spring wedding Archives - Page 4 of 6 - The Natural Wedding Company

Blog: spring wedding

Charlie

Win a beautiful springtime blossom bow tie with matching pocket square for your groom-to-be from Mama Wolf

Charlie

*This competition is now closed 00:00 12/06/13*

So far this year we’ve had some really lovely competitions on The Natural Wedding Company blog, and I must say there are more lovely ones to come. Today I’m launching a competition from new TNWC business Mama Wolf to win this gorgeous springtime bow tie and matching pocket square.

I’m particularly delighted to have a competition prize that’s for the men in our weddings. Whether you want to win it for you groom-to-be, the best man, the father-of-the-bride, or maybe even a page boy, or even if you’re not getting married and you’d like to win it for a bow tie lover in your life, then read on for how you can enter.

When spring finally arrived on our British shores this year it has been spectacular – the hawthorn leaves unfurling and blossom budding all over the place. What could be nicer for a spring wedding that this springtime bow tie and pocket square?

Made from upcycled pure cotton, like all Mama Wolf products, they have been handmade with every effort to ensure they meet their ethical selection criteria (recycled, vintage, fair-trade, organic, up-cycled and natural fibre fabric).

What’s more, Mama Wolf created this bow tie and pocket square exclusively for The Natural Wedding Company readers, so you won’t find this design anywhere else! If you’d like to enter to win this delightful set, read on below for full details of how.

Charlie

An ode to snake’s head fritillary – wedding inspiration using this unusual native British spring flower

Charlie

Here at The Natural Wedding Company I love to promote seasonality, and to encourage and inspire couples to choose to plan their weddings fitting in with the season whether that be flowers, food, or decorations. Choosing seasonal blooms for your wedding flowers is one way to reduce the environmental impact of your big day (rather than imported flowers), as well as reflecting the beautiful and varied times of year.

Recently on my Facebook feed I’ve been seeing one particular spring flower popping up in bouquets from various TNWC flower businesses – the snake’s head fritillary. This very dainty bell like bloom is a native English flower that makes it appearance during the spring months.

Following on from my previous floral ‘odes’ (‘an ode to violets’ and ‘an ode to old-fashioned roses’) today I’m going to showcase the snake’s head fritillary. From bouquets and buttonholes to table centrepieces, I’m going to show you how you can incorporate it into your spring wedding.

Image: The Garden Gate Flower Company

I’m delighted to have put together this feature on the snake’s head fritillary with the help of some of my talented TNWC flower businesses. As I know many of you are planning your wedding and searching for a florist who grows their own or sources local British blooms, I’ve included their details and where they are based in the country as all of them provide stunning flowers for weddings.

Bouquets and Posies

When it comes to wedding flowers what better place to start than with bouquets. Every bride needs a bouquet and I have a beautiful selection here to showcase all featuring the dainty snake’s head fritillary.

First up this seasonal spring bouquet from Susanne at The Blue Carrot based down in Cornwall. Along with the snake’s head fritillary, Susanne used the following homegrown flowers: parrot, double and single tulips from her tunnel; hellebores; narcissi, ranunculus; and feverfew. She also added a few sprays of jasmine, which she bought as a plant from B&Q and used the cuttings.

Flowers: The Blue Carrot

Here’s a close up of this beautiful bouquet – I particularly love how Susanne combines colour, with the sweet shop pastels set off by the addition of those deep, velvety purple hellebores.

Flowers: The Blue Carrot

Charlie

Vintage finds and seasonal spring flowers for an Easter window display from The Garden Gate Flower Company

Charlie

Happy Easter everyone! I was delighted when an email popped into my inbox earlier this week from Becca and Maz at The Garden Gate Flower Company – I’ve come down with a horrid cold this week so it was lovely when they appeared with a wonderful Easter-inspired guest post.

It’s full of beautiful inspiration for wedding styling if you love that combination of seasonal flowers and vintage finds. I’ll hand you over to The Garden Gate Flower Company to tell you about the beautiful Easter window display they created in one of their local vintage and antique shops in Cornwall. Over to Maz…

Easter is here, and we have gone all nostalgic at the Dower House in Lostwithiel. We have just been styling an Easter window in a shop that is filled with vintage lace, jelly moulds, buttons, ribbons and much more!

Becca rediscovered The Downy Duckling (or something like that, it’s a good job she’s got little kids to read it to!).

We made pretty miniature arrangements in vintage cups. Spring flowers like primroses and grape hyacinths are short stemmed so make a good addition to a tea cup.

Charlie

The perfect Easter decorated Simnel cake with crystallised edible flowers and mini chocolate eggs

Charlie

I must say I hadn’t really heard of Simnel cake until a few years ago, and I certainly haven’t ever tried one. But I do love traditions, and Simnel cake is often eaten over Easter. I particularly love the way this one, created by TNWC business Eat My Flowers, is decorated – both the colours (yellow and purple), the little pile of chocolate eggs, and those beautiful crystallised edible spring flowers.

Sarah who runs Eat My Flowers shared her recipe for this Simnel cake and I thought it would be a nice thing to share with you all. Many of us who life making things, often like making sweet treats, so I thought you wouldn’t mind a recipe. Even if you don’t fancy making a Simnel cake, you could always take inspiration from the way Eat My Flowers decorated it, and use this on an Easter cake of your choice.

