This summer Larry Walshe created a romantic country wedding for Jodie Kidd & David Blakeley at their 16^th century home in the Sussex countryside and here we take a glimpse at their flowers and the inspiration behind the look.

Fashionably late, by nearly 20 minutes, Jodie arrived at the church carrying a romantic and fragrant hand tied design with the most beautiful mix of summer roses, fluffy pink hydrangea, flowering mint, delphinium and pink wax flower; bound with an appliquéd detail by Zaeem Jamal. 

This beautiful compilation took inspiration from Jodie’s love of the countryside, fragrant blooms and her own eclectic individual sense of style.  “Dressed in an ethereal and effortless design by Zaeem Jamal, we wanted to add colour and texture to the overall look whilst being sensitive to the feeling of timelessness and simplicity”, says Larry Walshe.

Individual blooms were hand wired into her hair to add a simple yet timeless touch.

Inside the marquee, hand blown antique glass candle holders and votives sourced from Holland were strung from the wooden arches of the central circular structure surrounding the dance floor with a mix of ivy, eucalyptus and senecio to create what Jodie described as “an enchanted forest”.  

Each table was adorned with a mix of roses, pink wax flowers, fragrant white stocks, flowering mint and fluffy pink hydrangea nestled among hand-blown hurricane vases and a beautiful assortment of rose gold, mercury silver and clear glass votives to create a sumptuous and romantic country aesthetic.  

Larry Walshe and his team of expert florists love weddings. Recognising every commission as a privileged opportunity to create breath-taking wedding arrangements, they work closely with their clients, providing inspiration and guidance to ensure true beauty is realised.  From classical, romantic and understated looks to radical, contemporary and progressive design; Larry Walshe will work tirelessly to ensure the flowers on your wedding day are styled to perfection.

• Images courtesy of Richard Allen
• If you would like to discuss the wedding flowers for your special day please visit larrywalshe.com 

White is the classic color of wedding and many brides choose this color for their bouquet as well. Some of the most popular flowers used in bridal bouquets are white: the crowner (also known as Madagascar jasmine), white Kallis (calla lily), white roses, white lilies, or the orchid. 

Some others think that summer is the ideal season for colorful bouquets, with impressive bright colors; this comes as no surprise really, since in summer the entire place is full of flowers, therefore you have a rather large selection of flowers to choose from for the bouquet. Zinnia, verbena, forget me not, carnations and Chinese marigolds are fragrant flowers and perfect for a summer bridal composition.

If your wedding takes place in summer make sure to tell your florist early for the flowers you choose since there are many weddings taking place in summer months, therefore you need to make all arrangements early, allowing the florist to order the appropriate amount of flowers as well.  

During summer, you can create a truly impressive bridal bouquet wedding by decorating it with pearls and rhinestones or adding some of the flowers to your hair or to the dress torso. Satin ribbons, lace and chiffon are popular fabrics used in the bridal bouquet as well. 

The bouquet you choose to keep on your wedding day is one of the most important aspects of your appearance. There are dozens of different styles to create the bouquet that will complement your style with numerous combinations of colors and different flowers. Before you go to your florist to discuss the form and composition you wish for your bridal bouquet, take some pictures and ideas to find the perfect combination. It would be good to keep with you a photo of your dress to show the florist, so that he has an idea of the rest of your appearance. Always keep in mind that the bouquet you choose should reflect your personality and should not be something standard or indifferent.

The bridal bouquet you choose should complement your dress perfectly, therefore if you wear a dress with simple line search for a richer bouquet, and vice versa. Try to choose local flowers as they are fresh and have not suffered from transport. They also usually come at better prices and a greater variety compared to the exotic or imported ones. 

Some tips to consider are that calla lilies and orchids make the perfect bridal bouquet for taller brides, while lilies of the valley and roses combined with smaller bouquets are more suitable for petite brides. It is also said that camellias and gardenias match satin and brocade dresses. 

If you want to find out more on bridal bouquets UK check the Five Star Wedding Directory!

I got the opportunity to try L’Occitane’s three new Eau de Cologne collection recently and they really did not disappoint!  Across the land of Provence, people will tell you that “l’aigo es d’or,” meaning “water is gold.” The new collection is inspired by the freshness of the fountains present throughout the Provence region.

When it comes to the cologne the pleasure is in abundance as they have given such a generous sized bottle.  The herringbone motif that is on the front and back of the bottle is based on the stonework columns of the fountains in Provence. The names of the fragrances written in Avignon lettering are the letters of the cast iron signs that would guide visitors through the villages of Provence.

L’Occitane Eau Captivante for men combines aromatic notes with invigorating radiance of bergamot and lime zest. Such a fresh bouquet that would compliment your wedding flowers!

Eau Ravissante for women has a sensual softness of flower petals that is combined with the sparkling freshness of citrus fruits to this Eau de Cologne such a fresh unique sent that will leave an overall sensation that you will never forget.

Eau Universelle the unisex fragrance is such a refreshing scent with bergamot and grapefruit and would be just perfect for summer wedding. This Eau de Cologne is a beautifully timeless scent, brides and grooms of all ages will find this irresistible. 

Are you a L’Occitane fan? if so we would love to hear from you.

• A splash of colour….

Using splashes of coral is really popular now; it’s a clever way of injecting this punchy on-trend colour to your scheme. This look works best when you add accents of coral to a fresh palette. Take care to use it sparingly though, coral is a firecracker and can be overpowering. The best flower to use for this trend is the stunning peony Coral Sunset.

Tip: turquoise ribbon makes this combination sing.

• Sorbets

If you loved Louis Vuitton’s ice cream hues then make friends with the Sweet Avalanche rose. This gorgeous blush pink rose is the focus flower for this trend. It’s perfect on it’s own or mixed with vanilla roses. The key here is simplicity, choose no more than 3 colours and keep the shapes domed.

Tip: Keep foliage to a minimum.

• Soft muted Vintage tones….

If you’re not comfortable using colour, then adding the soft, muted tones of the Vintage trend may be more to your liking. The Vintage trend has taken hold but achieving it elegantly without going down the shabby-chic route is a delicate balancing act.

The trick is to focus on the vintage colour palette rather than country-style, informal shapes. Add tea-stained tones, dusky pinks or faded lilacs to cream.
Growers have responded well to this trend and there are plenty of roses in this colour scheme to choose from, with the Amnesia rose still the most popular. If you like a more blowsy shape, then opt for garden roses or if in season, peonies. Simplicity is key, so let the colours do the talking and keep foliage to a minimum.

Tip: If your dress is lace, tea-stained, muted roses are a match.

• Thank you to Sweet Pea Floral Design for these wonderful tips.