Loving Sweet Peas for Summer Wedding

Have you heard of sweet-peas? They come in every shade of pink and purple, with a few white and yellow petals thrown in for good luck. They’re the perfect bloom for a wedding, because they smell so sweet. Add a few to your bridal bouquet, or decorate your wedding tables with lots of little nosegays. They look amazing against the bright white table cloths. You can buy them from specialised sellers Sweet Peas Direct, or grow them yourself from seeds planted in spring. All you need is a sheltered spot, and my mum’s secret ingredient…..cow dung! For more ideas, take a look at my Sweet-Pea Wedding Pinterest board.

{Image Credits} Top: Sweet Monday

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A Lily-of-the-Valley Wedding Theme

Have you heard of lily-of-the-valley? It's the most exquisite flower, with tiny little white bells, and the sweetest scent. It's one of my favourite flowers, and luckily came into bloom just in time for my London wedding in early May. My mother picked it from her garden, and DIY'd my beautiful bouquet. It's a notoriously hard plant to force into flower, so if you want it at your wedding day, you'll have to be lucky! It's even got the royal seal of approval - Kate Middleton chose it for her wedding, and Grace Kelly carried a small bouquet of lily-of-the-valley on her big day. Once you see it, you'll fall in love - take a look at these wedding ideas, and check out my Pinterest page for more.

Greek Goddess Bride Style

Choosing your 'look' for your wedding day can be difficult, particularly if you're anything like me, and your normal look is pretty thrown together. With two wedding days to plan, I was lucky enough to try two different bridal styles, although both ended up pretty similar {hair up, hair down!}. Whether you're thinking sleek and sexy, or boho and feminine, consider this gorgeous Grecian bride style. With a simple bouquet of olive branches, and an elegant leafy crown, plus a divine Samuelle Couture wedding gown, you're good to go - no need even for shoes! Fabulous styling by Kelly Oshiro, incredible pictures by the lovely Jose Villa.

 

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My New Favourite Wedding Florist

Finding a florist for your wedding can be a complete minefield. There's a lot of generic designers out there who'll do a great job, but if you're looking for something a bit different, a bit quirky and unique, then you'll love Rose & Wolf Flowers. It's run by a friend of a friend of mine called Georgina Agutter, and I've been following her work on Instagram for the last few months. I love the slightly haphazard style of her romantic wedding bouquets, and the clean precision of her more formal work. Take a look at her Facebook site for her latest wedding designs - I love the pop of colour in this whimsical bouquet.

{Picture Credit} Rose & Wolf Flowers - email here

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Pale & Romantic, Peach & Pink Wedding Inspiration

Brides looking for a romantic theme to their wedding day are going to love my next three wedding inspiration features. They're all part of the same pale and romantic styled shoot, shot by Annie Beedy of Mim & Honey, featuring flowers by Riley Messina of Erba Floral Design and wedding cakes by Cambria Goodwin of Butter. Annie's long been one of my favourite photographers - her pictures were some of the first I ever featured on Before the Big Day. So when she emailed me offering these exquisite shots, I jumped at the start. In this pink and peach-themed shoot, I'm loving the luxury of the multi-layered roses, the pink sponge interior to the wedding cake, and the simplicity of the plain white candles planted in old wine bottles. Ask your wedding cake designer to texture the icing for a similar rustic look, and add old keys, antlers and vintage crocheted mats to your wedding tables to recreate the rustic-chic look. Incredible!

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Wedding Trends of 2014 - Air Plants

Can I let you into a secret? If you want to be ahead of the wedding fashion curve, then take a look at the wedding blogs from across the Atlantic. All the way over in California, they're always one step ahead of the trends, and every year, about three or four of the mega-trends wing their way over to the UK. One of the big ones for this summer and autumn is air plants. These cute, often spidery plants, are a great way to add green to your big day, while being super-eco friendly. They require hardly any water to grow {unlike cut flowers that often need loads}, and air plants will still be alive after your big day, as a growing reminder. But the best thing? They look fantastic! Just take a look at these wreaths by Peacock Taco. Shop owner Robin has lots of favour ideas too - take a look at her shop! P.S. I found lots of air plants for sale on Amazon and eBay.

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Fresh, Fun, DIY Wedding Favours

Is there anything cuter than a mini plant in a little pot? Wedding favour and table decoration in one, they're my favourite wedding detail for spring, and the best thing is, they're super easy to DIY. All you need is a good supply of sweet little terracotta pots {try these}, or old tin cans, for an industrial look, or tea-cups for a vintage style wedding. Then add soil, and a seasonal plant. For spring, a narcissus or hyacinth bulb will add a lovely scent to your wedding reception, for summer you could try herbs like basil and mint, autumn suits impossible-to-kill cacti and succulents, and winter, a little Christmas tree or air plant. More ideas on my Plant Pot Wedding Favours Pinterest page.

