When it comes to weddings with heart, it’s often the smallest gatherings that feel the biggest. Caroline and Henry’s celebration at the Tilghman Island Inn was a perfect example of how floral design can take center stage at an intimate event—and how thoughtful, intentional choices can make your florals work harder, last longer, and create more meaningful moments.
A Floral-Focused Celebration
With just 30 guests, Caroline and Henry were able to make every detail count—and as flower farmers and designers, that’s music to our ears. Smaller weddings give us the opportunity to be really intentional with each bloom, leaning into lush, garden-style designs that feel personal and immersive rather than overwhelming.
For their waterfront ceremony, we designed a pair of asymmetrical floral installations for the wooden arbor—wild and natural, using seasonal blooms cut fresh from our fields, in soft pastel tones that echoed the waterside landscape. Framing the aisle, we placed a low, romantic garden of flowers that gave the entire dock a sense of gentle abundance.
Making the Most of Every Stem
One of the most impactful (and eco-conscious) floral strategies for intimate weddings is repurposing. For Caroline and Henry, we carefully designed their aisle gardens with versatility in mind. After the ceremony, these same floral pieces were transitioned into low, centerpiece-style arrangements for their dinner tables—keeping the floral story continuous and giving the flowers a second life.
Not only does this approach stretch your floral budget further, but it also ensures the beauty and emotion of your ceremony lives on throughout the reception.
Why Intimate Weddings Are a Floral Dream
When you’re designing for 30 instead of 130, every floral detail can be intentional. Instead of spreading your budget thin, you can focus on lush focal points, custom personal flowers, and pieces that feel tailored to your space and style. For flower lovers and design-focused couples, an intimate guest count gives florals the breathing room to truly shine.
Caroline carried a gathered bouquet full of texture and soft color—a reflection of the seasonal bounty from our fields. We also created floral accents for the welcome table and bar, all using the same palette of pastel garden roses, snapdragons, lisianthus, and flowering foliage.
Photography by Maggie Morris Photography
