PERFEZIONE ITALIANO...

With the beautiful, intimate wedding of Justin and Jessica happening in the picture perfect Italian landscape, I decided it's time to delve into what Italy has to offer for floral wedding inspiration.

The Italians epitomise lavish style. Its expensive and indulgent. Their major fashion houses ooze glamour and sophistication. This typical Italian pizazz spills into anything floral regarding 'Weddings'... and they do it ever so well!

If you are wishing to mirror this style into your own wedding flowers it is a lot easier that you'd imagine. The Italians, it would seem, favour creams, ivories, pale peaches and champagne hues. It's very simple choice but extremely effective. You barely see a flash of greenary... all you see are masses and masses of flowers. Its a very generous and liberal floral theme.

If we start off with the all important Bridal bouquet... despite the limited colour pallet there are several options you could go forward with, each as beautiful as each other.  Ivory roses are king here... please don't limit yourself to just these, couple them with peachy vendella roses, blousy flower forms (peonies would look sensational in the summer months) such as Dahlias and a luxury, sporadic dusting of Stephanotis... Utter Italian perfection!!!!!

Alternatively keep to smaller headed flowers and opt for a mix of cream and ivory roses married with Stephanotis. Add a smattering of crystal embellishments and... Questo è quanto (there you have it) a flawless Italian bouquet ready to make any Bride thrilled.

To transfer this exorbitant look to your venue decoration you'll need large, showy, impressive displays of flowers... A good mix of high and low arrangements would look exquisite. A sumptuous blend of cream hydrangeas, white akito roses and peach vendella roses arranged in simple glass vase. Its luxurious, elegant and very glamourous. 

I adore the little touches to weddings... the finer details speak volumes and can often make or break a chosen theme. I just had to include these beautiful Italian inspired hair flowers that adorn a loosley touseled look... isn't it beautiful?!?

Whatever the inspiration for your Italian wedding... Venetian, Milano or Tuscan you can recreate a magnificent look full of splendour. I will of course be bringing more inspiration your way very soon but in the meantime do bear this one in mind... La sua bella!

With thanks to:

• Stunning venue: featured on Zsa Zsa blog.
• Rose and Dahlia bouquet: Wedding Bee blog.
• Rose and Stephanotis bouquet: found on my pinterest page.
• Glorious table flower arrangements: Sincerely Yours blog.

A VINTAGE AFFAIR...

Well, it's been quite some time hasn't it?... Today I am going to share with you all a beautiful vintage inspired shoot that we did back in sunny August... gosh that seems such a long time ago! We teamed up with the very lovely Emma at the Bridal Room Broadway and the fantastic 'Adorable Moments' Photography and together we created some beautiful images. To be honest... this particular shoot was all about the stunning dresses provided by Emma... and the very lovely Harriet (our beautiful model) showed them off to their very best. Emma contacted me in the hope we could supply some vintage inspired bouquets. Something very loose, very pretty -  almost a handpicked natural feel. We supplied two bouquets for Harriet to hold. Both were created using garden roses. The first, favoured by Emma, was a deep, rich ruby pink coloured rose. We mixed this with an antique pink Eustoma and fresh Jasmine foliage straight out the garden. The wayward tendrils of the Jasmine greenary add a very quaint, old fashioned look to the bouquet. So very pretty but with an indulgent twist  from the deep 'Darcy' Rose.

The second bouquet was formed using the prettiest pale, peachy pink rose as the basis. We combined this with fresh garden Lavender, Veronica and Eustoma. Again some garden foliage, this time Myrtle and only one or two Jasmine curls added to that 'handpicked' feel.

After talking to Emma further about the 'Vintage' theme it would seem that this popular choice is set to continue with 2013 / 2014 brides. Speaking in a professional capacity, vintage florals are so effortlessly beautiful. There are so many options available... Here I stuck to rose combinations but the greater the variety of flowers you have the better it looks! Anenomes, with their dark hearts, married with fluffy Stocks, Astilbe and Eustoma... Just stunning! Do away with the formality factor and opt for jam jars and enamel jugs full of flowers for table centres. Vintage teacups are proving a popular choice amongst brides... flowers arranged in clusters within them can be used as relaxed centrepieces and can create beautiful favours for your guests to take home and treasure!

