Question 1

I'm trying to keep our wedding as environmentally friendly as possible; do you have any ideas of how we can apply this to our flowers?

Accepted Answer

Being an environmentally friendly florist, I use British, local, and in-season flowers as they have a natural appearance and hold themselves in a much better way than imported flowers, which come with a huge carbon footprint. Using locally grown flowers gives couples a pretty meadow look on their wedding day rather than the harsh appearance of imported cut flowers. Foraged foliage gives a florist a variety of different things to use meaning the arrangements will be very different to another florist using wholesale flowers. Consider a florist who uses recycled/multiple-use plastics and natural materials that help our planet and the wildlife around us.

Question 2

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?

Accepted Answer

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.

Question 3

What are your 2023 wedding flower predicitons?

Accepted Answer

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.

Question 4

I'm looking for ideas on how to incorporate the colours, textures and essence of autumn in my wedding flowers, can you help?

Accepted Answer

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.

FAQs and expert advice about flowers & bouquets