Most people attend only one or two weddings a year. This summer, I was at a wedding almost every single weekend, but I was not attending as a guest. I spent my summer interning at Chesapeake Blooms, a small flower shop in Easton, Maryland, and it ended up being one of the best job experiences and most educational but also exciting summers that I’ve had.
I’m in my second year as a student in the Institute of Applied Agriculture at the University of Maryland. When I started this internship, I didn’t really know what to expect or how it would differ from the summer before because this was my second year at Chesapeake Blooms but i knew that i was going to be working a lot more and doing much more hands on work this summer seeing as it was an internship while before it was just a couple hours a week summer job. Being so hands-on and working so much more directly with the arrangements and weddings this summer made it an amazing learning experience.
At the start of the week, things were more routine. We would get our large shipments of flowers, and I’d help unpack, trim, and prep them so they would stay fresh. I also made sure all the plants around the shop were watered and healthy, and I’d go out on deliveries to customers who ordered flowers every week. It wasn’t always easy work, but it gave me a good look at how much work happens behind the scenes to keep a flower shop running.
Toward the end of the week, things shifted more towards wedding mode, and that’s when, in my opinion, it was the most exciting. We’d start designing bouquets, centerpieces, and all the floral decorations for that weekend’s events. This was my favorite part by far. Every bride wanted something different; some wanted bright, bold colors, others wanted simple and elegant, and being part of the process of making their vision come to life was really special. Seeing the finished flowers and knowing they’d be part of someone’s wedding day was such a rewarding feeling.
I learned so much more than just how to arrange flowers. I got better at managing my time because weddings don’t wait; you have to be done on time, no matter what. I learned how to stay calm when things felt stressful and how to get creative while still sticking to a plan.
The people I worked with made the biggest difference. My supervisor was amazing; she was organized but also so supportive, and she made sure I was learning instead of just doing busy work. The other designers were talented and fun to work with, and I always felt included as part of the team.
Looking back, I’m really grateful for the whole experience. Chesapeake Blooms taught me new skills, gave me more confidence in myself, and showed me just how much thought and work go into making weddings beautiful. More than anything, it felt good knowing the work I did helped create memories that people will hold onto forever.
