SJF SPRING 2025 FINAL 4_5_25

C E L E B R AT I O N S + C E R E M O N I E S

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SPRING 2025

SPECIAL SECTION

SLOW WEDDINGS + ELOPEMENTS

LOCAL BLOOMS ADORN CEREMONIES AND RECEPTIONS

ALSO IN THIS ISSUE GROWER'S CHOICE

A CUSTOM-GROWN FLORAL STUDIO WHERE WE BLOOM

THE GARDEN OF VOWS BUSINESS OF FLOWERS

FROM SEED TO CEREMONY

THE WEDDING ISSUE

EDITORIAL DIRECTOR Debra Prinzing CREATIVE DIRECTOR Robin Avni

LOVELIGHT PHOTOGRAPHY

COPY EDITOR Brenda Silva CONTRIBUTORS Becky Feasby, Jayson Munn, April Vomfell PHOTOGRAPHERS Nikki Collette, Dawn Derbyshire, Craig Goodwin, Lovelight Photography, Ashley Meier, Amy Messenger, Jayson Munn, Alli Nurthen, Skyewater Photo and Film, Michael Tallman, The McKissacks, April Vomfell, Wildly Yours Photography, and Scott Zuehike ON THE COVER Vibrant botanicals from Flathead Farmworks add joy to one couple’s unforgettable “adventure elopement” at Montana’s Glacier National Park.

The hyper-local florals were grown and designed by April Vomfell of Flathead Farmworks, including the personal flowers and cake décor, and extras for photography styling.

COVER PHOTOGRAPHER Jessica Shepherd, Lovelight Photography @lovelightmontana © 2025 by SLOW FLOWERS JOURNAL and BLOOM Imprint. All rights reserved.

No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system or transmitted, in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwise, without prior written permission of the publisher.

love & flowers.

Welcome to our 2025 Celebrations + Ceremonies issue!

This is the second time we devoted an entire issue of Slow

Flowers Journal to flower-centric weddings (the first such issue was published in Spring 2023 and you can see it here).

This issue is filled with so many gorgeous botanicals, inventive floral design and installations, and practical approaches to sustainability. We love the generous business advice from some of our contributors, too. Alanna Messner-Schott of Waverly Flower Co. shares how her studio engages couples in wedding planning, including hosting customized ribbondying sessions with plant-based dyes. We are also grateful to April Vomfell of Flathead Farmworks for sharing her “Seed to Ceremony” approach to wedding florals.

As we have been preparing this edition of Slow Flowers Journal to share with you, we are anticipating the long-awaited May 6th publication of The Flower Farmers: Inspiration & Advice

from Expert Growers—the book that we’ve spent much of the past 18 months creating. We wanted to share a favorite piece of this project with you, so please check out page 48 to read “Floral Futures,” the fantastic Epilogue that Becky Feasby of Prairie Girl Flowers contributed to its pages.

Congratulations to all this season’s couples, their vows, their ceremonies, their flowers, and their love!

Debra + Robin SLOW FLOWERS JOURNAL

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CONTRIBUTORS

spring.

APRIL VOMFELL is a flower farmer and floral artist in northwest Montana near Glacier National Park. Her business, Flathead Farmworks, has been providing specialty cut flowers to her local area for a decade. She focuses primarily on weddings using 100 percent local flowers, typically from her urban farm. With a background in publishing, public libraries, technology, and marketing, April enjoys both the creative and practical sides of running a small business.

She also offers consulting for farmers, florists, and other entrepreneurs. flatheadfarmworks.com @flatheadfarmworks

BECKY FEASBY completed her gardening and landscape design training in New York, Calgary, and Chicago, and she has trained with many leading floral designers who specialize in environmentally-friendly floristry and who support the Slow Flowers Movement. Becky works as the Horticultural Therapist at the Alberta Children’s Hospital, where she oversees the design and management of more than five acres of gardens and works with inpatient and outpatient clients throughout the hospital.

Becky also recently completed her Masters degree in Sustainability at Harvard University. In creating Prairie Girl Flowers, Becky wanted to utilize all of her training to bring sustainable beauty to Calgarians – and to cultivate a change in the floral industry. She believes that change makes florals better for the planet and creates opportunities for people to make a conscious choice that supports local growers and the environment. prariegirlflowers.com @prairiegirlflowers

JAYSON MUNN is based in Burlington, Vermont. Owner of Jayson Munn Design, he specializes in creating inspired arrangements for weddings, corporate events, and photo styling throughout New England, never veering far from his gardening influences. Jayson’s formative years shaped his love of botanicals, nurtured in the woods, fields, and at the river’s edge. With more than three decades of experience and a life-long passion for plants and the garden, Jayson continues to create floral masterpieces – from classic, modern, rustic and elegant, to something new altogether. Today, he is a thoughtful community builder, educator, and floral artist. jaysonmunn.com @jaysonmunndesign

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SPRING 2025

6

45

25 10

35

departments

6

WHERE WE BLOOM

the garden of vows.

Local flowers and foraged botanicals adorn an elegant greenhouse.

45

SLOW WEDDINGS + ELOPEMENTS

Enjoy our collection of wedding florals designed by our Slow Flowers creatives. a selection of bouquets, boutonnieres, installations, tabletop,

THE BUSINESS OF FLOWERS

from seed to ceremony.

Cultivating your niche as a wedding farmer-florist.

49

special section

FROM THE HEART

floral futures.

On the importance of florists and flower farmers as sustainability stewards.

and yes, two glamping tents!

10 15 20 25

mountain high. sense of place. into the woods.

30 35 39

custom-grown. lapel looks. evergreen.

love of color.

SLOW FLOWERS JOURNAL

5

WHERE WE BLOOM WRITTEN BY DEBRA PRINZING PHOTOGRAPHY BY BY CRAIG GOODWIN

garden of vows.

Local flowers and foraged botanicals adorn an elegant greenhouse.

Designer and garden-maker Jessi Bloom envisioned a Pacific Northwest setting nestled in a forest, at the heart of which a glass greenhouse offered intimacy and sanctuary. The owner of NW Bloom – Ecological Landscapes, Bloom set the stage for a captivating micro-wedding as the centerpiece of her 2025 Northwest Flower & Garden Festival installation.

