Christmas time weddings
I had two weddings this month, both similar in colour scheme but differing in style. As my customers know, I love my bright clashing colours but both of these couples required whites, creams, silver and dark green foliage which is a little different but I'm so happy to try something new, it challenges me creatively and broadens my repertoire. I love the warming vibe of a Christmas/winter wedding. I love a bit of brashness too, don't get me wrong, I've styled my whole business on putting flowers, colours and textures together that don't follow 'the rules' because that is what comes most natural to me but it's good to know I can adapt to different styles and still inject my personality into a more traditional design.
Emily & Tom's wedding was on the 9th of December at The Law Society in Chancery Lane. It's grand and vast building with dark wood panels, law books from floor to ceiling and huge portraits of associates from years gone by in gold ornate frames line the endless corridors. Emily wanted something stylish and elegant to go compliment the venue. She didn't want to compete with the grandness of the common room hall and I think she made the right decision. She chose log slices placed on square mirrors to make most of the light in the room with gorgeous mercury vases filled with beautiful white avalanche roses, white dutch tulips, ranunculus and anemones and blue thistle. I then warmed it all up with some gorgeous VERY pale pink hypericum berries, some dark purple pops of berries and delicate looking, viburnum, sweet smelling wax flowers to give it a slightly more rustic feel and more texture, and last but no means least added tonnes of dark green ruscus and silver dollar eucalyptus. A mercury tealight holder and some pine cones finished the look. I suppose it was a contrast from the venue but it worked rather well, simple, sophisticated, classic but with a contemporary twist. The same flowers ran throughout the wedding to tie it all in beautifully. Emily adored her bouquet and I must admit I was really pleased with how it turned out. She also had four bridesmaids bouquets and two flower girl wands, which had some lovely pale blue Delphinium at the special request of the eldest flower girl. I added a cool toned silver organza ribbon to all the bouquets to complete the look.
Victoria & Ryan's wedding day on the 29th of December was particularly exciting for me as it's the ceremony is where Kate and I got married just over a year ago. The Asylum in Peckham is a church that was bombed in WW2 and is now licensed for civil ceremonies under Southwark council. Think of the torn down building Ross and Emily got married in in Friends and you sort of have The Asylum. The name can be a little strange but actually it comes from Latin and it actually translates as sanctuary. It's stunning! I am biased of course but it really is beautiful. It's steeped with atmosphere and drama but in a cosy and inviting way. It's completely opposite to The Law Society but both are awesome and beautiful buildings in their own unique ways. Victoria's choices are similar to Emily's but Victoria wanted a slightly more contemporary look with less varieties of flowers, still quite wild looking in form, nothing too tight and lots of foliage springing out. In the chapel they had two large rustic cream urns on the podiums either side at the front of the Chapel, filled with loads of tall silvery and dark green foliage foliage and lots of cream roses and seasonal white flowers with splashes of rosey coloured berries. The bride and all the bridesmaids had eucalyptus crowns, the bride's crown with a smattering of gypsophila and some little white rose to make her stand out from the others. Her bouquet was large and spriggy with beautiful trailing ribbons in grey and silver. For the reception at 1 Friendly Place in Deptford they wanted runners placed along the centre of their banquet tables for 120 guests. I used soft ruscus which is a beautiful emerald green and silver dollar eucalyptus wrapped in tiny fairy lights. Subtle but oh so perfect for a winter wedding.
