Christmas Door Wreaths in Brighton

A tradition thought to have started in ancient Rome, Christmas wreaths are usually formed in a circle to signify eternity and are hung on the front door to represent happiness and luck for the New Year.

All my wreaths are hand-made from fresh pine and decorated entirely using natural materials.  Each wreath is constructed on a 30cm wire base which is covered in fresh natural moss.

This is one of my favourite times of the year being surrounded by the aromas of Christmas outside in my workshop creating beautiful wreaths which last right through to the New Year. 

Go on - treat yourself! 

A chink of sunshine for Louisa & Casey

The wedding took place at the Crockstead Farm Hotel, Hallam Nr Lewes on what turned out to be a fabulously sunny October day.  Louisa rang me a couple of weeks previously following a referral from her local flower shop.

As a freelance workshop based florist, my busiest time for weddings is usually during Spring & Summer, so I can normally accommodate late comers during the 'off peak' months running up to and including Christmas!

Louisa didn't have a colour theme, as such, but mentioned that she liked the idea of using blue flowers and also mentioned that Casey's favourite colour was orange - a particular favourite of mine and a winning colour combination!

Louisa's dress was fitted and stunning, with some subtle diamante embellishment which I incorporated into the bouquet design by securing the hand-tied design with double satin ribbon and diamante pins.

The ceremony was taking place at the Crockstead Farm Hotel, a romantic venue nestled in the heart of the beautiful Sussex countryside, so the Bride chose a country-style, naturally hand-tied bouquet using a mixture of blue and orange flowers, with fragrant foliage including flowering mint and Eucalyptus.  Louisa's two adult bridesmaids held a smaller bouquet using the same flowers.

Buttonholes were supplied for the Groom and Groomsmen, chosing flowers from the main bouquet with smaller accent flowers and matching foliage.

Flowers Used: Delphinium, Crocosmia, Freesia, Eustoma, Alstromeria, September Flowers, Veronica, Flowering Mint & Eucalyptus Parvifolia

Relaxed, happy and married. . .

The summer months have passed with alarming speed.  Today I've been feeling particularly Autumnal and my thoughts are beginning to turn to Christmas and this year's door wreaths and garland designs.

But before I start posting for the festivities, I wanted to share some fabulous images of Fay & Laurence's wedding, which took place on Friday 7th September in the beautiful setting of The Captain's Club Hotel by the river in Christchurch.

I've been working with Fay from Pink Rose Cakes for some time and was honoured to be asked to provide her personal bridal flowers for her marriage at the beginning of September.  The brief was as relaxed as the wedding - natural, simple & stylish.

The Groom's favourite colour is Pink, and Fay loves the contrast of bold primary colours which include deep purples and hot pinks.  So, working with this pallete, the cake (which the Bride designed and created herself), the Bridegroom, Best Man (the groom's eldest daughter), the Bridesmaids and the Flowers were themed to fit the brief.

The main photography was by fabulous local Brighton photographer Paul Fletcher who also captured the civil ceremony a couple of days before at Brighton Register Office.  All other photography on this page is by yours truly. . . .

Image by Paul Fletcher Photography

Image by Paul Fletcher Photography

Cake designed and created by Fay - all flowers are sugar crafted and entirely edible

Fresh Flowers used: Illusion Roses, Hot Pink Spray Roses, Hydrangea Macrophylla, Purple Eustoma, Flowering Mentha, White Veronicas, Eucalyptus Parvifolia

Alluring Agapanthus - African Lily

Popping up in Borders during July and August the Agapanthus (African Lily) has soaring stems topped by rounded flowers made up of trumpet-shaped blooms.  These are one of my favourite summer flowers. 
They're easy to grow if you have a sunny spot in your garden and they do thrive in pots if cared for properly.
The flower stems make a dramatic addition to any flower arrangement.

Summer Blooms to lift our spirits

As Britain is faced its "worst ever" summer with cold wet weather threatening to ruin family holidays and blighting the Olympics, we're willing good weather for all the brides out there getting married during the core summer months.