Titled “The Garden of Vows,” the project earned NW Bloom a Gold Award and the show’s “Best Use of Horticulture” award.

Filled with spring-blooming perennials and shrubs, the lush display garden surrounds a LAMS Glass Greenhouse, a French-made aluminum structure finished in black powder coating.

A dormer tops an inviting set of double doors, fitting for a space reimagined as an intimate chapel.

Inside, a Corten steel moon gate frames the ceremony space; rustic wood benches flank a center aisle.

The garden’s majestic "wishing tree" welcomes imaginary wedding guests to hang their wishes or prayers. Layers of native perennials and edible and medicinal plants selected for climate resilience and thoughtful details like "bug snugs" and bird habitats

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SRRING 2025

SLOW FLOWERS JOURNAL

7

WHERE WE BLOOM

nurture connections between

In addition to the white lilies, the

and healing. She consistently

nature and humans.

Terra Bella Flowers team selected

integrates these themes into her

other white-and green-blooming

landscape design work, and her

flowers (roses, hellebores, ‘Green

2018 book, Creating Sanctuary:

Trick’ dianthus) and flowering

Sacred Garden Spaces, Plant-

cherry branches. Magnolia

Based Medicine, and Daily

branches were rescued from an

Practices to Achieve Happiness

arborist’s pruning project, adding

and Well-Being (see sidebar).

Bloom asked Slow Flowers Society to introduce her to a floral designer who could collaborate on The Garden of Vows, and Melissa Feveyear of Seattle-based Terra Bella Flowers was pleased to join the project’s design team. “Jessi wanted the space to evoke a magical, forest setting,” Feveyear explained. “We used an all-whiteand-green botanical palette, with different types of ferns, foliage plants, and fragrant white lilies.

I wanted the greenhouse to feel very dramatic, so we added

8

structure and height. A large, moss-covered “mother log,” foraged from Vashon Island, where Feveyear lives, visually anchored the moon gate to the stone floor. “We also used cedar, which was Jessi’s request for its cultural significance here in the Northwest,” Feveyear said.

“People want multifunctional spaces in their gardens, and a greenhouse can be a great solution,” Bloom explained. “It makes a lot of sense for sacred gatherings, small weddings, or even a sitting area.” As an intimate, eco-friendly environment, The Garden of

candlelight to bring a beautiful,

Bloom describes her garden

Vows was an immersive way to

reflective quality to the space.”

as a haven, a space for vows

experience a garden as sanctuary.

SPRING 2025

CREATING SANCTUARY Sacred Garden Spaces, Plant-Based Medicine, and Daily Practices to Achieve Happiness and Well-Being

By Jessi Bloom Photography by Shawn Linehan Timber Press, 2018, 236 pages Transform your life through a mindful connection to the land you inhabit— no matter its size—and learn to use its powerful gifts to find contentment and well-being. Holistic garden expert Jessi

COMING MAY 6, 2025

Bloom shares her knowledge of outdoor

FROM ABRAMS BOOKS AND BLOOM IMPRINT

design, plants and their healing qualities, and proven self-care routines to help you create your own personal oasis of rejuvenation.

RESOURCES GARDEN DESIGN | NW BLOOM WEBSITE INSTAGRAM

FLORAL DESIGN | TERRA BELLA FLOWERS WEBSITE INSTAGRAM

GREENHOUSE | VERSAILLES GARDENS WEBSITE INSTAGRAM

ORDER YOUR COPY HERE

SLOW FLOWERS JOURNAL

9

SLOW WEDDINGS + ELOPEMENTS | SPRING 2025 PHOTOGRAPHY BY JESSICA SHEPHERD OF LOVELIGHT PHOTOGRAPHY

MOUNTAIN HIGH Local flowers are the perfect accompaniment with Glacier National Park as the backdrop

F

LATHEAD VALLEY IS CONSIDERED THE WESTERN GATEWAY to Glacier National Park, one of the most stunning destinations for hikers and for couples who head to the mountains for their wedding vows and photography. Living and growing flowers in Kalispell, Montana, in the northwest corner of the state, gives April Vomfell of Flathead Farmworks the opportunity to serve couples who want the rugged outdoor experience for their special day.

Amelia and Jay were drawn to Glacier National Park for their August elopement, a beautiful and personal ceremony. “It was just the two of them and the photographer, which is something a lot of couples want to do,” Vomfell explained. “I work with Jessica Shepherd of Lovelight Photography quite a bit. Her elopement packages take care of everything for the day. She picks up the couple, drives them into the national park, brings the flowers, a cake, and a picnic with champagne – all for an intimate, adventurous experience.”

Bright floral colors in an analogous mix of bold pink, fuchsia, berry, coral, and periwinkle hues were on the bride’s wish list. Vomfell was delighted to accommodate, harvesting straight from her onequarter-acre garden to compose a bouquet and pocket boutonniere

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SPRING 2025

PLANNING FOR CUSTOM GROWING Most weddings are booked to take place between April 15 and October 15. To keep track of flower production for a packed season filled with dozens of events, Messner-Scholl says she color-codes each client and slots them into an at-a-glance field plan.

“We have what I call five floral micro-seasons – spring, late spring, high summer, late summer, and early fall. So, each micro-season gets its own garden map,” she explained.

“Essentially, we have five maps for each of the growing locations organized by color.” Specific dates are noted chronologically so that enough of each needed flower crop is planted.

Two other factors add to Waverly Flower Co.’s success: 1. Even though the proposal contains photos and suggested floral ingredients, Messner-Scholl doesn’t guarantee any specific variety. “We say what’s likely to be in bloom and what will fit the client’s aesthetic style at that particular time of year.

While we can’t ever guarantee any one type of flower, we always promise to provide florals that match their vision and color palette.”

2. While Waverly Flower Co.’s goal is to produce all of the flowers for each client’s wedding, there are times when they must supplement from other farms. The Philadelphia

SLOW FLOWERS JOURNAL

23 13

MOUNTAIN HIGH featuring dahlias, peonies, zinnias, sweet peas, snapdragons, marigolds, asclepias, Japanese anemone, Veronica, flowering mint, and dianthus.

“I love things that are wild, flowery, and delicate – more flowers and less greenery,” she said. “A lot of people use whimsical and playful when they describe my design style. I want my bouquets to have personality.”

