Here are our “Big 5” reasons why source matters to Bloom Magic Weddings.

The industry of floriculture, or growing flowers, has a long history.  At Bloom Magic Weddings, we are committed to sourcing locally and or domestically whenever possible.  This choice informs our business methods and our design aesthetic. It enables us to create works with a unique and deeply personal quality.  It is something we are very passionate about!

1.  The purity of the process

 When you know something about the farm, you know how the flowers are grown.  Looking for organics?  You will have trouble finding this with flowers grown overseas.  In Equador, where the world’s largest commercial rose production has been operating for decades, pesticides and synthetic fertilizers are part of the deal.  This is harmful for the earth, the water supply, and the workers.  Flower production in the USA is subject to strict labor and environmental regulations.  All this helps produce a purer bloom that is safe for those tending and arranging alike.

2. Grown, not flown

Sourcing domestically (and from Canada) supports sustainability. While most of the flowers sold in the US are predominately flown in from South America or Holland, the amount of flowers being imported is enough to fill seven daily flights to Miami six days a week.  And from there, the flowers have to be flown again or trucked to reach the point of sale.  Choosing local, seasonally grown flowers is an earth friendlier purchase.  Not to mention freshness!

3. The Renaissance of Flower Farming

The American cut flower market has historically struggled against foreign growers that can price their stems more competitively.  Recently,  there is indeed a groundswell for cut flowers as American farmers are adding and expanding their offerings, and creating a demand for luxury and peak harvesting.  BMW follows many of these farms, and uses their flowers in wedding work.  We are pleased to curate a collection of flowers to tell a couple’s love story and share with them the faces and places that are part of their florals.  Similar to the slow food and wine movements, BMW appreciates and educates clients about where our flowers come from.  People are often surprised we can get flowers twelve months of the year from American growers.

4. Another place for life-long learning

As we are continuously studying, visiting, growing here in Highland Park, and following our farmers on Instagram and the like, we are blessed with an endless supply of knowledge and encouragement from the American flower community.  Color or a type of flower is not enough; we explore eco friendly mechanics, we take on challenges such as designing to feature a particular seasonal bloom (click HERE to see my azaelea picture which was published in Houzz.com) and we develop friendships with one another.  It is a community currently relying heavily on Zoom and Instagram, but nonetheless, we take care of each other and grow together.  And there is always more to share and learn.

5.  Supporting Small Business Owners

1. It’s no secret that the biggest flower farms in the USA are in California, and some have greenhouse space that covers more space than 5 Wal Marts. Yet there are so many smaller flower farmers who are carrying on a family tradition, like the Hahn family at California’s Rosestoryfarm.com,  or who left another career to pursue a dream, like Niki Irving of Flourish Flower Farm who left her life in education to start a farm in Asheville, NC. We peruse their emails each week and place orders.

Bloom Magic Weddings is proud to be chasing its dreams, as I am another person who fell under the floral spell at a young age with my mom, and left behind work lives in education and wealth management.  It is often long hours, overwhelming, and promotes sore feet from days standing in the studio or garden, but it is the best job I have ever had.  There is nothing like making a bouquet and handing it over before the ceremony, and saying “These flowers were grown for you on your wedding day.  Carry them with love.  That’s how they were grown.”

This blog article was researched with articles from the USDA and The Slowflowers Journal.  You can learn more about flower farms and local sourcing by visiting

www.Slowflowers.com, Thefloralsource.com, and Americangrownflowers.org.  I am proud to call many of the people behind these groups, my friends, mentors, and those who inspire me. And you heard that from the source. 🙂 

– Kirsten Gordon