Sola Flower Sam handcrafts long-lasting blooms in Georgetown

After having a small ceremony at home, she used the leftover stock as a creative outlet, which eventually transformed into a career.

“These flowers were just going to be, one day, a part of my wedding, and I was going to keep them after since they last forever,” Friedrich said. “I never planned on turning it into a business.”

Friedrich decided to sell her designs at the Red Poppy Festival in 2022 after receiving encouragement from her social media followers. She completely sold out of the wooden arrangements by the end of the festival.

“I was not prepared for how amazing we were going to do at that event,” Friedrich said. “It was really the community that showed up and inspired me to keep showing up every year after that.”

The 2026 Red Poppy Festival marks Friedrich’s fifth year as a vendor, and her first year since committing to the business as a full-time artist in October. She can now dedicate more time to custom arranging services for weddings and events, she said.

“I get to live vicariously through brides now that ... I can take on more opportunities, getting to connect with them and understand what their goals and their dreams [are], and make it come true,” Friedrich said. “It feels like I get to have a little piece of my heart with them on their wedding day and knowing that they can keep it afterward.”

For customers looking to place an order before the Red Poppy Festival, Sola Flower Sam ships worldwide and offers local delivery in the Williamson County area. Customers can inquire about color-matching and custom orders online.

“Shop local and support local art,” Friedrich said. “I would not be where I am right now if it weren't for my community showing up—not just at Red Poppy, but every day just encouraging me and saying, ‘Yes you can’ and ‘We believe in you.’”

• www.solaflowersam.com