Our Day Trip to Home Gurr'own Caterers, Kent

On Wednesday 2nd July we had the pleasure of spending the day at Home Gurr'own Caterers in Cranbrook, Kent.

Home Gurr'own specialise in a unique collection of homemade dishes for family and friends to share - picnics, hog roasts and sharing platters.  Please see their website for example menus and information - what a lovely way to bring your guests together on the day and help give a sense of unity.

Nicci and her husband Julian, together with their two lovely children, Lorri and Daisy live on the six acre small holding together with the Gloucester Old Spot pigs, Southdown sheep, geese, chicken and bees.  Nicci and Julian use the produce grown or reared on the land for the catering but are also passionate about sourcing further ingredients locally.

After seeing Nicci at a wedding recently, that we were both working on, she suggested we came and visited them to have a look at what they do - particularly the flowers that Julian grows.  Our eyes lit up!  English grown flowers and a chance to eat some of Nicci's chocolate brownies - yes please!

It really was like a day trip out for us.  The sun was shining and the peaceful setting of Home Gurr'own worked wonders on calming us after a busy few days.  Next door to Home Gurr'own, Julian's mother and father live.  Here, they have poly tunnels where Julian's father grows amazing tomatoes - the type you get abroad, all shapes and sizes (rather than the 'perfect tomato' as measured by the EU) together with an abundance of sweet peas, which are cut and sold to local florists and markets.

The flowers grown here include edible varieties, used in their catering - Violas, Nasturtium and Marigolds.

Whilst there, we picked a selection of flowers from the gorgeous selection....believe us when we say as a florist - to pick the flowers that you can then work with is real honour.

One of nature's little friends.....

 So, with the flowers we had picked and the foliage we foraged, with a little help from lovely Lorri......

 ....we created a bouquet and a couple of buttonhole examples for you - all made with an extremely low carbon footprint.....and here they are...

Our two favourite shots - hope you like them.....

Bouquet of cornflower, cosmos, sweet peas, curly willow, oriental hornbeam and hazel.

A big thank you to Nicci and Julian at Home Gurr'own for allowing us to visit them.  We hope to back again in the near future for some more of the 'good life'.

Marleybrook House Photoshoot

On the 24th April we were involved in a photoshoot at Marleybrook House, in Preston near Canterbury, Kent.  Marleybrook House is an immaculately presented seventeenth century 'chocolate box' thatched farmhouse full of unique character, history and old world charm.

It was fantastic to be involved in a new venue's launch and we had the privilege of working with some very talented suppliers.

To give you a quick tour of the behind the scenes on photoshoot day and this lovely venue, check out this fab, fun video by Ignite Films.

http://ignitefilms.co.uk/MarleybrookHouse/

Credits:

Venue: Marleybrook House -http://www.marleybrookhouse.co.uk/#home

Photography: Rebecca Douglas Photography -http://www.rebeccadouglas.co.uk/blog/

Videography: Ignite Films - http://www.ignitefilms.co.uk/

Dresses: Story of My Dress - http://www.storyofmydress.com/

Hair and Make Up: Juliette Harris Marsdenhttps://www.facebook.com/juliettemakeupandhair

Flowers: Frida and Sophia Floral Design -http://www.fridaandsophia.co.uk/

Stationery: Whippy Weddings - http://www.whippy-weddings.co.uk/

Cake: Sweetie Darling Cakes - http://www.sweetiedarlingcakes.co.uk/

Toastmasters and Sabreurs – Kentish Sabreurs -www.kentishsabreurs.co.uk

Transport - www.foreverweddingcars.co.uk

Table Dressing – Thanetian Events - www.thanetianevents.co.uk

Food – Anderson’s Caterers - www.andersonscaterers.co.uk

Grooms attire – Mark Wallace - www.marcwallace.com

Letters – Alphabet Lounge - http://www.thealphabetlounge.com/

Helicopter – Heli-charter - http://www.helicharter-uk.com

Models:

Meg Sangster

Lucy Evans

Summer Monteys

Liam Glithero

Brian Sinnott

If your looking for a quintessential English Country Garden wedding - check this beautiful venue out. 

 

Creative Brides Vintage Village at the Bluewater Wedding Fair 2014

On Thursday 6th February, Frida picked me up from my sleepy state at 4.30 a.m. to travel to New Covent Garden Flower Market to carefully select some beautiful blooms for our stand at the Creative Brides Vintage Village at the Bluewater Wedding Fair.

It's cold, raining and very dark, but as soon as I get in that car, Radio 1 is pumping out some tunes and already we're giggling and chatting away about our antics over the past few days.

We arrive at the market just after 5 a.m. and as is always the tradition - head straight to the cafe in the centre.  Two Americano's one with milk, one without.  It's buzzing in there already and the lovely man at the counter is always cheerful and chatty.  Frida manages to point out some mascara that I've skilfully painted onto my top eyelid in the dark this morning - that's what she's there for!  I manage to tell her how cute she looks in her red Converse and leopard print hat!  She laughs....as usual!

