How to make your wedding blooms more eco

Here at Bembridge Flowershop, nothing gets our secateurs snipping quite like a wedding. From bespoke flower archways to tasteful table arrangements, we absolutely love creating floral fairytales for happy couples across the Island, each one overflowing with natural grace and wild romance. In recent years, (just like everyone else) our team of florists have become increasingly aware of the environmental challenges facing the planet, so we’ve decided to use this issue’s column to share a few botanical hints and tips to make your wedding a more eco-friendly affair.

First things first — the bouquets. Whether for the bride’s wonderfully wild showstopper or the bridesmaids’ posies, we suggest a seasonal selection of garden-inspired blooms, tied together with biodegradable jute twine, or a stream of hand-dyed silk ribbon. Plus, once the rings are exchanged, speeches made and the big day has finished, you could give these all-important flowers a second life by taking a few home to dry or press, creating an elegant memento for years to come.

Next, the table decorations. At our family-run florists, we’re big on repurposing wedding flowers and can recommend using pre-potted plants (such as seasonal herbs like rosemary or lavender) for the table centres. Not only do they look great, but guests can take them home to plant them in their gardens later, helping to reduce waste and provide a deliciously fragrant wedding favour too.

For other styles of floral arrangements, made with our finest cut flowers, we’re always happy to use natural moss or chicken wire to keep your blooms happy and hydrated instead of the traditional option of oasis (which uses microplastics and is currently non-recyclable).

When it comes to wreathing church pillars, festooning doorways, or decorating floral archways, we also like to opt for seasonal buds and foliage, including delicate pink and white roses or pastel-hued hydrangeas. If a couple would like us to include foliage from their garden, we’re more than happy to do that too, as it helps keep those carbon emissions to a minimum. bembridgeflowershop.co.uk

Finally, it’s always a good idea to think about what will happen to all your wedding flowers after the event. Some brides and grooms choose to give their floral arrangements to local hospices or care homes, extending the life of the flowers and spreading joy at the same time — personally, we think it’s a fantastic idea!

So, whether your big day takes place in the local village church, a rustic barn, or the grounds of Osborne House, at Bembridge Flowershop we’re always on hand to make your special day a sustainable one — as well as a memorable one.