Central Square Florist, a locally owned, fourth-generation family flower shop in Cambridge, Massachusetts, has been serving the Metro-Boston area since 1929. With over 90 years in business, the shop has become a trusted source for stunning floral designs, including countless special events and weddings.

This summer, Jackie Levine, Vice President of Central Square Florist and proud fourth-generation florist wasn’t just overseeing day-to-day operations—she was also the bride! For her special day, Jackie turned to her talented team to help create the perfect floral arrangements for her wedding, making her celebration a true reflection of the shop’s rich floral legacy.

We had the pleasure of catching up with Jackie to hear all about her wedding and to get a professional floral designer’s insights on approaching her big day.

Before we dive into your big day, tell us about your role at Central Square Florist and the story behind your family owned and operated business.

Central Square Florist was originally my grandfather’s uncle’s business. In the 1960s, my grandfather purchased it from him, and eventually, my grandmother also joined the family business. My dad, David, became involved while he was still in college. As for me, I started working at the shop from a young age, helping during big floral holidays like Valentine’s Day and Mother’s Day. By high school, I began working more regularly, and after college, I fully joined the family business. My sister, Michelle, also works alongside me.

Much like other business owners, I wear many hats. I’m responsible for the day-to-day operations, but a major focus of my role has been managing and expanding the events side of the business. My professional experiences helped make planning my wedding easier!

How did you balance your professional knowledge of weddings with your personal preferences?

My professional knowledge played a big role in shaping my floral vision, helping me understand what ideas were truly feasible. For example, knowing that my wedding was in July, I was able to choose beautiful Dutch hydrangeas that were in season. We had a lot of arrangements to create, so I selected containers and wholesale decor for events that not only matched the style I wanted but were also practical for production.

Did you have a clear vision of your wedding and supporting events from the start, or did it evolve over time?

As my dad mentioned in his speech on my wedding day, I’ve had my wedding flowers planned for longer than I’ve known my husband (and we’ve known each other for 11 years). I had a clear vision for the colors and certain flowers for a very long time—like many florists do! Over the years, some details changed, but many stayed the same. For example, I always wanted Juliet Garden Roses in my wedding since I was around 13 years old, and that never changed. Over time, my vision refined but I maintained my point of view.

Did you collaborate with another floral designer? If so, did you personally create any floral moments during your wedding?

I’m delighted to share that the Central Square Florist team created all my wedding flowers. I planned the floral varieties with them team, but they took care of the rest! One of our floral designers, Emma Curtis, served as the lead designer, tasked with executing both my floral vision and the overall wedding day. I’m so grateful to everyone on our team for everything they did for me and my husband, Peter.

How did you use flowers to reflect your personality and relationship with your husband?

My husband and I were together for a long time before getting married, and he fully supported whatever I wanted when it came to the flowers. I shared my floral vision with him years ago! One thing that was especially important to me was having dahlias in our wedding, as they’re my favorite flower. However, with our wedding on July 27, it was a bit early for the local dahlia season in New England. After extensive research and reaching out to dozens of dahlia farms outside of New England, I found Griffith Hill Farm in Bucks County, PA. The husband-and-wife owners, Jim and Tina, were the nicest people!

Pictured: Avonlea Compote & Boutique Budvase

The farm was about a five-hour drive from Boston, but without hesitation, Peter agreed to make the trip. On the Sunday before our wedding, we left around 5 a.m., picked up the dahlias, and drove straight back to Boston! It was such a fun and special experience to travel together to get the dahlias the week of our wedding.

Pictured: Dawson Compote

Looking back, what was your favorite floral element of your wedding?

It’s very hard to pick a favorite because I loved all our florals! Besides the dahlias from Pennsylvania, I would say the amazing Dewi Boy Delphiniums that lined ceremony aisle was a stand-out moment. I also loved the garden roses on the chuppah – it featured so many different varieties!

Connect with Central Square Florist online or @centralsqaureflorist on Instagram.

To shop Accent Decor’s wholesale decor for events and wholesale decor including all new and flower, plant and home products, visit accentdecor.com.

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Photo Credit // Lena Mirisola, @lenamirisola