Allison and Stems exceeded all my expectations for my wedding flowers and decor at Cafe Brauer. I had a general idea of what I wanted--loose, garden like arrangements with big creams, blush, coral blooms, and leafy greens--and Allison immediately got my vision. She created gorgeous centerpieces, bouquets, and arrangements for the ceremony and worked closely with my caterer to create beautiful candlelit tablescapes. Cafe Brauer was transformed by Allison and her team, and thankfully without breaking the bank. Gorgeous flowers and candles went a very long way without expensive lighting, etc. I felt that Allison created unique arrangements for me and my taste (not just a copy of something on pinterest) The arrangements were the perfect compliment to the venue, the season, our colors, dresses, and the feeling we wanted to create. So beautiful and so fresh! read more

Absolutely gorgeous! Alison at Stems captured exactly what I wanted for my wedding flowers! I wanted lush, vibrant bouquets and centerpieces without too much fuss or frill. Alison worked with us on the pricing to find the right match of flowers to our budget without compromising the end result. They delivered perfectly. In fact, at the sample viewing of the centerpieces I had zero feedback. The flowers were stunning and Alison went above and beyond to make our day and our space special. All of our guests commented at how beautiful the tables looked. Start to finish, we had a fantastic experience working with Alison and Stems. read more

Unique beautiful flower creations. This is a great place to pick up flowers for a special occasion or for someone special. Original designs and very modern touches provide that little something extra. Anytime I have ordered flowers from here I am always thrilled, and the recipient is always amazed at how beautiful they are. The only reason I can not give them 5 stars is because they can be pricey and have a $50 minimum for delivery. read more

I met with Shana on June 2nd to arrange for their services for my company party. She was supposed to put together a proposal and get back to me within a week. After two voicemails and an email, I have yet to hear from her and it is now June 30th. I realize my order was not going to be lavish, but that should not reflect on the type of service a customer is provided. I was able to meet with LaSalle Flowers and receive a proposal the following day. Also, LaSalle's centerpieces came in way under priced than Stems. read more

I've used Stems a few times to get flowers for my girlfriend & they are extremely helpful all of the time. Great selection of exotic flowers too. read more

Stems did the flowers for my wedding and exceeded my expectations. they were my favorite vendor and I could not have been happier with the beautiful arrangements they provided. I was impressed from the initial consultation when they seemed to understand what I wanted even when I didn't. They are not only gifted at creating beautiful arrangements, but they are also gifted at really understanding their customers needs. read more

I contacted Stems for my wedding centerpieces. We did a private ceremony and were having a reception two weeks later, so I was just looking for table arrangements. I had a goal budget in mind of $2,500 (but I knew that I may have to give a little on it) since I didn't need any bouquets and was fine with small floral arrangements or candle centerpieces. A former co-worker of mine had used them for her wedding and they had donated some arrangements to a fundraiser for the non-profit organization I used to work for, so I was excited to talk with them about my wedding. When I talked to Allison, she budget-shamed me. I was told that she really couldn't do anything for less than $3,000, but she'd put together a proposal for me anyway. It took over a month to get that proposal. By that time, I'd already signed a contract with another florist. In the end, I did end up going well-over my initial budget, but I did so happily with a florist who did not make me feel bad about not wanting to spend a fortune on flowers. It's not that I wasn't willing to spend more, it was the derisive tone and attitude that I got from Allison that immediately turned me away from their business. read more

I called for an arrangement of flowers to be delivered to a funeral home on the same day of the wake and Allison was happy to accommodate, I had no idea what to order when I called but she was extremely helpful in my decision making. When I first saw the arrangement I was in dis belief on how beautiful it was. I have no problem giving her 5 stars. She made this happen and I'm truly grateful for what she did to make sure this got there on time. read more