The groom’s floral tie coordinated perfectly with the vibrant bouquet and pocket boutonniere, with similar florals used to decorate the petite wedding cake. Extras included the bride’s addition of a denim jacket, as well as picnic props and emergency umbrellas provided by the photographer.

WEDDING + ADVENTURE Adventure elopements are on the rise, says Jessica Shepherd, of Lovelight Photography. “We are definitely driving our couples around mountain bends and chasing sunrises or sunsets,” she explained. “It’s a really different experience than a little backyard elopement or a courthouse elopement. The whole point is that people are getting to experience their wedding day and make these beautiful memories with their partner.

We take our time and stop at

Vomfell enjoys the creative process of designing for elopements

incredible mountain vistas, rather

because she always has plenty of flowers from which to choose.

than rushing all day.”

“Obviously, I know the colors and the quantities I need, but I

Lovelight Photography provides full-

literally take the bucket and clippers outdoors and choose all the

service event planning, handling all

individual flowers that I love as I harvest.”

of the details for a couple’s outdoor

The demand for Montana destination weddings continues to

a little tricky because our weather is

be strong, she said. “I typically receive 150 inquiries a year, and right now, I can take 15 to 20 per season – it’s what my farm, and my cooler, and my van can handle.”

In the past few years, Flathead Farmworks has gradually shifted toward wedding design exclusively, away from wholesale sales and a seasonal CSA program. As a result, Vomfell has added more perennial crops and reduced the quantity of dahlias she grows. If she needs to augment any specific flower for an event, there is a growing number of nearby flower farms to which she can turn.

“There are more than a dozen local growers in the Flathead region now, so I’m not worried about trying to grow things that I

getaway, rain or shine. “Glacier’s really wild. You can go from falling snow to sunshine and 70 degrees all in one day. It can be so spectacular and stunning!”

Couples who are traveling to the area for their adventure elopement are essentially planning a vacation and they rely on Shepherd and her team to advise them on every detail, from lodging to all of the vendors, including flowers. “We love Flathead Farmworks,” she added. “April’s flowers feel very right for Montana because they’re grown here in Montana.”

don’t need or don’t need to make space for.”

Often when clients are traveling to the area for their ceremony, they arrange to pick up their flowers in person. “I love it when

LOVELIGHT PHOTOGRAPHY

they come here, because they get to see where everything was

WEBSITE INSTAGRAM

grown, and I can watch as they start to comprehend that their flowers are all from right here,” Vomfell said. “Whether they are getting married in the national park or at another nearby venue,

FLATHEAD FARMWORKS WEBSITE INSTAGRAM

they tell me they want their flowers to match the setting, the landscape, the time of year. The reason they come to Montana to get married is because they love what Montana represents.

SLOW FLOWERS JOURNAL

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SLOW WEDDINGS + ELOPEMENTS | SPRING 2025 PHOTOGRAPHY BY SARAH SCHADE OF WILDLY YOURS PHOTOGRAPHY

SENSE OF PLACE Romantic florals for a summer elopement in Northern Michigan

A

N ABUNDANCE OF EXTRA EVENT FLOWERS PROMPTED HAILEY French of Pachamama Floral Design to conjure the elopement story of her dreams and bring it to reality. To express her vision, French partnered with Lost Woods, a 160-acre micro-resort in Northern Michigan, not far from where Pachamama’s studio is based. The venue is known for its sustainable practices, and French has foraging privileges that allow her to cut from its forests and meadows. “Our area is a destination for people who want to get married by the Great Lakes. It’s a very seasonal place and once Memorial Day hits, everyone starts to come up here,” French explained.

She reached out to Sarah Schade, a photographer whose work she admired, to suggest that they collaborate on the styled shoot. The couple, past clients of Schade’s, had eloped themselves one year earlier and agreed to serve as models.

French highlighted the wilder places at Lost Woods and also used one of its luxury glamping tents as a backdrop. “Lost Woods hosts micro-weddings here, which is fun because guests can come and stay on the property. It’s an eco-conscious way of hosting a smaller

SLOW FLOWERS JOURNAL

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SENSE OF PLACE event,” she added. “Doing something small is always better for the environment, plus it’s budget-friendly.”

As it was late-September, she centered the botanical story around pastel zinnias and ‘Queen Red Lime’ zinnias, peachypink dahlias, white and apricot lisianthus, Sedum ‘Autumn Joy’, and pale cream sunflowers, as well as pink and white cosmos from the Pachamama cutting garden.

The late-summer tones of a grassy meadow complemented the explosion of florals used to decorate the wedding table.

“We wanted it to look like everything was growing from the ground beneath the table, so we also foraged the greenery from this location.”

She encourages the use of more florals for elopements and micro-weddings. “I love it when people invest in really gorgeous décor, really beautiful flowers, delicious food, expensive drinks – elements that make the couple and their guests feel special. It’s easier to make 30 guests feel special than inviting 250 people and placing a bud vase on each table,” she pointed out.

French named her studio Pachamama, which means Mother Earth. “When I was creating my business, I saw how much waste was happening in the wedding industry. Then, I worked with Molly Culver of Molly Oliver Flowers, a sustainable floral designer. Her approach was definitely what I wanted for my business.” she said.

Most of Pachamama’s wedding bookings occur during Northern Michigan’s peak season, from Memorial Day through Labor Day. “I like to make sure that my designs reflect our landscapes and use what’s in season here. This photo shoot came together naturally, because all of our gorgeous florals bloom in Michigan at the end of the summer.

We’re not using tropicals or orchids, which I find hard to grasp. I allow the flowers I use to speak for themselves.

I want them to feel like they’re meant to be here at this specific moment.”

PACHAMAMA FLORAL DESIGN WEBSITE INSTAGRAM

LOST WOODS WEBSITE INSTAGRAM

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SPRING 2025

SLOW WEDDINGS + ELOPEMENTS | SPRING 2025 PHOTOGRAPHY BY THE MCKISSACKS

iNtO thE wOodS Flowering a late-summer wedding in a forested amphitheater

B

RENDEN AND HAILEY FLEW TO THE PACIFIC NORTHWEST from New York for their late-August ceremony at Copper Creek Inn, a historic lodge located just outside the gates of Washington’s famed Mount Rainier. Their family and guests walked along a fern-lined trail leading through the tall evergreens to arrive at a forest clearing where a floral-adorned birch-pole huppah stood on an elevated stage. Cedar slab benches provided seating beneath the canopy of firs and cedars, where the tranquil and verdant setting was enlivened by Sweet Alyssum Farm’s warm-toned summer florals.