I have been so so busy lately planning some fantastic events and shoots with some great suppliers across the Cotswolds and South West. Do sit tight for some more fabulous inspiration coming your way very soon... Theres a very busy winter ahead of me!!!

With thanks to:

• The very beautiful Harriet for modelling for us.
• The stunning range of dresses brought to us by the very lovely Emma of The Bridal Room Broadway
• The fabulous photos by Adorable Moments Photography
•  Bouquets designs and created by me... Stephanie Saunders

SEASONS OF MISTS AND MELLOW FRUITFULNESS...

For all you nature lovers out there, this time of year is a real treat... The trees are turning from the vivid greens and luscious emeralds into the mellow shades of golden oranges and crisp reds... Yes, autumn has arrived!

For me autumn is possibly the most fantastic of all the seasons. Natures display of transformation is just so fabulous, every year I can't fail to be amazed and all the new blooms to play with just makes it all the more enjoyable for me!

Summers stunning pastel shades make way for the most rich and sumptuous hues... deep scarlet reds, bold, extroverted oranges and fantastic berry tones. There is certainly a sense of indulgence about this season.

Although autumn will never be as popular as spring and summer for weddings, it does have an awful lot to offer for wedding flowers...

For Brides who love rich and indulgent reds (usually the hopeless romantics... I certainly have a penchant for them) this is your season to shine. The velvety texture of the 'Grand Prix' rose reigns supreme here... the infinite ruffles are so decadent, perfect for an autumn wedding. To add depth to your arrangements and bouquets mix this with another red rose, perhaps the 'Ruby Red' rose (aptly named) and add a magical touch of typical autumnal foliage... maybe some oak leaves???... Stunning!!!

I'm a huge fan of using seasonal blooms... and this season is no exception. There are some gorgeous varieties out there this time of year and the Dahlia is quite possibly autumn personified. It comes in a range of colours, from the richest reds to the most subtle coral pink shades... so versatile and so beautiful! The berry colours are my preferred choice. Burgundy and jewel tones are set to lead the way on the catwalks this season and why should floral trends differ? Mix these berried tones with clever foliage to enhance the arrangement, something like a purply red Dracaena would work a dream. Natural Birch would add a further dimension. Look at this stunning arrangement that was created just last week... Berrylicious don't you think?... Take this a step further and why not add actual berries to your arrangements??... Lovely!!

For all you golden oranges and mellow yellow lovers out there, here's an option for you... The humble and often unpopular chrysanthemum bloom is a hidden gem. Again they come in a massive array of colours, perhaps choose a bold orange to really add umph!... nestle them in amongst hardy (and slightly indulgent) 'Charley Brown' Orchids to lessen the blow of the zesty orange and tone down the arrangement, add a sprinkling of skimmia and a whole load of rich foliage and finish off with teeny tiny crab apples... Have this arrangement cuddling a candle and you have on your table something really special for a really special time of year!

Be sure to ask your chosen florist about your options for autumnal weddings... you can really achieve an outstanding display of colour. Theres something for everyone!

With thanks to:

• Beautiful autumn scene: Westonbirt Arboretum 
• The autumnal dome with oak leaves: Stephanie Saunders
• Berrylicious long and low arrangement: Stephanie Saunders
• Autumn personified wreath arrangement: Stephanie Saunders

FEATURED WEDDING - AMY AND JAMES LYALL

This weeks blog post is the first (of many I hope) featured wedding. This is a very special wedding to me as Amy is a very good friend of mine, we spent four years together at uni and I'm so happy she is my first featured Bride...

On August the 3rd 2012, in the most beautiful picture postcard church in South Gloucestershire, Amy married James... the wonderful man in her life.

During our consultation Amy was very keen on a blue colour scheme to complement the beautiful richness of the bridesmaids dresses. Blue can be such a difficult colour to get right as far as flowers can go... To begin with there aren't that many true blue blooms, secondly those that are, are the wrong form for handheld posy bouquets brides traditionally carry down the aisle. Things like Consolida (Larkspur) and Delphiniums are too tall for such uses. As this was going to be a summer wedding I decided to go forward with Hydrangea 'Verena blue' as the main blue component... As you can see it is the most beautiful shade of pale blue, just perfect against the blue of her Bridesmaids. I teamed this with Akito Roses and Freesia 'Crystal River', with a little gentle foliage in the form of soft Ruscus. This formed the basis of the design.

