DARLING BUDS

DARLING

We interview local florists budsFLOWERS

Flowers are one of the most important parts of any wedding, so finding the right supplier is essential. To help you make the right choice, we’ve interviewed three Surrey-based florists.

Meet Sharon Monk from Longacres Garden Centre

01276 476 778 | www.longacres.co.uk

Tell us about your company? Longacres has the largest cut flower shop in the South-East, and we deliver hundreds of amazing wedding packages every year.

What should couples expect when booking your services? Our dedicated team of enthusiastic florists have decades of experience with an amazing eye for detail. We supply an exclusive personal florist who will be with you every step of the way, working with your tastes and providing that personal touch. We can manage every event from a small intimate venue to large hotels and outdoor properties. Every wedding is different, so we can create flowers in any colour, style or theme such as romantic, country garden, modern chic, classic elegance or something a little quirkier.

What services do you offer? We can deliver your flowers and (if desired) dress your venue to ensure you get the wow factor you and your guests are expecting. In addition, we are very excited to offer our enhanced range of hire items, from vases and lanterns to big items such as moon arches and our beautiful new blossom trees.

What’s your favourite part of the job? We are devoted to making your wedding dreams come true. You are not simply customers but rather a couple choosing Longacres to be part of your special day. To start your journey, please book an appointment with one of our wedding florists at one of the Longacres stores.

Do you have any top tips for couples looking for a florist? Talk to your florist about your specific needs to see if they can create a distinctive look that suits your big day.

www.gmgcreative.co.uk www.gmgcreative.co.uk

Meet Annabel Grange from Butterflies & Bows

07717 527 923 | www.butterfliesandbows.co.uk

Tell us about your background – how did you become a florist? I started at night school while I was working in electronics. I’d always loved my garden and saw a course being advertised, so I thought why not? The electronics company I was working for was taken over a couple of years later, so I decided to go full time and start up my own flowers company. I have an excellent background in advertising, accounts, purchasing and sales, which is essential when owning a business.

What should couples expect when booking your services? I meet my couples for a one-on-one consultation and go through every detail of their day, especially colours using my hug portfolio, which gives the bride and groom a feel of what the finished product will look like.

I provide a personal service, and unlike some other shops, I only do one or two weddings per day. I also deliver and set up, and collect any loaned items the next day, so you don’t have to worry. In addition, if you change your colour scheme or choice of vases/décor, I’m happy to adjust your booking to meet your requirements. I try to be as flexible as possible.

What’s your favourite arrangement that you’ve made and why? I don’t have a favourite – there are way too many! I enjoy making a variety of designs and styles – I also enjoy being given free rein to create a particularly unusual design.

How long before the wedding should couples book? I take bookings 18 months before the wedding as slots get reserved very quickly.

What’s your favourite part of the job? I love walking into a blank venue and creating a real wow factor with the flowers and décor. When the couple walk in and love it, it’s an amazing feeling.

Do you have any top tips for couples looking for a florist? Ask to see their portfolio, recommendations, and thank you letters. Don’t let one bad review on a social platform put you off – there may be a story behind it. Talk to the florist, preferably face to face, to see if you click and make sure they understand what you’re looking for.

Fiona's photography is her art and she would love to share this with you. Creating amazing images that you will cherish for generations. She prides herself on offering the best service she can, making clients feel totally at ease in front of the camera and getting the best out of their personalities. The passion she has for her work has been awarded through out the industry, but more importantly her clients LOVE their photos this means more to herthan anything!

Fiona's packages start at £2500, which includes a full days photography from bridal preparations through to the first dance, plus a beautifully crafted, 20 page ltailan wed ding album.

Special Offer for 2021/22 clients contactfor details

Fiona lngva rsson FB IPP FSWPP Fiona Elizabeth Photography TEL: 079 61 578 100 EMAiL: fiona@fionaelizabethphotography.com WEB: www. fionaelizabethphotography.com INSTAGRAM: @fiona _ elizabeth _photography FACEBOOK: Fiona Elizabeth Photography

The Ceremony Hall The Reception Hall

Outside Terrace and Garden

The Wedding venue for Godalming, Surrey

Clock Barn Hall is a modern venue set in the heart of a working farm and estate just outside Godalming, Surrey. A truly romantic setting, surrounded by stable yards, barns, fields and horses.

Clock Barn Hall consists of two halls, one of which is primarily used for Civil ceremonies and is licensed for up to 100 guests. The other hall is an elegant reception hall for wedding breakfasts and parties. The reception hall can seat up to 100 guests, with the option of extending to 170 guests for larger receptions. Both halls boast modern lighting and air conditioning (perfect for those hot summer days). The venue also has a bride’s room, a family room, and ample free parking. Run by husband and wife team Kevin and Isabel Mason, based at Clock Barn Farm in Godalming. They diversified into weddings in 2007 and it has since proved to be very popular. It is in an ideal location with easy access to the A3 and 2 miles from Godalming Town Centre. There are numerous advantages for booking with this venue. To find out more please see their website:

Meet Elaine Davis from Flowers by Elaine

01306 883 511 | www.flowersbyelaine.co.uk

Tell us about your company? We are proud to be the appointed florist for Wotton House, Denbies Wine Estate and The Burford Bridge. We work closely with their wedding teams and recommended suppliers to ensure that your wedding day is the day of your dreams. We are also a recommended florist for Hartsfield Manor and Guildford Manor Hotel & Spa, as well as working at other local hotels, churches and venues.

