A VERY ROYAL celebration

Feel like kings and queens on your big day with this regal shoot Images courtesy of Eden Photographics

Having witnessed some of the biggest royal events in living memory over the last couple of years, this team of local lovelies felt inspired to create their own tribute. At the time they started planning, back in March 2022, the late Queen Elizabeth II’s 70th Jubilee was at the forefront of everyone’s thoughts, so shoot coordinator and hair stylist Elizabeth Jarrett had in mind a 1940s and 1950s vibe with a regal twist as a tribute to Her Majesty’s incredible achievement. “There wasn’t a lot of money around to spend on weddings in the post-war years so I asked our suppliers to be sustainable and bring a beautiful, simple yet elegant and not too elaborate approach,” Elizabeth explains.

The heartbreaking news of Her Majesty’s passing came in the intervening months, and the images were actually shot the day before the state funeral. Moving apace into 2023, we’ve experienced the incredible pomp and circumstance of King Charles III’s coronation, so now the country is back in party mode and in hindsight, the second model reflects that as well as the joy of a wedding. “We’re also celebrating the fact that when it comes to wedding planning, the possibilities are endless,” Elizabeth says. “We love working in an ever-changing wedding industry here in Somerset.”

Green Fingers

Imogen Stuckes, founder of sustainable wedding florist Flowers by Imogen (www.flowersbyimogen.com) says: Sourcing your wedding flowers locally can be a brilliant way to be more sustainable on your big day. Ask your florist if they could possibly buy blooms from local flower farms, or at least be British grown. Ninety per cent of flowers in the UK are imported, flown over from as far afield as South America, and who knows if they’re ethically grown, so it’s always best to go local. At Flowers by Imogen, I use all British Flowers, including many we’ve grown in our very own cutting garden in Somerset.

If you wanted to look into sourcing the flowers yourself, you can usually pick up buckets from your local flower farm. Look on www.flowersfromthefarm.co.uk to find your nearest one. They usually grow artisanal blooms, which will make your wedding flowers bespoke and special. They’re also often grown organically, using sustainable methods; plus you’d be supporting a local, small-scale business.

It’s also a good idea to check that your florist uses sustainable mechanics, and works foam-free. Floral foam is a method of keeping flowers fresh, but it’s made from toxic chemicals including formaldehyde.