Bridal Flowers for a Late Summer Wedding

Getting ready in the Thistle Hotel, just a few steps to walk for the ceremony at Brighton Register Office. 

 

A short walk via Brighton seafront with guests in tow,  Victoria & Wayne partied into the night at The Terraces Restaurant.

 

Ceremony: Brighton Register Office
Reception: The Terraces Restaurant, Brighton
Flowers: Fuchsia Flower Design
Photography: George Rutter Photography
 

A REAL VINTAGE WEDDING

Had they still been alive, this year would have been my parents 64th Wedding Anniversary.  Seeing all the images for the Jubilee Celebrations I was reminded of their special day back in 1948, when I came across some black and white photos of their wedding.

They married during the period just after the 2nd World War, in a small village in North Yorkshire, when times were hard and Britain was still recovering from rationing.  They met at work, during the war years.  My father was a steel worker and a key part of the manufacturing industry at that time.  My mother joined the ironworks where my father worked, and trained as a welder - part of the re-deployment of women whilst the menfolk went off to fight. 
It was over a sparking blow-torch that their eyes met and they eventually married when peacetime resumed!

The wedding took place at All Saints Anglican church in Easington, North Yorkshire on 14 August 1948.  The bride wore a simple slipper satin fitted dress with long sleeves and a sweetheart neckline, with a full length trained veil (I still have these items wrapped in tissue in a shoebox)!

The bridesmaids were the bride's youngest sister (who subsequently wore the dress at her own wedding some years later) and two of the groom's nieces - all wearing long pink empire line dresses.  The bride's traditional shower bouquet had scarlet red standard carnations and maidenhair fern, the bridesmaid's bouquets were in pink.

All the guests were invited back to my grandmother's house in Far Foulsyke, North Yorkshire for tea and a home-cooked spread of goodies - sadly no photos to mark this occasion, but I suspect there was a bit of a sing-song and a spot of dancing long into the night!

Flowers - Who? What? Where?

Unsure of what flowers to have, who should have them and which ones to choose?   Gone are the days when the bride carried only white flowers up the aisle!  You can get married wherever you like and have whatever you like in your bouquet, on your tables, at the venue or in the church.  It's completely up to you.

A mood board is always a good starting point, to create an overall theme.  I recently went to see a potential bride who presented me with a folding board dotted with magazine pulls showing blocks of colour and actual fabric swatches and images of all the elements she wanted to include in her wedding.
I was overwhelmed!  And very pleased, as this made my life extremely easy.

If you're going to stick with tradition, here's a general guide as to who, what and where.

BRIDE
What you wear on your big day will influence what style of bouquet but there's 3 basic types:
Hand-tied, Trailing and Overarm

GROOM
Buttonhole - usually he'll have something a bit special, using the main themed flower and another which matches the brides bouquet

BEST MAN/FATHERS

Can be any flower from the wedding theme.
All worn on their left lapel
MOTHERS
Although it's traditional for Mums to wear a corsage - this can be too overpowering and to be honest, out of all the weddings I've done this year, I haven't been asked to provide one!

BRIDESMAIDS

Usually carry a smaller version of the Bride's bouquet or a simple representation using either one or more of the main flower
CEREMONY
Depending on where you are getting married, this is a blank canvas including garlands, pedestals, columns, walls, windowsills, chairs. . . .  the list is endless

RECEPTION

I would normally recommend that any moveable flowers (those not fixed to columns or arches) to be moved on to the reception venue to save money.  In addition to that, table designs which could be anything from extravagent candelabras to simple vases or pots with a mixture of all the themed flowers.

GIFTS

As a thank you for all their help and support in planning your wedding, I'm sometimes asked to provide a 'living' bouquet for presentation to the Mothers of the Bride and Groom.  They then have something to take home as a reminder of your special day.

Reception Flowers for a late summer wedding

Flowers Used: Pink & White Avalanche Roses, Black Baccara Roses, Pink Veronicas, Mero Star Lilies, Fatsia Leaves
Venue: The Terraces Restaurant, Brighton
Photography: Sue Marshall
Florist: Fuchsia Christine
Wedding Menus: Mandalay Wedding Stationery

Flowers for a Brighton Wedding (Part 2)

Early start to prepare 8 large bubble bowls which are going to be the centrepiece on round tables at the restaurant for Victoria & Wayne's wedding on Friday.

Each bowl has pebbles placed in the base - aptly themed as the restaurant overlooks the sea and Brighton's famous pebble beach! A single stem of Mero Star Lilies is securely placed into a pin holder and carefully covered with water in the base.

Hindered slightly by the neighbour's friendly cat, who was very interested in the empty boxes in my workshop, I managed to finish all eight bowls by lunchtime!

All now ready and smelling divine, waiting to be packed back in their boxes and transported to the restuarant for setting up on Friday - minus the cat - who is still jumping in the boxes!

Next, after a quick sandwich and checking emails, I selected the flowers for the bridesmaids.  Victoria chose elegant white Avalanche roses, which are going to be made up into a long-stemmed 'wand' using bear grass to form the 'stem' part of the design - this I'll have to do at the last minute and tie off with Burgundy Organza ribbon secured with pearl headed pins.

The Bridal bouquet is a full hand-tied long-stemmed design using a selection of roses to complement the bridesmaids burgundy organza dresses, with pink Veronicas and small Fatsia leaves.  Again the design is using bear grass to create movement on the stem and tied off with burgundy organza ribbon secured with pearl headed pins.

             
  




Sample pic of long stems.







All finished designs will be revealed in Part 3 of Flowers for a Brighton Wedding, coming soon!

Wedding flowers for a Brighton Wedding (Part 1)

Early start to pick up flowers from Brighton's own wholesale flower market - I arrived at 7.30 - Jamie, the wholesaler, starts his day at 2am when the first trucks arrive from Holland!

My wedding this weekend is for Victoria & Wayne, getting married at Brighton Register office and afterwards at The Terraces Restaurant - a great venue overlooking the sea, not far from the famous Palace Pier.

Victoria's flowers are themed to match her bridesmaids who are wearing burgundy.  She's opted for toning reds and pinks with Mero Star Lilies, Black Bacarra Roses, Sweet Avalanche, White Avalanche and Pink Veronicas.

All flowers have been unpacked and conditioned, which will allow them to open enough to create each design in time for the wedding on Friday.

Starting early on Thursday morning, I will prepare the table centre designs, which are elegant and simple using large bubble bowls.  I will then select all the stems for the bridesmaids and ushers buttonholes, and the brides bouquet.

I will construct all the pieces early on the morning of the wedding, so they keep their freshness and at the last minute pack carefully into boxes for delivery to the bride at her hotel suite.

See part 2 for the next stages of preparation