lavendersblueflorist

Budgeting for wedding flowers

Here we are at the start of 2023. Wedding season has not begun but plans and preparations are always in the background. How many weddings will we do this year? How long is a piece of string! There is generally only one wedding per weekend and maybe a mid week too depending on the size and the amount of work involved.

We strive to make your day as smooth as possible as far as florals go. From the first e.mail or call to the collection of all of the hired items the day after the wedding and sometimes beyond. Flowers are a mine field of colour, style, size and shape of the design but we are here to help guide you through that.

Sometimes it is easier to choose a style and let us work our magic fitting in flowers to suit the look, your budget and your colour pallet. This year more than any other when our purse strings are pulled tight things are all a little difficult. Flower costs are higher than I have ever know them to be in all my 30 years working in this creative industry. That said we are a creative bunch excuse the pun and can advise what would work to achieve your desired look. As far as costs go we all have to be a little open minded. Flowers are shipped in from all over the world and the high cost of fuel has impacted on that as well as more recently the high cost of gas and oil to heat and light greenhouses has impacted severely. We have British grown but that does not take us all the way through the year and sometimes what we want has to come from further afield. There are not enough British flowers to go round unfortunately.

Don’t dismiss the cost at the first hurdle come back and chat about it. There might be something we can help with. You are not just paying for florals you are also getting our expertise, our skill and know how collected together over many years. Many hours of working time, ordering, collecting and conditioning your flowers before we even start to arrange them. Then there is the on the day delivery and set up liaising with the venue and cake person. Checking in with the photographer/videographer for positioning of church/ceremony flowers so that they can get the best images on the day and the florals don’t obscure that. We have over heads and bills to pay just like the guy who services your car. Servicing, tyres, fuel, breakdown cover and vehicle insurance, workshop and office costs as well as public liability insurance which most venues ask for. Then we take a wage.

Repurposing florals from ceremony to reception is especially cost effective. There will be a charge for your florist to do that as they will have to give up their time to stay at the venue sometimes for two or three hours extra or come back and rearrange. It is worth that little extra for the peace of mind that everything is in the correct place at the right time and didn’t get dropped or damaged on route. We do this regularly its not a job for the groomsmen. Bridesmaids florals can be used as table centres, added to the top table, table plan or other tables around the room such as a guest book or card and gift table etc. Every little helps.

We are also well connected so can recommend suppliers we work with regularly such as photographers, cake makers, celebrants, dress and suit companies, hair and make up. This can be especially helpful if you are from outside of the area.

Florals can transform your venue from ordinary to extraordinary. Just simple placements of a few vases in strategic places makes a world of difference.

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2020 0h What a Drama

We started the year with great things in mind and a full diary of weddings. Little did we know what was in store.

The Corona Virus hit us and everything was cancelled. Our couples were devastated as were thousands of couples planning their big day all over the world. Plans were cancelled and everyone stayed at home. Planning was put on hold some couples re booked their day and had to rebook again and again. We have managed to reschedule everyone although our diary was quite full already. Some postponed to spring 2021 and then because the virus is back on the rise have postponed again, some to 2022. Others postponed to summer and autumn 2021 and we shall keep out fingers crossed.

One or two of our couples just wanted to get married and went with either the rule of 30 or 15 depending when they tied the knot. Some were able to have a small reception others were only allowed a ceremony.

One thing was for sure priorities have changed. There were those that want the big wedding and a party, with all of their family and friends around who will wait until we have all been vaccinated. Those who decided that a small intimate wedding was the way forward went ahead when they could. Then those who have done the small intimate wedding and will have a party at a later date.

Some of the brides have worn their dresses and others who are keeping it for the big celebration later. Maybe a church blessing or a wedding celebrant for a very special kind of ceremony www.cpcelebrant.co.uk

We have been there for all of our couples and rescheduled dozens of dates. Today I looked back to see how many couples we have been able to arrange flowers for during 2020 and discovered 12. We started the year with Wendy and Tony at www.brinkburnnorthumberland.com and ended on 23rd December with kate and John at www.eshotthall.co.uk

Now we are approaching the end of the year, we are looking forward to planning with all of our 2021 and 2022 couples as well as those newly engaged couples who are just at the start of their wedding journey.

