Hidden Gems: Meet Lauren Munton of Ivory Blooms, LLC.

Today we’d like to introduce you to Lauren Munton.

Hi Lauren, we’re thrilled to have a chance to learn your story today. So, before we get into specifics, maybe you can briefly walk us through how you got to where you are today?
I have always had a knack for event planning, from the time I was very young I was planning my birthday parties and parties for my family members, with attention to every detail. In college, I had the opportunity to be the Sisterhood chair for my sorority which included planning events. It was so much fun and some of the events that I created, they still put on every year. Event planning has always been a creative outlet for me and something I thoroughly enjoy. My family and I have always had a dream of opening a wedding venue. We aren’t at a place in life right now where we can take that leap, but we decided to start getting our name out there. I had seen these luxury white bounce houses all over TikTok as a growing niche in the wedding and event industry. I called my parents one day with this crazy idea and they jumped on board with me and by the end of the week we had built this business. Around the same time, I had a second business, a DIY photo backdrop business, that I was trying to get off the ground. We’ve now merged the two businesses and it was a great decision for us!

We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
It has definitely not been smooth sailing the whole way. When I first had this idea, I was just a new mom who was desperate to find a way to make a steady income and stay home with her baby. As you can imagine, it didn’t take off immediately. We got quite a few rentals that first year, but not enough to replace my full time income. There is a lot more that goes into starting a business than most people might think, and it is not always black and white written out in a manual somewhere. You kind of have to figure it out as you go.

Appreciate you sharing that. What should we know about Ivory Blooms, LLC. ?
Ivory Blooms is a new wedding and event business in Kansas City. Currently specializing in luxury white bounce house rentals and custom photo backdrops. What sets us apart is our attention to detail. We are a small business, we did hours and hours of research to find the best products for our rentals. We ensure our bounce houses are safe, inspected, and cleaned with kid-safe environmentally friendly disinfectant after every use. We are insured and do the leg work to acquire any needed permits before the event. I have seen lots of similar bounce house rentals popping up on Facebook marketplace, the difference is in that attention to detail. On one hand you have a small business who has done things by the book and takes customer satisfaction and safety very seriously. On the other hand you have maybe someone who bought a bounce house from Amazon for one event and thought they might try to make their money back by renting it out. 9/10 times, I’d bet that they don’t have insurance, permits, or even a proper business license.

For our DIY custom photo backdrops, this idea came from a mom who just wanted some keepsake photos of her baby during his first few years. Those years are so short. Professional photography can be incredibly expensive, for good reason, but it is not always attainable for every family. I wanted to create a sustainable way for parents and families to capture those precious memories of their littles, without breaking the bank. I absolutely do not want to take away from the amazing work of professional photographers, I just want to offer an alternative to make these photos accessible for more folks. So I build the backdrop, you take the photos. Every photo in this feature is taken and edited all from my phone. I can even help point families in the direction of my favorite editing software, camera settings, and preset filters.

Our luxury white bounce houses and DIY photo backdrops are just the beginning. We hope to branch into other rental items in the coming year. We have some exciting things in the works such as a rentable bouquet bar and flower walls, so stay tuned!

Do you any memories from childhood that you can share with us?
My favorite childhood memory would have to be spending the summers with my grandmother. She was a paraprofessional in a school and had summers off, so I had the privilege of spending most of my summers with her. Trips to the zoo, the park, the pool, bike rides, etc. Those summers were such a pillar of my childhood and I cherish them so much.

Pricing:

• Large Bounce House – $35/hour with 4 hour minimum – includes set up and tear down
• Mini Bounce House – $25/hour with 4 hour minimum – includes set up and tear down
• Curated photo backdrops – $20 per session
• Custom photo backdrops – $30+ depending on the level of customization

Contact Info:

• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ivorybloomskc?igsh=cDhnYm84ZmFpMW1k&utm_source=qr
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/share/19BsmBxbxP/?mibextid=wwXIfr