Amy wanted a traditional trailing bouquet... something a little more special compared to the very in vogue posy bouquet. As you can see the flower choice worked beautifully. This was a modern take on the more traditional shower bouquet that the lovely Brides of the 80's carried... It was completely packed with flowers, very structured, almost more of a teardrop bouquet. These bouquets look beautiful with fuller wedding dresses... the perfect complement to Amy's stunning dress. Her two Bridesmaids carried handtied posy bouquets and her adorable flower girl carried a pomander of the same combination...

Aside from the bouquets and buttonholes we also provided tablecentre arrangements for the gorgeous reception at Eastwood Park. For these we decided on a romantic candle arrangement. We grouped different sized candles and surrounded these with Hydrangea florets, groupings of Roses, Freesias and double Eustoma Rosita White, broken up with the silvery foliage of Eucalyptus Cinnerea and more soft Ruscus... very pretty... don't you think? It was a shame we were unable to light the candles in these arrangements as it would have looked stunning but Health and Safety is Health and Safety and better to be safe than sorry!

The cake was a real treat... Amy wanted it full of flowers to make a real feature of it. The top was structured using a teeny tiny floral foam disc and flowers literally spilled out of it. Each layer was then crammed with more Hydrangea florets, more Roses and more Freesia with some stunning unfurled Eustoma, making an appearance...

To top it all we included a pedestal arrangement that decorated both the church and the venue. We used even more of the same and included some very elegant 'White Heaven' Lilies to make a big bold statement, a showy display that sat proud at the front of the church and in the reception venue!

I hope you agree with me when I say what a pretty wedding this was... If you keep the flower choice simple you can't really go wrong. I could have used Delphiniums and other blue, line form flowers in the pedestal but I feel this would have taken away from the beauty of the blue Verena Hydrangea. That was the star of this wedding design and I'm so pleased to report that Mr and Mrs Lyall thought so too!

For a better look at the wedding and a little more insight into the overall look of the floral design please do have a look at this wonderful video, just click on the following link... Amy and James Lyall 

With thanks to:

• The wonderful video shot, edited and produced by Andrew McCabe. Do take a look at his other work. A truly talented man, all details to contact him found on my website!
• The beautiful photography by the super talented Caroline at  Bristol Wedding Photographic her website is full or gorgeous images and well worth a look!

DIAMONDS ARE FOREVER...

When the lovely men in our lives pops that all important question we have been waiting our lives to hear we often seal that with a diamond ring... Why?... Diamonds are a symbol of happiness, beauty and eternal love.. A diamond, ladies, is for life!

It is undoubtedly the most exquisite of things. All made by nature, a pretty fantastic thing don't you think? Why not continue this theme when planning your wedding day and wrap it up beautifully with an iconic white ribbon. Yes darlings... This weeks inspiration is about all things Tiffany's.

No one can fail to recognise the signature bright turquoise box and white ribbon. The simple beauty and elegance of it shouts quality from the rooftops. Is it any wonder that so many Brides are using this icon to plan their wedding day around?

So many ideas are possible - it is far too easy to overdo it! Remember Brides, the turquoise should only be an accent colour. For this reason, (and partly because there are no true blooms in this bright shade, and to dye them would just be sacrilege) I would strongly suggest you stick solely to pure white blooms.

Please do not be afeared. This is far from an 'incipid' choice. A mass of white blooms look so beautifully chic, you cannot fail to make a statement. If you were to then team this with the one thing that Tiffany's is so famous for then you are carrying in your hands the winning combination! Introduce diamonds, any where, any how! My personal choice would be a mass of Dolomiti Roses, the purity of this white Rose would make it the perfect choice. Within the spiraling of the bouquet I would set diamond sprays that would add a touch of sparkle under the subtle lighting of a softly lit church / ceremony room. To bind, I would propose to use the bright turquoise colour in the ribbon with perhaps one or two diamond accessories to embelish and secure with diamond headed pins - WOW... Just perfect!

To carry this theme throughout your day I would suggest the use of crystal candelabras to decorate your guests tablecentres. Upon this already stunning piece use a combination of Stephanotis, more Dolomiti Roses and perhaps a Freesia or two, keeping the foliage to a bare minimum. This would look lavish and expensive... Very Tiffany's. Accompany this with tea lights and lots of them, perhaps scattering faux diamonds (or real, budget depending - now thats a wedding I would love an invite to) among the candles to make the best possible use of the candlelight. Of course each guest and table setting would have their very own Tiffany's box, encapsulating a little treat as a thank you for sharing your day. And the cake... Well the cake could just be amazing. It is truly fabulous what some people can do with sugar these days!

