THE BEST OF BRITISH I’d love to have locally-grown British blooms at my wedding. What can you suggest? Aizel Finch from Yalham Hayes says, “Choosing a wedding florist who uses British blooms is, of course, essential. That florist will be able to provide guidance as to what flowers are available. “Essentially, couples should select a florist who has the style of flower arranging that matches the look and experience they envision for their wedding, as well as having the ethos of using British-grown flowers even partially. Sometimes, it’s not possible to use only British blooms. “We always recommend and arrange with flowers that are in season. If you’re getting married in early spring for example, we indulge our bridal bouquets with hellebores, hints of spirea, varieties of fritillaries, anemones, geums and white alliums, with tulips to match and some eucalyptus to finish off. This takes into consideration colours and whether they work together, as well as making sure they suit the wedding’s theme.” GROW GREEN How can we keep sustainability at the forefront when choosing our flowers? Do your research and look for a local florist with sustainability as its central ethos. These folks will be doing everything they can behind the scenes to make sure their practices are as green (pun intended) as possible. For example, they’ll be using local growers to ensure the miles your flowers travel are kept to a minimum, thus reducing their carbon footprint. Sustainable florists will also be cutting down or eliminating completely their use of single-use plastics. Floral foam or oasis, now rarely used, was a terrible culprit but these days you’ll find most designers using eco-friendly alternatives such as moss. You’ll also be able to spot a sustainability-conscious florist when they wrap their bunches in paper rather than cellophane. There’s plenty you can do yourselves too to ensure you’re being kind to the environment. Repurposing your arrangements from ceremony to reception ensures you cut down on the overall volume of flowers, meaning you get the most out of them while being kind on the budget. Don’t waste your beautiful blooms when the celebrations are over. Arrange with loved ones in advance who’ll be taking what home. Your stunning centrepieces, for example, are a lovely way to say “thank you” to those who’ve been particularly helpful to you throughout the planning process or on the day itself. Leave no bloom behind! Sustainability can even be extended to the vessels your flowers sit in. Hire rather than buy vases as this ensures they have a long life and don’t end up in landfill straight away. Or you could source vintage vases from charity shops and re-gift them along with the centrepieces to ensure they live on. Finally, you may want to consider using dried flowers. These are totally on trend and always in season! They’re also easily converted into stylish home décor after the event, which you can treasure forever as a reminder of your big day. One word of caution though, do check that they’ve been naturally air-dried without the use of chemicals and toxic dyes, otherwise you could lay waste to all your good intentions. Yalham Hayes © www.simonandkianaphotography.com CONTACT OUR EXPERTS Clementine Moon Floral Design, www.clementinemoon.co.uk Flower Preservation Workshop, www.flowerpreservationworkshop.co.uk Yalham Hayes, www.yalhamhayes.com FLOWERS 67
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