To view more expert advice on a different topic, please select one from the list below.
Al Fresco Floral Bliss
| Q | What is your advice on planning an outdoor wedding? |
| A | Sam Reynolds says: Think about how changeable the Great British weather can be and choose arrangements that can be set up indoors or out. If you're having a gazebo decorated for example, check your florist also has a portable arch that can be decorated inside instead. Next, have a think about flower varieties. Peonies are beautiful but don't enjoy being left in the sun. Meanwhile, some soft summer flowers will wilt quickly in excessive heat, so choose a florist with expert knowledge to help guide you through. Emily&Me has 10 years' experience! If you're hosting your wedding at home, look at what you have there already. A garden gate, porch, old arch or even a garden swing decorated with fresh flowers can be a standout feature that sets your wedding apart. Table arrangements and larger urns or pedestals will last longer if they're set in water rather than foam, which is eco-friendly too, so check how your florist will make yours. If you have to cut things from your budget, forget about pew ends and petal aisles, go for one Insta-worthy piece. Not only will you have incredible pictures but your guests will be kept busy taking their own gorgeous selfies! |
Sam Reynolds, Emily&Me
Tiptoe through the tulips
| Q | This issue we asked the experts how to inject your wedding days with the spirit of spring. |
| A | Louise Roots says: We tend to think of soft pastels when we think of spring, but there's a huge array of colours available. Spring brings an abundance of scent and colour after the long winter months and kick starts the wedding season. Whatever your style or palette, there are so many choices of seasonal flowers to suit. Pretty ranunculus, sweet peas and clematis are perfect for a soft, romantic colour palette of pinks and lilac. These delicate little flowers are beautiful in bouquets and low arrangements, while accents of cherry blossom and magnolia are so pretty in taller designs. After all, nothing screams springtime more than blossom! For muted, rustic tones add fritillaria and hellebore, which are beautiful with soft, dusky pinks and ivory for a relaxed, romantic theme. Tulips are always a favourite, and the perfect choice for clean, simple designs, either used alone en masse or paired with calla lily, roses and anemone. Spring is the perfect time of year for a soft lemon colour scheme. Scented paperwhites, sol d'or narcissi, pale yellow and cream butterfly ranunculus, tulips, hyacinths, iris and ranunculus are so fresh and pretty. These quintessential spring flowers are a great way to support British growers. Use musari and bluebells too for the prettiest blue shades, and pair with mixed vibrant colours or white for a clean, bright finish. Utilising Pantone colour of the year for 2023, Viva Magenta, the perfect choice would be rich anemone, tulips, roses and ranunculus. Add mixed pink and mango hues for a bright feminine theme. Late spring will see the first of the peonies. For a classic white wedding, use these with scented garden roses, jasmine and stunning white lilac. Scented lily of the valley is the ideal addition to a bridal bouquet – a pretty little flower that's pricey and a popular choice with the royals. |
Louise Roots, Louise Roots Florist
Pick of the bunch
| Q | What are your top 2023 trend predictions? |
| A | Kate Blott says: Gypsophila is one of the most popular filler flowers used by wedding designers, and has long been a top choice for centrepieces, bouquets and hair adornments, along with several varieties of eucalyptus. While roses, gypsophila and eucalyptus are all still very popular with brides and florists alike, it's clear that many couples have been inspired to try something new. Meanwhile, searches for ruscus and bunny tail grass has grown 37 per cent and 21 per cent respectively between summer 2021 and 2022. There's no single reason why ruscus and lagurus ovatus have surged in popularity, but a quick glance at Instagram and Pinterest make it clear that their popularity is still snowballing. For dried grasses in particular, we're sure that some of the fresh interest has come from influencers like Mrs Hinch and Stacy Solomon showcasing pampas and other similar grasses in their own homes. The shift towards artificial and dried bouquets that happened throughout the pandemic also looks like it's here to stay, with the popularity of these long-lasting options still outstripping interest in other bouquets by a considerable distance each month. Aside from the fact they can be prepared and viewed well in advance of the big day, they also come with the benefit of easy, long-term storage should you decide to keep it as a memento. Some budget-conscious couples are also looking for floral options they can resell once the big day is over, to recoup some of the cost of the event. |
Kate Blott, Atlas Flowers
Here comes the groom
| Q | As the groom I'd like my buttonhole to stand out from my groomsmen and be something special. Do you have any recommendations? |
| A | Jo Russell says: Whether it's a big blousy peony, a classic carnation or a delicate bundle of foliage, buttonholes are an age old tradition at a wedding. Often, the groom and groomsmen, witnesses and parents of the bride all pin one on on the morning of the big day. Once everyone is in similar suits it's nice to be able to stand out. Having a variety of flowers and leaves to create your buttonhole make it slightly more fancy and eye-catching. If you have quite a simple suit, using bright colours such as yellow craspedia balls alongside eucalyptus or striking blue thistles can really help the buttonhole to pop. Dried articles are something I always use. Not only are they visually interesting, they're also hardy so there's no risk of wilting on a hot day. Boutonnieres are becoming more of a talking point at weddings and can be created using almost anything to hand to suit your theme or venue. Autumn berries, extravagant feathers and even brass charms can all make you stand out from the crowd. |
Jo Russell, Eliza Rose Artisan Floral Design
Out of the blue
| Q | We've chosen a dusky blue colour palette for our wedding, but aren't sure how to incorporate that into the flowers. Can you offer any advice? |
| A | Jo Russell says: Blue is one of the most popular colours when it comes to wedding palettes, in particular dusky, baby and powder hues. Not only are they romantically soft and subtle, they also suit any season from icy whites and frosty stems, to the brighter spring and summer seasons. However, blue isn't a natural colour that bouquet focal flowers often come in, so it's all about the foliage and filler flowers with this palette. Using silver-toned eucalyptus such as cinerea or populus brings an overall blue hue to a bouquet and this is something that's readily available throughout the year. Dainty blooms such as oxypetalum can also be used in designs to create brighter flashes next to ivory or white. You'll even find that some anemone varieties have blue tones at the very centre. If finding fresh flowers proves tricky though, think about the receptacle they'll be going in – pale blue glass vases or bottles can bring colour to the table even if the petals are neutral. |
Jo Russell, Eliza Rose Artisan Floral Design
Bags of bloom
| Q | I adore fresh flowers and would love some ideas for my bridesmaids and flowergirls outside of the usual bouquets. Can you help? |
| A | Linsey Sinclair says: I always try to think outside the box with new ideas and these stylish wedding-day clutch bags are a fabulous alternative to a traditional bouquet for the modern bridesmaid. Covered in organic, textured moss they're adorned with the prettiest scented fresh flowers in your colour choice, as well as foliage. A beautiful alternative with endless possibilities. |
Linsey Sinclair, Stag Cottage Flowers
