Blog: wildflowers
Charlie Charlie

Beth and Robert’s spring Devon farm wedding with foraged wildflowers, yurts and a feast of local food

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Bride and groom in spring meadow // Jennie Hill Photography // The Natural Wedding Company

Beth and Robert’s spring Devon farm wedding is overflowing with many of my wedding “favourites”. Favourites such as…getting married in May, spring wildflowers, and yurts. Captured by our friend Jennie Hill Photography, this down-to-earth wedding is a real family affair, with a sprinkling of handmade details and pretty touches.

Although the wedding was held at the family farm in Devon, it is dotted with elements that share the couples love of Scotland. As we sit here in March with hints of warmer weather and spring flowers starting to bloom, I’m certain this spring Devon farm wedding is going to get you dreaming of spring.

Devon farm wedding with yurts // Jennie Hill Photography // The Natural Wedding Company

English spring wildflower bouquet // Jennie Hill Photography // The Natural Wedding Company

Forget-me-nots for a spring Devon farm wedding // Jennie Hill Photography // The Natural Wedding Company

Country bride and groom in vintage car // Jennie Hill Photography // The Natural Wedding Company

Spring Devon farm wedding with wildflower bouquet // Jennie Hill Photography // The Natural Wedding Company

A spring wildflower bouquet with bluebells and forget-me-nots // Jennie Hill Photography // The Natural Wedding Company

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Charlie Charlie

Jenny and David’s botanical Welsh wedding with succulent buttonholes, button bouquets and wildflowers

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Jenny and David's botanical Welsh wedding with succulent buttonholes, button bouquets and wildflowers // Emma Stoner Photography // The Natural Wedding Company

We might be hurtling towards Christmas but today on the blog we are back in June for a beautiful summer wedding. This botanical Welsh wedding is full of sweet eco details – homegrown plants for decorations, handmade bunting – and a love of plants and the natural world.

Jenny and David got married on 25th June at the Ceridwen Centre in the Welsh countryside, and their wedding was captured by TNWC Recommended Photographer Emma Stoner. Over to Jenny to tell us more about their botanical Welsh wedding…

Tipi decorated with wildflowers // Emma Stoner Photography // The Natural Wedding Company

Jenny and David's botanical Welsh wedding with succulent buttonholes, button bouquets and wildflowers // Emma Stoner Photography // The Natural Wedding Company

Succulent wedding favours // Emma Stoner Photography // The Natural Wedding Company

Homemade botanical wedding cake // Emma Stoner Photography // The Natural Wedding Company

Bridesmaids with button bouquets // Emma Stoner Photography // The Natural Wedding Company

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Charlie Charlie

Cheryl and Andrew’s magical woodland wedding with sand ceremony, handpicked wildflowers and a bouncy castle

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Family picture on wedding day with beams of light // Enchanted Brides // The Natural Wedding Company

This week’s real wedding is a magical woodland wedding full of natural decorations, mismatched pots, handpicked wildflowers and little green woodland creatures.

Cheryl and Andrew, whose two children played important roles on the day, got married at Sconner Down in Polbathic – a beautiful woodland venue with stunning views of Cornwall and their hometown, Plymouth.

Their informal, family-centred day radiates happiness and joy.  Ultimately, they wanted a relaxed, fun day for everyone they love and they undoubtedly achieved this wish: they even had a bouncy castle (for the children, of course).

Over to Cheryl to tell us all about this fairytale wedding

Wooden ivy covered woodland shed for wedding // Enchanted Brides // The Natural Wedding Company

Bride with veil and bespoke dress // Enchanted Brides // The Natural Wedding Company

Pink and white wildflowers in mismatched pots // Enchanted Brides // The Natural Wedding Company

Wedding cheese cake with mice cake topper // Enchanted Brides // The Natural Wedding Company

Bride, groom and daughter at outdoor woodland wedding // Enchanted Brides // The Natural Wedding Company

Bride and groom in field with long grass // Enchanted Brides // The Natural Wedding Company

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Charlie Charlie

A boho picnic wedding shoot on a lake inspired by English picnics and wildflowers with a barefoot bride in a crochet wedding dress

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Tattooed boho bride // Photography Konstantin Taufner-Mikulitsch // The Natural Wedding Company

I’m quite sure if you’re a regular reader you will remember this magical fairytale woodland wedding shoot from Austria sent to us by the lovely Stephanie of Mademoiselle Fee – well we have another beautiful shoot to share from her today.