“I called the palette ‘earthy brights,’ because the flowers pop against the lush, green scenery,” explained farmer-florist Alyssa O’Cotter, owner of Sweet Alyssum Farm.

The clients contacted O’Cotter after learning about her from the venue, where she is a preferred vendor. “They reached out to me because I use my own sourced local flowers and they gave me a lot of control over the design, which they wanted to be wild and flowery.” One-hundred percent of the botanicals came from Sweet

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SPRING 2025

INTO THE WOODS Alyssum Farm, a flower farm, wedding, and camping venue on Vashon Island.

The ceremony was flowered with an arrangement on the stone steps.

The woodland-inspired huppah was decorated with seasonal foliage, vines, and focal flowers placed asymmetrically on the upright posts. Green-centered sunflowers, coral and orange dahlias, trailing burgundy amaranth, white statice, and fragrant honeysuckle vine draped naturally from the structure, enclosing the sacred place for Brenden and Hailey’s vows. Because the location was relatively shaded, O’Cotter only needed a water source for individual dahlia stems. “I try to be as minimal (with mechanics) as possible, especially when I’m designing on-site,” she said of the chicken-wire and branch décor.

After the ceremony, the couple and their guests transitioned to the reception area, where a magnificent, curved table stretched through an opening in the woods. O’Cotter designed one large arrangement for each table, adding smaller bud vase groupings filled with accent stems. Focal flowers (sunflowers, dahlias) echo those used on the huppah, with additional texture coming from rudbeckia, echinacea, cosmos, marigolds, and hypericum. Tabletop styling included candlesticks and a sage-green runner.

SWEET ALYSSUM FARM WEBSITE INSTAGRAM

COPPER CREEK INN ASHFORD, WASHINGTON WEBSITE INSTAGRAM

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SPRING 2025

SLOW WEDDINGS + ELOPEMENTS | SPRING 2025 PHOTOGRAPHY BY DAWN DERBYSHIRE

LOve Of cOLOr In Western Pennsylvania, locally grown blooms reflect one couple’s exuberant spirit

T

HE MAY 4TH CEREMONY AT WILLOWBROOK WEDDINGS, an estate venue outside of Pittsburgh, was perfectly timed for peony season, as well as for a gorgeous selection of spring blooms – ranunculus, tulips, phlox, lilac, anemones, and other varieties – pumped out by local flower fields.

Floral designer Jessica Stewart, owner of Bramble & Blossom, listened to the description of the vibrant florals Ashley and Micky envisioned for their ceremony, and incorporated many of their favorite elements. “Ashley told me she wanted a rainbow palette without the color-blocking. She loved color and she wanted bright, bright, bright,” Stewart said. It was evident to Stewart that the bride’s favorite pink-and-red floral pairing was key, but she also selected other intense values – including coral, apricot, lavender, and indigo. “These colors look great against the ocean blue of the men’s ties and the bridesmaid dresses,” she noted. “The venue is very natural and everything there is glass and wood, so we knew the flowers would shine.”

The couple infused their personalities and family stories into many

SLOW FLOWERS JOURNAL

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LOVE OF COLOR aspects of their ceremony and reception. They commissioned a large cross, custom-made by a close family friend, to stand in front of the ceremony location. Stewart and the woodworker discussed the need for the cross to be sturdy enough to support the floral installation. “I’ve worked at this venue before and it’s often really windy on that dock,” Stewart pointed out.

Everything remained in place during the outdoor ceremony, despite the rainy weather.

The floral piece measured more than 48-inches-long and was designed on a chicken-wire-and-Oshun-pouch base attached with zip ties. “The challenge with this design was to keep it from looking heavy,” Stewart explained.

Its design repeated blooms in the bridal and attendants’ bouquets, with the addition of lilies, irises, and honeysuckle vines.

“I added the curly shoots of garlic scapes at the last minute!”

The florals reappeared at the reception, suspended horizontally over the photo booth. The beautiful barnwood tables were unadorned, while linen napkins and stemware continued the vibrant blue palette from the ties and dresses. The floral rainbow continued to the table with bud vase groupings.

“If you want a tabletop that doesn’t break the bank, but has a lot of impact, the bud vases are a good choice,” she said. “At the end of the night, we took the bud vase flowers, made them into bouquets, and handed them to guests as they left the party.”

Stewart said she loved working with clients who added meaning to their special day with displays of family heirlooms

FLORAL DESIGN | BRAMBLE & BLOSSOM WEBSITE INSTAGRAM

DAY OF PLANNER | WILDLY LOVED INSTAGRAM

CATERING AND VENUE | WILLOWBROOK WEBSITE INSTAGRAM

and mementos. “That’s what I’m most attracted to, when folks share their hearts, share their family stories, and of

HAIR AND MAKEUP

course, their own love story,” Stewart said. “It’s such a rarity

BLOOM BEAUTY PARLOR

when a client asks for a bright palette, and says, ‘Just get us the

INSTAGRAM

best that’s local!’ What came from them giving me so much freedom was something quite beautiful.”

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SLOW WEDDINGS + ELOPEMENTS | SPRING 2025 PHOTOGRAPHY BY ALLI NURTHEN AND ASHLEY MEIER

CUSTOM GROWN Waverly Flower Co. treats couples to a personalized wedding floral experience

W

ITH A DISPLAY GARDEN THEY CALL THEIR “SHOWROOM,”

Alanna Messner-Scholl and her team at Waverly Flower Co., based in the Philadelphia area, offer seasonal and locally grown florals for the weddings they design. But more importantly, they involve couples in the growing process to add meaning to the experience.

“It’s the heartbeat of what we do,” Messner-Scholl maintained.

“Once I saw the reaction from our brides and grooms, and understood how special it was for them, I realized we were onto something here.”

