Intrigue Across America Tour 2026 - Phoenix

February 04, 2026

Desert Grandeur in Phoenix

Kicking off the Intrigue Across America Tour 2026 at The Monroe Street Abbey set the tone in the most unforgettable way. Originally built in the 1920s, this historic Phoenix landmark carries decades of character within its soaring ceilings, arched windows, and timeworn walls—offering a sense of reverence, drama, and possibility the moment you step inside.

With its vertical scale and architectural presence, the Abbey was the perfect canvas for big, bold floral installations, the kind that demand height, intention, and confidence. As our first tour stop of the year, Phoenix brought an incredible energy: creatives eager to learn, to push boundaries, and to explore what’s possible when floral design meets a space that can truly hold it. From the history embedded in the venue to the ambitious designs it inspired, Phoenix marked the beginning of a tour rooted in scale, storytelling, and community.

Day 1 - Selling Luxury in an Uncertain Economy & Centerpieces

Day One in Phoenix began with a morning of business-focused education led by Sarah, centered on what it means to sell luxury in an uncertain economy. Rather than pulling back, the conversation focused on evolution: how luxury clients are still present, but more discerning, relationship-driven, and values-focused. Students explored the idea that your network is your net worth, emphasizing visibility, trust, and long-term connection, along with the importance of confident pricing, strategic marketing investment, and healthy margins. The session reinforced a clear message: luxury growth is intentional, relational, and rooted in confidence.

After lunch, the day shifted from strategy to scale as students moved into a hands-on floral experience unlike anything we’ve done on tour before. Inside The Monroe Street Abbey, teams collaborated on a sweeping tablescape that quite literally wound its way through the space. Long tables snaked through the venue, connected by lush floral installations that flowed between tables rather than just sitting neatly on top of them. It was a bold departure from traditional centerpieces and required students to think differently about mechanics, sightlines, and how florals can act as connective tissue within a space.

The Abbey itself played a huge role in the impact of the design. With its historic architecture, dramatic proportions, and unexpected layout, it challenged students to respond to the venue rather than impose a formula. The result was a tablescape that felt immersive, organic, and architectural all at once—flowers rising, weaving, and grounding the tables into one cohesive experience.

Day One Fun Facts:

This was the first time on tour we designed florals that intentionally lived between two tables, instead of just on top.
The Monroe Street Abbey was one of the most architecturally unique venues we’ve ever worked in on tour: demanding creativity, flexibility, and scale.

Day 2 - Luxury Floral Installation Masterclass

Day Two in Phoenix was all about scale, strategy, and collaboration as attendees took on a single, breathtaking installation, one massive, three-story floral moment designed to live in conversation with the architecture of The Monroe Street Abbey. Rather than multiple designs, the focus was intentional: go all in on one statement piece and learn how to execute it efficiently, confidently, and as a team. Before a single flower was placed, Sarah walked students through how to break down a large installation into manageable, repeatable steps—starting with structure.

Working against the clock, attendees came together to create dozens of greenery “snakes” in just 45 minutes: long, flexible foundations that would ultimately form the backbone of the installation. By clearly assigning roles and batching tasks, the process felt focused and surprisingly seamless, turning what could have been overwhelming into something both achievable and empowering. Once installed, the structure came alive with layers of florals, movement, and color, rising through the space and echoing the Abbey’s vertical grandeur. What emerged wasn’t just a showstopping installation, it was a powerful example of how big floral moments are built through planning, teamwork, and a repeatable system that designers can take back to their own work.

Day 2 Fun Facts:

The banskia flower was a really popular flower at this tour stop, along with the coffee break roses. And, everyone was shocked that the amaranthus was at least 3-4ft tall. Some were as tall as our attendees

After day 2 wrapped, the Styled Shoots Across America photographers came in to photograph all of the beautiful florals and decor, along with the help of stunning models. Attendees of the workshops get full access to all professional photos once galleries are completed, which means hands were filled with flowers, minds with inspiration, and portfolios with photos!

Shopping Lists & Pricing

If you are wondering what flowers and products we used to create the large centerpieces at the Phoenix tour stop, we're here to spill all the details.

Flowers: Flowers came from ours sponsor, wholesaler and flower friends over at Jetfresh Flowers.

Floral Software: We determined our recipes, flower counts, and pricing using Details Flowers floral software. Full recipe and pricing for the gorgeous installation will be shared on @intrigueteaches instagram account.

Supplies/Hardgoods: Our friends at Oasis provided a our floral supplies and Nuage provided our linens.

Creative Partners

Photography by @emilybriannephotography

Special Thanks to our 2026 Tour Sponsors:

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