This may not be a theme everyone is keen on, but I hope everyone reading this can understand the unique beauty it can bring to a wedding day.  As with all themes you can go as far as you like with it... you may only want to hint at Tiffany's and the next couple may want to immerse themselves in all things Tiffany's. It is a bold and beautiful choice and can look stunning if the finer details are well done and precise. The colour turquoise on the binding ribbon, for example, must match perfectly with the other turquoise featured, whether thats the bridesmaids dresses, the chair sashes or the favours. The small details say an awful lot and can certainly make or break the theme!

Either way, love it, like it or hate it... Tiffany's has a timeless grace to it. And as the beautiful Marilyn Monroe sang... "square cut or pear shaped, these rocks don't loose their shape, Diamonds are a girls best friend."

With thanks to:

• Featured bouquet with diamond detailing - Stephanie Saunders
• Stunning crystal cake - featured on Project Wedding 

DECISIONS DECISIONS...

Planning a wedding or any large scale event can be a very time consuming business... Dresses, flowers, venues, cars, menus, stationary, photography, videographers... The list sometimes seems endless. There is so much to think about, to make your day the picture perfect wedding you had always dreamed it would be!

Unfortunately I can't advise on all of your decisions but I can guide you through choosing a good florist, and what to look out for!..

Be Organised
As a general rule of thumb you should be looking to book your florist about a year (or as close as) in advance. The best florists tend to get snapped up by super organised people, so get in early and book a consultation. Remember consultations should be no obligation. A florist cannot hold you to any agreement before a deposit is taken to secure the date.

Your Vision
Try to have in mind a good idea of your perfect flower choice or at least colour. If you go to a consultation with this in mind it is far easier for the florist to decipher the perfect design for you. Without it, it could turn into an hour of guessing what it is you like. Try to collect images of arrangements you like. Pinterest (an online pin board) is an amazing way of doing this!

Passion
When you meet with potential florists you will know when you have found the perfect match for you as their passion for flowers and design will shine through. I get excited by the thought of all new commissions and fresh challenges, and when a Bride comes to me with a more unusual colourway or theme my design skills get tested and for me thats exciting. I love to meet new Brides and combine their ideas into something they'll love. If your florist looks bored or distracted during your consultation  its a sign they may not be the florist for you.

The finer details
...they say a lot! The first point of call is usually their website. This is the tool us floral designers use to advertise what we can do and how we view things. The look of their website says an awful lot... it reflects their work. I spent hours with the lovely (and patient) Kaitie at Leaff design (my design company) thinking through the layout and concept of my website, logo, promotional cards and teeny tiny details... I care so much about what things look like and if they aren't 100% perfect I'm not 100% happy. If you look at your potential florist's websites and it looks like an 'it'll do' job, this could be an attitude to their work.

Budget
Have in mind a realistic maximum amount you want to spend on your wedding day flowers - this will remove any unpleasant shocks when you get your quote through. The average wedding flower spend is around 10% of your overall wedding budget. - a £20,000 wedding ought to think about a £2,000 flower fund and so on! If you have a smaller budget have a realistic list of requirements. In these cases stick to the main components - Bridal and bridesmaids bouquets, buttonholes and perhaps a top table arrangement. This will keep the quality that wedding flowers should have yet keep the budget small enough!

Enjoy the process
Remember that planning a wedding should be an enjoyable experience too! Flowers are a joy and can't fail to make someone happy. Do not let it stress you out. The correct florist for you should make the whole process as enjoyable as possible for you... they should listen carefully and go out of their way to give you what you want (or as close to it as possible). Unfortunately we can't magic up Peonies in April or give you Lily of the Valley in November but we can think through the best possible alternatives that will make you happy!

















I do hope this little post helps. If you are planning a wedding and would like to know a little more information or to even book a consultation please do get in touch... We would love to hear from you!

With thanks to:

• The stunning venue design with the crystal chandelier and copious amounts of flowers - as featured in  Kirsten Newman Designs blog.
• The infinity lantern row - sourced from Pinterest.
• Simply elegant and simply perfect invitation set - sourced from Pinterest and featured on 4bp blogspot.
• Gorgeous heart of Roses - featured on Cool Picture Gallery.