A boho picnic wedding with a barefoot bride

Set on a weather worn wooden dock over an Austrian lake, this English picnic and wildflower inspired shoot brings you just the right amount of down-to-earth boho wedding inspiration.

From a barefoot bride in a 1970s-esque crochet wedding dress to the understated (and therefore perfect in my books) tea party, what I love most about the shoots created by Mademoiselle Fee and her team is the genuine, heartfelt love and emotions that emanate from the pictures. Yes, the detailings are beautiful, but it’s the tenderness that is captured, woven in with the pretty details, that make her shoots truly special.

Purple and green boho wildflower bouquet // Photography Konstantin Taufner-Mikulitsch // The Natural Wedding Company

A boho picnic wedding shoot on a lake inspired by English picnics and wildflowers with a barefoot bride in a crochet wedding dress // Photography Konstantin Taufner-Mikulitsch // The Natural Wedding Company

Natural picnic wedding by a lake // Photography Konstantin Taufner-Mikulitsch // The Natural Wedding Company

Boho bride and groom // Photography Konstantin Taufner-Mikulitsch // The Natural Wedding Company

Boho bride and groom // Photography Konstantin Taufner-Mikulitsch // The Natural Wedding Company

A homage to English picnics and wildflowers

The inspiration from the shoot came from both the lake itself and a flower crown, from one of our own dear friends, Amy Swann. Stephanie told me:

“I love this place at the lake, so do all our friends, and when I saw Amy Swann’s flower crown, I immediately had this picture in my mind of a relaxed couple lying on the deck. Some years ago, when I was engaged, I found The Natural Wedding Company and have been following your inspiring blog posts ever since. This shoot is a homage to English picnics and wildflowers, to bunting and homemade cakes. I love this outdoor way of enjoying life and nature.”

Natural wildflower bouquet // Photography Konstantin Taufner-Mikulitsch // The Natural Wedding Company

A boho picnic wedding shoot on a lake inspired by English picnics and wildflowers with a barefoot bride in a crochet wedding dress // Photography Konstantin Taufner-Mikulitsch // The Natural Wedding Company

Flower crown by Amy Swann // Photography Konstantin Taufner-Mikulitsch // The Natural Wedding Company

Wedding picnic eco-friendly cutlery // Photography Konstantin Taufner-Mikulitsch // The Natural Wedding Company

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Charlie Charlie

A Day in the Life … Blue Poppy: a visit to their coastal cutting garden in Scotland with wildflower meadows in the height of summer

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A Day in the Life ... Blue Poppy: a visit to their coastal cutting garden in Scotland with wildflower meadows in the height of summer // Photography The Curries // The Natural Wedding Company

Over the years of working in the wedding industry, I have come to realise that some of my favourite parts are the ‘behind the scenes’, the true getting to know the people behind a business, and this is what we hope to do with this series called A Day In The Life. Today we are up in Scotland with Cath from Blue Poppy, reminiscing about those hot summer days when the flower beds are bursting with colour.

If you’d like to see behind the scenes on some of our other recommended suppliers, then do check out the full A Day In The Life series so far, which includes fellow flower farmer florists Tammy from Wild Bunch, Natalya and Fiona from PYRUS, and Becca and Maz from The Garden Gate Flower Company.

So it’s over to Catherine to share her day in the life at Blue Poppy…

Blue Poppy wildflower meadow // Photography The Curries // The Natural Wedding Company

Blue Poppy dahlia patch // Photography The Curries // The Natural Wedding Company

Sweet peas at Blue Poppy // Photography The Curries // The Natural Wedding Company

Cath from Blue Poppy in their wildflower meadow // Photography The Curries // The Natural Wedding Company

A coastal cutting garden

Last August, at the height of summer, the fantastic Chris and Gillian from The Curries came to document an afternoon with us. Looking back over the winter, we had time to reflect on what Chris and Gillian – seeing the garden for the first time – were able to capture.

Blue Poppy is myself, Catherine (florist), my mum Ann (gardener) and Frida (our old Jack Russell who patrols the garden and scares off anything likely to nibble seedlings). We run a florist farmer business from a small holding on the east coast of Scotland.

