Maine bride grows her own wedding flowers after florist demanded $400 for a bouquet. Her 1,500 sq ft garden helped her save thousands

Flowers are an important part of any wedding. But when Mariah Reading from Maine learned from her florist that her wedding bouquet would cost $400, she decided to do things differently. Mariah and her now-husband, David Mainero, grew their own flowers for the September 2026 wedding in the 1,500 sq ft garden that belongs to Mariah’s parents. The unique approach led the couple to save as much as $3,000 and $5,000.

Maine couple grows wedding flowers to save money

According to a report by People magazine, Mariah and David planted a 30-by-50-foot garden. It consisted of 5 long rows of blooms, with the garden costing them approximately $1,000, which included a rented rototiller, seafood compost, locally ordered seeds, loam soil, and a chicken-wire fence to keep the deer out.

Mariah and David first met each other while working as park rangers at Isle Royale National Park in Michigan. By the time they were ready for the wedding, the couple knew they didn’t want to spend thousands of dollars on flowers, especially because they were planning to buy a house. They wanted something intimate and personal.

Colourful blooms reflect wedding theme

Mariah started planting in mid-May. She wished to grow colourful flowers that matched the ‘cusp of summer and fall’ season. From reds, orange, lilacs, greens, chartreuse and pastel purple, the garden was filled with various hues.

There were amaranths, white dahlias and others, adding a pop of colour to the garden and to the wedding later on. ‘I just wanted it to be colourful and vibrant. The theme of the wedding was vibrant, whimsical and fun,’ said Mariah, as quoted by People magazine.

Personal touch beyond wedding traditions

Growing the flowers herself allowed Mariah to feel more personally invested in the wedding arrangements. As per the newlywed, brides often miss a sense of involvement in contemporary celebrations and she didn’t want to be one of them.

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Rather than purchasing items simply because weddings traditionally call for them, Mariah wanted the occasion to reflect their personalities, shared experiences and everyday lives.