According to Sarah from Eat My Flowers, “the cake is made with 11 balls of marzipan icing on top representing the 11 disciples. (Judas is not included.) Traditionally, sugar violets would also be added. Simnel cake is very easy to make and because of the extra layer of marzipan is very moist and keeps well.” Her recipe is from Mary Berry.

Charlie

Edible spring flower lollipops with violas and primroses for sweet Easter wedding favours

Charlie

I’ve been meaning to share this idea with you for a while, but what could be more perfect than sharing them now – well, apparently it’s supposed to be the start of spring although the snow across the UK suggests otherwise.

These homemade lollipops each hold a pretty edible spring flower, such as these beautiful primroses, and would make lovely wedding favours for an Easter or spring wedding. These ones were made by our lovely TNWC businesses Forage For.

The tiny violas or violets are just the right size to be kept whole in a lollipop, whereas the larger pansies can have an individual petal carefully removed and used instead. You can find a recipe for the edible flower lollipops at Sprinkle Bakes – I particularly love that you don’t need to buy special lollipop moulds, but can in fact use powdered sugar to create your mould! If you’d rather not add another item to your already lengthy ‘to make’ wedding list, then I’d recommend checking out Eat My Flowers who make them with their homegrown edible flowers – you’ll find them in their shop.

Charlie

A seasonal winter wedding bouquet of garden grown hellebores, succulents, ferns and magnolia buds

Charlie

Angela who runs Petal and Twig, on of our TNWC recommended florists, sent me these photos of a winter bouquet she recently designed. Made completely from garden flowers and foliage it is cleverly constructed on a handmade moss pad with a handle of dogwood.

The bouquet itself contains hellebores, succulents, variegated Euonymous, variegated Box, ferns, Skimmia (both pink and green berried varieties), Mahonia Japonica flower sprays, Spirea, Magnolia twigs and buds, and ivy. I think it’s a really unusual and beautiful example of a winter wedding bouquet that celebrates the season.

Angela also created this posy of Paperwhite Narcissi (one of my favourite winter flowers) from the Channel Islands surrounded by two types of ivy. The green ivy leaves each wrap an individual stem of narcissi to protect their delicate heads and ensure they all face ‘up’. The bouquet is finished with a piece of antique cotton lace, a brown satin ribbon, and vintage pearls.

I am so pleased to be able to share with you these lovely examples of seasonal wedding flowers. If you like these, take a look at this pretty spring bouquet of white tulips and hyacinths or these spring arrangements in vintage teacups.

Charlie

A heavenly seasonal spring wedding bouquet of white tulips and hyacinths

Charlie

Today I have some gorgeous spring arrangements from TNWC recommended florist Campbell’s Flowers based in Sheffield. Owner Tracey sent me pictures of these exquisite arrangements she’s done, all of which would be available during the spring months (just ask your wedding florist or flower grower to check specifics).

I’m not usually a fan of all white bouquets, but these are pretty stunning and have completely won me over to the idea. The bouquet above is a simple but heavenly arrangement of white tulips and white hyacinths. If you’ve ever bought or been given a pot of hyacinths you’ll know the incredible fragrance they give off, so just imagine carrying a bouquet with them in – wow!

Charlie

Seasonal spring wedding flowers inspired by a very English ‘afternoon tea in the library’

Charlie

The Natural Wedding Company is a huge supporter of seasonal British grown flowers (if you’re interested to know more check out the #britishflowers chat that’s happening on Twitter) and so I want to ramp up my support by sharing truly seasonal wedding flower inspiration with you.

I think what can be so hard some times is knowing actually what’s in season in Britain during each month of the year, and even whether it’s seasonal in the part of the country you’re getting married in – for example, the flower growers in Cornwall tend to have blooms earlier than somewhere in the north.

The lovely ladies from The Garden Gate Flower Company in Cornwall have been playing around with some seasonal spring flowers and created these beautiful arrangements that I’m delighted to share with you. The ideal inspiration for those of you planning a spring wedding!

Charlie

A pretty pink and green spring flower wreath from Fletcher and Foley

Charlie

It snowed here last night – not very much, but still a sprinkling! Despite that, this morning I wanted to share a little glimpse of spring with this pretty pink and green floral wreath from Fletcher and Foley. When I spotted it I was instantly dreaming up all kinds of wedding uses for it.

It would make a gorgeous table decoration, just as it is, sitting on a table with a pale church candle at its centre. Hung from a door it would be a beautiful way to welcome your guests to your wedding ceremony or reception venue. And a slimmer version would make a glorious flower crown for a bride or bridesmaid don’t you think?

I got in touch with Joanne from Fletcher and Foley to find out what the different flowers and foliage are that she used to create this beauty. Joanne told me, “the flowers in it are pink and white striped tulips, cerise ranunculus, ‘Amnesia’ roses, pink anemones, hyacinth pips, astrantia, waxflower buds with ming fern foliage and grape vine twine.”

If you love the current trend for flower crowns and floral hair wreaths, then do check out my flower crown Pinterest board where you’ll find a huge collection of my favourites.

Image: Fletcher and Foley

Charlie

George and Sal’s laid back Cornish spring wedding with a walk on the beach

Charlie

Laid back Cornish spring wedding

Sarah of Green Photographic recently captured the lovely laid back Easter wedding of Sal and George, who got married near Newquay and included a beach walk with their guests during the afternoon. I have a softspot for Devon and Cornwall, especially during spring time, so I hope you enjoy this pretty country and seaside wedding as much I did.

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