Everything is coming up roses (and peonies) for Courtney Sixx, who is the founder of Bouquet Box. This innovative subscription box is the perfect gift for anyone with an equal appreciation for flowers and DIY projects. Launched in February 2021, Bouquet Box was co-created with famed floral design house Mark’s Garden. It’s a truly innovative product that’s the first of its kind. Each box comes with a deconstructed floral arrangement featuring an assortment of the highest-quality flowers and an instruction card to create an arrangement fit for a Hollywood celebrity.
With monthly and seasonal subscriptions as well as one-time boxes available, Bouquet Box is a great way to create luxurious arrangements at an accessible price. Every subscription comes with a complimentary starter kit that includes a sharp set of floral shears, a custom re-usable floral grid (which is an easy-to-use alternative to floral tape), stem ripper, and ruler, along with a stylish lucite vase. Think of Bouquet Box as a paint by numbers kit, but with flowers. It is all packaged in a bright floral print shipping box designed by Sixx herself.
Much like flowers, Bouquet Box shows how much Sixx’s career has bloomed over the years. From walking the runways of Italy as a model at age sixteen to being the wife of rockstar Nikki Sixx from Motley Crue and becoming the How2Girl on Instagram, then having her beautiful daughter Ruby— she has found her true calling as an entrepreneur in a unique space.
I recently spoke with Sixx about the evolution of her career, why she has always been drawn to DIY projects, and the surprising moment she came up with the idea for Bouquet Box. She couldn’t have been more kind, genuine, and enthusiastic about what is to come for her brand.
When did you first become interested in creating things and DIY?
Growing up, it was, my parents divorced at an early age. Every other weekend, I was at my dad’s. He was a set designer and always building things and had different warehouses throughout the years. There were crafts and supplies for days.
So I would just sit and play, gluing everything, putting glitter on anything I could find, and painting. As a young girl, I was just around creativity.
And then in high school, because we always rented, there wasn’t a whole lot that I could do. I always wanted to paint my bedroom, but my mom was a single mom on really on a tight budget. As I got older, I wanted to express myself. I started sewing my own bedspread and curtains, and just doing anything I could without actually painting the walls to enhance my bedroom.
I was always going downtown to the fabric mart in Los Angeles and I loved to go to flea markets and find pieces of furniture. Shabby chic was really a big deal then, so I liked to paint everything and then distress it with sandpaper and hammers.
My taste was expensive, but I couldn’t afford it. I had to think outside the box— making everything myself that I could.
So how did you end up turning it into a profession and becoming the How2Girl?
I had a podcast on I Heart Radio for a few years, which was just quick tips and tricks, there weren’t really guests. Then I started doing a lot of DIY, and contributing to places like Martha Stewart Weddings and Glamour Italia.
I was creating segments for events like Oktoberfest. I’d do a photoshoot about how to create the perfect tablescape. I found all vintage German coasters that I put under glass plates and a sign that said Oktoberfest that was made out of orange carnations. And while I loved creating the full tablescape and every single aspect that goes into a beautiful dinner party or a luncheon, my favorite thing was always the flowers.
So is that how it ultimately progressed into finding your niche?
I did more and more of those editorials and segments for Good Day LA for every holiday. I started really focusing on the flowers. And that’s kind of how it progressed from every single thing.
How did you come up with the idea for Bouquet Box?
I felt my path was leading me somewhere in the floral industry but just didn’t know where exactly. And so, I tried Blue Apron (the meal delivery kit), and I’m a decent cook, but I don’t know how to make a Thai dish, that’s for sure. And I ended up making this spectacular Thai dish. And my husband said, “You made this? I seriously thought you ordered this.”
The directions were idiot-proof. It came with every single ingredient, the specific amount, etc. And it just hit me, I’m going to do the exact same thing, but I’m going to do it with flowers.
So how did this idea become a business with Mark’s Garden and why did you want to work with them specifically?
It took a couple of years to develop Bouquet Box and one of the big reasons was because Mark’s Garden’s aesthetic and quality is the best. Their flowers have to be on point. They can’t just be roses, they have to be Ecuadorian roses. Everything has to be fresh from the farm. They have to last a long time. There’s only one Mark’s Garden and they don’t deliver outside of Los Angeles unless you’re having them do your wedding like Justin and Hailey Bieber did. But most people can’t do that.
Do you think most people don’t know how to arrange flowers on their own?
If someone has a really creative bone, and they can just go to the grocery store and grab flowers and they inherently know how to arrange them. And a lot of people are gifted like that.
But I think the majority of people go to the store and buy whatever they’re going to buy— trim it and put it in a vase, which is still beautiful. But that’s kind of the extent of it.
One thing that sets Bouquet Box arrangements apart is the fact that the vase is short and round. Why did you specifically choose this style?
Aesthetically I like the look of a lower vase better. It’s a bit more compact, but it looks so much fuller. Also, it’s how Mark designs, unless it’s a really big, massive one, that Nikki will get me for, an anniversary or something.
Mark’s Garden has done the flowers for the Golden Globes every year for the past 30 [or so] years. They’re always low because everyone needs to see each other. I love the type of arrangements he does and I definitely wanted to go in that direction.
Right now Bouquet Box offers one design per month. What are your plans for the brand in the future?
In 2022, we’re going to have two designs per month. So we have the more traditional or classic like we do now and we’re doing a more fashion-forward collection, too. Each arrangement is inspired by a look from my catwalk sets.
Bouquet Box is also going to have different packages for events. We’re going to be doing weddings and bridal bouquets, where you can actually make your own bouquet. We’re also going to be getting into bridal showers as well. So your shower looks gorgeous with all these flowers, or it’s a fun activity to do with everyone at the shower. And then we’re going do baby showers and gender reveals.
Imagine you’re on a budget, and you love our style and our aesthetic, and you think that would be great for your wedding. So you get together with your bridesmaids the day before, have some champagne, and you put the arrangements together. And you’re pay a fraction of what you would spend at a florist.