Flower Workshop at Treetops Newbury

I had a fantastic time today, talking about spring and summer flowers at Treetops www.treetops-newbury.co.uk.

Our emphasis was on seasonal flowers and foliages picked form the garden, using euphorbia, rosemary, rape, muscari and bluebells among others, and using different containers to compliment them. 


I started with a couple of demonstrations, then it was a chance for everyone to make their own hand tied posy!

 I have to say I was very impressed with the results!

After a delicious lunch, cooked by Emily, we sat down to a 'crafty' session, decorating jam jars and tin cans with ribbons, butterflies, lace and buttons.
Are tin cans the new jam jars of wedding popularity?

Honeysuckle and Sweet peas, Peonies and blossom in Hampshire

Nearly seventeen years ago Philip and I got married in Selborne Church, afterwards we walked across the village green to The Wakes Museum for our reception. On Saturday Anna and Jonny did the same!

So you can imagine I had a real soft spot for this bride, and I really loved the flowers she chose! If I were to get married again........! Well funnily enough, not only was the setting the same, our flowers were not too dissimilar!

And a few more of Anna's

And some of mine!

Love and Lavender Vintage Wedding

One of my lovely brides from last June is featured onwww.lovemydress.net take a look! Perfect Vintage style with lots of personal touches from Victoria!!

 "Thank you for making my vision come true! Our day was perfect and amazing in everyway! Thank you for your help in making it happen!"

Wedding favours...a good thing?

One of the nicest tings of setting up a wedding is seeing all the little touches the bride has thought about coming together, bunting they have made, place cards they have printed, but what about favours?
It wasn't that long ago that we didn't really 'do' favours at English weddings. (Favours were originally from Southern Europe, and traditionally sugared almonds, normally tied in tulle)

 However recently they have become more popular. So a good thing or a waste of your wedding budget?
Well,I love the idea of favours! I think it is a wonderful way to say 'thank you' to your guests for coming, a small present of appreciation. However sometimes when I clear a wedding I see a lot of them left behind, which makes me sad! 

So it started me thinking, what makes a favour something worth favouring? (If you will excuse the rather weak pun!)
I think the most appreciated favours and the most personal are ones that reflect the couple. And ideally something that can be eaten!
Though they take time, handmade favours show you care, so whether your skill is in baking, preserves, sewing or calligraphy, a favour that you have made will really be remembered!
So, if I were to get married now, what would I choose? Well I love baking! So it would be something edible I suspect! So here are a few ideas I would struggle to choose from!

Cake Pops

The new cup cake? Cake pops make wonderful favours as they are a cross between a truffle and cake, all wrapped in chocolate! And not as hard to make as they look, but they do take time and patience! And look so pretty! You can colour theme them to your wedding, or make each one different.You could even use them as place names, with the label tied to the stick.
A fantastic book to give you ideas and guidance is The Pop cake book by Clare O'Connell, or their web site www.popbakery.co.uk and melts and sticks are easy to buy from Hobbiecraft or www.cakecraftworld.co.uk which also has a wonderful selection of sprinkles and sugar flowers!
I went mad and bought far more than I need! They are all so pretty!

Some cake pops I made this afternoon, pretty in pink!

Mini Cup Cakes

This was my daughter Sophie's idea! I love making cup cakes, but when brides came to see me, the idea of eating 700 calories and still being able to get into their dress was not always a good option! She suggested I made them bite sized! And yes, a success! If cake pops are too time consuming or fiddly then tiny cup cakes 
are the answer! using pretty petit four cases  they look lovely and are just one mouth full!
For anyone who loves baking an addictive web site is www.bakerella.com, with so many ideas they put my efforts to shame! Or for some awe inspiring recipes and ideas buy Cox Cookies!!By Eric Lanlard and Patrick Cox (Though the  naked chocolate bottom cakes maybe better at the hen night!)

More cake pops, and mini cakes!

Biscuits

Another idea inspired by Sophie, when she made these beautiful biscuits for Valentine's day this year!

Jams and Vodka's

Easier if you are concerned with time, homemade jam  in tiny Kilner jars, (I bought mine from Lakeland, but they are quite easy to find now, and at 70p not too expensive on a large scale) filled with homemade jam, or flavoured vodka, or sloe gin. 

For even more foodie ideas you must buy one of my favorite books

Gifts from the Kitchen By Annie Rigg.

A few more ideas...

 I loved these pretty tins! 

Made from an old necklace and silver wire.

So what's new?

On Wednesday I was asked to create the flowers for Jacaranda's tasting evening at Bury Court.
One of my favourite caterers and one of my favourite venues! So not a bad start!
However unlike most of my clients who give me a brief, whether it be colours, a themes
or are specific about their flower choices, my brief for this job was " there are two long tables"!
So exciting, and fairly daunting. Daunting because the only limitation was the flowers available in April.
It made me realize that this must be the exact situation every bride initially finds herself when planning her wedding flowers. It also made me think about what trends are emerging for this year and next.
As I said in my last post, I don't think 'Vintage' will disappear quickly, but I do think it will become refined, more creams, greens, herbs and textured foliages. The use of cheaper flowers that have, until recently gone out of fashion. Marred by over use on petrol station forecourts and stuffed into printed cellophane bouquets. Carnations, chrysanthemums and gypsophila. Carnations now come in wonderful soft, Vintagey colours such as this one called
'Antique' and look wonderful grouped together,

While gypsophila looks beautiful massed together or used with other small delicate flowers.

I think also that brides will be using more potted plants, not only are they cheaper, but they have the added value of being able to be planted and enjoyed long after the event.

On Wednesday,I used lily of the valley in little tin pots, alternated with lots of lanterns, votives, (candle light will never go out of fashion!) And of course flowers, seasonal arrangements of hellebores, 'Super Weber tulips', daises and 'Avalanche' roses in moss covered pots.