Here is a selection of Q&As from Your East Anglian Wedding magazine whether it be about flowers, hair and makeup, fashion, wedding themes, health & beauty, cakes, stationery, legal advice. If you would like your question answered by our experts, please email it to editor@youreastanglian.wedding
To view more expert advice on a different topic, please select one from the list below.
Sustainable choices
Q. With the increased awareness of sustainability and choosing wedding suppliers with good policies. How do we ensure our wedding flowers are as eco-friendly as possible?
A. Lucy Spencer says: We can all do our bit to help climate change and protect our environment by choosing to be more mindful of our choices and choosing eco-friendly and sustainable.
I'm starting to get more and more enquiries from people who want to use seasonal and British flowers for their weddings.
It's extremely important not to use floral foam as it contains micro plastics that get in to the water and don't break down over time. Florists are starting to use moss and chicken wire in place of the traditional floral foam – the RHS has now banned all use of floral foam in its shows!
To be more eco-friendly is to choose locally grown flowers to cut down on land or air miles. A quick internet search, or by using Flowers From The Farm website – an organisation which promotes British Flowers – can help couples find a local grower. These local growers generally use sustainable and regenerative methods. A couple can rest assured that when they put their face into a bouquet of roses it's only the perfume they inhale and not a cocktail of chemicals which are all too readily used in imported flowers.
If someone wants a rose in a winter bouquet, it's a florist's responsibility to educate their customers to what else is available seasonally that isn't flown in from Africa or South America. Offering blooms that are just as beautiful but grown in the UK and don't cost the earth both literally and figuratively.
Lucy Spencer, Hall Lane Flowers
www.instagram.com/hall_lane_flowers
Seasonal blooms
Q. What are your 2023 wedding flower predicitons?
A. Lucy Spencer says: As for trends, displays and arrangements that are British and seasonal will be on point.
The message about climate change is gradually influencing people. The awareness of micro plastics in the environment – floral foam is one of the worst polluters and extremely harmful to the environment – is getting through to people and affecting their choices. Couples are searching for florists who use seasonal, British flowers and don't use floral foam in their arrangements.
There are still those that want giant roses in November, but the trend is definitely towards seasonal.
Lucy Spencer, Hall Lane Flowers
www.instagram.com/hall_lane_flowers
Flower power
Q. I'm looking for ideas on how to incorporate the colours, textures and essence of autumn in my wedding flowers, can you help?
A. Alison Mortlock says: Alison says: Nature provides a wonderful palette to choose from, think copper, soft caramel, and rich brown, gold and red tones. Sunflowers and dahlias remain popular and come in an array of seasonal colours for a bold look. Foliage, berries, rosehips, vines, seed heads, conkers, fir cones and pheasant feathers also add an autumnal touch to a design. Mix vintage with contemporary styles and be brave in your use of colours to make a statement.
Alison Mortlock, Albert Rose Floral Design
www.albertroseflowers.co.uk
Going green
Q. After waiting so long for our big day we want to make it extra special and as eco-friendly as possible. What would you suggest?
A. Sue Huckle says: Sue says: The last 16 months have been a wake-up call for all of us. Covid and lockdowns have made us stop and evaluate our lives more and think about what's really important.
I was always taught that 'good design is simple design' and I think now, more than ever before, this is true. As weddings are being held again we all want them to be something to be remembered and those getting married now will be able to tell their children, 'we had to wait to get married but when we did, we did it well'.
Couples want the best wedding ever yet are more aware that eco-credentials are important too. and want to tread lightly on the world, be impactful and create everlasting memories but with less waste and minimal harm to the environment. By hiring large trees, the impact is big, yet the carbon footprint is small as they will live on after the wedding, growing and thriving for years to come!
- Bringing trees inside, either in the venue or church, makes your wedding very individual to you.
- These cool palms look super stylish in the light and airy Lady Elizabeth Wing at Norfolk’s Holkham Hall.
- Go big and bold with stunning birch trees.
- These lovely bay trees look simple yet stunning in the light-filled Orangery at the Wilderness Reserve, Suffolk.
Sue Huckle, Posh Plants
www.poshplants.com
Flower power
Q. We've postponed our wedding twice over the last year and are now hoping to get married as soon as we can. We're not going to have the day we originally planned but definitely don't want to compromise on the flowers. What trends and influences do you see emerging in the months ahead?
A. Laura Turner says: Laura says: Freedom will be a core theme with a focus on the environment and use of natural resources. Smaller scale weddings will be coming into their own with the emphasis on quality over quantity. With heightened appreciation of nature we're likely to be seeing lots of greenery and plants included in the décor. Couples in general are taking more account of their big-day setting and want to reflect the natural landscape by drawing inspiration from their venue's existing gardens, wonderful foliage and flowers for their floral arrangements. Other key trends include:
- More pedestal arrangements and potted plants dotted around the floor.
- A continued move towards sustainability with use of seasonal flowers and foliage.
- Smaller posies for the bouquets featuring delicate flowers such as daisies, asters, love- in-a-mist, sweet peas and waxflowers.
- Incorporating meaningful and sentimental items into the wedding arrangements such as a favourite bloom or flowers to represent your birth month.
- Bright jewel-like colours, like crimson, cerise, yellow, red and blue as well as earthy shades of yellow, brown, red, terracotta and green.
Laura Turner, Flora Laura Flowers
www.floralauraflowers.co.uk
Blooming hot
Q. What are the key trends and colours for wedding flowers this year?
A. Alison Mortlock says: Alison reports:
- The floral trend colour for 2021 is Scorched Earth with vibrant golden and yellow tones. Adding a splash of orange, crimson, earthy or grey shades, will all help to emphasise this latest palette.
- Dyed flowers were trending last year and are set to become even more popular. Demand for certain colours allows designers to experiment with tints and tones combining different floral textures allowing for a blend of dried and fresh material.
- Dahlias have been making a comeback and are set to be a favourite this year. They offer long seasonal availability and a large range of big and blousy blooms in assorted colours.
- Scented flowers that bring back childhood memories are another great pick with brides expected to opt for scented blooms such as sweet peas and lily of the valley.
- Following the recent TV series The Crown, cascading bouquets are returning to the spotlight. While Princess Diana's bouquet included trailing ivy and stephanotis, varieties such as clematis and trailing foliage plants will be coming to the fore as we move through 2021.
- A growing shift towards more sustainable and eco- friendly flowers will see brides sourcing locally grown blooms and opting for designs that can be re-used after the ceremony to decorate the reception space.
- After a year of hibernation wedding flowers are set to explode in 2021. Expect to see lavish decorations to frame the aisle, suspended installations and floral sculptures to decorate wedding venues.
Alison Mortlock, Albert Rose Floral Design
www.albertroseflowers.co.uk