We had a great experience with Allison and Stems for our recent wedding. The flowers were spectacular. Allison took my general thoughts on palate/favorite flowers and executed well beyond what I had imagined. We received compliments all night. The flowers were in great shape the next day, and we were able to reuse them at a post-wedding event. Better yet, we ended up significantly under budget. How about that? Allison was a breeze to work with, even though I was not. I changed the table counts, added a flower girl, and emailed her with other details and changes several times between our "final" contract and the wedding date. Being a florist isn't a desk job, so I didn't expect to hear back from her within minutes of my email, but she got back to me with a revised contract shortly after every requested change. On the date of the wedding, everything was perfect. Some yelpers have commented on service at this shop. I can't speak to anybody else's experience, but I think it's worth noting that a lot of the wedding vendors we encountered were a little over-the-top with their enthusiasm for our wedding and validation of our decisions. We found Stems, in contrast, to be a breath of fresh air. We got nothing but easygoing professionalism, and it was a relief to lose the over-the-top sales pitch that we got from other vendors. I wouldn't have any reservations recommending Stems for exquisite florals and excellent customer service. read more

Stems did an amazing job for our daughter's wedding this weekend. Allison is so easy to work with and was so patient with our indecisiveness. The flowers exceeded our expectations, they were just so incrediblely lush, full, perfect! And she did a fantastic job transforming a generic ballroom into a beautiful setting for the ceremony. Allison also arranged our up lighting, which was also perfect, for about half of what anyone else charged. We were so thrilled with everything . Thank you Allison! read more

My boyfriend ordered me flowers for our two years anniversary on a Monday, so I could enjoy them all week at work. When I arrived at work the next day, the "Bells of Ireland" were already dead and dropping. By the next day the "Stargazers", still in their bud were browning on the outside. The few white lilies that were booming started turning and died within two days. The arrangement always had plenty of water and the mineral packet which was included on my card. The arrangement was packed so tight into the vase it made it almost impossible to get extra water into the vase. I know he spent between $80-100 for the arrangement that couldn't even make it one week?? I've had plenty of other arrangements in the past that have lasted closer to two weeks. What a waste of money!!!! read more

What a wonderful place. You can tell that they care about their customers. I ordered a $150 bouquet for my sister-in-law who was in the hospital (after a botched job by another flower shop). The bouquet was bright, colorful, and just simply beautiful. My sister-in-law must have thanked me a dozen times. Thank you Stems for really brightening up her day. It means to the world to me. read more

Ok, I wish I could give two ratings. For service I would give 1 star. Allison didn't really return calls until the time came to make a decision and put down some money. Originally we had gone there and met with someone who didn't do weddings and she took down all of our information to give to Allison. No call back. I called a few times. No call back. Finally we sat down with her to discuss the flowers and she said she was getting together a quote for us that week. Nothing. She took over a month getting the quote to us and then needed a decision within a few days. I understand getting backed up and busy, but give a call and let me know you didn't forget. We also tried to call the week before the wedding to make sure everything was on track and Allison wasn't available by phone and no one there could give us any information. I was lucky that our caterer had a good working relationship with her because I knew he would be in touch with her. So going into this wedding I was kind of annoyed. And then I walked in the day of and saw the flowers. Now I understand why they were so pricey. They were spectacular. The bridal bouquet was absolutely incredible. It was exactly what we wanted. The flowers themselves would have been 5 stars. That's probably why Allison can get away with not having the best customer service. It was worth it for the flowers. read more

I am so pleased I chose Stems as the florist for my wedding. I came to our first meeting with some ideas that I thought would work, and the owner, Allison, immediately understood my vision and embellished upon it in the best way. She had great suggestions that fit with the style and feel I was looking for, and when our actual wedding day came the florals were even better than I imagined. In addition to our wedding, I used Stems for my sister-in-law's baby shower centerpieces, for a single congratulatory arrangement when my niece was born, and for our rehearsal dinner centerpieces. Each arrangement was beautifully crafted, original and sophisticated. I would not hesitate to recommend Stems to any couple or for any occasion. They met our needs and surpassed our expectations! read more