{Photo Credit} 1. Dominique Bader - more from this wedding on Love My Dress | 2. Unknown

Wedding Trends of 2014 - Carnations

Unloved by many, 2014 is going to see the come-back of the carnation. Not just a supermarket cheapie, this {admittedly very reasonable} bloom looks FABULOUS en masse. In many ways a carnation is just a miniature version of a peony, but available all year round, and in a veritable rainbow of colours. Just like baby's breath, it's a flower saviour for brides on a budget. To make carnations work for your wedding, start with one shade per bouquet or display, and remember this trend is all about quantity over quality. Buy as many as you can, and bunch them together in extravagant displays. But remember it's all or nothing. Don't start adding other blooms, or things could start looking cheap not chic. For more ideas, take a look at my Carnation Wedding Ideas Pinterest board.

{Photo Credit} Unknown

{Photo Credit} Wedding Design by Jeffrey Caballero, picture by Taryn and Shelby of Joielala Photographie. More from this wedding on 100 Layer Cake.

{Photo Credit} 1. Unknown | 2. Flowers by A Hana Design, picture by Closer to Love Photography. More from this wedding on Style Me Pretty

{Photo Credit} 1. Flowers by Brown Paper Design, picture by Docuvitae. More from this wedding on Style Me Pretty | 2. Picture by Orange Turtle Photography, more from this wedding on One Lovely Day

{Photo Credit} Flowers by A Hana Design, picture by Closer to Love Photography. More from this wedding on Style Me Pretty

{Photo Credit} 1. Picture by Mr & Mrs Photography, more from this wedding on Whimsical Wonderland Weddings | 2. Flowers by Michelle Edgemont, picture by Stacey Simpson for Levi Stolove Photography. More from this wedding on Michelle's blog

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Seasonal Flowers? How To Get The Wedding Flowers You Want

Did you know that there are brides who plan their wedding according to which flower is in season? I didn't quite got that far, but I was very conscious that peonies are in season in late May / June, and Lily-of-the-Valley in late April / early May. I love both blooms, and I was really keen to include them in my bouquets {I had two weddings - find out why!}, so I was thrilled both came into season right on time. One bride I know wasn't so lucky. Her favourite flowers are dahlias, and she was genuinely distressed that they weren't in season for her summer wedding. Her mother-in-law even tried to force them in her greenhouse! Luckily I've stumbled across a solution - artificial flowers. I'm not talking about the plastic cheapies that you find on the tables of dodgy restaurants, but truly beautiful silk blooms. I have a bouquet of pretend peonies on my dining room table right now, and everyone keeps asking me where I've found them in autumn. They're that realistic! And the added benefit is they've saved me a fortune - artificial flowers are so much cheaper than the real thing, and they last forever - a great money-saving tip for budget-conscious brides. You could keep your bouquet forever! Enjoy these pictures and take a look at my Pinterest board for some serious bouquet brilliance.

{Photo Credit} Bouquet by KM Floral Design, picture by Orange Owl Photo - see the rest of this wedding on Oh Lovely Day

{Photo Credits} 1. Picture by Riverland Studios, Bouquet by Violet Floral Design | 2. Unknown

{Photo Credits} Unknown

{Photo Credits} 1. Picture by Brooke Schultz Photography, Bouquet by Calie Rose, more from this wedding on Style Me Pretty | 2. Unknown

{Photo Credits} 1. Jason Tey Photography, Bouquet by Flower Opera, more from this wedding shoot on Burnett's Boards | 2. Unknown

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Introducing Bloom & Wild Wedding Flower Subscription

My biggest extravagance is fresh flowers. There's nothing I love more than to come home to buckets of tulips or peonies. I used to buy my flowers from Colombia Flower Market in East London, but now I've got my little son, it's not as easy to get over there. So I was thrilled when a friend recommended Bloom & Wild. They're a flower subscription service, who send you a bunch of flowers in the post every week, or every fortnight. What's amazing about their service, is you don't have to be at home to receive the bouquets, because they come through the post, in an innovative letterbox size box! The flowers are super-fresh, and last forever - my bouquet is still going strong over a week later. Bloom & Wild bouquets would make a brilliant wedding present - just imagine if you bought a year's subscription - it would literally be the gift that kept on giving! If you'd like to try Bloom & Wild, check out their bouquets, or enter their competition to win a three month subscription. Enter before next Friday, and you'll be in with the chance to win a free bouquet through your letterbox every 2 weeks.

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Wedding Trends of 2013 - Bushy Bride & Bridesmaid Bouquets

Now that the weather's turned, and we're firmly into autumn and wintery weddings, I wanted to tell you about a new eco-friendly trend sweeping the wedding world. It started with brides using seasonal flowers, rather than those flown in from abroad, and now it's taken a natural next step. Rather than use bright blooms, fashion-forward brides are choosing bushy bouquets of pure foliage. It's an elegant, green-goddess look, and it works perfectly with dramatic and detail-heavy wedding gowns, such as those by Jenny Packham, Temperley London and Samuelle Couture. Olive branches, bay bouquets and eucalyptus are popular, but I love the oak leaf look picture below. Lots more busy bouquet inspiration on my Pinterest page.

