A Mother’s Love
When the Bride’s Mother Grows the Wedding Flowers
One of my favorite parts about designing flowers for weddings are the personal touches that each couple brings to the design. For some, this could be including irises as a tribute to the groom’s grandmother or using only three varieties of flowers in the bridal bouquet to represent the bride’s three siblings. The personal touch for this August wedding went above and beyond, as the bride’s mother decided to grown the majority of the florals from seed.
The Story Behind the Blooms
Fulfilling a life long dream, the bride’s mother had decided to open a flower farm in Michigan as a retirement project. Her daughter’s wedding was to be a test-run for this larger-scale project. She used her backyard of her Chicago home as a small-scale flower farm– starting the seedlings of zinnias, gomphrena, and rudebeckia indoors during the winter and transplanting them into neat rows when the frost lifted. By the summer, her yard was a lush, jungle of blooms and vegetables.
About a month before the wedding, we walked through the garden together identifying the blooms that would be at their peak on the wedding day. It was a collaborative process, the bride pointed out her favorites and I shared which blooms would provide balance for color, shape and texture.
Her mother entertained us with stories about how she protected her garden from hungry bunnies and the cicada brood. It was clear to me that each flower had been carefully nurtured by the bride’s attentive mother, from the delicate cosmos to the sturdy “dinner plate dahlias.” I was immediately excited about how many wonderful varieties would be available for the wedding day.
The Design Process
I had never attempted a project of this nature before, but their enthusiasm was contagious, and I knew I wanted to be a part of this uniquely, special event. The bride supplied me with some inspiration photos featuring blooms in hues of peach, cream, pink, and blue. We decided the overall design should reflect the natural, wild beauty of her mother’s garden.
A few days before the wedding, I brought a Uhaul truck up to the garden. We loaded the van to the brim with buckets of hot pink dahlias, pale yellow sunflowers, and fluffy grasses. In order to match the bride’s dream color palette, I added some peachy ranunculus and roses from my wholesaler along with pale blue delphinium and fiery snapdragons.
For each arrangement I used foam-free floral mechanics: chicken wire, ceramic vases, and other sustainable materials to create designs that felt organic and free-flowing, much like the garden itself.
Lowell designing the floral pillar at Bond Chapel
The Wedding Day
On the day, the flowers were absolutely spectacular. The bride carried a bouquet with fluffy cream dahlias, peachy roses, and zinnias that shimmered in the light. Each time she looked at her bouquet, she could see her mother’s love in each beautiful petal. Outside the church stood a lush floral pillar which marked the entrance to the floral wonderland that had transformed the Bond Chapel.
The altar was adorned with cascading vines and colorful blooms. Two large urns framed the couple as they exchanged their vows, and the aisle was dotted with smaller arrangements. The bride’s gown has lovely floral embroidery, which matched the arrangements beautifully. Guests felt as though they were witnessing a fairytale wedding where the magic came from the beauty of her mother’s hard work
Inside Bond Chapel
A Lasting Memory
This wedding was a lovely reminder of the importance of family and the beauty of hard work. For the bride and her mother, the flowers were more than just decorations—they were a symbol of their bond, a treasure in their memory of the day.
As a floral designer, it was an honor to be part of such a meaningful celebration. Working with flowers that were grown with intention and care reminded me of why I do what I do. It’s not just about creating beautiful designs; it’s about telling stories, celebrating connections, and honoring the love that brings people together.
Wedding reception at Moody Tongue Brewery
Final Thoughts
If you’re planning your wedding and looking for a way to make your day even more special, consider incorporating flowers that hold personal significance. Whether they’re grown by a loved one or sourced from a meaningful place, these blooms will add a layer of depth and beauty to your celebration that will be remembered for years to come.
#WeddingFlowers #SustainableFlorals #MotheroftheBride #FoamFreeDesign #ChicagoWeddingFlorist #GardenGrownBlooms