Here's some fabulous summer flowers to help lift our dampened spirits!

Wedding Flowers for May

Congratulations to Charlotte and Alex who got married last Saturday in Lewes on a gloriously sunny day!

 Charlotte had a bouquet of Avalanche Roses with a collar of looped beargrass and her SIX bridesmaids had a posy of Avalance and Hypnose roses with looped Beargrass - all tied off with cream satin ribbon and secured with diamante pins. 

The groom wore a double rose buttonhole with  jasmine and Senecio foliage; his groomsmen wore single Avalanche buttonholes.

Getting Hitched at Brighton Races. . .

Thanks to all the brides who stopped by our stand last Sunday at the Brighton Racecourse Wedding Fayre.  Alongside Fay and Adele from Pink Rose Cakes, who showcased some fabulous new cake designs, we displayed some simple ideas for wedding flowers using fresh white daisies, cymbidium orchids, Mero Star lilies with lots of scattered sweetheart rose petals and love hearts!

Good to chat to all the brides-to-be; lots of whom had been proposed to on Valentine's Day!

 

 

 

 

Romantic, Vintage Wedding Flowers for 2012

It seems that this year the trend for wedding flowers is Romantic and Vintage which means flowers with a hand picked appearance similar to those found in an English garden like roses, peonies, ranunculus, hydrangeas, lisianthus, lovely spring daisies and big blousy blooms.

Wedding bouquets are still very much hand tied with clusters of flower groupings and a greater use of cool grey/green foliage such as Dusty Miller and Senecio.  Feathers are also being added to give movement and come in a huge range of colours to complement your theme.

Staying with the romantic theme, there will be more creative detailing on the bouquet handle - covered with a variety of ribbons, damask fabrics, layered and finished with vintage pins, brooches, rhinestones and pearls.

Staying with the sphere, we'll be seeing topiary like designs transferring to table centrepieces and ceremony arrangements.  Displayed as hanging pomander balls using colourful blocks of carnations, roses, hydrangeas and daisies or placed on top of large urns or glass cylindrical glass vases.

Also, multiple and variations of smaller vases lining the centre of long reception tables and lots of branches adorned with smaller flowers in elegant ceramic dishes and vases.

A burst of Spring colour. . . . . in January!

Seemingly one of the mildest winters on record, this topsy turvey weather is confusing all the plants in my garden.  My Jasmine climber started to flower again just before Christmas, I still have flowers appearing on various varieties of Pelargoniums and my Honeysuckle started flowering a couple of weeks ago!  All lovely, but what will happen when the inevitable frost and snow eventually arrives?

It's always nice to see all the cut spring flowers at this time of year, and there's been an abundance of lovely daffs and tulips to choose from and an opportunity to start thinking about some Spring designs, especially all those of you who are planning a spring wedding.

It seems that this year the trend for wedding flowers is Romantic and Vintage which means flowers with a hand picked appearance similar to those found in an English garden like roses, peonies, ranunculus, hydrangeas, lisianthus and lovely spring daisies and big blousy blooms.

Wedding bouquets are still very much hand tied with clusters of flower groupings and a greater use of cool grey/green foliage such as Dusty Miller and Senecio.  Feathers are also being added to give movement and come in a huge range of colours to complement your theme.

Staying with the romantic theme, there will be more creative detailing on the bouquet handle - covered with a variety of ribbons, damask fabrics, layered and finished with vintage pins, brooches, rhinestones and pearls.

Staying with the sphere, we'll be seeing topiary like designs transferring to table centrepieces and ceremony arrangements.  Displayed as hanging pomander balls using colourful blocks of carnations, roses, hydrangeas and chrysanthemums or placed on top of large urns or glass cylindrical glass vases.
Also, multiple and variations of smaller vases lining the centre of long reception tables and lots of branches adorned with smaller flowers in elegant ceramic dishes and vases.