The showroom-like cutting gardens are located at Waverly Flower Co.’s studio in Schwenksville, Pennsylvania. The business operates on the second floor of a historic barn. The display gardens are comprised of six large raised beds, which are changed out seasonally and also support workshops and private U-Pick bookings. Messner-Scholl maintains production beds on acreage where she lives and grows more flowers on her parent’s one-acre property located nearby.

Curated growing began in early 2023 when Messner-Scholl decided to plant delphinium, foxglove, and sweet peas for a couple’s June

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SPRING 2025

PLANNING FOR CUSTOM GROWING Most weddings are booked to take place between April 15 and October 15. To keep track of flower production for a packed season filled with dozens of events, Messner-Scholl says she color-codes each client and slots them into an at-a-glance field plan.

“We have what I call five floral micro-seasons – spring, late spring, high summer, late summer, and early fall. So, each micro-season gets its own garden map,” she explained.

“Essentially, we have five maps for each of the growing locations organized by color.” Specific dates are noted chronologically so that enough of each needed flower crop is planted.

Two other factors add to Waverly Flower Co.’s success: 1. Even though the proposal contains photos and suggested floral ingredients, Messner-Scholl doesn’t guarantee any specific variety. “We say what’s likely to be in bloom and what will fit the client’s aesthetic style at that particular time of year.

While we can’t ever guarantee any one type of flower, we always promise to provide florals that match their vision and color palette.”

2. While Waverly Flower Co.’s goal is to produce all of the flowers for each client’s wedding, there are times when they must supplement from other farms. The Philadelphia

SLOW FLOWERS JOURNAL

13

CUSTOM GROWN ceremony. By the 2024 season, her design studio served close to

PLANNING FOR CUSTOM

40 ceremonies, custom-growing flowers for most of those events.

GROWING

“Our couples love knowing that their flowers are truly grown for them,” she said. “They feel like they are part of their wedding story and feel more connected to their flowers.”

The floral process begins with an extensive inquiry form that asks couples to share typical event details, as well as floral preferences.

Waverly Flower Co. responds within a few days, sending a proposal with a “mini-look-book” of proposed flowers and a seven-day “soft hold” on the couple’s wedding date. “We encourage them to set up an in-person meeting, or schedule a phone call or Zoom appointment, within the next five days. Eighty to 90 percent of people who receive our proposals are interested in meeting,” Messner-Scholl explained. Once there is a contract and a 20-percent deposit, the crop planning moves forward.

Long before the wedding, the couple is invited to be part of the flower farming process, such as touring Waverly Flower Co.’s display gardens a full year prior to their ceremony to “meet” the flowers and palettes that may appear in their own nuptials. “We have a high number of varieties planted here, so that people can see a lot of options when they visit,” Messner-Scholl explained.

She added, “In February, they custom-dye their ribbons with a local textile artist, and our own flowers will be used to naturally-dye new ribbons later this season. In early May, brides and grooms are invited back to help direct-sow some of their own floral varieties.

We’re not really putting them to work,” she laughed. “Our goal is to have them feel as connected to the flowers that are going to surround them on what is hopefully the biggest day of their life.”

Messner-Scholl believes that custom-grown flowers (and the approach she offers couples) should be viewed as a luxury wedding element, rather than a budget-saving approach. As she builds Waverly Flower Co.’s brand and services, Messner-Scholl’s goal is that her special, curated-just-for-them approach will justify higher wedding budgets and attract clients willing to spend what the service requires.

“Our team puts a lot of love, effort, and individualized attention into each and every one of our custom-grown weddings. Along with the related experiences, like the garden tours and the ribbon

Most weddings are booked to take place between April 15 and October 15. To keep track of flower production for a packed season filled with dozens of events, Messner-Scholl says she color-codes each client and slots them into an at-a-glance field plan.

“We have what I call five floral micro-seasons – spring, late-spring, high-summer, late-summer, and early-fall. So, each micro-season gets its own garden map,” she explained.

“Essentially, we have five maps for each of the growing locations organized by color.” Specific dates are noted chronologically so that enough of each needed flower crop is planted.

Two other factors add to Waverly Flower Co.’s success: 1. Even though the proposal contains photos and suggested floral ingredients, Messner-Scholl doesn’t guarantee any specific variety. “We say what’s likely to be in bloom and what will fit the client’s aesthetic style at that particular time of year.

While we can’t ever guarantee any one type of flower, we always promise to provide florals that match their vision and color palette.”

2. While Waverly Flower Co.’s goal is to produce all of the flowers for each client’s wedding, there are times when they must supplement from other farms. The Philadelphia region has two floral collectives that can supply larger quantities when needed. Messner-Scholl said her “secret sauce,” though, are avid gardeners in her community.

WAVERLY FLOWER CO. WEBSITE INSTAGRAM

workshops, I believe that we are creating bespoke experiences that can be priced accordingly,” Messner-Scholl said.

SLOW FLOWERS JOURNAL

33

SCOTT ZUEHIKE

SLOW WEDDINGS + ELOPEMENTS | SPRING 2025 PHOTOGRAPHY BY JAYSON MUNN

Lapel lOoks Elevated and exquisitely composed, boutonnieres from Jayson Munn Design capture the moment and reflect the wearer’s personality

J

AYSON MUNN OF BURLINGTON, VERMONT, IS A FLORAL ARTIST and educator. He’s also a longtime gardener who clips from his own yard and relies on local flower farms for his designs. Jayson considers boutonniere design as deserving of the same level of detailed attention as a bouquet or other wedding florals. “The boutonniere is often an afterthought; something that some designers throw together at the last moment. But I think of the boutonniere as floral jewelry for the day of your wedding.”

Munn wants to talk with the person who will wear the floral pieces he designs. “I always say, ‘I want to know your suit, your tie, your shoes, even your socks—so we can figure out what florals will look best.”

Just as brides are asked about bouquet preferences, Munn wants to know if the boutonniere-wearer has a favorite flower “I also ask about hobbies or particular interests,” he added.

Case in point, there was the guy who wore a bowtie patterned with

MCHAEL TALLMAN

fishing lures, reflecting his favorite pastime. Munn designed

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LAPEL LOOKS

JAYSON’S TIPS FOR AN ELEVATED BOUTONNIERE DESIGN PROPORTION: “The size of the boutonniere should reflect the size of the person you’re decorating,” he explained. “If you’re making flowers for a full-figured or very tall person, perhaps a tiny flower isn’t going to show well.”

