Today we’d like to introduce you to Abby Daigle
Hi Abby, so excited to have you on the platform. So before we get into questions about your work-life, maybe you can bring our readers up to speed on your story and how you got to where you are today?
I was born into a long family line of florists, venue-operators, chefs, planners, and designers who helped shape the Austin wedding + event scene as we know it today. Growing up, my family home was the prominent Barr Mansion, a historic local estate turned wedding + event destination operated by the family since 1981 to this very day.
Surrounded constantly by lavish parties, a family of professionals, and a passion to create, I knew with every fiber of my being this was what I was always meant to do. I launched her own career, combining my breadth of floristry and event styling as the pillars bringing Stems to life.
Flowers will always have my heart, but for me it goes way beyond the blooms in terms of what I see when designing an event for our clients…. I see the linens, the details, the draping, the lighting, the furniture selection, the layout… and everything that comes together to complete the look as a whole.
It is this combined expertise that allows our team to provide a truly full-service experience that is second to none. Since 2004, Abby has put her heart + soul into Stems, shaping us into the iconic local brand we are today.
Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
Owning a business is never a completely smooth road, and while it has been an incredible journey… there have been challenges along the way. In the beginning of my career, finding the right team was the first challenge – professional, hard-working, talented designers don’t just fall into your lap. It took years to train and vet people to get where we are today.
Another challenge was finding the right location for our studio. We have worked out of tiny historic building, a home-based studio, a warehouse lease, and we outgrew them all. It took 16 years and a lot of hard work and dedication, but now we own a custom-built combination office/warehouse/studio space that is our forever home – thoughtfully designed around our unique needs.
Needless to say, the pandemic was also a huge challenge for us and the industry as a whole. We went from the best year we’ve ever had to the worst year we’ve ever had overnight and rode the storm as best we could. Following the gap in events, we then had a huge surge of events and navigating the staffing challenges during that time period had a lot of ups and downs.
Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know about your work?
I believe what sets us apart from others is our process – I have always led this company with a huge focus on client experience. Our clients are not just buying flowers from us, we are in a design journey with them for one of the most important events in their lives. We have designed the entire experience to guide them through the process in a way that leaves them excited, confident and taken care of. We regularly hear from our clients that we were their favorite vendor to work with during the wedding planning process.
What sort of changes are you expecting over the next 5-10 years?
Specifically in Austin, I am seeing the industry experience huge expansion – there are more venues, more florists, more planners, more everything. And with that comes more variety in design that we used to see, which is exciting and inspirational. But more broadly within the industry, I am seeing a shift towards vintage trends that we saw in the 1990’s and early 2000’s… so things like vintage wedding cakes, film photography, polaroids and disposable cameras, tulle fabric, bright colors and patterns, the resurgence of “outdated” flowers, lots of fabric and bows, sculptural shapes, mono-botanical and monochromatic designs, the incorporation of fruit and vegetables, and many other fun concepts that allow for custom creativity for every wedding.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.stemfloral.com
- Instagram: stemsofatx
- Facebook: stemsofatx
- Yelp: https://www.yelp.com/biz/stems-floral-design-austin-3
Image Credits
Tay Danay, Tailor James, Caroline Lima, Stephanie Brazzle
