Walk into Celebrations and it doesn’t take long to understand why it’s become a staple in Pensacola for over three decades. The scent, the fresh blooms, the greenery, the color and the nostalgia everywhere is a feeling worth revisiting over and over.
For Susan Saxton, who has spent 29 years at Celebrations and more than 35 years as a florist, that feeling hasn’t worn off.
“Just being able to see God’s creation every day,” she says. “Flowers are just so beautiful. You get so excited—look at this peony, look at this garden rose. You just get goosebumps seeing them.”
It’s that kind of reverence that’s quietly built Celebrations into what many locals consider an institution.
Susan Saxton, Florist at CelebrationsCelebrations’ story starts humbly, in a garage, before growing into the full-scale floral and gift destination it is today. Founded in the late 1980s by Debbie Turner, alongside Mary Alice Price and Alice Weller, the shop has evolved into something much bigger than flowers.
Today, it’s not just bouquets. It’s a full experience.
You’ll find a greenhouse filled with potted plants, curated gift items, candles, lotions, blankets, and what they call “Euro gardens,” arrangements of multiple plants styled together in baskets or ceramic pots. It’s the kind of place where you come in for one thing and leave with three.
And that growth hasn’t gone unnoticed by the team.
“It’s grown so much,” says Lori Howerton, Director of Operations. “But by far the best part is the people I work alongside. They are the most incredible, talented people I’ve ever been around. They inspire me every day.”
While Celebrations is busy year round celebrating seasons, holidays, weddings and everything in between, Mother’s Day is a special time of year.
Inside the shop, it’s all hands on deck. Susan alone expects to create at least 50 bouquets, while the shop overall will produce somewhere between 300 to 400 arrangements.
Mother’s Day at Celebrations isn’t just about traditional definitions. It’s about honoring the people who’ve stepped into that role in all kinds of ways.
Because as Susan puts it:
“Everybody has a mother.”
But for many, that extends beyond biology, to mentors, friends, grandmothers, or the women who simply showed up when it mattered most.
That’s where Celebrations really shines. Whether it’s a classic bouquet, a blooming plant, or a gift bundle designed to “wrap mom up in happiness,” the goal is the same:
Make someone feel seen.
In a world of quick texts and last-minute gifts, flowers remain one of the simplest, most meaningful gestures.
“It always brightens everybody’s day,” Susan says.
And maybe that’s the magic of a place like Celebrations. It’s not just about what you’re buying, it’s about what you’re saying without words.