DESIGN: The boutonniere should complement the attire of the wearer, enhancing the patterns, colors, and textures of their attire, as well as the overall floral concept. “I like very simple, clean boutonnieres,” he said, such as a sprig of two open hellebore flowers with a hellebore bud—perfect for a winter ceremony. Or, for a groom wearing a floral shirt, striped tie, and patterned suit, Munn selected a quiet cluster of artemisia and rosemary bound by twine. If a gathered boutonniere needs a MCHAEL TALLMAN

little “extra,” he adds a detail at the base of the design, such as a small, single bloom (delphinium, stock, or straw flower), or a berry attached with a decorative pin or bead.

HYDRATION: Munn often leaves boutonniere stems long, a boutonniere that included the types of delicate feathers used by fly fishermen, as well as an actual lure.

before the finishing touches are applied, and holds them in a small cup of water to keep hydrated. He recommends selecting botanicals that hold well out of water, including dried or foraged elements from nature. “If I have good product,

Munn prefers the “garden-style”

especially if it’s locally grown, the flowers will hold up well,” he

boutonniere, which involves gathering

pointed out.

stems of individual botanical elements into a mini-bouquet; then securing them with a decorative cuff or wrap— no twisted wires or floral tape, which Jayson calls the “pigtail” style. To create a boutonniere “cuff,” he inserts the stems into something hollow, such as bamboo, a cinnamon stick, or an equisetum, which then becomes another design element. If the boutonniere stems are tied, Munn also

LABELING: Munn creates a name tag for all personal flowers, including boutonnieres. He handwrites tags himself or asks a calligrapher to do it, using the person’s actual name rather than “Uncle” or “Dad,” just to take away any guesswork.

TRANSPORTATION AND PRESENTATION: The way boutonnieres are delivered is also an opportunity for photography. “I’ll take a tray with moss and line up all the boutonnieres, which I transport inside a cake box,” he said. The display is attractive and will absolutely capture the attention of a savvy photographer.

uses narrow ribbon, twine, or bind

ATTACHING THE BOUTONNIERE: Even though the planner, the

wire. “I’ve even used the tendril of a

planner’s assistant, or the groom’s mother would like to handle

grapevine or a magnolia leaf to wrap

this assignment, Munn has a proven method to correctly secure

the stems,” he said.

the piece to the lapel. He uses two 1-1/2-inch boutonniere pins and attaches them from the back of the lapel, crisscrossed as

JAYSON MUNN DESIGN

an “X.” This holds the heaviest part of the boutonniere so it

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stays snug to the lapel.

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SLOW WEDDINGS + ELOPEMENTS | SPRING 2025 PHOTOGRAPHY BY SKYEWATER PHOTO AND FILM

EVERGREEN Late-summer dahlias and a garland of hops adorn a glamping tent for a Northwest micro-wedding

H

ER STYLING CONCEPTS BEGAN WITH A BUMPER CROP OF peach and orange dahlias from her cutting garden, said designer Lori Poliski of Flori, based in Woodinville, Washington. She knew that as a signature focal, the rich, warm-toned blooms would look dramatic against the grove of stately conifers at Evergreen Gardens, a wedding venue based in Ferndale, Washington, close to the Canadian border.

The designer collaborated with several other creatives who are part of Emerald Hour, an association of sustainable wedding vendors (see sidebar). Emerald Hour invited members to participate in its photography ‘content day,’ and Poliski envisioned an elopement narrative that would complement the outdoor setting. “Evergreen Gardens has an amazing, mature landscape, including large specimen trees,” she said. “We wanted to design something very textural and use the bright floral color against the evergreen trees.

Luckily, I had all of these peach and orange dahlias, plus dried alliums, echinacea seed heads, crocosmia pods, and Katsura foliage to work with.”

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39

EVERGREEN While Poliski harvested almost everything from her cutting garden, she also relied on the gardens of a few neighbors and friends. She brought her sustainability approach to the photo shoot, using compostable ingredients, including containers made from a corn husk byproduct. “It is especially important for a destination wedding, because if somebody accidentally tossed an arrangement, it would be fine.”

Stylist Kiira Portet, owner of Evergreen Event Company, who is also an officiant, planned the ceremony to take place in front of a canvas glamping tent, one of five at the location. “The Pacific Northwest is considered a popular elopement destination, because of our mountains and outdoors. It’s fueled by Instagram and Pinterest, and people see those beautiful pictures and they want it for themselves,” she said.

Poliski’s lush botanical displays – a mix of the dahlia arrangements and verdant ferns – lined either side of the ceremony location, while a garland of lime-green hops vine framed the setting.

All of the styling props were borrowed or bartered, reflecting the designer’s support of a shared economy. She even borrowed the models, Seamus and Maddie, friends of her niece, who are engaged to marry later this year.

“Our photography will show a prospective couple that they can have a really fun elopement,” Poliski said. “They can make it look lush and green and have fun pops of color and it can be seasonal and use local flowers.”

Personal florals expressed a carefree vibe. Poliski’s concept for the monochromatic bridal bouquet was based around the ‘Bed Head’ dahlia; its curly, vibrant orange petals complemented other melon-hued dahlias. Lime-green hops cones dangled from the bouquet, which was finished with a botanically-dyed ribbon from Silk & Willow.

The floral pocket square incorporated an orange dahlia, with sage, fern, lunaria, hypericum, and fruit from a crabapple tree.

Poliski challenged herself to make the piece without using glue.

She sandwiched the floral stems between sheets of beeswax and SLOW FLOWERS JOURNAL

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GREENER WEDDINGS Emerald Hour’s mission is to inspire and empower wedding professionals to create more sustainable events in the Pacific Northwest.

According to Hannah Paukstis, owner of Hummingbird Event Co., a co-founder of Emerald Hour, four wedding professionals came together to address some of the industry’s wasteful ways, and to brainstorm how they might inspire change. Emerald Hour was launched in early 2023 and currently has more than 60 members representing a wide range of services – from planners and photographers to floral designers, beauty professionals, food and beverage providers, wedding venues, and rental companies.