I'm surprised to hear that so many people had problems with the promptness of Stems's responses, because Allison always responded to me right away! Stems did the flowers for my Sept 4 wedding, and my finace and I were so pleased with the results! From the initial meeting to my various calls for changes to my plan to the final result, Stems's service was flawless! Additionally, their arrangements are like nothing I've ever seen - Allison uses such interesting materials and puts them together in a way that sets them apart from the average wedding flowers. As Jean G. said - this place has serious style. At my initial meeting with Allison, once I told her where my wedding ceremony was going to be held, she convinced me not to have any flowers at the ceremony, because the church was so pretty the flowers would be lost. I was so pleasantly surprised that she didn't try to talk me into anything unnecessary! We had already planned on minimal flowers for the reception - again, since the location was so pretty - and Allison was more than willing to work out a plan for us based on what we wanted, without trying to upsell. Even after finalizing our plan, Allison was more than accomodating when we called a few times between our initial meeting and our wedding to make a few changes. She always responded right away. The guys who delivered my bouquets to our hotel were incredibly professional, even though my (very pretty) bridesmaids were in various stages of undress around the room. The bouquets themselves were even more beautiful than I had expected. To be completely honest, there were flowers in them that we hadn't discussed. However, I had made it clear to Allison that the colors and overall look were most important, so I'm sure she knew I wouldn't mind that she added a few types of flowers I would never have thought of. Really, the bouquets were some of the most interesting and beautiful I had ever seen (though it's possible I'm a little biased)! The boutonierrs were so cool (featuring fiddlehead ferns and lavender), and the flowers at the reception were just gorgeous. I would absolutely recommend Stems to any future brides. To top it all off - my total floral bill (a HUGE bridal bouquet, 4 lush bridesmaids bouquets, 10-15 boutonniers and corsages, and gorgeous, albeit staid, reception flowers) was about $1500. A total steal for the level of quality and service we received. read more

Allison at Stems did the flowers for our April 12, 2014 wedding and we could not have asked for a better experience! I went into my first meeting thinking that i wasn't really a 'flowers' girl but we talked through what i liked versus didn't like and Allison created a vision that was absolutely fantastic. the bouquets were lush, gorgeous and unique (i didn't want to put my bouquet down; it was stunning) and the centerpieces were exactly what i wanted. we ended up having an indoor ceremony and the look that Allison created for that (lots of candles and a lovely, clean backdrop) was so so beautiful. she also subcontracted some hanging globe light fixtures that we wanted in the space, which were absolutely lovely. i didn't even realize it at the time, but there was a slight technical glitch with the lighting that Allison and my amazing planner, Kelly Cavanaugh, worked to resolve. Allison is so incredibly talented and wonderful to work with; highly recommend!! read more

Allison at Stems was a godsend. There are so many details to take care of for a wedding, and if you don't have a wedding planner, then you'd rather focus your energy on yourself (finding a dress, shoes, accessories, etc) rather than thinking of all the possible ways to decorate your venue. I met Allison when I was about to explode with wedding details and planning. She only needed to show me just a couple of her ideas before I was hooked. She is an artistic genius! Her signature designs are loops of green accents or "stems". Many of my guests also loved the submerged delphiniums with floating votives. Allison also was patient when she heard that I was working within a budget. I had already been ignored by a couple of other florists when they heard the word "budget", so I was really appreciative when Allison was more practical and worked within a reasonable request. read more

Stems went above and beyond to transform our wedding space into a beautiful, elegant affair! Allison and her whole team were a pleasure to work with and did not think twice about our limited budget. Honestly, I have gotten more compliments about the flowers than anything else! I would highly recommend Stems for any event, large or small! read more