What should couples expect when booking your services? Wedding flowers are a huge part of your day, and our team of friendly and highly experienced florists will provide a professional and personal service to help you choose the perfect blooms. From a small intimate affair to a large formal occasion, from bouquets and buttonholes to church and venue decorations, we will ensure that your flowers enhance your day. We also have a large selection of items available to hire, including vases, candelabra, artificial blossom trees and bay trees.

How long before the wedding should couples book? We recommend that you book your consultation around six months to a year before your wedding, as we do get booked up quickly. If you come and see us at the same time of year as your wedding, it may give you a chance to see what seasonal flowers are around at the time. Contact us in advance to book your consultation as we have a lot of couples to meet, and obviously, Saturday appointments are most popular and get filled quickly!

We offer appointments for weekday and Saturday afternoons, so, if possible, try and have a few possible dates in mind when you get in touch with us. Feel free to email us any of your ideas before your consultation, for example, photos, colour samples, dresses, pictures of the wedding venue etc. This will help give us a head start to build a picture of the day you want to create before we meet you.

Try to limit the number of people you bring to your meeting with us. Not only do we have limited space, but often, having too many friends/family with you may lead to too many distractions and different opinions. We want your appointment to be stress-free and an enjoyable part of your wedding preparations!

After your consultation, we will put an estimate together and email it to you. We aim to get this to you as soon as we can, but it can take up to a couple of weeks during particularly busy times. When booking with us, we take a deposit of £100 to hold the date and then require the balance to be settled two weeks before your wedding.

Once booked, we will stay in touch via email and phone, and any alterations can be made to your estimate. You may want to book another appointment to come and meet with us again to have a final catch up and confirm all the details. We would like your order confirmed two weeks before so we can plan our flower list and place our order with suppliers.

Do you have any top tips for couples looking for a florist? Most couples have a budget for their wedding flowers, so prioritise which flowers are most important to you for the day. We recommend focusing on the flowers that will be most photographed, so we would advise not to scrimp on your bridal bouquet.

When working with a budget, there are often ways to reuse flowers throughout the day, and we can discuss different ideas with you. Large arrangements can be moved to different areas, and there may be an option for using flowers from your ceremony as your table centrepieces afterwards. If you have a lot of bridesmaids, a great idea is to have vases on the top table to display their bouquets in to save spending on other flowers.

Don’t worry if your knowledge of flowers isn’t great, we are here to guide you through the process and make choosing your blooms one of the highlights of the planning process!

BESPOKE SERVICE, IN SALON OR ON LOCATION

Hair styling, Cuts & Colouring, Extensions and Clip ins, Hair Up

Friendly helpful staff who will help ease your big day

205 KINGSTON ROAD EWELL, SURREY, KT19 0AB

22 ST MARTINS WALK DORKING RH41UT

Ewell: 0208 3931515 Dorking: 01306 743665 info@uhsalons.co.uk www.uhsalons.co.uk

Your Wedding Day

Your dream wedding with amazing views of quintessentially English countryside is offered at Burrows Lea Country House. Nestled in some of Surrey’s most idyllic countryside, making it the perfect venue for a beautiful English country wedding.

Having your wedding at Burrows Lea means you can have both your ceremony and reception in one location. Our in-house chapel is fully licenced to hold wedding ceremonies, offering couples the chance to tailor a service that suits them. It is non-denominational, so we can cater for all beliefs and expectations. Our on-site registrar will work with you to create your perfect ceremony.

A wonderful sweeping driveway leads you up to the entrance of Burrows Lea, an imposing manor house set on a hillside overlooking the stunning views of the countryside. From the fabulous formal rose garden to the wooded hollow and tree-lined walkways, the gardens are immaculately kept. During April and May be enchanted by the spectacular bluebell woodland, which is magical.

Burrows Lea provides everything you would ever need or want for a picture-perfect English country wedding. Let our passionate and approachable team, who have an abundance of experience in ensuring that every detail is taken care of, help you make this a most memorable day.

For more information call 01483 205620 or email enquiries@burrowslea.org.uk

v v i s Irock u a l s

Photography business based in Surrey, I love to capture that natural moment - part of which makes a photo so special. I am flexible to my customers ’ needs and will discuss any project with you to make sure I achieve your desired specification. I really enjoy being able to record that ‘ unique ’ shot and turning your moments into cherished memories.

Qualified and Insured. Happy to travel to wherever you need me.

07876 253 562 eray@irockvisuals.com