“It is so much easier to create a community when we can connect with each other, regularly work together and refer business to one another,” she explained.

The group recently staged the Sustainable Wedding Show, a oneday event with interactive displays, tastings, educational presentations, and giveaways. Last fall, Emerald Hour produced its second Content Day, at which Lori Poliski of Flori LLC collaborated with others to design the elopement story seen in this story.

“We invited all of our sustainable vendors to participate,” Paukstis said.

lightly applied heat to seal things in place. The finished bundle was wrapped with silk ribbon before it was inserted into the groom’s jacket pocket.

The stunning sweetheart table was adorned with an array of black and natural-colored accessories, including ceramic pottery vases by Shelby Bond, which Poliski filled with the complementary blooms, arranged along a soft textile runner.

“We generated the most beautiful

Portet praised the sense of collaboration between all of the

content that everyone is now using

participating vendors and she believes the resulting visual

in their marketing today.” Later this

story will inspire future clients. “I think people realize that

summer, members will participate in

weddings cost a lot of money, and especially here in the Pacific

the “wedding season survival series,” in-person events for networking and socializing. There is also a destination retreat planned for fall.

42

EVERGREEN

SPRING 2025

Northwest, they want to spend their money on their values.

Hiring vendors that align with those values is also important to younger generations who we know will research whether a company is sustainable and what their practices are.”

FLORAL STANDARDS A practical guide for harvesting and delivering professional quality products Written by FLOWER FARMERS

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FLORALS | FLORI LLC, WEBSITE INSTAGRAM

VENUE | EVERGREEN GARDENS WEBSITE INSTAGRAM

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MAKEUP: JADE MADISON ARTISTRY INSTAGRAM

CAKE: JAMES STREET CAKES WEBSITE INSTAGRAM

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from seed to ceremony.

Cultivating your niche as a wedding farmer-florist When I started growing cut flowers 10 years ago, I had no intention of getting into weddings. I assumed that people would request roses and other flowers I didn’t want to grow. But in my second year, I started getting requests for wedding flowers and I quickly learned that my assumptions were wrong. There were many couples who wanted to buy local flowers, who wanted something unique, who often said, ‘I don’t want roses.’”

Initially, I didn’t have a strict, local-only policy for wedding flowers.

Then one year, I booked a wedding in mid-May, which I thought was safe based on previous years. Here in northwest Montana, zone 5b, we sometimes have lilacs and other perennials blooming by mid-May. But spring emerged especially slow and almost nothing was blooming, so I ordered American-grown flowers from a wholesaler. The flowers were lovely and long-stemmed, but they didn’t feel like the ones I

KNOW WHAT YOU CAN GROW Promising flowers for a wedding, usually months in advance, can be stressful if you’re new to growing flowers. For the first few years, I sold primarily to local florists and local businesses. By the time I was doing multiple weddings each summer, I had several years of growing experience – and seasonal knowledge – under my belt. For a few seasons, I tracked yields to establish my own average harvest dates for many flower varieties, and I continue to edit my crop selections as I learn what grows best in my climate.

grew. They didn’t have the same personality and movement, and I wasn’t able to hand-select each bloom for its nuanced color the way

FLATHEAD FARMWORKS

I could with my farm-grown flowers. That’s when I decided to set a

WEBSITE INSTAGRAM

creative limitation: offer weddings using only local flowers, usually from my own farm.

Since then I have created floral designs for nearly 200 weddings, with almost all of the flowers coming from my very small urban farm, and some sourced from other growers just a few miles away. So if you’ve been feeling a pull to this type of business model, know that it’s possible. Here are my tips based on what I’ve learned over the past decade: Be clear. Communicate your commitment to local flowers clearly and often. As I added more clarity to my website and client emails, I learned that the more clearly I describe what I do and why, the easier

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THE BUSINESS OF FLOWERS it is for my ideal clients to find me.

Now at the initial inquiry, I can usually tell whether they read my website and are excited about local flowers or if they’re just looking for a price.

Establish your boundaries.

Because I’ve set my creative limitations, it’s easy to identify when an inquiry won’t be a good fit; that’s when I offer a referral to another farmer or florist. For instance, I rarely take on winter weddings unless the client is excited about dried flowers. And I know I can’t do greenery-heavy installations in early summer,

processing, and email templates

you want your business and

because our foliage isn’t sturdy

for the entire wedding process.

lifestyle to coalesce. After a few

enough for the heat and intense sunlight.

Simplify your recipes. If you’re used to creating detailed recipes

years of weddings, I learned that I enjoy doing most of the design work myself and don’t want to

Create a system. It can be tough

and then ordering those flowers,

to juggle the demands of farming

you might need to adjust your

and weddings at the same time.

methods. It’s simpler to write

As soon as I had several weddings

recipes based on flower types or

each month during the summer,

sizes, with an average price for

it became clear that producing

each category. This method has

those weddings, growing flowers,

served me well for many years,

I recognize this business model

corresponding with clients,

allowing me to set pricing and

isn’t for everyone, but if you’ve

booking future weddings, and

create proposals without deciding

been saying “YES” in your head

staying on top of contracts and

which flowers I’ll be using until

while reading this article, I hope

payments was a recipe for burnout.

much closer to the event. I don’t

you’ll feel empowered to go for it.

So I revamped my wedding process

promise specific flowers to clients;

It is possible to grow and design

and started using Dubsado, a

instead I focus on turning their

with entirely local flowers, to

CRM (customer relationship

color palette and inspiration

connect with clients who are

management) software tool.

images into something that fits

thrilled to find you, and to feel a

Now I have digital proposals and

their personalities and wedding

deep sense of alignment with the

contracts, automatic payment

vision.

work you’re doing.

reminders and online payment

Find your scale. This will depend on the size of your farm, whether you want to hire help, and how

46 SPRING 2025

seek out additional land to grow more flowers. Finding that clarity for myself has helped to quiet the “what ifs...” about all the other options I could be pursuing.

SLOW FLOWERS PODCAST HIGHLIGHTS

top five.

