“Houstonians know me for my ‘whales,’” says Todd Fiscus, describing the extravagant, no-holds-barred bashes that are a trademark of his party planning firm, Todd Events. And while the colossal celebrations he creatively concocts are always a whale of a good time, he doesn’t discriminate on party size, which is why he opened a flower shop in River Oaks District this fall. “Avant Garden has been open in Dallas for over 15 years,” he says of the shop, which handles daily deliveries for smaller occasions, whether a congratulatory orchid or birthday arrangement of peonies. “At Todd Events, we have an $8,000 minimum flower order, and at Avant Garden, you can find a gift for $15. We are not just about massive design projects and over-the-top flower walls; Avant Garden can create gorgeous flower arrangements for small dinner parties and special occasions as well.” All bloom varieties are seen as equals too. “I’m not a flower snob,” Fiscus is quick to assert. “I love 100 stems of anything from carnations to Alstroemeria. To me, it’s quantity and the way it’s designed that make it lush.”
Photography by: Candace Moore
