Six Days Out: The Grand Arrival (and a Lot of Hydration!)
The real work begins when my gorgeous flower delivery arrives. It's like Christmas morning, but with more greenery and a delightful scent! First things first: cleanliness is next to flower-liness! Every single bucket gets a thorough scrub to prevent any nasty bacteria from cutting short the life of our precious blooms. Then, it's all about conditioning. This means getting those thirsty flowers a good drink as quickly as possible. Out come the plastic wraps and elastic bands - they are great for transport but terrible for flowers once they arrive! Each stem is then stripped of any leaves that would sit below the water line (again, to prevent rot) and thorns are carefully removed (a tea towel is my secret weapon for roses!). Finally, a fresh, sharp cut at a 45-degree angle opens up those stems to soak up all that lovely water and flower food. This stage is crucial - happy, hydrated flowers are the foundation of beautiful arrangements!Two Days Before: Tiny Treasures - Crafting Buttonholes
For this particular wedding, the buttonholes got a head start! Because we incorporated some beautiful dried elements like lavender and eucalyptus, they could be made a little earlier without worrying about freshness. If I'm working purely with fresh blooms, I'd usually save this for the day before. I meticulously group the little sprigs and flowers, tape them together, and then give them a lovely finish with twine for that rustic, natural look the couple adored. These little works of art are surprisingly fiddly but so rewarding to create!One Day Before: The Bridal Bouquet & Elegant Corsages
This is often one of the most exciting days in the studio!The Bridal Bouquet: A Symphony of Scent and Colour
The bridal bouquet is always such a joy to construct. I start with a beautiful base of foliage - for this wedding, it was a mix of Eucalyptus and other lovely greens - and then begin to spiral in the filler flowers like delicate Waxflower and elegant Ranunculus. The stars of the show, the Avalanche Roses, are usually added towards the end, ensuring they sit perfectly within the design. The spiral technique I use ensures a lovely, rounded shape that's comfortable to hold and looks stunning from every angle.Corsages: Wearable Wonders
The corsages are also made the night before. Using felt bases and a special floral adhesive, I carefully place the smaller blooms and foliage. These particular corsages were designed to be tied with a beautiful ribbon around the wrist, adding a touch of floral elegance for the mothers of the bride and groom.Wedding Day: Delivery & Final Touches!
And just like that, it's wedding day! The car is carefully loaded with all the completed arrangements, ready for their journey to the venue. My final task is always to hand over the bouquets and buttonholes to the bridal party and give them a few little tips - like keeping the bouquets away from dresses to avoid any water marks, and how best to hold them for those all-important photos!My Top Tips for Aspiring DIY Florists!
- Hydration is your best friend! Always order your flowers to arrive at least 48 hours before you need to arrange them. This gives them ample time to drink, open up, and look their absolute best.
- Clean, clean, clean! Don't skip cleaning your buckets. It makes a huge difference to the lifespan of your flowers.
- Guard petals are key! For roses, those tougher outer petals (guard petals) are there for a reason - they protect the delicate inner bloom. Leave them on during hydration and only gently peel them away just before you're ready to arrange.