Late November, early December, I noticed a phone message asking about a bridal bouquet for a small, informal wedding in Cape May happening right after Christmas.
Now, I’m usually very good about returning calls promptly.
But between wreath workshops, evergreen deliveries, and living inside the hoop house at our Cape May flower farm for weeks on end, this one slipped through the cracks. (It happens.)
A few days later, that same person emailed.
I did write back, gently, something along the lines of:
“Honey… take a look around. There are no flowers blooming in December.”
(In a nice way. Always in a nice way.)
But here’s what she was really saying:
“I want local and seasonal for my bouquet.”
Which, of course, is exactly what I try to teach and gently nudge all of you toward here at our small, seasonal flower farm in Cape May, New Jersey.
And how could I say no to that?
As long as she understood this wasn’t going to be peonies or garden roses, but something wintry, textural, and very much of the season, I agreed to try.
And honestly? It turned into a really fun challenge.
Using the greens I had on hand from our wreath workshops, winter berries, a little hellebore (Lenten rose), and one or two camellia stems we had (that winter-blooming shrub I should probably thank Steve for insisting we plant), I pulled together a winter wedding bouquet that felt intentional, seasonal, and quietly beautiful.
I’m kind of ridiculously proud of it.
And it feels like a good reminder for any brides-to-be planning a Cape May wedding:
You can get married in the off-season and still have unexpectedly beautiful “flowers,” if you’re willing to lean into what nature is actually offering at that moment.
A La Carte Wedding Flowers in Cape May (And Why I Only Do a Few)
We’re heading into booking season for next year, and I should probably say this out loud:
I only do a handful of weddings each year here at our Cape May flower farm.
There are two reasons for that.
First, not many brides want A La Carte wedding flowers, because it does mean someone from the wedding party handles pickup and setup.
And second?
Weddings stress me out. There. I said it.
The responsibility is real.
Who wants to disappoint a bride on her wedding day? The pressure is… a lot.
That said, for the right bride, A La Carte can be a total game changer.
If you’re flexible with color, open to seasonal flowers, and willing to take on a small bit of coordination at your venue, you can save thousands.
Really.
Most wedding floral costs come from out-of-season flowers flown in from far away (which, by the way, I always find a little soulless… and usually fragrance-free).
Add in delivery, on-site setup, and breakdown labor, and that’s where prices really skyrocket.
What we do at the farm is the opposite of that.
We grow what thrives here in South Jersey.
We design with what’s in season now.
And we focus on flowers and foliage that actually smell like something and feel alive in your hands.
This winter bouquet was a perfect example of that philosophy in action:
No imports.
No forcing nature.
No pretending December is June.
Just the Cape May flower farm, the season, and a little creative problem-solving.
And sometimes? That’s where the most beautiful arrangements come from.
Planning a Wedding in Cape May?
Or maybe you know someone who’s newly engaged, knee-deep in Pinterest boards and venue tours.
If so, feel free to forward this along.
Our Wedding Page is where you’ll find our free Cape May Wedding Flower Bloom Guide — a handy little download that shows what’s actually blooming here, locally and seasonally, throughout the year.
(Because peonies in August have… thoughts.)
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