Behind every beautiful bouquet is a person, a story, and a whole lot of creative energy. If you've been wondering who's behind Sonder + Stone, wonder no more. Meet Bronte: founder, creative director, recovering accountant, and the person most likely to get unreasonably excited about a moody burgundy and fig palette.
We sat down with Bronte for a behind-the-scenes look at how Sonder + Stone came to be, what drives the work, and some fast-fire favourites for good measure.
From financial controller to full-time florist. The story is better than you'd expect.
🌸 the origin story
How Sonder + Stone Came to Be
I actually started Sonder + Stone as a creative outlet while I was working in accounting. It began with homewares and home arrangements, something I could do in my downtime that felt more me. As demand for what I was making grew, especially for weddings, it naturally evolved into what it is today: a boutique artificial wedding florist creating modern, elevated designs across Australia.
After 10 years in finance, I knew I wanted more creativity in my everyday. I loved the structure of business, and I still use that side of my brain a lot, but I craved something more fulfilling and hands-on. My business gave me that spark, and once I realised there was a genuine demand for beautiful custom artificial florals, I knew I had to run with it. It was actually during COVID that I decided to quit my job as a financial controller and pursue Sonder + Stone full time. Some people thought I was a little crazy given everything that was going on in the world... but best decision ever.
On Flowers, Design, and Why Faux
I started using artificial flowers when the business was doing homewares, to style the vases we were selling. It was a perfect match for me given I genuinely cannot keep any plant alive to save my life. I realised I had a real love for floral design, which took me quickly from creating arrangements for homes and businesses into artificial flowers for weddings. I love that our couples get to keep their flowers too. There's something really special about that. Plus, when they're styled well and made with high-quality materials, they're just as stunning as fresh. Anyone who's still on the fence about faux has probably only seen the cheap version.
Favourite design so far? That's like choosing a favourite child! But I love working with colour and texture, so any palette that comes to me with that brief is a yes from me. Rich tones like burgundy, fig, and merlot with deep green and soft ivory? Modern romance meets moody luxe. I'm very much here for it.
Artificial flowers have come such a long way, and we're genuinely here to change the perception around them. The bad rep they used to have is shifting, and we're so excited to be part of that movement. You're not limited by season or fragility, so we can get really creative with colour, structure, and scale in ways that just aren't possible with fresh.
What Running Sonder + Stone Actually Looks Like
As a small business owner, I wear all the hats. Accounting, marketing, customer service, design work. No two weeks are ever the same, which I genuinely love. Most days you'll find me deep in design work, managing orders, chatting with couples, prepping for events, and juggling timelines behind the scenes. I'm lucky to have an amazing close team who helps get everything safely packed and delivered to couples around Australia.
The Fast Ones
✨ Favourite flower combo right now? Rich tones like burgundy, fig, and merlot paired with deep green and soft ivory. Modern romance meets moody luxe with organic shapes and texture. Always.
🍸 Go-to cocktail order? Margarita, always.
🌍 Favourite place in the world? Just got back from Santorini. Such a beautiful part of the world.
💡 If you weren't a florist, you'd be...? Probably running another type of business. I could never go back to corporate life, that's for sure.
