photos by Christian Bursch
Far left, Tracy Omann-Smith cuts flowers for a Valentine’s arrangement from Daisy a Day.
Near left, Tracy Omann-Smith (left) and her sister, Tiffany Omann-Bidinger work hard on their flower arrangements.

Surrounded by family, Tracy Omann-Smith, arranges flowers in a vase on Valentine’s Day.

“This is the busiest Valentine’s Day I can remember,” Omann-Smith said as she waded through flower petals coating the floor.

Customers consistently enter and then exit with gifts for loved ones; arrangements leave to be delivered; and designers delicately and expertly place flowers in arrangements.

Valentine’s Day is one of the busiest days for the owner of Daisy a Day, a flower shop in St. Joseph, but this day she also had flower arrangements to create for five funerals and all while being nine months pregnant with her fourth child and due any minute.

“I just have to make it to six tonight,” Omann-Smith said. “The goal is to deliver flowers today not a baby.”

The store has been busy the last six months, which has allowed her to build up her stamina and be comfortable on her feet for long hours, Omann-Smith explained.

While walking and talking, Omann-Smith creates flower arrangements and directs orders to be delivered. With 10 extra delivery people and eight designers, Omann-Smith said the help and experience is a great benefit.

Her mother and father cut their Texas vacation short after Omann-Smith was in the hospital for a few hours last Friday with contractions.

“We came back to help in case she had the baby,” said Renee Omann, as she carried a tray filled with dollar bun sandwiches to help feed the staff.

Other designers Erin Shermak and Tiffany Omann-Bidinger took the day off at their regular jobs to help out.

“We usually pull all-nighters the night before and it is stressful,” a sleep deprived Omann-Smith said, “but exciting and very satisfying at the end of the (Valentine’s) day.”

Making everyone happy and creating the feeling everybody is special today is the most satisfying part of the job, Omann-Smith said.

“There are a lot of happy and surprised women today,” Shermak added.