To feel like you are walking through the English countryside

Photographer https://thelesueurs.com/ (all images shown below are by ‘We are the Lesueurs’)

Venue https://www.hamswellhouse.co.uk/

Marquee https://www.bathmarquees.co.uk/

Catering https://queenandwhippet.com/

Hair and make up http://nicolabeddoes.co.uk/

Dress https://www.edwinoudshoorncouture.com/

Stationary - sister of bride

Querine and Hectors wedding was the most glorious combination bringing together dainty wildflowers and the feeling of being in the English countryside. Querine had a very clear picture in her mind of how she wanted their wedding day to look and feel from the beginning and told me how important flowers are to her and her family.

Different feelings flowed through the day with bouquets and buttonholes full of pretty dainty wildflowers, the table flowers full of colour and the Church and marquee full of countryside foliages all filled with love and care.

You can see videos that I took on the day of Querine and Hectors wedding by clicking on this link that goes through to my instagram page https://www.instagram.com/reel/Ci2LK9fDNoB/

Planning and budget

Flowers like Phlox, Scabious, Ammi, pom pom Dahlia, Clematis and forget me nots provided the dainty ethereal feel whilst a massive amount of mixed foliages in the Church and marquee provided a countryside backdrop.

They ate outside overlooking the incredible views on the terrace at Hamswell and partied in the marquee in the evening. Four bottles per trestle table gave every guests some beautiful colourful flowers to see whilst eating.

Requirements included bouquets, buttonholes, Church flowers, table flowers for 180 guests and the marquee ceiling installation. Budget needed approx £3500 - £4000 (prices as of 2022)

A romantic pastel palette at Hamswell House

Photographer https://www.cbourgeoisphotography.co.uk/ (all images shown below are by Christophe)

Venue https://www.hamswellhouse.co.uk/

Marquee https://www.bathmarquees.co.uk/

Catering https://www.samskitchenevents.co.uk/

Hair http://www.louisealway.com/

Make up https://www.instagram.com/mollyjanemakeup_/?hl=en

Dress https://www.alexandragrecco.com/ from stockist https://lovelybride.com/stores/london-bridal-shop/

Candles and props https://www.rusticrentals.co.uk/

Plate and cutlery https://countrycrockeryhire.com/

Cake - a friend

Stationary - The Bride

This was a wedding that felt so relaxed and so warm with so many friendly helpful faces. We found out on our second meeting that our parents were neighbours when we were little which was such a lovely surprise and just added to that feeling of being connected.

The colours were a dreamy pastel palette of Peaches, Pinks and Blues creating a graceful, elegant, informal look. Taking inspiration from a garden in July we incorporated Roses, Peonies and those delicate garden details. Nothing was to be 'fixed' and instead a feeling of lightness and calm flowed throughout.

Limited foliages in the bouquet and table designs let the blousey fragranced blooms be fully appreciated with textures led by nature so that everything looked just that little bit different.

The ceiling of the marquee was to be full of greenery and gave the feeling of an English tea party adding a lovely cool feel to the White marquee

Planning and budget

Blousy Roses were mixed with Peonies along with garden textured flowers like Nigella, Sweet Peas Phlox and Scabious. The tables had a mixture of stem bottle vases and low cut glass trifle bowls. Brass candlesticks from Rustic Rentals created different heights and interest.

Requirements included, Bouquets, flower girls crowns, buttonholes, trestle tables for 144 people, cake flowers and the ceiling foliage installation. Budget needed approx £3000 (prices correct as of 2022)

You can see videos that I took on the day of Lydia and Toms wedding by clicking here through to my instagram page https://www.instagram.com/p/CiPjpR2j0ri/

How to choose the right florist for your wedding

As with anything creative, each florist will have their own style and the best way to know if they’re right for you is to start with their website. The pictures and the writing should speak to you. You might not be able to find exactly what it is that you want, you might not know what you want but you should feel connected and a warmth with it.

The next step is to have a nose at their social media pages. In this modern world, I have alot more pictures on instagram and pinterest than I do on my website. On my instagram page you’ll find lots of pictures of weddings that I have done and if you look on the story highlights (the circles at the top of the grid) then you’ll get to know me a little more and your venue if it’s one that I regularly decorate. My own Pinterest account is a little different to instagram in that it isn’t only my work but also a feel for what inspires me. The easiest way to find my board is to click on the link at the bottom of my website. At the top of the page you’ll see four boards that are created by me with photos of my own work for you to look through. Underneath you’ll find inspiration boards which will again give you a feel about what I love.

If you like what you see then get in touch with that florist. Send them an email to ask if they are available on your day. It also really helps in this initial message to confirm your venue and if you know it, your budget. If you have any details about the arrangements that you know you’d like, tell them. If you’ve seen any pictures you like, send them.

