Every couple wants the perfect wedding, one that’s unique and special to them and flowers can say so much about the couple and their personalities, especially when designed by The Flowershop Pulborough.

This week the team and I were busy creating fabulous wedding flowers for three very different couples, at three different venues.

Wedding One: by Claire Denman

The venue was Two Woods, a stunning woodland wedding venue in Pulborough.

This bride went for a sumptuous mix of greens, purples, lillacs and creams in a very natural loose arrangement with a strong mix of flower and foliage.

This couple went for several main and secondary flowers consisting of Memory Lane Roses, Clematis and Lisianthus,  mixed in with contrasting greens of  Thlaspi and Eucalyptus.

The overall look was fresh, vibrant with a slightly French feel.

Wedding Two: by Claire2, Antonia and Charlotte

The venue was Bartholomew Barn and the choice of flowers fitted in beautifully with the venue. The theme was Classic English Country Garden and we created Bridal bouquets, buttonholes for the groom and groomsmen, corsages for the ladies as well as decorating the venue with this gorgeous garland above the Barn doors and bunches on either side.

 

Flowers included a mix of Hydrangea and Rose in soft pinks and creams.

Wedding Three: Becky, Claire2, Charlotte.

This wedding was different again, it was held at South Lodge and the flowers screamed English Country House.

Quite often we will go to the venue with brides (or grooms) to discuss their requirements and what, might look great, where. Visiting the venue also gives us a feel for what the couple like and what would best suit them.

We have three special venues that we know well and are on our preferred partner list.These are Two Woods, Fitzleroi Barn and Amberley Castle 

If you are planning a wedding at any of these venues, we have plenty of experience and knowledge of these venues, but you can also be assured that every wedding we do, will be unique and special to you.

For those of you who are interested in what goes on behind the scenes and why wedding flowers can seem expensive, let me explain some of the constraints and pressures your florist is up against.

The real cost of wedding floristry comes mainly from staffing costs. To make up the perfect garlands, bouquets and buttonholes you need space, concentration and several hands. Given that weddings usually fall at the weekend and Friday is one of the busiest days in the shop, I have to get in extra florists. Then if we can’t find quiet space in the shop during the day, quite often florists work late into the evening and get in extra early on Saturday mornings. It also takes several people to get the venue decorated and all it takes is for someone (usually John) to drop a garland from a height above a door or arch, for costs to escalate.

All the flower and foliage also needs to be the very best quality, in full bloom and at their freshest. This requires getting deliveries at the very last moment, which can of course sends us all into a mad panic if anything happens and the delivery is delayed.

Then add in wastage, transportation and the dreaded VAT.

The cost of flower rises and falls like markets on the stock exchange, so when we agree a price with a bride or groom, we actually have little idea of what it is actually going to cost when the time comes. The risk of under-quoting is totally mine, hedging bets and over-quoting could put the couple off, meaning we don’t get the job, but under-quoting and taking the hit at the time of the wedding can also leave us very much out of pocket.