THE WEST WEDDING SHOW!...

I thought I'd post an impromptu blog today in the absence of this mondays usual blog post... I took a mini break in sunny Cornwall to have a much needed rest!... Its done the trick... I'm well rested and raring to go!

I've been working so hard recently, what with the launch of my brand new website, wedding quotes and wedding floristry to contend with... and of course my blogs that I love writing. I have also been organising my exhibition at the West Wedding Show, in Bristol.

An awful lot of planning went into my exhibition table. I wanted people to see the beauty that flowers bring to tables... They aren't just a decoration, they are a necessity! And with the help of the lovely Kate at Lavender and Linen we styled a table I would be honoured to have at my own wedding!!!

I decided to use the David Austin Keira Rose for the basis of the design... I coupled that with some beautiful creamy white Freesias, White Veronica and antique pink Eustoma, with their twisted buds sitting proudly above the bouquet waiting to unfurl. The creamy pink of the Keira Rose was complemented with some 'Pink Champagne'  staged in some beautiful vintage crystal Champagne saucers and bottles, supplied by Lavender and Linen.

The crystal bowl arrangement included just Keira Roses, Freesias and Eustoma. The lighting really does do justice to crystal arrangements. Especially if you were to use candles next to it. It twinkles and glistens and looks ever so romantic. I coupled this arrangement with a single Rose/Freesia combination sitting in a crystal bottle with the stopper staged next to it. Very pretty and effective if you are on a budget yet still wanting to create impact!

I of course had my promotional material to hand for Brides and Grooms to take. The soft muted greeny grey of my cards sat beautifully next to the blush pink colour scheme of the flowers. The overall look was very natural and romantic... Perfect for a wedding show don't you think?

The final flourish was a scattering of Rose petals to soften any hard edges... I received some lovely comments from Brides and mothers of Brides which is so positive. Sometimes its the little finer details that people take note of and help make the bigger picture that little bit more special. 

The numbers on the day were a little disappointing... It was such a beautiful, warm Sunday (so rare these days) so it's not surprising that people were preferring to stay outside. I learned so much from the experience and will be looking forward to my next show... whenever that may be! I'll keep you all informed. Would love to see some of you there!

With thanks to:

• Lavender and Linen for the beautiful Champagne Saucers and mini Decanters!
• The lovely Cassie Penticost (my show neighbour) for being so kind and friendly!
• The flowers and floral design by me Stephanie Saunders!

IN AN ENGLISH COUNTRY GARDEN...

With Summer in full swing (well... almost), Autumn just around the corner, and a weekend thinking through vintage, hand picked designs for a potential bride, I thought I'd take this weeks inspiration from our garden and all the beauty that comprises it.

I've always loved the pure, natural beauty of the quintessentially English Country garden. Masses of climbing roses... the pungent jasmine with their stunning star-shaped blooms and wayward tendrils... the sublime scent of lavender mounds dotted here and there... the prominent peaks of delphiniums overlooking the full, luscious borders that spill onto the pathway. The overall look is loose, understated and naturally beautiful!

This purely natural look for your flowers can be achieved in a number of ways and can help transform your wedding ideas and musings into day you have always dreamt about!

There is a truly diverse range of flowers cultivated in Britain that combine to make the perfect arrangements for garden or vintage themed weddings. Handpicked blooms of Dahlias, Nigella, Ammi, Veronica, Asters and Anemones... loosely gathered and informally tied with lace ribbon, would make the most perfect bouquet for a vintage Bride. And instead of using formal vases and candelabras use glass pitchers and jam jars holding more loose arrangements. It'll look like they have been freshly picked out of the garden and create the most beautiful ambiance to your reception!

Brides who are after something a little more formal, but are still keen on using natural styled blooms... look no further than the unassuming garden rose. Bouquets and arrangements formed of a mass of these roses look formal and structured yet retain the natural charm that is lusted for... A highly desirable choice would be any variety of the David Austin roses. Each hue is perfectly formed and when combined, it certainly has the wow factor. Have your florist select some soft foliage to complement the grace of the rose... perhaps some Thlaspi or tendrils of jasmine (...this would look amazing) and have it binded with a luxurious silk ribbon and secured with an antique brooch - a beautiful, personal touch that looks spectacular!