{Credit} Picture by Jose Villa, dress by Saja Wedding - more from this shoot

{Credit} Picture by Jose Villa, dress by Samuelle Couture - more from this shoot

{Credit} Picture by Punam Bean Photography - More from this wedding on Style Me Pretty

{Credit} Source unknown, please leave a comment if you know

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A Tale of Two Wedding Flower Trends

There are two huge trends in wedding flowers next season; big and beautiful, or little and often. Momentarily confused? I'm talking about table flowers! If you're celebrating your big day in the next year, then your florist is probably going to suggest two options for your wedding flowers; either one large floral display per table, or lots of little ones. I went for a multitude of different glass vases at my wedding, all containing white blooms. The effect was sweet and feminine, and it all came in at a reasonable price, and our florist ensured same day flower delivery. But if you prefer your floral displays large and dramatic, then you'll probably looking at a slightly more expensive option. Which do you prefer? For the most romantic flowers, check out this Wikipedia list on the Language of Flowers. Would you believe daffodils represent unrequited love?

Photo Credit {above} - Big and beautiful wedding flowers by Jessamyn Harris

Photo Credits {above} - Little and often wedding flowers in mismatched vintage vases by We Love Pictures

Photo Credits {above} - Little and often wedding flowers in colourful glass vases by Simply Bloom Photography

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Before the Big Day Wedding Trends of 2013 - Bunchy Bridal Bouquets

There's a new trend for bridal bouquets for 2013, and the great news is they're super-easy to DIY! If you're not careful flowers can take a big chunk out of your wedding budget, particularly if you're planning to give your bridesmaids a bunch each.

{Photo Credits} 1. Baby's Breath Bridesmaid Bouquet Photo by Kristin Vining Photography, 2. Lavender Bridesmaid Bouquet Photo by Samm Blake via Style Me Pretty, 3. Michael's

One way to avoid this is to choose a single bloom for their bouquets, leaving more bang in your budget for your arrangement. But rather than pick a hand-tied bouquet, where every flower is carefully placed next to a different variety, 2013 is all about bunching blooms together {see the four pictures below}. Don't they look gorgeous, and seriously easy to DIY via this tutorial on wedding blog 100 Layer Cake.

{Photo Credits} 1. Bunched Bouquet Photo by Jose Villa, 2.  Bunched bouquet by Brown Paper Design | Photo by Scott Clark


{Photo Credits} 1. Photo by CJ Williams, 2. Ombre bridal bouquet by Lauryl Lane | Photo by Sara Hasstedt

Of course, you might prefer to go with 2012's big bridal bouquet trend, which still looks super-fresh this year, particularly for summer weddings. It's a more natural look with blooms pulled together in wild profusion. I'm particularly loving the bouquet on the left - how about you? More amazing bridal bouquet inspiration on my Pinterest board.

{Photo Credits} 1. Bridal bouquet by Bows and Arrows | Photo by nbarrett photography via Ruffled Blog 2. Bridal Bouquet by Amy Osaba  | Photo by Gina Zeilder, full wedding here

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How To Choose Your Wedding Flowers

Choosing your wedding flowers can be a pretty tricky business; considering most people just send flowers and bouquets, without really knowing the names of any particular blooms. But thanks to Pinterest, I've stumbled across the best wedding flower guides E-V-E-R! It's all thanks to the amazing team over at The Wedding Chicks wedding blog. Along with Krista Jon, they've organised the most popular wedding flowers by colour palette, so you can impress your wedding florist with your knowledge. Of course, if you're getting married abroad {like I did}, then the pictures will help you enormously, although you could always consider international flower delivery instead! To enlarge the pictures below, just double click. More wedding flower guides here.

 

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Rustic Raw Cotton Wedding Inspiration

Raw cotton has got me in a spin. I've fallen for its fluffy fabulousness and rustic simplicity. It's an fantastic alternative to flowers for winter and spring brides - with the added benefit your wedding bouquet and buttonholes would last forever! String the bolls together for decorations, add them to table displays for extra texture, or create cloudy wreaths. For more fabulous winter wedding ideas, check out my Pinterest page.

{Picture Credit} Jasmine Star via Green Wedding Shoes

{Picture Credit} 1. Unkown 2. Jasmine Star via Green Wedding Shoes

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Real Floral Filled Wedding: Eric & Emily

At some weddings it's all about the dress. At others, the food or the venue. At this gorgeous private ranch wedding, it was all about the flowers. If you're struggling to find inspiration for your florals, look no further than the pictures of the amazing vintage-chic arrangements at Eric and Emily's big day. Copy their style by using old-fashioned containers for simple white blooms - check out car boot sales for old watering cans, watering troughs and urns. Loving the colour pop of the bright yellow in the bridesmaids' bouquets, and their neutral dresses. Everyone looks good in elegant silvery taupe. Other stealworthy ideas include the long banqueting-style tables and outdoor dining, something I'm hoping to do at my own wedding. Thanks to Sarah Yates Photography for her stunning pictures.

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