Blue Poppy Scottish cutting garden // Photography The Curries // The Natural Wedding Company

Jack Russell in the Blue Poppy cutting garden // Photography The Curries // The Natural Wedding Company

British grown cut flowers // Photography The Curries // The Natural Wedding Company

A Day in the Life ... Blue Poppy: a visit to their coastal cutting garden in Scotland with wildflower meadows in the height of summer // Photography The Curries // The Natural Wedding Company

Blue Poppy cutting garden // Photography The Curries // The Natural Wedding Company

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Charlie Charlie

A May wedding bouquet of apple blossom, cow parsley and other exquisite English wildflowers and spring flowers

Charlie

A May wedding bouquet of apple blossom, cow parsley and other exquisite English wildflowers and spring flowers // Common Farm Flowers // The Natural Wedding Company

May wedding bouquet of apple blossom and cow parsley

If you’ve been reading this blog long enough you’ll know by now that I’m an absolute sucker for a May wedding. In fact, just the month of May in general. I love it for so many reasons – it’s my birthday month, it’s the month we got married, it’s the month of bluebells, cow parsley, hawthorn blossom, and so much more. So I am always excited when this month arrives to see what creations my fabulous flower farmer and florist friends create for May weddings.

This bridal bouquet from Common Farm Flowers caught my attention immediately at the mention of May bouquet with apple blossom – really, what could be lovelier?

A May wedding bouquet of apple blossom, cow parsley and other exquisite English wildflowers and spring flowers // Common Farm Flowers // The Natural Wedding Company

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Charlie Charlie

TNWC Real Brides: introducing Fern and Dominic’s natural woodland bird and wildflower inspired wedding in Somerset

Charlie

TNWC Real Brides: introducing Fern and Dominic's natural woodland bird and wildflower inspired wedding in Somerset

Plans for a natural woodland bird and wildflower inspired wedding

I am pretty excited today to be introducing you to the first of our TNWC Real Brides for 2015! It’s that fun time of the year when emails start to drop into my inbox sharing all kinds of wonderful plans and handmade details from these brides-to-be in the run up to their weddings.

Our first TNWC Real Bride to introduce you to is Fern, who is getting married to her Mr-to-be Dominic this August in Somerset. Both of them have a love of the countryside, and Dominic works as a forester, so they are weaving elements of woodland birds and wildflowers throughout their wedding. I can’t wait to hear more!

>> View Fern and Dominic’s woodland bird and country flower inspired wedding here <<

But for now, over to Fern to give you a little introduction to how they met and their initial wedding ideas…

real_bride_2015_fern2

How we met

Dominic and I have been together for over eight years. We met in our first week of university in one of our first lectures, introduced by a new mutual friend, Jon. After one day saving a space for Jon between us in the lecture hall for four hours without him coming, we decided that maybe we would sit next to each other from now on.

We both studied Geography and had most lectures together and got to know each other better. Over a year later, and after some shaky first dates, meaning we now affectionately hold Airplane as the first film we saw together, we finally became a couple and two years afterwards had our first flat together.

A village home in Montacute

After a few jobs, more courses and house moves later we eventually found our way to our little house in the village of Montacute, which has truly been a real home for us. We live right in the centre of this beautiful village in a secret courtyard where we know all our neighbours and are just a stones throw away from breathtaking countryside.

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Samantha Samantha

Miriam and John’s Scottish 1920’s wildflower inspired wedding with beaded gown, bee-friendly blooms and ceilidh

Samantha

Miriam and John's Scottish 1920's wildflower inspired wedding with beaded gown, bee-friendly blooms and ceilidh - photography http://photosbyzoe.co.uk/

1920s Wildflower inspired wedding

So excited to share today’s wedding with you as our gorgeous TNWC Real Bride Miriam is now a Mrs and has all the wonderful details to finally share with us from her 1920’s Scottish inspired big day!

If like me you have been following Miriam and John’s planning story then you too must be dying to see all the little snippets of information they have provided perfectly amalgamated into one big day of gorgeousness and it really doesn’t disappoint! Miriam wears a beautiful Jenny Packham gown, the perfect nod to the 1920’s era that they wanted to reflect, then of course there are kilts, bagpipes and ceilidh dancing plus the most divine bee-friendly british blooms by TNWC recommended supplier Pyrus and smiles a plenty!

