The Flower Company

A beautiful flower arrangement will always put a smile on someone’s face. And that’s just what floral artist Marjorie Calise, owner of The Flower Company in Marmora, loves to do. Her colorful blooms are arranged effortlessly, creating a lovely balance of colors and textures.
Her inspiration: Making something unique.
The seed — that would eventually turn into a passion for floral design — was planted when Marjorie began working with her mother in the garden at the shop she owned. There, she found herself drawn to combining greens and blooms together to make something special.
“Working with my mom in her garden and watching her do floral design became natural for me to express myself,” said Marjorie. “I continued through high school with classes and loved the beauty and creativity.”
After graduating from the University of New Hampshire with a degree in Horticulture, Marjorie opened her own gardening business where she designed and installed elaborate perennial gardens on the shores of Lake Sunapee in New Hampshire. But, she knew her passion was somewhere else.
In 2016, the idea for The Flower Company bloomed. She started with weddings and events with the hope of having a brick-and-mortar store one day. When she found a great storefront in Marmora she decided “go for it,” Marjorie said.
“This location is very close to where I live so work-life balance is great, and we are in great proximity to local wedding venues,” she said.
An added bonus is that being so close to multiple beach towns allows them to express their natural beachy style.
Marjorie loves working with flowers every day, spreading cheer, and being creative.
“I love making couples’ wedding visions come to life and being such a large part of their special day,” she said.
Working with brides and grooms is a big part of The Flower Company’s business, especially from April through October. When working with a couple, Marjorie and her team sit down with them to discuss their overall wedding vision and budget, then they customize a floral design plan and remain available for changes, questions, and further discussion from the beginning of the planning process until the final product on the wedding day.
“Every floral element and detail is thoughtfully planned. Blooms are carefully sourced and processed the week of the event, and then artfully designed and implemented on the wedding day,” said Marjorie.
And what style would she recommend to a bride?
“I love and enjoy any wedding that wants to be a little different,” she said. “ I connect strongly with earthy natural elements in bouquets.”
But her favorite part is the personal details that come with designing a bouquet. “We had a bride whose wedding was being moved due to COVID. She wanted a magnolia flower in her bouquet because it had significance to her late grandmother. Since her wedding was moved, magnolias were not in season,” Marjorie recalled. “We called all of our resources and even looked into faux options. I called a local nursery and they had just received a magnolia tree that had some blooms. We love putting in the extra effort to make a bride’s dream come true.”
Last fall, The Flower Company styled a photoshoot for South Jersey Picnic Co. and Marjorie was able to pull out all the stops to make something unique – a lush floral picnic with a strong emphasis on using locally grown florals.
“We try to buy as much locally as possible. It’s better quality and fresher,” she says. “We love buying from Petal & Pine Farm in Corbin City and Ginger Pines Farm in Cape May County, both of which are women-owned growers. It helps our neighbors and it’s more sustainable.”
Marjorie continues to hone her skills and master her craft by working with local flower growers and attending educational classes, as well as drawing inspiration from the books she reads and social media accounts she follows of florists from all around the world.
“I hope that we will continue to grow The Flower Company through daily arrangements, events, and weddings,” she said.
When asked what her most popular arrangement is, Marjorie was quick to name the Bright & Blooming arrangement.
“We use a bright mix of flowers and textures that are in season. It’s a great arrangement to bring a smile to the recipient’s face,” said Marjorie.
Spreading smiles with flowers. What could be more wonderful than that?

Find this story and more in the May issue of Ocean City Magazine