Six years, one folding table, and a lot of buckets later, we're still buying from the same growers.
The first market stall, 2019
Mara at the design table
Why we do it this way
Mara Ellison started Petal & Stem in 2019 with a folding table at the Livermore farmers market. She was tired of flowers that had flown thousands of miles and looked it.
So she bought from the growers at the next table over. The bouquets lasted longer, looked like the season, and people came back every Saturday.
Today we're a team of three in a downtown studio, but the rule hasn't changed: if it grows within a couple of hours of Livermore, we buy it here first.
What we won't compromise on
Grown nearby
Most of our stems come from farms within two hours of the studio.
Made to last
Fresh-cut flowers routinely last a week or more in the vase.
No floral foam
We use reusable frogs, wire, and water tubes instead of single-use plastic foam.
Clear pricing
Prices are on the site, and wedding proposals are itemized line by line.
The team
Mara Ellison
Founder and lead designer
Designs every wedding personally and still works the Saturday market.
Jonah Reyes
Events and installations
Builds the arches, hanging pieces, and anything that needs a ladder.
Priya Anand
Studio and deliveries
Runs the cooler, the subscriptions, and every doorstep drop-off.
Have a date in mind?
Tell us the date and we'll let you know within a day if it's open. Spring and fall weddings book 6 to 10 months out.