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Transform your venue with carefully chosen and presented wedding flowers. It will be all eyes on your spectacularly dressed scene – at least until the blushing bride arrives…
In the second of our wedding flowers blog we get more advice from Beverley Thomas of Henley Flowers to find out how to dress your venue with flowers. If you missed the first blog, you can read all about bouquets, buttonholes, hair arrangements and posies for bridesmaids and flower girls.
Whether you’re getting married in a church or a ceremony room and regardless as to whether you’ll be celebrating on a boat, in a hall, outdoors or on a beach – carefully crafted blooms are a sure-fire way to elevate your wedding and make it memorable for all the right reasons. But there’s more to it then picking your favourite blooms – you’ll want to find a florist who can incorporate flowers effortlessly into your theme and in such a way that they complement every aspect. Read on for our insider knowledge.
Your flowers should always complement your setting. Henley Flowers is one of Isaacs’ trusted supplies and is expert at bringing out the best of our beautiful historic building. “The venues and rooms themselves often dictate the best kind of decorations it suits,” confirms Beverley. “Isaacs works really well for beautiful, rustic weddings – especially the ceremony room. The wood is really neutral though, so it can take vibrant modern arrangements as well as more traditional designs. This is where couple can really put their stamp on the day and make it their own.”
Some venues may already have some flowers in place – at Isaacs our rooms are usually well dressed with blooms. This can help you reduce what you need to spend as your florist can design a scheme that complements what is already there.
And savvy florists should also be able to help you stretch your budget by incorporating floral arrangements that can be moved as your day progresses: “The ceremony is only usually a short part of the day, so I always recommend choosing items that can be moved easily,” explains Beverley. “The ceremony arrangement usually makes a good top table arrangement, chair ends can be popped into bottles and jars, pedestals and other arrangements can be moved to the reception. It makes sense to get full use of all the items and if the florist knows the plan, they can make it with both uses in mind.”
Flowers can deliver that WOW factor in a way that bunting, garlands and pom poms just can’t. Not only can they showcase your wedding theme and create stunning focal points but they also serve to fragrance a room. “There are many wonderful ideas out there, incorporating different containers – some tall, some low (to avoid getting in the way across the table), candles, fairy lights, personal items, handmade or decorated accessories. It is a great way to bring your personalities and themes to the day,” explains Beverley.
You can also use your table centerpieces as part of the signage for table names and numbers too – your creative florist should be able to help with some ideas. How about crafting table numbers out of beautiful blooms?
And in our increasingly environmentally-aware world why not replace thank you gifts with your centerpieces at the end of the night? Not only will it save you cash but your special guests will get to take home a small piece of the big day. You could take this one step further and give every guest a cut bloom to take home – imagine a large flower wall for your décor which gradually empties as your guests leave.
While we’re not suggesting you replace that three-tiered number for a floral arrangement – fresh flowers on a cake can take a cake from nice to amazing in minutes and ensure it matches the rest of your wedding theme. “If you’re on a budget using flowers on your cake is a good way of making something ordinary into something special,” says Beverley. “Often family members or friends would like to make the cake, but are not confident on the decoration. Once it is all set up in place, we’re happy to add those final finishing touches and it is one less thing for people to sort on the big day.”
In recent years we’ve seen far less of the identikit weddings as people are choosing to let their personalities, loves and hobbies shine through on their big day. Planning your wedding day should be fun – whether that’s potting up lavender in welly boots, using moss as fun table runners or incorporating feathers, gems or other adornments in your bouquet. “I love a theme!” says Beverley. “As a florist there’s nothing like getting the creative juices flowing and coming up with some ideas for a wedding with a bit of a twist. Often people like to subtly include something in the flowers. Over the years I have incorporated Lego figures, Mickey Mouse ears, action figures and football shirts to name a few. I even made a beautiful bridal bouquet that came with a lightsaber handle! I always say that anything is possible. Sometimes we just have to think about the logistics, but we usually find a way.” Challenge accepted!
Henley Flowers: Henley Flowers is an independent florist with a passion for making wedding dreams come true for couples. Launched in 2013 after gaining several years of on-the-job training and gaining a Diploma in Floristry with Distinction, its approach is that no two weddings are the same. Every client is offered a free wedding flowers consultation so that the service provided can be personalised to meet each couple’s budget, theme and requirements.
Isaacs: From its waterfront location in Ipswich, Isaacs offers something truly special for those looking to add a little magic to their wedding. Accommodating up to 74 guests our ceremony room is truly breath-taking with exposed timber beams, vaulted ceilings and simple, classic décor bathed in atmospheric lighting. The Top Floor is just the place to celebrate with your guests, while there’s also a private garden and first-class catering options.
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