were such a hit for weddings. But I knew I wanted to do more…
In May 2023, the flower truck dream had begun. I was traveling to Nashville with a friend to see the Eras Tour and we happened upon a flower truck. It was love at first sight. I knew what I was going to do when I got home. I had butterflies in my stomach I was so excited. Two weeks later we had found the perfect truck to construct my dream. By December 2023, my husband and I had finished designing and building out the flower truck—a turquoise 1997 Honda Acty truck transformed into a mobile bouquet bar. I had my first pop-up around Christmas outside of my favorite Bastrop Boutique (KC Outfitters) and it was a huge success! The flower truck was instantly loved and welcomed by the community!
After many pop-ups, special events, and event parades….in 2024 I was awarded Runner Up for Best Florist for Best of Bastrop! I was so surprised and so honored! Especially after my first year in the business.
The flower truck now travels to pop-ups, special events, photo shoots, store openings, workshops, and more. We even do a small amount of weddings and custom arrangements and instals for local businesses.
While I absolutely love creating arrangements and working with florals myself, what I love most is helping others tap into their creativity. At the flower truck, you can follow a pre made floral recipe to craft your own bouquet, which we then hand-wrap and tie to take home. Whether it’s a gift for yourself or someone special, there’s something uniquely rewarding about saying, “I created this bouquet myself.”
This flower truck has already brought my family, friends, my community and I so much joy, and it adds a truly special touch to any event or pop-up, making every occasion a little more beautiful.
We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
Oh so many! How much time do you have? I had the passion, experience, and love for florals already but starting a business from the ground up takes a lot of time and energy. I held this project so close to my heart as I built it, only telling my closest friends and family.
I think the funniest challenge I didn’t see coming was actually driving the truck! The flower truck is manual….with the driver’s side on the right hand side! I spent many hours driving through our property figuring it out and stalling so many times!
Figuring out which events, where, and when to pop-up was definitely challenging too. I told myself that first year I would say yes as much as I could so I could learn and grow. There were some events and pop-ups that were so incredibly perfect and others that tanked. I couldn’t come home with an abundance of flowers and sell them the next week at another pop-up if things didnt sell. Flowers eventually die so having a product with a shelf life needed to be handled differently. I needed to make sure I was stocking the truck with the right amount of florals, not too much, not too little, while also making sure I was marketing well so people knew where I would be. So many little factors played a huge part in a successful pop-up. One of the best every year…Bastrop Mardi Gras. Which is so surprising but so much fun!
We’ve also added a flower bar for inside events…summer is HOT and flowers aren’t always happy in that heat no matter what I try to do. So pivoting to an indoor option that’s also a little less expensive has helped grow through the challenges of tighter budgets and also more options for the summer time.
Figuring out where to source the florals I want has been a challenge too, but also fun. I have made some great connections especially with local farmers also while sourcing out the best wholesale flowers too. Having fresh and quality flowers has been so important to me. And to hear repeat customers come back and tell me how long their flowers lasted and how beautiful they were for weeks makes it all worth it!
Through these challenges though, I stepped into year 2 with a much more structured game plan and being more organized. Saying yes to events that I love and believe in while also sometimes saying no if it doesn’t fit. I have a 9 year old son, Mason, who is my biggest fan and loves to help with flowers anytime he can….but he also plays select baseball which takes up a lot of time and weekends. I try to not miss those tournaments as much as I did the first year and scheduling pop-ups and events around his baseball schedule. It isn’t always easy, but with my love and passion for this business and the flowers, my boy comes first.
We’ve been impressed with Beautifully Wild Flower Truck, but for folks who might not be as familiar, what can you share with them about what you do and what sets you apart from others?
(I probably answered some of this in my story and challenges part).
Beautifully Wild is by no means the first flower truck around, but it’s definitely the only of it’s kind around this area, The joy this business brings me is huge but to see how happy it makes others was such a surprise. I knew it would make people happy but I don’t think I quite knew to this extent. It doesn’t matter what flowers are in the truck, people are smiling. People will literally stop to smell the roses even if they don’t buy anything. People will share stories with me about how a flower reminds them of their cat that has passed, or flowers in their wedding, or that they too were once a florist and have a passion for flowers. I am very proud to make these people happy and bring out great memories for them.
I am also very proud of the brand I have created. Social media has helped me tremendously in this business…especially for marketing. My repeat customers give me such confidence and love, especially during the big holidays like Valentines or Mothers Day. To hear a customer tell me “my wife told me I had to come here and no where else to get her flowers “…. that is my favorite. To have a happy and positive reputation in this business reminds me why I am doing this.
Beautifully Wild is open to book for special events, bridal showers, baby showers, pop-ups, weddings, private events in more. We specialization in customization and making your event memorable.
Upcoming Mother’s Day Pop-Ups:
Friday May 9th
4:30 – 6:30 PM
at the Entrance of Double Eagle Ranch
Cedar Creek, TX
Saturday May 10th
10 AM – 2PM
Gracie’s
706 Pine Street Bastrop, TX
2:30 – Sold Out
Found Fine Art
912 Water Street Bastrop, TX
Can you share something surprising about yourself?
The name “Beautifully Wild” holds a special meaning—it was inspired by our beloved dog, Cabela, a red heeler who passed away in 2017 Cabela was full of love and joy, with a spirit that was both beautiful and wild. She loved to hunt, swim, climb trees, and never met a stranger. She even had the honor of being the flower girl at our wedding.
Before she passed away from lymphoma, she spent her days playing in the yard with our then 2-year-old son, Mason. I wanted to find a way to describe to others who never met Cabela what she was like. The phrase “Beautifully Wild” came to me instantly—it perfectly captured her essence. So, when it came time to transition from a small Etsy shop to the flower truck, I knew the name had to stay. It was more than perfect for the business, and it allows us to carry Cabela’s love and memory with us forever.
Cabela was even illustrated for our branding and has her own sticker on the truck too.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://BeautifullyWildFlowerTruck.com
- Instagram: @beautifully.wild
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/share/12KC1DsWqZp/?mibextid=wwXIfr
- Other: amanda.gruetzner@icloud.com to contact for events and pricing
Image Credits
The last picture is from Amanda Hurst from RidgeDog Design and Photography
https://ridgedogdesign.shootproof.com/
The rest are my pictures