Perhaps my personal favourite by far is a combination of both... relaxed meets formal! It creates a wonderful look. Combine your larger garden roses with some informal choices. Veronica would introduce some line to your arrangements, Waxflower also sits beautifully with this form of rose and succeeds in softening the whole look. Eustoma adds a certain charm to this sort of bouquet also. The twisted closed buds sit nicely above the arrangement and champions the handpicked feel. Add a touch of soft foliage to break up the mass of flowers and introduce a little more relaxedness... et voila... there you have the pinnacle of the English Country Garden bouquets (... well in my opinion, that is!)

Aside from the sheer and obvious beauty of this look, it usefully lends itself to a number of colour ways. Dark pinks, blush pinks, creams, peaches, lilacs, magentas... I could go on! And not only does this look stunning in summer, quite a few of the named flowers in this weeks blog post are available all year round and so you could even add a touch of summer to the darkest of winter days!... Pretty fantastic don't you think?

With thanks to:

• Beautiful garden scene: Mooseys Country Garden 
• Jars of handpicked lovliness: 1 bp blogspot
• Utterly gorgeous bouquets including the vingtage brooch: both featured in style me pretty blog.

A LITTLE INSPIRATION FROM THE CLOUDS

What do you think of when you hear the word 'grey'? Elephants? Breeze blocks? The weather?... Lets face it, it's not a colour you would instantly associate with weddings. However grey is fast becoming the sophisticated colour choice amongst many Brides today.

I love grey. It has such a subtle elegance to it. And if you have ever been lucky enough to receive one of our bouquets, you may well have had it wrapped in grey tissue. It certainly has an understated charm and allows our blooms to do the talking!

Many big name designers in the wedding industry are introducing grey into their fabric palates, and it is our jobs to select the perfect flowers to complement this beautiful colour.

It is surprising to find that so many colour ways sit so well with grey. A popular choice is a rich combination of lilacs and purples. There are so many flowers in this hue... ranging from the deep purples of the vulcan deep violet Eustoma, to the palest, almost faded lilac of the Ocean Spray Rose... Beautiful enough to stand alone but simply exquisite when married together with a splash of green.

As much as I love the lavenders and lilacs it is a very 'safe' choice. For Brides wishing to push the boundaries that little bit further, we would champion yellow! It is such a lively, bold colour which would introduce a splash of vibrancy to your wedding day. Again there are blooms we can source from the boldest cobolt yellows of the glorious Sunflowers and 'Solar Flare' Calla Lilies, to the softest pale lemon of 'Elina' Tea Rose which would look sensational next to your grey dress. 

My favourite by far would have to be a mass of candy hues... the pastel shades of candy floss pinks, peaches and greens. The 'Edinburgh Rock' coloured blooms mix so well and look spectacular against the grey palate of your chosen dress. Sweet Avalanche roses, Cezanne roses, Peach Oceana roses all combined would make a phenomenal statement for your bridal bouquet and if we then add more blowsy blooms into the mix, perhaps a handful of Sweet Peas and Peonies (season depending), your bouquet would be, to put it plainly, simply beautiful. 

I know I've said it before and I'll bet the bank I'll say it again, but the soft shades, pink in particular, have such romantic tones to them, and for a truly magical, grey wedding, combine your pale hues with pewter chalice bowls and candelabras for your decadent table decorations. Your guests will be wowed!!!

Whether its smoke, sliver, pewter, gunmetal, charcoal or slate you choose there are plenty of flower choices out there for you. Ask your florist what shades best suit your chosen hue... You'll be surprised at the choice available to you! 

With thanks to:

• Beautiful grey silk dress: featured on 1st dresses 
• Stunning mixed purple bouquet and candy hues bouquet: featured on Fiori by Lynne blog
• Bold canary yellow rose bouquet: featured on bouquet bridal blog

ÉLÉGANCE PARISIENNE

As far as elegant, chic weddings go, the French seem to have it covered. They do elegance effortlessly well. Just look to their leading fashion houses and world recognised design gurus... Chanel, Yves Saint Laurant and of course my favourite, Christian Louboutin!! They seem to get it right every time, so why not look to our French neighbours to inspire your special day.