We always like to do a tour of the place first, check out who's got what!  We have our favourites of course, which it would be unfair to disclose - but it's still good to get a butchers at what is out there.
We start to gather some large blooms in a variety of pastel colours - continually running through in our heads the items that we know we need to produce.  Then comes the foliage - lovely Porters has a fantastic range and always served with a smile.  We gather some delightful greens - always soft and with texture and movement.  We don't do stiff foliage!  We did find some beautiful Magnolia which gives amazing lines and once in bloom is really beautiful.

We did about three trips to the car and finally decide that we think we have everything we need.  By now, it's light, we're hungry and now start to feel tired!

Here's a little video of the blooms and Frida's cute hat!

I feel my video-ing skills need a little practise - but hey!

So, we travelled back to Tenterden and worked on our designs all day - three staple items, coffee, Radio 1 and Diet Coke!

Friday 7th Febuary - we're up early, load the car and off we head to Bluewater to set up ready for the 5p.m. start to the three day fair.  All goes smoothly and to plan despite the sixteen trips backwards and forwards to unload the car - our biceps pumping!

What did we produce?  Here are a selection of photos taken by the lovely Rebecca Douglas of our Vintage Village stand.  Hope you like them!

Meet Geraldine.......our spray painted polystyrene model

A big thank you to Clair at Creative Brides for hosting a fantastic three days.  We met some lovely couples and some very talented suppliers.  We rounded off the successful weekend with a fantastic glass of red wine and a yummy burger at GBK!  Finished off the event nicely ;)

Marks & Spencer in war of the wedding roses: Retailer takes on high street florists with budget bridal bouquet service

I was forwarded an article today from MailOnline about Marks & Spencers new concept of providing a budget bridal bouquet service.

The Daily Mail reports that M&S have said that their new service will save couples over £200 on a normal budget of £560, including one bridal bouquet, two bridesmaids bouquets, four buttonholes, table arrangements and thank you bouquets.

The flowers are described in faceless quantities - 12 white roses, 12 white freesia, 12 hard ruscus leaves etc etc.  Don't get me wrong, we do understand that the budget is vitally important and we respect this.  However to be able to sit down with the bride and more often than not these days, the groom as well and have a chat over a cup of coffee or two;  get to know them, understand what they like, the look they're trying to create on their day - small or large budget - to be able to create something unique to them is a privilege in our minds.

If you are to order your bridal package from M&S and collect them on the morning of your wedding, knowing exactly what they're going to look like, which actually as a design concept holds as much va va voom as a Fiat Multipla, takes away all of the pleasure that most brides experience awaiting that important delivery from their florist on the morning of their wedding.

A number of times we have delivered the bridal flowers and reduced the bride to tears when she sees her long awaited bouquets - thankfully not a sign of distress, but a sudden emotion takes hold that her big day has arrived and her flowers reflect the romance and style that she will encapsulate, not just today but through long lasting memories.

To order your wedding flowers through Marks & Spencers in this manner will be a little like turning up at a party and realising that someone else is wearing the same dress as you.  Find a good florist that you click with, be honest about your budget, have realistic expectations and await the big day when you meet your bouquet for the first time.

Spring Wedding

Hey!  With all of this dull dreary weather, we wanted to brighten your day with a touch of spring.

By the time it gets to January, us florists start getting a little excited when we see the tulips appearing at the wholesalers and along with these an array of bright and colourful blooms that remind us that Spring really isn't that far away.

We have put together a bridal bouquet and a choice of buttonholes with sweet scented Lilac, Christmas Rose, and fragrant Muscari.  A simple mix, but a very elegant one - don't you think!

Welcome to 2014

Happy New Year to you all!  A new year and a new start...which means be better at blogging, keep our nails looking nice despite our trade and eat less chocolate whilst working!

We have some exciting things to look forward to in 2014 - many lovely brides and grooms to work our magic for throughout the year and we are also pleased to say that we shall be exhibiting at the Creative Brides Vintage Village at the Bluewater Wedding Fair, beginning of Feb.  A must for budding brides......

A newbie in town!

Each month on Facebook, we do a Pick of the Bunch design using only seasonal flowers for that particular month.  November is not an easy month to do, as the availability of seasonal flowers is scarce and to be honest a little drab.

However, when we went to the wholesalers yesterday, we were introduced to a relatively new cut flower on the market.  The cut Cyclamen.  It's gorgeous!  It is slightly bolder but very similar to the sweet pea and it lasts for two to three weeks.  Unfortunately, it doesn't have a scent like sweet pea but the fact that you are able to get your hands on a beautiful flower such as this during the dreary winter months is a bonus!    So this November, our pick of the bunch was not so difficult after all. 

The cut Cyclamen would make a wonderful wedding flower, even if only used on its own; available from October through to February.  

We teamed the freshness of the Cyclamen with the bold leaves of Senecio New Look and a few tips of Clematis Freckles.  Clean, fresh and a flash of pure white on the dark long days of winter.