This past Saturday marked a huge milestone for Stem & Stone Floral Co.; my first solo event as an Austin event florist. I had the honor of designing the florals for Flourish 2026, hosted by the Young Women's Alliance at the beautiful Etter-Harbin Alumni Center.

As a florist serving Austin and the surrounding communities, being trusted with an event like this felt incredibly special.

If I’m being honest, I was beyond nervous going into it, but equally excited to finally step into the full experience of planning and designing an event from start to finish. I’ve worked on events before as a designer, but this was the first time I was responsible for the entire floral planning process, from concept to execution.

And I couldn’t have asked for a more meaningful event to start with.

Supporting Women Through the Flourish 2026 Event

The mission behind Flourish made the experience even more rewarding.

The event celebrates and supports young women, particularly those who are first-generation college students, and the work this organization does for the Austin community is incredibly inspiring.

Knowing the florals would be part of an evening dedicated to empowering women made the opportunity even more meaningful. Austin is home to many talented florists, so being asked to design for this event felt like a true honor.

Floral Design for Flourish 2026

The floral design for the event focused on pastels, whimsy, and softness, with a subtle nod to one of Texas’s most iconic flowers: the bluebonnet.

For this event, I designed:

• Floral centerpieces

• Bud vase arrangements

• A floral arch installation

• Bar arrangements

One of the flowers I was especially excited to incorporate was poppies. While they weren’t always the easiest stems to work with, they added a beautiful sense of movement and softness to the designs.

My favorite pieces from the evening ended up being the bar arrangements, which featured tall stems of deep blue delphinium meant to evoke the look of Texas bluebonnets rising from a bed of delicate daisies.

Behind the Scenes: Planning the Event Florals

Like many event floral projects, the preparation started months before the event day.

From mood boards to guest count planning to refining arrangement recipes, I spent weeks making sure every detail felt intentional. In total, I revised my floral recipes five or six times before settling on the final designs.

Because the event required working within a tighter budget than some events, creativity became especially important. I had to think carefully about how to balance flowers and vessels to create the biggest visual impact while still staying within the event’s budget.

There were definitely moments during the process when I wondered if everything would come together the way I envisioned.

Fortunately, once the florals were installed in the space, those doubts disappeared.

Event Day at the Etter-Harbin Alumni Center

The venue itself already carried an atmosphere of elegance and brilliance. As the alumni center for the University of Texas, the space feels elevated and historic.

The florals simply added an extra layer of whimsy and color to an already beautiful environment.

Guests immediately gravitated toward the designs, especially the floral arch, which quickly became a favorite spot for photos throughout the evening.

Seeing people interact with the flowers, admiring them, photographing them, and enjoying the atmosphere they created, was easily the most rewarding part of the night.

A Spontaneous Moment That Made the Night Even Better

One of the most memorable moments of the evening happened toward the end of the event.

Originally, I hadn’t planned on giving away the arrangements, but as the night went on I decided to donate the flowers to the guests instead of packing them up.

The response was incredible.

Guests were thrilled to take arrangements home, and by the end of the night every single piece had been claimed. We left with empty buckets and the joy of knowing the flowers would continue brightening homes around Austin.

Lessons From My First Solo Event

Like any first big milestone, there were a few important takeaways. The biggest one?
Next time I’ll absolutely bring an extra set of hands for event day.

I also learned the importance of dialing in stem counts and floral recipes for larger events.

But the most valuable lesson was something more personal: confidence.

I spent so much time worrying that the designs wouldn’t be good enough. But once everything was in place and the event began, that anxiety melted away.

The Best Moment: Driving Home After the Event

Oddly enough, the most meaningful moment happened after the event ended.

Driving home after tear-down, I finally had time to reflect on the entire experience. Months of planning had come together in a single evening, and everything had gone smoothly.

That quiet drive home felt incredibly satisfying.

It confirmed something important for me as a florist:

This is only the beginning.

Looking Ahead for Stem & Stone Floral Co.

Flourish 2026 was an incredible introduction to producing events independently, and it reinforced how much I love designing for corporate events, nonprofit events, and community gatherings in Austin.

Stem & Stone Floral Co. proudly provides event floral design, installations, and arrangements for Austin events, and I’m excited to continue working with local organizations and businesses in the future.

If you’re planning an event in Austin and looking for thoughtful, artistic floral design, I’d love to connect.