One often-overlooked aspect of wedding design is the choice of flowers. While exotic blooms may seem appealing, there’s something truly special about incorporating locally-grown flowers into your wedding décor. Imagine a lush bouquet of dahlias, each uniquely perfect, framed by a dancing chorus of delicate cosmos and the sweet scent of…lemon? Basil? Cloves? Something just a little difficult to place yet evocative of summery gardens or the vase of flowers on your grandmother’s kitchen table. It’s really unlike anything you’ve seen before and a far cry from the cookie-cutter bouquets sold by traditional florists.
But you may ask, what’s the difference? “Seasonal flowers, grown by local farmers, can elevate any floral design, making it absolutely unique,” explains our expert, Hillary Gottemoeller, a founder of Ferdinand Loves Flowers floral design studio and a passionate advocate for locally-grown flowers and the innate beauty of gardens, farms, and forests. With her guidance, let’s explore how embracing locally-grown flowers can infuse your event with a distinct and unforgettable charm.
MEET THE EXPERT
Founded in 2022 to provide exquisite, local-first floral design to the Washington DC area and its beautiful surroundings, Ferdinand Loves Flowers was inspired by The Story of Ferdinand the Bull, a children’s tale of a fighting bull who prefers the simple joy of sitting in a meadow, smelling the flowers.
Ferdinand’s founder and lead designer, Hillary, traveled a winding career path to land finally on a flower farm. There, she recognized the moral of Ferdinand’s story and began to express a lifelong love for “making things pretty” in the medium of flowers.
Her years at the farm gave her an appreciation for each exquisite bloom she’d worked so hard to bring to life. Ferdinand’s style is thus inspired by the beauty of the mid-Atlantic region’s gardens, farms, and forests. Locally-grown flowers and greenery form the core of Ferdinand’s designs, giving each event a look unique to its season.
All featured bouquets and arrangements are made by Ferdinand Loves Flowers.
Terroir
Terroir is defined as “the characteristic taste and flavor imparted to a wine by the environment in which it is produced”. Locally-grown flowers can reflect the beauty of the local landscape and situate your wedding in a time and place, giving the floral designs a sense of terroir, like a good wine. In the more temperate areas of the US and Europe, flowering branches, daffodils, and tulips announce that it’s spring. Dainty wildflowers accompany the shift to summer, while dahlias speak of late summer and fall. Heirloom chrysanthemums, antique hydrangeas, and winterberries follow the frost and herald the holidays.
In any given region, the window of availability will be slightly different. In the mid-Atlantic states, we have peonies in May. In New England and the upper Midwest, it’s June. In Alaska, it’s July. With different climates and growing conditions, West Coast brides may enjoy a whole other palette of flowers. Roses, for example, love sunny California. And, of course, the flowers that we consider exotic in the US are known as “wildflowers” in Australia!
Sustainability
On the East Coast of the United States, most roses and other” traditional” cut flowers like carnations and mums are imported from South America, where they are grown at scale in large, climate-controlled greenhouses, making them available year-round. Getting them here has a huge environmental impact, as flowers are treated for pests and fungi, packed in layers of plastic and cardboard, flown thousands of miles in refrigerated conditions, and distributed to grocery stores, big-box outlets, and mass-market florists.
On the other hand, locally-grown flowers typically travel less than 100 miles from farm to florist. Your local grower uses minimal packaging and delivers her flowers in buckets of water, so they’re fresher and in better condition than flowers in transit or held for a week or more. Most flower farms in the US are small family ventures farming just one to five acres. The majority are women-owned, and many of them are dedicated stewards of the environment, employing sustainable growing methods to support the health of our people and planet.
"Some flowers only bloom for a week or two each year, giving you the privilege of having something absolutely unique and special. You can find a bouquet of roses and eucalyptus at the grocery store. Why would you want that on your wedding day?"
Seasonality
It’s the scale of the small farms that really makes their product stand out. They grow delicate flowers that don’t ship well, like poppies and cosmos. They grow labor-intensive crops like dahlias, which are difficult to grow in large quantities. They experiment with heirloom varieties and dabble in creating new hybrids, so they always have something special to offer. Though many of them employ some methods of “season-extension,” they cannot compete with large-scale farms in terms of creating the conditions to grow crops year-round, so they grow spring flowers in spring, summer flowers in summer, and fall flowers in fall.
A luxury florist who prioritizes locally-grown flowers will have personal relationships with several growers who are passionate about their craft and committed to producing high-quality blooms that are fresh, fragrant, and full of character. They will also know how to leverage the best of what’s available on your wedding day.
More than likely, her grower is calling her with tips on the most extraordinary and unique flowers, such as, “Foxtail lilies are blooming this week, but I only have five; can you use them?” Trust your florist to know which blooms will enhance your vision and be rewarded with genuinely show-stopping designs.
Personalizing Your Design
Finally, opting for locally-grown flowers gives you the opportunity to personalize your wedding design in ways that imported blooms simply can’t match. Whether you’re incorporating flowers from your own garden or choosing varieties that hold special significance to you and your partner, locally-grown blooms allow you to infuse your wedding décor with personal touches that reflect your love story. From heirloom roses passed down through generations to fragrant herbs that evoke cherished memories, these flowers can add depth and meaning to your celebration in truly unforgettable ways.
Slow Flowers
The Slow Flowers movement followed the Slow Food movement in advocating for a shift to local and seasonal products. “Many of us now make a habit of buying organic, shopping at farmers markets, and dining at restaurants that reflect our values. We pride ourselves on supporting local and minority-owned businesses and using our purchasing power to protect the planet. As consumers have grown more aware of where their flowers come from, small specialty cut-flower farms have enjoyed a renaissance worldwide,” shares Hillary. You now have a choice, and choosing local flowers is a win all around.
