How one Butler mom created floral displays for daughter’s wedding day
When Malia Steffen stood to deliver toast at her wedding in Foxburg, her voice caught with emotion. Of all the loved ones gathered before her, one person received a particularly heartfelt thank you, her mom.
“What she made possible meant the world,” Malia said later. “The flowers at our wedding set the mood for the whole day. And having my mom do them, knowing the effort and heart she put into it, it was more than I ever dreamed.”
For Cindy Steffen, seeing the immense happiness on her daughter’s face was the culmination of months of planning, countless late nights, and a deep dive into floral design she hadn’t expected when she first took on the task.
The wedding, held on Sept. 20, 2024, at the Allegheny Grille, marked the first full-scale wedding Steffen had ever worked on in a designer capacity. That it happened to be for her daughter made the experience all the more personal, and all the more meaningful.
Steffen and her husband, Larry, took a leap of faith when they purchased The Butler Florist in October 2022. Though neither had formal experience in floristry, they were drawn to the challenge. The shop, a cornerstone of the Butler community that has served residents for 95 years, came with a veteran team of designers and a steep learning curve.
“We’ve been taking classes, watching, learning from the staff every day,” Steffen said.
From the start, the plan had always been for the shop to handle the wedding flowers. But as plans progressed, it became clear that this wouldn’t be a small job.
“They wanted to be cost-conscious, they wanted something beautiful and meaningful without having to spend a fortune,” Steffen said.
With guidance from Malia and her wife, Samantha, Steffen began working closely with her team — Polly, Michele, Carolyn, Carol and Larry — to select the perfect combination of blooms. They sourced both fresh and dried flowers, including some varieties not typically stocked by the shop. The couple envisioned earthy, natural textures accented by soft garden roses.
Planning began as early as January, but by the time summer rolled around, things were in full swing. Steffen and the team traveled to Greensburg to meet with wholesalers and handpicked flowers to match the couple’s vision. She also bought custom centerpiece bowls and an arch that she later assembled herself.
When the wedding day finally arrived, the scale of the effort became clear.
“We had vans loaded up with flowers. It was a massive effort, and everyone pitched in to bring it to life,” Steffen said.
Looking back, Steffen knows it all came together thanks to the dedication and teamwork of the shop’s staff.
“I am so fortunate to have a team that was willing to jump in and help. It’s their dedication to their craft what makes our shop so special,” Steffen said.
Polly, a certified master florist, was specially requested by the couple to handle the lapel flowers, while Michele, the shop’s lead designer, played a central role in shaping the overall aesthetic.
“And poor Carolyn, she was covered in pampas grass from head to toe after stringing it on the arch. We’re still finding grass around the shop,” Steffen said while laughing.
Larry, often tasked with pulling flower selections, provided steady backup and the occasional raised eyebrow.
“He didn’t know what he was getting into, but he was patient and that’s everything,” Steffen said.
In what Steffen described as a group effort, everyone pitched in to assist with transporting and setting up arrangements at the venue.
The result was a wedding rich in personal detail, a handcrafted experience that reflected not just the couple’s vision, but also the tireless devotion of a mother working behind the scenes to make it all happen.
“If we had hired someone else on our budget, we never would’ve had what we did,” Steffen said.
Steffen’s priority from the beginning had been to remove any stress surrounding cost. She wanted Malia and Samantha to simply enjoy the moment.
For Malia, her mother’s efforts meant everything.
“It goes without saying, it meant a lot, to have that personalized touch from my parents, who helped me every step of the way, just meant the world,” she said.
She also credited the entire florist team for their warmth and support throughout the journey.
“There wasn’t anyone else on the planet that I would have wanted involved, the quality of work those ladies put in and to have gotten to know them personally, it was a no-brainer,” she said.
The experience left a mark, captured not only in photos and preserved blooms, some of which are still tucked away in Steffen's garage, but also in the way it’s shaping the future of the business.
Next year, the team plans to tackle another family wedding, this time for a daughter getting married in South Carolina. It will be a destination event, and Steffen won’t have the full support of her shop’s team on-site. Even so, she’s ready for the challenge.
“It’s going to be very different experience. This will be the first wedding I’ll be designing myself without the help of our fantastic team,” Steffen said.
And as she continues to grow in confidence and skill, she’s looking ahead to more weddings filled with the same personal care that made this one so unforgettable.