Slow Flowers Podcast Episodes (November 2024 – March 2025)

EPISODE 689 | NOVEMBER 6, 2024 Marigold and Mint Botanicals’ Izzie Klingels on flowers as an artist’s medium WATCH HERE

EPISODE 692 | NOVEMBER 27, 2024 Floral designer Jayson Munn on living slow and seasonally, letting the garden be your aesthetic influence.

WATCH HERE

EPISODE 695 | DECEMBER 18, 2024 New Cut Flower Seeds for 2025 + Flower Breeding News with Hillary Alger, Joy Longfellow, and Lindsay Wyatt of Johnny’s Selected Seeds.

WATCH HERE

EPISODE 704 | FEBRUARY 19, 2025 Sweet Pea School with Marryn Mathis of The Farmhouse Flower Farm.

WATCH HERE

EPISODE 706 | MARCH 5, 2026 Flori’s Lori Poliski on the Art of Pot-et-Fleur, A Large-Scale Design Demonstration with Plants, Cut Flowers, and Foliage.

WATCH HERE

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50

FALL 2024

FROM THE HEART STORY BY BECKY FEASBY PHOTOGRAPHY BY NIKKI COLLETTE

MARY GRACE LONG

floral futures.

A gentle plea for sustainability to nuture the planet.

THE FLOWER FARMERS The changing of the seasons grounds us in the present. The

Inspiration & Advice from Expert Growers

progression of the year’s four seasons helps us relate to our

By Debra Prinzing and Robin Avni

environment in ways that can provide sustenance, beauty, and clues as to what might lie ahead. Seasonal flowers do this, too: They ground us in time and place. They provide a meaningful and ecologically relevant way to engage with our environment. Stated more simply: Flowers just make sense.

Flower farmers across North America (and beyond) are working hard to change our expectations of what is possible with locally grown, seasonal flowers. But more than that, they are offering what feels like a magical bouquet of solutions to the pressing challenges posed by climate change.

As the world grapples with the escalating impacts of global warming, decreased biodiversity, and pollutions, it is the growing number of small-scale, local flower farmers who are emerging as a beacon of hope, offering meaningful benefits for both the environment and communities.

At its core, local flower farming embodies the principles of sustainability and environmental stewardship. By cultivating flowers close to their point of consumption, farmers minimize the carbon footprint associated with

Foreword by Christina Stembel, Farmgirl Flowers Epilogue by Becky Feasby, Prairie Girl Flowers Abrams Books, 2025 Twenty–nine of today’s most inspiring flower farmers present stories how–to–cultivate expertise, and favorite new varieties in a lushly photographed guide to feed your every floral fantasy. The Flower Farmers presents a curated group of favorite growers, from industry leaders to pioneering newcomers.

Each grower shares their specialty knowledge and seasonal practices, so that readerswill be able to create a similar relationship with flowers and discover sustainabletechniques for their own gardens. Gorgeous photography illustrates each farmer’sprofile, highlighting the beauty of their farms, floral passions, and the flowers themselves.

ORDER YOUR COPY HERE

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FROM THE HEART

transportation. They also promote biodiversity and conservation efforts by cultivating a variety of flower species suited to local climates and soil conditions. They act as literal on-the-ground agents of change, helping to support a sustainable future that includes all of the beauty that is possible with locally grown flowers.

The most frequently quoted definition of sustainability comes from the UN World Commission on Environment and Development and the 1987 Brundtland Commission Report: “Sustainable

greater than the whole. Excluding

local flower farming emerges as a

development is development that

some pieces means that there are

tangible way to mitigate climate

meets the needs of the present

holes. Not using thread to sew

change while nurturing vibrant

without compromising the ability

together all the pieces? You have

and resilient communities. As

of future generations to meet

nothing but unusable scraps. The

Rebecca Solnit stated so beautifully

their own needs.” This means

golden thread that keeps the pieces

in Orwell’s Roses, “[a] flower is

thinking outside of ourselves and

together is ultimately what makes

a node on a network of botanical

working in a way that protects the

sustainability work? Community.

systems of interconnection and

environment and society in ways that ensure our children (and their children) can inherit a healthy Earth. It also means understanding that the future will be what we make of it right now.

As I have studied sustainability at Harvard University over the past several years – and as I currently write my thesis on the environmental and social life cycle of roses grown in North America – I

regeneration.” It is indeed this kind of interconnection and regeneration that makes the Slow Flowers movement so powerful and so desperately needed during this intense period of climate change.

So, celebrate your local flower

I often think of sustainability as

have been reminded of the fragility

something along the lines of a

of not only our planet, but of our

patchwork quilt: pieces of fabric

egos. Change feels hard. And hard

that are sewn together in a way

work is daunting. The stories of

that makes the sum of the parts

flower farmers remind us of the

This essay is excerpted from Becky

value of hard work and how small

Feasby’s Epilogue that appears in The

actions can lead to sweeping change.

Flower Farmers.

As consumers increasingly prioritize ethical and environmentally conscious choices, supporting

50

SPRING 2025

farmers. Buy from them. Enjoy seasonal flowers. Your brains will thank you. And so will the planet.

SLOW FLOWERS MANIFESTO Slow Flowers aims to reconnect flower consumers and floral professionals with the source of their flowers. We believe that when the origin of all botanical varieties sold to consumers and florists is clearly labeled, we place higher value on local, seasonal, and sustainably grown florals, used artistically to express beauty.

SLOW FLOWERS COMMITS TO THE FOLLOWING PRACTICES 1. To recognize and respect the seasons by celebrating and designing with flowers when they naturally bloom.

2. To reduce the transportation footprint of flowers and foliage by sourcing as locally as possible.

3. To support flower farmers small and large by crediting them when possible through proper labeling at the wholesale and consumer level.

4. To encourage sustainable and organic farming practices that respect people and the environment.

5. To proactively pursue equity. inclusion. and representation in the floral marketplace. intentionally valuing Black floral professionals and farmers. floral designers, and vendors of Color in our business practices with as much support as we give to environmental sustainability.

6. To eliminate waste and the use of chemical products in the floral industry.

The Slow Flowers Movement puts a priority on sourcing local and domestic flowers.

In a way, this also means that we redefine beauty. As a Slow Food chef cooks with what is seasonally available, a Slow Flowers florist designs with what is seasonally available.

slowflowerssociety.com I @slowflowerssociety © Slow Flowers LLC