How Couples Are Giving Their Wedding Flowers a Second Life
By Kirsten Beard
As the music fades and the final glasses are cleared, most newlyweds are left with a whirlwind of memories—and an abundance of flowers. For Ally and Greg Davidson, married June 15, 2025, at Orchid House Winery in Aurora, those flowers were more than just décor. They were an opportunity to give back.
“The biggest thing in my mind was florals and how beautiful they are, but how they aren’t always able to be reused, and it’s just for one night,” Ally Davidson says. “I was very excited that they would be reused.”
By donating their flowers to BigHearted Blooms, a Cleveland-based nonprofit that repurposes and delivers flowers to individuals facing health challenges or isolation, the Davidsons were able to share their joy with others.
Founded in 2018, BigHearted Blooms accepts flowers from weddings, corporate events, grocery stores, and funerals. Once the blooms arrive at their facility, volunteers compost what can’t be salvaged through Rust Belt Riders, a Cleveland recycling center. The rest are reassembled into cheerful bouquets and hand-delivered to care facilities across the region.
“By bringing bouquets and personal moments of connection, we boost the emotional health of those facing a variety of life challenges,” says Rachel Uram, director of strategy at BigHearted Blooms. “And we deliver to maybe 150 different care facilities.”
In addition to flowers, the organization also reuses and recycles glass, cardboard, plastics, and floral supplies.
BigHearted Blooms began in founder Sue Buddenbaum’s home with the help of close friends. Inspired by her own cancer journey and her mother’s dementia, Buddenbaum wanted to bring comfort through simple, thoughtful gestures—like an unexpected bouquet.
“She had a huge support system, but she realized not everybody does,” Uram explains. “We really think about the flowers as the vehicle for a moment of connection. Once we bring someone the flowers and have that interaction, the flowers are there to remind people they aren’t forgotten.”
Uram notes that research shows flowers have an immediate impact on happiness and a long-term positive effect on mood. Since its founding, BigHearted Blooms has delivered nearly 60,000 bouquets with the help of over 600 volunteers.
For the Davidsons, giving their flowers a second life was also a family affair—Greg’s mother, Natasha Davidson, and grandmother, Lisa Powers, have long volunteered with BigHearted Blooms.
“His mom had just raved for years about how great it was to be able to deliver flowers to people who needed a brightening of their day,” Ally recalls.
Natasha even recommended their florist, Michelle Touve-Holland, owner and head designer at The Red Twig in Hudson, who frequently works with BigHearted Blooms.
“Since Michelle has worked with BigHearted Blooms, she took care of it all for us,” Ally says. “We honestly didn’t lift a finger. It was all her.”
The couple’s floral design was inspired by a previous trip to Paris.
“It was a lot of color and big blooms,” Ally recalls. “To know that the flowers that came from such an inspiration in Paris and then came to life at our wedding were able to maybe make someone else’s day is really special.”
Greg adds: “It just makes sense. Otherwise, it’s kind of wasteful. What are you going to do—throw them away? You might as well let them be reused.”
For the Davidsons, knowing their flowers could brighten someone else’s day added even more meaning to the celebration.
Jamie Semel, who is getting married in October 2025, hadn’t initially considered flower donation—until her mom reminded her they had done it for her sister’s wedding.
Photo courtesy of Jamie Semel
“It’s something you don’t necessarily think about,” Semel says. “You spend all this money and you
spend months planning these flowers and they’re beautiful and amazing. And then it’s like, ‘What would you do with them?’ So to be able to give them and do it philanthropically is awesome.”
Semel is planning a flower-filled wedding at a warehouse venue in the Flats.
“There will be flowers everywhere,” she says. “It’s obviously a big part of the budget, and to know that money can be further utilized for people—it makes you feel a little bit better.”
Now living in Chicago, Semel says the decision also aligns with her values as a Jewish woman incorporating Jewish traditions into her wedding.
“So much about Judaism is philanthropy and giving back,” she explains. “And there’s not so much I can do as a 20-something trying to survive in Chicago. So to be able to do this makes me feel very, very good.”
For couples like the Davidsons and Semel, donating their flowers isn’t just a thoughtful afterthought—it’s become one of the most meaningful parts of their weddings.
“It’s prompted me to ask my planner and my mom to look into any other similar opportunities,” Semel adds. “There’s so much that I would hope is going to be reused. If that’s possible, and to be able to do that in a way that supports a cause and has a better impact—then that makes it even better.”
How to Donate Your Wedding Flowers: A Step-by-Step Guide
Donating your wedding flowers is a meaningful way to extend the joy of your celebration. Here’s how to make it happen smoothly and successfully.
Step 1: Talk to Your Florist
Start by having a conversation with your florist or wedding planner about the possibility of donating your flowers. Some florists, like Red Twig in Hudson, even bring it up proactively.
“Some clients will ask us, what happens withtheflowersattheendofthenight,” says Michelle Touve-Holland of Red Twig, “and we tell them (that) we (can) donate anything you don’t take with you at the end of the night because a lot of the product or a lot of our centerpieces go out to weddings in containers that they’re already renting from us.”
Florists who offer donation options typically remain mindful during breakdown to preserve the blooms, like putting them in stored coolers, she adds.
Step 2: Plan Ahead
Once you’ve decided to donate the flowers, make it part of your wedding planning checklist. Without a plan in place, it’s easy for the donation to fall through amid the post- wedding chaos.
If your florist is unavailable, identify a point person—whether it’s a family member, a wedding planner, or someone in the wedding party—to handle collection and delivery logistics.
“They don’t want to see the flowers thrown out either,” says Rachel Uram, director of strategy at BigHearted Blooms. “(So) we’d love to get involved with people planning weddings (or) people who are involved in any angle of that process.”
Step 3: Schedule the Pickup
Make sure someone from the florist or your team contacts BigHearted Blooms or the donation organization in advance to schedule the transfer.
“(We make sure) someone from (the) staff reaches out prior to the weddings to make the donation process efficient and scheduled,” says Touve-Holland.
If your wedding is on a Saturday, expect the flowers to be picked up on Monday morning, Uram says. For those not using a florist or event coordinator, family members or members of the wedding party can save the flowers and drop them off on Monday morning, she adds.
Step 4: Know What Can Be Donated
Most flowers are accepted, but arrangements must have stems long enough to fit in a small vase.
“One big floral arrangement from a wedding can make (about) 10 vases,” says Uram. “As long as there’s a little bit of a stem on it.”
Uram adds that wedding flowers are especially valuable donation. Aside from using flowers at the brunch the next day or for other sentimental purposes, for bigger weddings, “there’s more than enough flowers,” she says.
“Most wedding flowers are (of ) such high quality and so fresh that they’re actually fantastic for us,” explains Uram. “They haven’t been sitting around very long.”
Step 5: Keep the Flowers Fresh
If you don’t have access to a floral cooler— especially in the summer—coordinate with the donation organization to find a person who can store the flowers properly.
“We work closely with whoever reaches out to us to try to get as many (of) the flowers as possible,”says Uram.
For summer-time weddings especially, the organization will work with you on how to deliver them to their coolers.
Bonus: No Fees Required
BigHearted Blooms does not charge for its services—though donations are always appreciated.
By donating your wedding flowers, you give your beautiful blooms a second life, bringing joy to hospital patients, nursing home residents, and others in need.
To learn more or start the donation process, visit bigheartedblooms.org.