I cannot say enough about Allison and Stems. We have had the pleasure of working with Allison twice. Once in November, 2009 for my older daughter's wedding and again on September 4, 2011 for my younger daughter's wedding. Both times the level of professionalism was outstanding! Allison has an incredible ability to take ideas from others and transform them into magnificent arrangements and events. One daughter had very definite ideas while the other had a harder time explaining what she wanted. in both cases, Allison made herself available whenever they wanted to talk and gave them more than they ever could have imagined. The quality and variety of flowers was first rate! We were totally wowed as were our guests! I cannot recommend Stems enough! read more

I just want to say that Stems and Allison Denny in particular were great to work with for my recent Chicago wedding! I went to a few florists before Stems who seemed pretty over-priced and I told Alison exactly what we wanted and our budget and she worked with that and produced gorgeous arrangments for me and my bridesmaids and the tables at the reception. Thanks so much! read more

I used them for my wedding last fall and I am just getting around to writing a review, however, the flowers for the wedding greatly exceeded my expectations. I didn't go in with a lot of requests, mainly my color palate and my budget. They did a mock up of the arrangements which was great, but when I actually got to the venue and saw all of the flowers I was floored. They were all so beautiful. We did end up going a little over the budget which is why I gave 4 stars and not 5, but the finished product made the extra money seem worth it! read more

Stems did an amazing job for our October wedding. Allison and her team were true professionals through the entire process and executed my exact vision for my wedding day flowers. I have gotten non-stop compliments on our wedding flowers. They were absolutely stunning! I would HIGHLY recommend that you work with Stems for any of your flower needs (wedding, party or personal). They are the best! read more

I used Stems for my wedding at the University Club of Chicago - a huge castle-like room. Allison and the Stems team did an absolutely amazing job! The reception hall can easily dwarf even the most beautiful decor...but Stems somehow transformed the room into a lush, contemporary, elegant space that was decidedly "us." For what our budget was, Stems gave us bigger, better, more creative and more amazing than we ever expected. I worked directly with Allison who was so wonderful and gracious. She understood what I wanted, what was important to us and gave us even more. Also, on the night of the rehearsal I completely forgot that we would need flowers for Mary (Catholic ceremony). I called Allison and left her a message after the shop had closed. By the time I got the the Church the day of the wedding the "2 flowers and ribbon" that I requested was a gorgeous lush bouquet of a mix of white flowers beautifully arranged. I was floored. In short, the customer service was top notch, the creativity and talent of the staff was excellent and the value was unbelievable. I will always be calling Stems for my floral needs! read more

We cannot say enough wonderful things about Allison and the rest of the crew at Stems! Allison was somehow able to know exactly what we wanted for our wedding even though to be honest, neither my husband nor I were able to really communicate exactly what we had in mind. She someone completely understood our aesthetic, and completely stunned us at our floral viewing. When the set up of our reception changed, she immediately adapted her vision, and made everything absolutely perfect! I can't imagine anyone doing a more spectacular job than her! read more

I used to live by their old shop and then moved but I still drive all the way over to Stems because they are the best in the city. Every time I go there I come out super pleased with what the ladies have prepared for me. At any budget they use their creativity and give me great ideas for things. I entertain alot and they are always showing me the new hip ways centerpieces are being made. They are always very friendly and efficient with their work. I recommend them highly for any flower need you have! read more

We loved working with Stems and Allison was amazing at figuring out what I wanted and delivering that vision! It was such fun and really easy process. We met with her once for the initial consultation and then again for a floral viewing. She completely nailed it. We were able to stay within our budget while still having what we wanted for our September wedding. Allison just "gets" it and there is no reason to meet with anyone else after meeting with Allison at Stems. Its such a personalized experience and from start to finish she did everything above my expectations. The flowers were gorgeous, they were delivered on time and I didn't have to worry about a thing. People could not stop raving about the flowers at our wedding and she just blew us away. If I had to do it all over again, I would not hesitate to hire stems again because I loved the way everything turned out. I am super picky and I loved the way that my chuppah, centerpieces, bouquet and everything turned out and I barely had to explain to her what I wanted. Everything was stunning and she tied it all together perfectly. The Chuppah was like nothing I had ever seen before, and if you are having a Jewish wedding, I highly recommend them for doing beautiful chuppahs. Allison is such a great person and its great to be able to give business to awesome people like her who really give you such professional, personalized and kind treatment. My wedding was absolutely gorgeous thanks to stems and I am so thankful that I chose them for my special day! read more

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They do the prettiest, most creative floral arrangements I have seen! Friendly service also.

