Flowers are one of the key components of making your wedding day beautiful and special. Whether you choose to have a small intimate wedding or a grand affair, the wedding flowers will contribute to the theme and tone of your big day. But where to start? Should you choose table decorations and garlands, or pedestals and arches? Should you choose a posy bouquet or a trailing arrangement? There are so many things to consider and so I asked three talented Somerset florists to offer their advice.
Wendy of Wedding Flowers By Wendy
Wendy Symes is a florist based in the Somerset village of Stogumber. Wendy has given a professional service to customers for over 35 years, she specialises in weddings and events and shows an extensive gallery of weddings on her dedicated website
Wedding Flowers by Wendy
Sarah of Tilda Rose Floristry www.tildarosefloristry.co.uk
Sarah has a background in textiles and fashion, and she brings this creativity to her floristry work. She is based in the market town of Taunton. She describes her work as lush and natural; inspired by the garden.
Tilda Rose
Pippa of Ethical blooms www.instagram.com/ethicalblooms
Pippa owns a flower farm on the outskirts of Bridgwater. She grows flowers for artisan bouquets and subscription flowers. Her flowers are grown in a way that ensures sustainability and biodiversity. They are free from the use of chemical preservatives, pesticides and fungicides. She describes her bouquets and arrangements as natural and wild; taking inspiration from nature.
Ethical blooms
Ethical blooms
Should you do the flowers yourself?
This decision will probably be motivated by your budget, skill, experience and time. Arranging your own flowers may seem like an exciting prospect and could be part of the whole wedding experience. Pippa of Ethical blooms allows couples to visit her farm and choose seasonal British flowers to match their wedding scheme. They can then take them away to arrange themselves or supply their florist with British blooms that would not be available on the high street, such as dahlias.
Ethical blooms
However, if time is limited and you feel that you need guidance from someone, then hiring a florist may be a more practical option. Let's face it, the day before and the morning of your wedding is busy. You may want to consider taking a fusional approach, with your florist providing the more complex, time consuming or larger pieces and then supplementing this with your own table decorations, for example. Sarah of Tilda Rose Floristry explains that if you decide to go down this route, communication between you and the florist is key. You want your flowers to work well together, not compete or detract from each other. Alternatively, you may like to hand all of the floristry work over to an expert. When you choose a wedding florist, you are not only purchasing the flowers but their years of experience, knowledge and creativity.
Wedding Flowers by Wendy
When should you book your florist?
It is advisable to book your venue first and then look to book your florist. Your choice of venue will have a big impact on your arrangements. For example, if your venue has large rooms then small flower arrangements may become 'lost' and their impact will be limited. In this case a few large statement pieces may work better. Sarah of Tilda Rose Floristry says that sometimes venues allow the movement of arrangements which may mean that your florist can design arrangements that will work well in both the ceremony and reception rooms.
Tilda Rose Floristry
Many florists like to actually meet the couple once a venue has been chosen. Wendy explains that she likes to meet with the bride after she has chosen her dress and colour scheme. The style of dress and the couple's chosen scheme will influence the choice of flowers and the style of the arrangements, button holes and bridal bouquet. She explains that even the material of the bride's dress is considered when advising couples on their choice of flowers.
Once you have chosen your florist, they will advise you on the best timescale for consultations.
Tilda Rose Floristry
Will the season impact on your flower choices?
If you would like to use flowers that are grown in the UK, then choosing flowers that are in season is your best option. This means no airmiles are accumulated, which is obviously more environmentally friendly. If you have your heart set on a specific flower that is out of season, discuss this with your florist. They will explain whether importing these flowers is an option, but it may be more expensive. Sarah of Tilda Rose Floristry says that even if you have a winter wedding, there are local flower options. Evergreens, winter blooms, dried flowers and seed heads can look stunning.
Wedding Flowers by Wendy
How do you choose flowers that complement your style?
Pinterest and bridal magazines are a great resource for helping you to see what style options there are and to seek inspiration. Wedding Flowers by Wendy says that she will often encourage couples to bring some images with them when they meet. It helps her to really understand what 'look' they are going for in a way that a verbal discussion may not be able to.
Wedding Flowers by Wendy
Think about what style you would like for the day. Are you wanting a boho vibe, a summer country garden, winter wonderland, or something more traditional? Your style choice may impact on the colour and variety of flowers that you use. It may also influence whether you choose fresh, silk or dried blooms. It is likely to also affect whether you choose tight or loose arrangements. Once your florist knows what styles you like, they will be able to use their knowledge and creativity to advise you on how it can be achieved.
Tilda Rose Floristry
What should you consider when choosing your bridal bouquet?
There are many things to consider when choosing the bride's bouquet. As stated by Wedding Flowers By Wendy previously, the style, colour and material of the bride's dress is all considered when advising brides about their bouquet. Other things to consider are the colour of the bridesmaids' dresses, the groomsmen's suits and the colour pallet of your venue.
Ethical blooms
Sometimes, your florist may have worked at your venue previously and so will be very familiar with the colours that would complement their pallet. It is worth taking photos of your dresses, suits and venue to
show your florist so that they can best advise you.
Wedding Flowers by Wendy
Ethical blooms
Another consideration is allergies. You really don't want something in your bouquet that is going to give your partner an allergic reaction on your big day.
Think about the weight of your bouquet. I can remember being quite shocked on my wedding day, at just how heavy my bouquet was. A tightly packed bouquet will be heavier than a looser arrangement.
Ethical blooms
Pippa of Ethical blooms advises to think about what you would like to do with your bouquet after your wedding day. Do you want your flowers to be preserved? Some flowers lend themselves to certain types of preservation more than others, or may look more effective.
Wedding Flowers by Wendy
Florists also have a detailed knowledge of the plants they use, including the symbolism of different flowers. You may like to think about the deeper meaning of some of your flowers that are included in your bouquet. For example, Pippa of Ethical blooms explains that rosemary symbolises remembrance, and so a bride may like to have this in her bouquet as a way of showing that she is thinking about a family member who cannot be at the wedding. This is another way of really personalising your bouquet.
Scent is another consideration. Some flowers have a strong scent, whilst others do not.
Tilda Rose Floristry
Final Tips
Know your budget. Have an idea about how much you can afford to spend on your flowers, and make sure that this budget is realistic.
If you can, meet with your florist. This is a working relationship and every florist is different. You want to find someone who you feel understands your vision for the day and you feel comfortable with and like the way that they work. A florist is an artist and will be unique in the way that they work and interpret your vision.
Tilda Rose Floristry
Be open-minded and flexible. Your florist will want to give you your vision, but sometimes the flower that you had hoped for are just not available at that time of year, or your budget won't allow you to have every arrangement that you wanted. Your florist has the expertise to advise you on alternatives.
Wedding Flowers by Wendy
So, to conclude, flowers are one of your key wedding accessories. Your choice of flowers will set the tone, impact on the photography and will complement and enhance the wedding environment.
Ethical blooms
Tilda Rose Floristry
Hi! My name is Emma and I am a Somerset-based wedding and family photographer. who captures people's stories all over the west country. If you would like to discuss your wedding or family photoshoot with me, I would love to hear from you.
Email: emma@ejphotography.uk
Many thanks to:
Ethical Blooms www.instagram.com/ethicalblooms
Wedding Flowers By Wendy www.weddingflowersbywendy.co.uk
Tilda Rose Floristry www.tildarosefloristry.co.uk
The Hidden Lakes www.thehiddenlake.co.uk
Maunsel House www.maunselhouse.co.uk
All images are by EJ Photography
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