Miriam has written a beautiful rendition of her day so it is only fair to now pass over to her to indulge you lovely lot.

Miriam and John's Scottish 1920's wildflower inspired wedding with beaded gown, bee-friendly blooms and ceilidh - photography http://photosbyzoe.co.uk/

Wildflower bridal bouquet from Pyrus http://www.pyrusflowers.co.uk/ - photography http://photosbyzoe.co.uk/

‘What a magical day!

How time flies when you are newlyweds setting up home! It has been almost four months since our wedding day, so about time for me to write this blog. I have been so lucky to meet or contact so many wonderful suppliers, the whole experience of wedding planning and enjoying the day has been absolutely wonderful. So a huge THANK YOU to everyone who made our day so special.’

Miriam and John's Scottish 1920's wildflower inspired wedding with beaded gown, bee-friendly blooms and ceilidh - photography http://photosbyzoe.co.uk/

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Charlie Charlie

Tamara and Ed’s elegant country wedding in Dorset on a friend’s farm with buckets of sunflowers and live music

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Tamara and Ed’s elegant country wedding – photography http://www.taylorandporter.co.uk/

Elegant country wedding

It’s been all about farm receptions in recent real weddings, and today’s beautiful wedding is another stunning example of a simple but elegant way to hold a party in a barn. Tamara and Ed’s wedding was sent to me by their photographers Louise and Teo, who run Taylor & Porter Photographs, one of our recommended suppliers on the directory, who only use film cameras and do so capturing exquisite images.

Over to Tamara to share their wedding day with you…

Tamara and Ed’s elegant country wedding – photography http://www.taylorandporter.co.uk/

Elegant vintage wedding tables with wild flowers and grasses – photography http://www.taylorandporter.co.uk/

Tamara and Ed’s elegant country wedding – photography http://www.taylorandporter.co.uk/

Elegant rustic barn wedding – photography http://www.taylorandporter.co.uk/

Tamara and Ed got married on the last day of August, one what looks like an incredibly bright sunny day in the Dorset countryside. “We got married at Powerstock Church in Dorset. I wanted it here because my mother and father were married there.”

Tamara and Ed’s elegant country wedding – photography http://www.taylorandporter.co.uk/

Wild and natural country church wedding flowers – photography http://www.taylorandporter.co.uk/

Tamara and Ed’s elegant country wedding – photography http://www.taylorandporter.co.uk/

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Charlie Charlie

Jo and Dom’s natural and relaxed Scottish wedding with a ceremony in a ruined chapel, picnic on the beach, and foraged flowers

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Taylor & Porter Photographs

Relaxed Scottish wedding with a beach picnic

A real wedding feature has been long overdue, and what nicer way to kick off 2014 than with the exquisite wedding of Jo and Dom. They got married last July in Scotland with a ceremony in a ruin chapel amongst the dunes, a beach picnic for all their guests, swimming in the sea, foraged and wild flowers for the bouquets and table arrangements, and a beautifully decorated tent – phew!

I could go on and on and on about everything that I love about this wedding, but it’s better than I just let you immerse yourself. Go get lost in Jo and Dom’s wonderful day…

Taylor & Porter Photographs

“We wanted our wedding to be as natural and relaxed as possible. We wanted to be able to enjoy it, and for everyone else to have a good time too! We had a humanist wedding in a tiny ruined chapel on the east coast of Scotland, just down the coast from Edinburgh followed by a picnic on the beach.”

“I grew up there and every Christmas my family walk down the beach to the ruin with some friends and hold an informal Christmas ceremony where we sing carols and have readings and generally acknowledge that its Christmas.”

Country bride with foraged flower bouquet and flower crown - Taylor & Porter Photographs

Taylor & Porter Photographs

“Dom proposed on boxing day 2012 on a rock just beside the chapel and there was never any question that we would marry anywhere else. It’s a very important place to me. Our wedding guests had to walk over the dunes for half an hour to reach the chapel so the weather was definitely a concern! But no, we didn’t have a wet weather plan!”

Taylor & Porter Photographs

Taylor & Porter Photographs

Taylor & Porter Photographs

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