Have loved Stems from the beginning!! Always helpful, always beautiful unique arrangements. They did our wedding 6 years ago and it was awesome! read more

Stems did a fantastic job for our wedding! Allison at Stems has such creativity - more than the other florists we visited for our wedding. We had our wedding at The Drake and she went way above and beyond our expectations, especially given our somewhat tight budget. Our ceremony was breathtaking, and then she transformed the room into a totally different be equally as beautiful room for the reception. She offered very competitive prices (and gives more floral for your money than others we visited), and while she has an amazing sense of style and vision of what you want, she's open to your ideas and suggestions and is willing to incorporate your vision. She has such an eye for floral and knows what will look amazing, so I felt at ease knowing that she'd do an amazing job. She made our wedding stunning - beyond our wildest dreams. read more

I have used Stems several times for flower arrangements for special events. They are quite pricey, but they really set themselves apart with the beauty of their arrangements. I would give them 5 stars if their prices were more reasonable. read more

We recently used Stems for our wedding at the Peggy Notebaert Nature Museum. They were incredible! People are still talking about how beautiful and creative the flowers were. We worked with Alison and she was a complete professional and was attentive to our overall vision of the event and budget. When a rainstorm blew up that forced the ceremony inside, Alison was amazing at getting everything moved indoors. We were so happy with Alison and Stems and would recommend them to anyone. I can't say enough about how much I liked all of the arrangements, bouquets and ceremony flowers. Amazing!!! read more

I love this place and I really loved Allison! I thought I would have problems going into a florist with such a distinct vision but Allison really took care of me and on my wedding day - I couldn't have been more pleased.. I've now sent a few friends her way and they too, were so pleased! read more

The floral arrangements in my wedding were absolutely gorgeous thanks to Stems-- Allison from Stems talked with me to set up a proposal for all the corsages and table arrangements, etc., and she quickly perceived and adapted to my tastes. Her proposal broke down the recommendations for our flowers by price and gave each a careful description. I was able to know in advance that I would feel great comfort in her style and choices (which she called "simple and elegant"), and her prompt responses to my questions gave me confidence that the flowers would be delivered on time. And they were. Stems had all the flowers ready to go when the bridal party arrived at the church. Everything was simply beautiful. The arrangements for the bridal party were sleek and elegant-- tall calla lilies with stems cleanly wrapped in ivory satin ribbons. Everyone loved them. Stems is phenomenal! read more

Very poor customer service. To make a long story shorter, I was trying to order flowers for a commercial photo shoot, and I made it clear to Stems on two separate occasions that I needed information from them before I could even schedule the shoot (doesn't make sense to start shooting when the flowers aren't there!). The final straw for me was when, after emailing and calling, I visited the store in person to get a very simple answer to my question "what chance is there that some of the flowers on my list can be located by next Wednesday?" The lady behind the counter told me 'we are too busy to answer your question'. I understand that weddings take enormous amounts of time and energy- I shoot weddings, myself. And, good for Stems that business is so good they can afford to be rude to customers who are standing in their store ready to spend money. I went to another florist and found out that Stems goes to a wholesaler who is just a few blocks from their front door- so it is ridiculous to say they would have needed a whole week to order my flowers! If they are so busy that they can't service all their customers, perhaps they need to hire more help? Or, they need to put a sign up that reads "Wealthy Brides Only by Appointment". read more