When couples are thinking about wedding day flowers where would you suggest they start, and what key factors should they consider?
The brides’ bouquet is a great place to start. It sets the style, colour, shape and feel of all the wedding flowers and it will feature in all your wedding photos. There are so many beautiful flowers to choose from, so choose your favourites to be your focal flowers. The supporting flowers and foliage included in the bouquet form the theme for the whole occasion, with the focal flowers playing the starring role.
Photography by Jess Apps at Cosawes Barton.
Consider your own personal style, you may choose a neat and tidy style that accentuates the design; or a wild and flowing natural look with focus on harmony of colour and texture. There are many styles in between that express the brides’ personal style, so have a think about what this means for you. The style, size and shape of the brides dress are also important factors. A petite bride would be swamped by a huge bouquet whilst a dramatic ballgown may look silly with a small bouquet. A trailing bouquet can be wide or narrow.
Consider the season and feelings you want to create. Each season has its own colours, tones and tints that contribute to our mood. For example, if you choose your flowers for a spring wedding in autumn, be prepared to change your mind when spring comes around, with its fresh new shoots, blossoms and buds. Spring has a background of yellows and lime greens full of energy and optimism, and that’s how we feel in the spring. In contrast, autumn has a warm relaxed and cosy feel with gold, orange, reds and purple together with grasses and seed-heads in fawns and chestnut browns, greys and muted pastels also work well. Summer has an abundance of flowers in every bright and brilliant hue, both pastels and bright colours and so much to choose from. Whereas, winter is a time of rest for nature, evergreens, bare branches, twigs and silhouettes dominate. Colours are forest green, chestnut brown, moss and lichen, or silver, white and icy blues. Against this backdrop, winter arrangements are bold with stunning flowers, berries and added sparkle. A smaller wedding doesn’t mean a less gorgeous wedding. Can you share some of your small wedding flower ideas with us?
I’ve been incredibly lucky to have been a part of so many smaller weddings and I have to say they are my favourite. An intimate wedding can be so much more relaxed it takes the pressure off you as you are no longer trying to please everyone. Sharing your wedding day with your closest family and friends can be so personal and meaningful. It also gives the opportunity for lots of personal touches and involving those close to you in the celebration. It’s far easier on a smaller scale to create a breath-taking backdrop to your ceremony and an intimate table setting you will always remember. Those special details; such as chair-backs and favours are easier to include on a smaller budget.
For couples not based in Cornwall can you describe how you would work with them to make sure everything is just right?
Each experience is totally unique for me. Email, a phone conversation or WhatsApp is usually the starting point. If the couple have some ideas they want to share with me then I set up a private Pinterest board (that no one else can see), we keep adding ideas to the board allowing it to develop. We might start with a quotation as a rough guide and develop designs within a budget. After a deposit is paid to secure the date, the ideas can be tweaked right up to 10 days before the wedding date.
Photograph by Jess Apps at Fallen Angel with bridal hair and make up by Hair by Emma C and Gemma Campbell MUA. Dress from St Ives Bridal
Your passion for floristry shines through. How would you describe your floristry?
I always work with my customer; their own personal style and what they want to achieve is paramount. I tend towards a natural style, viewing my work as an art form; framing and staging nature in a similar way to a nature photographer or artist. As a grower I observe each leaf, each delicate petal, stem and silhouette and how they grow naturally and this reflects how they are placed within a design. I’m familiar with how different species grow, their vase life and any special requirements they may have. I also love the many different flowers that don’t grow in our country. I’ve been a grower for over 20 years and I trained with the British Academy of Floral Art to become a qualified freelance florist. I’m continuously updating my skills, trying out new designs and I love a challenge.
Many couples are making eco-conscious decisions in relation to all aspects of their wedding how would this fit with what you can offer? I’m also passionate about sustainable floristry and I grow my own flowers on my farm in Cornwall and also do a bit of foraging. I don’t use ‘single use plastic’ or ‘Oasis Floral Foam’ in my designs because of the damage it does to the environment. I‘m doing everything I can to be environmentally friendly in all aspects of my work and with everything I use. I’m a member of ‘Flowers From the Farm’ and include flowers from a network of local growers. I supplement my designs with Fair Trade Roses and speciality flowers to achieve the very best choice and quality. It’s important to me where I source my flowers from and I seek out blooms from ethical growers who have fair trade and environmental certification. They’re shipped in paper not plastic and grown sustainably without artificial heat and light.
I can’t change the world but hope others will follow my example. On my own farm I don’t use any harmful pesticides or artificial fertilisers, I grow annuals amongst biennials, perennials, shrubs and ornamental grasses; this suppresses the weeds and confuses pests. I grow a wide selection of plants throughout the year in small quantities. I’m a huge fan of Piet Oudolf and natural planting styles, I also use no-dig gardening and a regular layer of mulch keeps the weeds down. Flowers play an important role in nature; besides bringing great pleasure and the ability to change our mood, they are essential for attracting pollinating insects, including our own bees.
By Tracey Warbey Photography at Boscundle Manor
How can couples find out more and make contact with Katie?
You can see more of Katie’s work on her website you can also fine her on Facebook, Instagram . If you’d like to have an initial chat you can call Katie on 01726 810109 or mobile 07914169987. If you prefer to email you can contact Katie here: email katie@brooksideflowers.co.uk.
By Wise Photography at Treseren