Thank you so much for all of your feedback on my time-lapse video. This is all a bit new to me and so I was slightly nervous about sharing it!
Hand-tying bouquets is such fun and I'm so pleased you could all see how it came together. In that particular bouquet I used the palest of grey roses, white thistles (with the slightest hint of blue to them) and some silver brunia, which you just want to touch! I then added some colour with the flowering mint (which smells amazing) and blue echinops which have such a great shape to them.
I'm a real fan of this bouquet, as it is beautiful in its unoffensiveness - the neutral nature of it means it goes with any interior. Big, bold bouquets are great if you know what your receipent loves and doesn't, but if you aren't sure than this is perfect. There would be nothing worse than delivering a gorgeous bunch of lillies to a hayfever sufferer!
Anyway, the reason for this blog post (my first big one) is to show you how you can incorporate this style in to a wedding. Whilst I wasn't the florist (the wedding was too far away) I did help my friend Emillie in the design stages and here are her gorgeous flowers.
The thistle is a great choice for button-holes as it isn't a thirsty flower and holds its shape well. So, by the cake cutting and first dance in the evening your groom will still be looking picture perfect. The thistle looks fairly sharp and prickly but in actual fact it isn't, they were the perfect choice for Emillie's page-boys who were 12 months and 2.5 years, as they withstood a day with toddlers and were nice and safe! You may even spot in the photographs how they were scattered around the reception venue to dress the tables too.
Herbs are a great way to add some texture and scent to flowers as I did with the flowering mint, and the Rosemary really does that with these button holes, especially with the Grooms as it highlights his white thistle. It is also a relatively inexpensive option.
Astrantia is a beautifully delicate flower which isn't appreciated enough in my view, it doesn't look anything as a bunch on its own but the odd few delicately placed here and there, really show it off to its full potential. It's a personal favourite of mine - I'm desperate to get some in my garden. It is really highlighted in the corsage photograph and can also be found in the bouquets and jam jars.
Wrist corsages are a wonderful option if you have ladies in your wedding party. There is no need to worry about necklines or attaching them to outfits and what will clash or not clash. Here Emillie had one for Fiona who was on hand as an Usher.
In a similar way that i've added colour with my hand-tied bouquet, the same has been done here with beautiful blue hyndrangas, muscari and blue and white variants of veronica. The cow-parsley really adds to the the theme too as it was a beautiful coastal, country wedding and the flowers really capture this.
If you are tight on space with your tables then jam jars are a wonderful option, they don't hinder guests making eye contact with each other, or block the all important view at key moments. You can still create height by using a selection of tall and short elements, which are all made up in the hessian, lace and ribbons of your choice. As a florist, we can really have fun selecting the stems to use too and the placement of them to really ensure the venue looks its best. We offer jam jar and bottle rental, so do get in touch if it is something you are considering. I can either dress the jars, or leave it to you if it is something you would like to do.
And finally, on a sentimental note and a top tip from me - Emillie's Grandma couldn't make the ceremony and so I suggested hand tying a piece of jewellery into the bridal bouquet. You can just make it out in the photos and it is such a lovely idea if you would like to incorporate something special.
Have a lovely weekend one and all!