Here at County Wedding Magazines HQ we're certainly excited about the hundreds and thousands of weddings that look set to take place this spring and summer - oh how we've missed you! One of our favourite things to swoon over when we see wedding photos is the.... flowers! In celebration of Garden Day on Sunday 9th May, events florist Hazel Gardiner shares her top tips for creating showstopping wedding floral displays for all those nearlyweds out there looking for some blooming marvellous inspiration. Read on to find out how to create the ultimate garden celebration-inspired big day, a huge wedding trend this year...
I had a very rare cancer ten years ago, and since I was ill, I have found huge escapism in gardening and I have gained confidence from it, as you grow something you feel a real sense of achievement. Garden Day is about celebrating the physical and mental wellbeing benefits of being in a garden, and this is not just for people with gardens – everyone can get something out of the green space near where they live.
Now that gatherings of 6 are allowed outside and weddings can resume for 15 guests, what would be your top tips creating a floral display / tablescape for a truly intimate gathering?
The first thing I would think about is what atmosphere you'd' like want to create. You may want your day to be romantic, informal and wild or colourful, energetic and vibrant. This will help guide your flower choices and table styling.
Once you have your vision think about what needs to go on your table. If you have lots of serving platters you can sweep trailing clematis or ivy over tall candelabras. If space isn't a problem, create a table runner using loose foliage or odd numbers of stem vases down the centre of the table.
Flowers also make wonderful favours, a posey of dried flowers can double up as a personalised name setting the perfect take home for guests.
Finally, lighting, candles can really change the mood and also bring in another element of colour.
What would be your advice for brides on a budget who still want to ensure flowers make an impact on their wedding day?
If you have a limited budget, rather than it being eaten up on a multitude of tables, allocate a lump sum into one Instagram worthy installation instead.
A hanging cloud, arch or mantelpiece can be a focal point for a room and really create that wow moment. Limit your floral choices and colour palette.
The greater the number of flower varieties the greater the expense. You can create magic with a neutral palette or lashings of textural foliage.
Also, your bridal and bridesmaids' bouquets can be used at your reception, we provide vases for these, so they don't get forgotten.
What are the biggest floral wedding trends you have seen emerge from the pandemic?
People are much educated about the importance of seasonality and the provenance of their flowers. I think this is due to many of us trying gardening for the first time over lockdown.
People are drawn to the fact that I use seasonal British flowers and sustainable methods. People have also embraced flowers like never seen before. There is a greater appreciation of how the gift of blooms can brighten up someone's day, including our own.
Many of my couples who sadly had to reschedule their weddings have now gone bigger with their floral designs and new requests are much bolder, which is wonderful to see.
Also dried flowers, it was difficult to get fresh wholesale flowers at certain points last year. I've always dried flowers and used them in my designs and workshops but now this trend has tripled in popularity.
How will you be celebrating Garden Day on Sunday 9 May?
I have our friends who are a family of four joining us. We normally spend New Year's Eve together but sadly missed out on this in 2020. It will be wonderful to show their girls how to make flower crowns. Of course, I will be unleashing my passion for tablescaping outside in the garden.
I used to work in fashion and have really missed the opportunity to dress up. I am relishing the thought of busting out an occasion dress and matching it with my crown. It really will be a scent and colour filled day, energised by nature, food, conversation, and laughter.
Visit gardenday.co.uk for hints and tips on how to celebrate Garden Day at home, as well as dates and times of events - there's plenty of how-to videos on there to boot!
For inspiration follow Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, Candide and TikTok (to join in on Tiktok, simply use the hashtag #GardenYay & show what you're getting up to prepare for the big day). Followers are also encouraged to share photos and clips of their celebrations using the hashtag #GardenDayUK, and the pick of the bunch will be in with the chance of winning one of 10 National Garden Gift vouchers each worth £100!
The rise of ‘wedding-like’ commitment ceremonies – and the legal dangers couples don’t see coming
With the costofliving still shaping how couples celebrate, and social media normalising nontraditional ceremonies; more people are opting for celebrations that look like weddings but aren't legally binding, and many couples aren't realising the risk until it's too late. Google searches for "what is a commitment ceremony" have surged 63% in the past year, and with costs ranging from just £200 for a simple register-office ceremony, non-legal celebrations are becoming an increasingly attractive option with the cost-of-living continuing to put couples under pressure when considering marriage. However, these ceremonies also carry hidden legal pitfalls
READ ARTICLE
New UK map reveals Brits’ favourite proposal spots according to social media
National family-owned jeweller, Beaverbrooks, has unveiled a new map revealing the 15 best places in the UK to pop the question, based on Instagram hashtag data. Whether it's against a backdrop of dramatic coastlines, rolling countryside or iconic city skylines, choosing the perfect place to propose is almost as overwhelming as choosing the ring. To help partners looking to ask the all-important question to their other halves, Beaverbrooks has created a new 'Proposal Map of the UK', making it easier than ever to find an idyllic location.
READ ARTICLE
Penmaenuchaf completes transformation
Set beneath the slopes of Cadair Idris and overlooking the Mawddach Estuary, Penmaenuchaf has completed a four-year transformation reimagining the historic country house as one of Wales' most distinctive luxury retreats. Shaped by the Welsh concept of hiraeth, a deep emotional connection to place and a longing for somewhere that feels like home, the refurbishment was created in collaboration with renowned interior designer Nicola Harding, and brings together Welsh landscape, craftsmanship and storytelling across all fourteen bedrooms and the hotel's shared spaces. The final phase of the project marks the completion of a carefully considered programme. The remaining five bedrooms have been individually redesigned and named after Welsh landscapes, historical figures and mythology.
READ ARTICLE
Why more couples are letting the coast shape their wedding day
For couples planning a wedding, the setting is increasingly becoming more than a backdrop. Research from WeddingDates found that 78% of UK couples consider location an important factor when choosing a venue, with more than a third specifically influenced by the view. Rockwater, the UK coastal hospitality brand with beachfront venues in Hove and Branksome, says this is helping reshape how couples approach weddings by the water. Rather than simply choosing a coastal venue and then planning the celebration independently of it, couples are increasingly allowing the landscape, changing light and relationship between indoor and outdoor spaces to influence the day itself. Rockwater has identified four of the key considerations shaping modern coastal weddings.