Think pearls, crystals and lace combined with ruffles, silks and indulgent fabrics. Think loose curls pinned up into a chignon. Think romantic, iconic tree lined promenades and stylish cars. They all form the perfect Parisian wedding!

For a truly Parisian inspired look for your floral needs I would suggest you stick to pastel shades (although maybe with exception of red roses, for a truly decadent touch, perhaps an autumn/winter wedding! - This would look spectacular!)

The humble rose, although traditionally perceived as an English choice, should form the basis of the floral design. - The beautiful, infinate ruffles look so pretty, especially if combined with other more blowsy flower forms, perhaps double eustomas, lilacs or florets of hydrangea and creamy green guelder roses. Sweet groupings of freesias nestled among your arrangements would create the most beautiful scent to accompany your big day! Brooches, pearls and crystals could feature also, perhaps adorning the binding ribbon of your bouquet and transforming it into something really special and indulgent.

For brides wishing for a more contemporary Parisian feel I would strongly suggest a masse of white blooms and stick to one flower type. The simplistic design philosophy 'less is more' relates to this theme. Choose one pure white bloom and commit to it... A mass of pure white Dolomiti roses or Akito roses would look sophisticated and elegant. The utter simplistic Calla lily 'Crystal Blush' would work a dream also.

Be careful when deciding on your wedding day theme... for it to be a true success and give the overall look you want it to, you must follow it through to every aspect of your day. From the invites, to the dress, to the cake, to the flowers, to the favours... I could go on! This particular theme is pure romance, the embodiment of sophistication. It's something really special that I'm sure your guests will remember for a long time... I know I would.

I will of course be blogging about other wedding day themes in the coming few months but until then do give this one some serious thought. C'est très beau!

With thanks to:

• Bride and Groom in Paris: Featured on Parisian Events
• Gorgeous Bouquet: Featured on French Wedding Style blog, flowers by Sol Y Flor,  France - Some stunning floral design. Well worth a look!
• Tree lined promenade image: Featured wedding on societybride.com 
• Beautiful ruffle cake: Holly & Scotts wedding featured on Hotels International

INTRODUCING MY PERFECT BLOOMS...

As this is my very first post on my brand new blog I thought I'd start at the very beginning...

I love flowers, I always have and I always will. I love them so much I decided to devote my professional life to them. I love how they pick you up when you're feeling down, how they spread joy and always put a smile on the face of the lucky recipient, how they say sorry, or thank you, or I love you. They are an expression that words sometimes can't say... Flowers are natures way of telling us that the Earth is smiling!

I often get asked, by Brides struggling to find inspiration, what flowers I would choose for my wedding day. This question poses quite a dilemma. I am yet to get engaged so have never sat down and truly thought about it seriously. Of course I have grown up with this picture perfect idea of abundant blooms and extravagant displays but I have never even considered what I would really choose.

I work so hard to transform every couples wedding day flower ideas into their perfect backdrops to their celebrations. Whatever colours or blooms they choose I can't help but see the beauty each different type of flower holds. And after spending some time deliberating about my own wedding day flowers I think I can safely say I would choose soft pink for the signature hue. It is just so romantic... the absolute epitome of girly elegance!

However, because there are so many exquisite flowers in this shade, this is the part that makes it so difficult!

I love Peonies... Their blousy, fluffy heads can't fail to make me smile. Even on the dullest day (and lets face it, theres been quite a few of them lately) they bring sunshine into my life. They are so ridiculously girly, I defy anyone not to love them! I'd combine them with the Sweet Akito Rose, - a gorgeous hue of pale pink, and delicate heads of Sweet Peas in the softest hue of pink. I think all three combined would make the ultimate bouquet for me!... But I must stress that point... Every wedding day is different and my ultimate wedding bouquet might differ considerably from yours. It is such an personal decision to make.

Brides... before your consultations with your chosen florist do take some time to visualise the perfect backdrop to your wedding day. What do you like? What flowers are significant to you?... But should you need some inspiration do sit tight... I'll be blogging some more inspirational ideas soon!

With thanks to:

• 'Pink Rose and Diamante bouquet' - Stephanie Saunders
• 'Pink Parisian bouquet' - Flowers by Cornelia McNamara Flowers, Photography by Melissa Hayes, featured on Style me Pretty blog.
• 'Pink Table centre' - Pistil & Vine, Julia Franzosa, featured on Onewed.com