On an island where beauty and community are so deeply intertwined, even the smallest details of a celebration can carry lasting impact. Second Bloom MV is a reflection of that ethos—a thoughtful initiative rooted in the idea that the joy of an event shouldn’t end when the last guest leaves. By giving floral arrangements a second life, this inspiring non-profit transforms what might otherwise be discarded into meaningful moments of connection across the Island. I spoke with Rae Carter, founder of Second Bloom MV about the story behind its beginnings, the power of repurposing, and how the event industry can embrace a more sustainable, community-centered approach.
What inspired you to start Second Bloom MV, and how did the idea of giving event flowers a “second life” take root?
After I observed a lovely wedding at the East Chop Lighthouse, the rental company returned to pick up their chairs and the trellis, which had been adorned with gorgeous hydrangeas, ranunculus and baby’s breath by the florist. The rental company proceeded to cut all the flowers off the trellis and toss them to the ground. When I approached the man, he said that he needed the trellis back, but didn’t want the flowers attached to it. Not wanting to let these beauties to go to waste, I proceeded to gather up bouquet after bouquet of flowers and brought them to friends and people in the area. Later that day, I thought, if that happened here, it must happen all across this island many times over. Martha’s Vineyard is typically a place for destination weddings, and as such, guests are not in a position to keep the florals since they are traveling. So I thought, if a group of us could recover the flowers from weddings and events, we could deliver them to those who could use a little joy in their life; patients at the hospital, hospice clients, food pantry clients, etc. After sharing the concept with a few friends, they wholeheartedly supported the idea. Thus, Second Bloom MV was born. The event industry can produce a surprising amount of waste.
How does floral repurposing help shift that narrative toward something more sustainable and community-centered?
Flowers elevate the beauty of events, provide a memorable backdrop for photos and often have personal significance for the wedding couple or event hosts. Having Second Bloom MV, an all volunteer non-profit, repurpose and deliver the flowers throughout the community, couples and hosts can feel good about sharing the joy of those flowers, which were meaningful to them and their event. Many in the event industry–planners, florists, and venues, hate to see the florals wasted, but they are not in position to repurpose them. They have a business to run and have neither the time nor the staff to do it. This is where Second Bloom comes in. With an all volunteer group, we have the time to pick up, repurpose and deliver the flowers. Volunteers, who are the backbone of Second Bloom, experience the joy of working with the flowers and delight in delivering them. So many in the community have enjoyed these flower deliveries. Recipients include MV Hospital, Hospice, the Food Pantry, Red House, Camp Jabberwocky, Island Elderly Housing, Center for Living, Community Services, Island Autism, libraries, schools and senior centers. Stillpoint in West Tisbury has very generously allowed Second Bloom to use their space to store equipment and arrange the flowers. The thrift shops on the island have been very helpful to Second Bloom by donating vases that can be used to deliver the bouquets.
As Earth Month reminds us to think about sustainability, what small changes can event hosts, planners, or florists make to reduce waste and make celebrations more environmentally thoughtful?
Event hosts, planners and florists can all reach out to Second Bloom MV through the website, secondbloommv.org or email secondbloommv@gmail.com to coordinate the pick up of flowers. Coordinating ahead of the event ensures that Second Bloom has the volunteers necessary to pick up, repurpose and deliver the flowers. One way that events might be more environmentally thoughtful is to consider not just the day of the event, but what comes afterwards and how items from the event could be repurposed and utilized again.
This article is published as a part of The Grapevine–a monthly email newsletter dedicated to our local events and culinary scene. Click here to subscribe to the Grapevine.