HOT TOPIC

Stellar wedmin advice from those in the know

WINTER’S NATURAL BEAUTY

We can’t wait for our winter-themed wedding, but the flowers are worrying me a little. What’s available at this time of year and what would you suggest to tie them in with our theme?

Having access to wholesalers widens our variety of flowers in the winter, if the seasonal options aren’t enough. So there’s really nothing to worry about for a winter wedding. Although, I do tend to use seasonal flowers and foliage from here in the UK, because I love the changing of the seasons and all that nature offers us. It’s also much more eco-friendly to use what’s available locally rather than relying on imports.

In the winter months, we have many options available. Anemones are stunning and are only available from November, meaning they beautifully reflect the time of year. Hellebore (Christmas rose) is one of my favourites and they come in beautiful colours. I love to use the lime green variety in a lot of my designs, as it’s so fresh and vibrant. Berries too are abundant and sweet-smelling winter jasmine and viburnum are great additions. Thistles bring a wonderful winter feel, and are excellent for buttonholes since they’re so hardy.

If you have your heart set on roses it’s not a problem as the wholesalers offer a huge range all year long in a wide range of different colours. They’re a staple of nearly all of my clients’ wedding flowers. Foliage brings a lot to any arrangement and eucalyptus is at its best in the winter months, along with English ivy. But again, the wholesalers will have a huge variety of all sorts of textures and shapes.

The first question I ask my clients is: “What’s the feel of your wedding?” We’ll then talk colours and style before I put together a moodboard to sum up the overall look and what’s available for that time of year. Trusting your florist is key. With all of the necessary information to hand, they can work their magic!

TOGETHER FOREVER

The one thing I wish I could keep as a memento of my wedding day is my bouquet. Is this at all possible? I’m loving the balloon arches I’m seeing at wedding fairs and would love to know more about modern ways to incorporate balloons into my venue styling. What do you recommend?

Balloons have always been a great way to incorporate colour and drama into any wedding’s styling, their versatility is second to none. They have the ability to bring cohesion to the space, whether used indoors or outdoors, in small or large displays, they can lead the way.

Organic balloon styling with florals has become a huge trend within the industry and as a speciality of ours we can’t wait to see it grow in popularity even more. Demiarches and balloon hoops are also on trend and balloon walls are particularly popular in contemporary weddings thanks to their vast visual impact. They can also be used to section or mask areas of the venue, bring a dark corner to life or create a fantastic spot for Insta-worthy guest selfies.

Jamie Ashby | https://boutiqueballoonstudio.com

Yes of course! Your flowers are such an important part of your big day and to be able to keep your actual bouquet afterwards is something so many love to do. Whether it’s taking a single flower and creating a paperweight or having your whole bouquet preserved and designed within a bespoke box frame, your big-day blooms can be a beautiful memento to keep forever.

Ideally flowers must be received within a couple of days after the event while they’re still fresh, then they’re photographed and the bouquet is carefully dismantled before the beautiful blooms and foliage are preserved in 3D. After several weeks, I’ll then invite you to choose your design and frame working with your ideas, colour palette and budget. All framed products are collected by hand, but if you do live some distance away there’s the option to post me some flowers to be made into a paperweight, which can then be posted back to you.

Marina Hudson | www.actualflowers.co.uk

https://craigpayne.co.uk

ALL NIGHT LONG

We’re having nightmares about those awkward periods during weddings we’ve been to where the dancefloor is empty. How can you suggest we avoid this embarrassment at our wedding?

The key point to consider here is whether the right music is playing. If I were to ask you: “What’s your favourite music?” You may give me a list of amazing tunes, but will they set the dancefloor on fire? A better question to ask is: “What do you promise to dance to?” This will make you think about those songs you remember celebrating to. Think about who’ll be attending your wedding too. Are all the guests friends in the same age group with the same awesome taste in music as you, or will there be a wide age range present?

Choosing your wedding party music is one of the most important aspects of the big day’s entertainment. It ensures the success of the party, and everyone’s enjoyment of it. As a minimum, you should think about working with your DJ in advance, and giving them a few request lists such as: ♥ A must-play list of your own favourite songs to dance to. ♥ Your guests’ requests of songs they love to dance to. ♥ Special requests such as your first dance. ♥ A don’t play list – songs not to be played under any circumstances!

Hiring a professional wedding DJ with lots of experience should give you confidence that the dancefloor will be full all night long. Make sure you check out reviews from other couples who’ve booked the DJ you’re considering before you book and meet them beforehand. One final tip: don’t leave it to the last minute to book a pro. The last few months have meant that most are booked up for key dates already.