Foxglove, Sweet Pea and Alchemilla Mollis

Lets start with the tall and elegant Foxglove weather it be wild out in the woodland, purposefully planted in your garden or it has just arrived on the wind you have to love it. Digitalis Purpurea to give it, its full title. Its a diuretic and heart stimulant first accounted by in 1785 by William Withering a doctor and botanist. They are closely associated with fairies and elves (you know fairies are close to my heart) and in the words of Cicely Mary Barker author of the Flower Fairies:

Foxglove, Foxglove what do you see? The Cool Green woodland, The fat velvet bee: Hey Mr Bumble, I,ve honey here for thee

The gloriously scented and rambling Sweet Pea (Lathyrus Oderatus, the Greek for Leguminus plants) grows wild in the hedges and tamed in gardens throughout Britain at this time of year. Mind you I have a perenial Sweet Pea in the most beautiful pale pink not performing at all!! Note to self, its not happy where it is. The go to flower of choice for summer weddings for the discerning bride and available in the most beautiful pallet of colours. Mixed with glorious garden Roses and foliage what could be better.

Sweet Pea is the birthday flower of 1st February and symbolises delicacy and departure. In the language of flowers in means Remember Me.

Alchemilla Mollis, commonly known as Ladies Mantle. What can I say its bright green flowers are a fabulous back drop to any garden but it is a love hate relationship. It spreads like wildfire and grows out of cracks in the pavement. When it rains it flattens itself to the ground then revives, the leaves are soft and velvety but very resilient, long lasting and fantastic for popping into little flower arrangements and vases.

I had a student many years ago who called it Alchoholic Mollis, therefor it shall always be know as that in my mind.

Micro Summer Weddings

image by @kateborrill from one of our winter weddings @lepetitchateauweddings

We are planning for two very small intimate weddings in the near future. Our couples are adhering to the government guidelines and going ahead with their ceremony only. Sometimes I think the wedding reason gets lost in the planning and paring it right back like this is both beautiful and romantic. One is going ahead in a beautiful 12th century Priory @brinkburnnorthumberlandweddings @englishheritage and the other at a rustic barn setting having only two witnesses present, how romantic @doxfordbarns

A micro wedding is worth considering and can be held anywhere. Just take your love, your celebrant and a beautiful bouquet to somewhere that is close to your hearts.

In England a Celebrant ceremony is not a legal ceremony you do need to sign the legal declaration in the registry office at some point. It does mean though that you can mark the day you had planned with something really special. Last week I found the most beautiful pictures from a wedding shoot In the Lake District, proving you can have the most dramatic images no matter the weather and its all about you. Take a look at the instagram pages of those involved. @cpcelebrant @wildfirefloralco and @esmewhitesidephotography

Whatever you choose let it be the best you can do and make it your own. Share the love and romance.

Hanging florals

Have you thought about hanging florals? Added to your ceremony or your reception venue it can add impact and interest as well as filling in high ceiling space, creating interest. A beautiful central arrangement, hanging above your ceremony space full of pretty scented booms is very intoxicating.

The beauty of a hanging installation as well as adding impact to the setting, means if the aisle is narrow it adds to the space without the worry of something being knocked over, damaged accidentally or caught by your dress as you sweep down the aisle.

Depending upon your venue style then it could be a rustic style with lots of trailing foliage and interest from berries, seed heads and cones. A pretty installation containing scented blooms, trailing amaranthus, peony and beautiful garden Roses such as http://www.davidaustin.co.uk . If it were a hanging installation above your table setting then little hanging globes of light can be added. Light and candle light adds atmosphere and romance to an evening setting in particular.

Hanging florals can add impact in particular to a marquee, what you can have depends on the type of tent you choose and a conversation must take place between the supplier and the florist to discuss hanging technics http://www.collingwoodmarquees.co.uk . Foliage added to the frame work around the edge of the tent as well as something hanging centrally helps to bring the outside in. This works particularly well inside a tipi http://www.specialeventtipis.co.uk .

suspended scented blooms photo credit http://www.sarahjaneethan.co.uk

Suspended single stems of scented flowers and foliage hung in a row above the top table above head height is dramatic especially during the spring and summer months. During the autumn and winter months lush foliage and berries work with dried flower stems of Hydrangea and Sunflower among others adding a little interest.