Couple weren’t visiting family but left flowers on every grave — and their reason has us speechless

It can be really touching to witness a stranger perform an act of kindness. Ann Autumn experienced that when she saw a couple putting flowers on every grave on Memorial Day. She wondered if it was a tradition that the couple followed, and was quite surprised to hear the real reason behind their gesture. So, she posted a picture of the couple with flowers and a caption detailing the entire incident on X, where she goes by @The_LadyAnn.

"You guys. We passed by this couple in the cemetery today. They were putting these flowers on every grave," Autumn explained. Out of curiosity, she asked the couple if it was a "Memorial Day gesture." But the woman explained, "No, we just got married and we wanted to do something meaningful with the flowers left over from our wedding." Both of them were holding onto a pot of sunflowers in the photo and had the biggest smiles on their faces. The post received more than 3.4 million views and over 130,0000 likes. An average wedding produces around 400 lbs of waste and 63 tonnes of carbon dioxide, according to the Chicago Tribune. A lot of this waste comes from the decor alone.

"As a wedding planner and designer, it’s our social responsibility to implement sustainable practices whenever possible to ensure that our celebrations contribute positively to the well-being of the environment and the communities we engage with," Tracy Taylor Ward, Owner and Creative Director of Tracy Taylor Ward Design, told Vogue. Being conscious about the floral arrangements can be a big step in having a sustainable wedding. Cut flowers have a huge impact on the environment, so it is advised to have a wedding without flowers to reduce the carbon footprint. But if one does want flowers, they can use locally grown and in-season flowers to reduce the transportation-related carbon footprint.

Flowers can also be donated, according to Ward, so they get to have a second life, just like what the couple reused flowers from their wedding. People shared their thoughts on the couple's gesture in the comments section of the tweet. @kayla_duerr25 wrote, "LOVE THIS! After my grandma's funeral, we donated her flowers to an assisted living home near my house. She had friends who lived there, so we felt it was super special. I hope they have a wonderful marriage." @itano_kim commented, "I can tell this couple is already going to have a happy marriage. Selflessness is the top ingredient to long-term happiness, I've found. Thanks for this post... it was a day-maker."

@BluzlvrRyan remarked, "That's so thoughtful. Weddings and funerals generate so many flowers that get wasted. I'm all for donating to nursing homes and rehab centers. But this is another perfect way to share." @DeniseHenwood shared, "That’s so sweet. The last funeral I attended, the director said they repurpose any bouquets and wreaths the family doesn’t want to take home and deliver them to senior facilities." @marpan8iv expressed, "This is awesome. My daughter & her husband took the flowers to retirement homes near them & had them given to the people who haven’t had a visitor in the longest time. Wedding planners should take note of this & make couples aware of how much their flowers could do for others."