This is the really important bit……you do not have to have pinterest boards or know flower names! If you like a florists website and flower style then get in touch to check they’re available on your date and arrange a consultation. They will take it from there!

https://www.copper-green.co.uk/

https://www.pinterest.co.uk/coppergreenflowers/_saved/

https://www.instagram.com/coppergreenflowers/

How to choose the right wedding flowers for you

Some people know exactly what flowers they love and want on their day but most of us have no idea.  If this is you and you don’t know where to begin then start with Pinterest.  It is so visual and so easy to use.  Just open an account and type in some search words, like ‘rustic wedding bouquet’ or ‘earthy autumn tones’.  Then start collating lots of images into a board, anything that catches your eye that you like.  Consider your life, your home, your clothes, What colours draw you in and make your heart smile?  It doesn’t have to just be wedding related because it can all help to build a picture of what you want even if you don’t know it yet. 

A few days later go back to that board and take out anything that doesn’t flow with the feeling of everything else there.  Please don’t worry about what the flowers are called, that is the florists job. They will take the inspiration from your pictures and create it in their style.

This is what will give you those flowers that will feel uniquely you and that you will love forever.

Here are a few images that I’ve saved in one of my pinterest boards named ‘Botanical Green’

Annuals for florists to use as cut flowers

The main annuals that I use as a wedding florist for cutting

One of the main subjects that florists wanted to know more about on my giveaway was annuals. What to grow and any tips.
So, I thought I’d share on a blog what I’ve been growing over the past 7 years and my favourites that are easy to grow and don’t require much care.
I start a lot of them off in autumn so that I have some earlier flowers to use in weddings but as it’s currently April I’ll share what I’m sowing now.
I don’t have a lot of space and I’m not a ‘grower’ so I choose annuals that give me a lot of filler flowers. I don’t use them as part of my wedding flower budget but I do use them in weddings if I feel that the budget hasn’t gone as far as expected, or on shoots so they don’t cost me a fortune and on Instagram to fill in on the times when I don’t have weddings.

Mass of Ammi used at a photoshoot

I can’t give you a date when I start them because last year it was probably around the start of March but this year I’ve only just tentatively started in the past two weeks because it’s been so cold. I do have a 6 x 8ft polytunnel but you can start them in your windows or once before I had the tunnel, I made a makeshift greenhouse with things I had in the garden. I used pallets to keep them off the floor that were covered in cardboard, then bricks to make sides that were covered with fleece with glass on the top. It’s just to give them some protection and warmth for the first few weeks before the last frosts have passed which can be up to the first week of May!

Cornflowers and Ammi. Photo taken by Oxi photography

The annuals that I grow can just be planted straight outside and they won’t mind the few frosts. I’ve read that this can actually give much better stronger results but I have found that I’m too much of a control freak and I like to know what’s going on and to be able to see them and care for them.
So, to what I’m sowing now. About two weeks ago I started Ammi, Cerinthe, Cosmos, Cornflowers, Field scabious and Linaria. The last one ‘Linaria’ was a new one that I tried last year and I just loved it enough to do again. The other one that is new for me is Agastache Rugosa (Korean Mint) I actually planted this into my borders rather than my cutting bed last year. It was such a beautiful flower and the bees absolutely loved it so this year I’ve sown more but it’s really just for me and the bees, I doubt I will cut from them.

I only grow around 10 of each of these because I don’t have enough space for any more but that tends to be enough for what I need. I’d love to grow more but my kids aren’t quite old enough yet for me to get rid of their climbing frame and dig up the grass for more beds. One day!
My biggest struggle with growing is Easter holidays! In normal times, we go away for a few days with the kids and this is usually when the seedlings are at the prime time for needing looking after and either covering with fleece on freezing nights or watering lots on hot days (another reason why I’d like to try directly sowing outside)
I also tried Zinnias for the first time last year and found they were incredibly hard working and gave so much! I won’t sow these until the middle of May though and I plant them in the tunnel as they are more tender than the others.
Lastly, some tips that I’ve learnt over the years. I have a small three tray heat mat and it really helps to just get them going when March temperatures can be so erratic. If you can be patient then wait until the Spring equinox (which was 20th March this year) before you start sowing. That’s when the days officially start getting longer and you will have a much higher chance of success.
All of the annuals mentioned at the start germinate within a week if they’re at the right temperature and sown at the right time and the Ammi, cornflowers, field scabious and Cosmos all need staking. Put a big stake in when you plant them out and tie them in as they grow otherwise they all start squashing each other once they get taller. Although one year I just didn’t get around to staking my larkspur (haven’t mentioned them here as I sow them in autumn) and look what it meant I could make with them.

Larkspur, Calendula, Covent garden Gyp and Roses all grown in my garden used for an instagram photo

Once planted out, other than tying in, they don’t need much care. They benefit from regular watering because their roots don’t go very deep and a weekly feed always helps along with deadheading but to be honest I don’t always get time to do this and they’re fine (they will just be better if you can)
As I grow these annuals each year I make sure that I collect the seeds in Autumn because why would you want to pay for more when you’ll have lots!

Finally, if I do have any flowers left that I haven’t been able to use then, I dry or press them.

These are my main stay annuals for cutting that are easy to grow, require little care and give lots! I think that the best thing to do is to start. You’ll find what you like and what you want to grow again next year. I hope that’s helpful and if you have any questions then just ask.

Linaria Maroccana

Mass of Ammi in my rebrand photoshoot

Ammi, Cosmos, Field Scabious and Chive flowers

Ammi, Cosmos, Field Scabious on a photoshoot

Dried and pressed larkspur petals