Meet Emily Cusick

Today we’d like to introduce you to Emily Cusick.

Alright, so thank you so much for sharing your story and insight with our readers. To kick things off, can you tell us a bit about how you got started?
My business, Cusick Creative, currently offers both photography and floral services. In 2015, I photographed an Indoor World Team Trial event for USA Archery with borrowed equipment — and absolutely fell in love with being behind the camera. After the event I received a few thoughtful compliments from the participants and decided to pursue more opportunities to photograph a sport that I loved. Fast forward a few years and I was able to photograph several national and world level events for USA Archery & some independent companies in the outdoor industry. In 2018 I married a soldier and moved to North Carolina where I felt the Lord push me in the direction of wedding photography. Before I could even put myself out there for the opportunity a friend from college reached out and asked if I would be interested in photographing her wedding near Detroit, MI.

After my first wedding I tried my best to promote my services and get involved in my small North Carolina community — there I met many couples, families and photographers that helped grown my small business. Through weddings, styled shoots & wedding expos there were many occasions where I wanted professional florals to accompany my photography. And after a few failed attempts to work with some local florists, I had a good friend suggest I just do it myself! Having a love for flowers, gardening and floral design this seemed like such a good fit to my little business. In the later months we lived in North Carolina I booked a larger wedding that really set my heart on fire for florals. And since then I have been navigating floristry through our big move to Colorado Springs, CO. Now I’m thrilled to be working near the mountains with brides that travel all around the world to get married here in the Springs. And through it all, it’s been a joy to connect with other vendors both in floristry and the wedding industry as a whole.

Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way. Looking back would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
Some of the biggest struggles I encountered were in the early parts of 2020. But through these struggles also brought great blessings to our lives. We embarked on our cross country move in January of 2020 and shortly after our arrival found out we were expecting a little boy come September. And as many business owners experienced — the restrictions that COVID brought limited my ability to branch out in the Springs and meet friends, vendors & brides. The sweetest thing to see was how many couples fought through the restrictions and still wanted to get married. And because of this I was so glad to do some smaller projects for brides and design their dream bridal bouquets for their smaller ceremony.

As you know, we’re big fans of you and your work. For our readers who might not be as familiar what can you tell them about what you do?
My business offers both photography and floral services. Something that sets me apart from others in the industry is I have experience with both! And this pays to great understanding how the two work together, because these are two things during a wedding day that are important & special to a bride. Florals represent so much — it’s not every day you get to carry around a luxury fistful of flowers. And, to have photographs that document the day but also the emotions. Whether I do photography or florals for my brides, families or friends — I always want to give my absolute best! I work hard to deliver a product that I’m not only proud of, but something they will love.

Do you have any advice for those just starting out?
For those who are looking to start a business, I want to say jump all in! But also get your ducks in a row. There are many things when starting a business that sometimes an entrepreneur doesn’t think about. Finding a mentor who is a few years ahead of you is such a great place to start. To listen and ask questions about how they got to the point they are in their business.

Contact Info:

• Email: emily@cusickcreative.com
• Website: www.cusickcreative.com
• Instagram: www.instagram.com/cusickcreative
• Facebook: www.facebook.com/cusickcreative