Extra Christmas Workshops

As well as the workshops at our studio, I'm pleased to announce that we are running two additional ones.

On Tuesday 3rd December we will be holding a Christmas Door Decoration workshop at the delightful Newton Grange near Gargrave.   You will create a fresh decoration using winter foliages, fruits, berries etc and Rachael will provide refreshments including her delicious home baking.  This workshop is an evening session from 6.30 - 8.45pm for those of you who can't make it in the day.

On Wednesday 4th December we have another Christmas Door Decoration workshop at Cobbles and Clay in Haworth.  Home baking will be provided here also :-) by Jill and her staff.  This workshop starts at 1.00pm so you may well find time to browse round picturesque Haworth and do some Christmas shopping - Daisy Days next door have some lovely gifts.

Both workshops are £30.00.  All materials are provided, just bring some secateurs or floristry scissors if you have them (we do have spares if not), and a pinny if you wish.

Payment is due no later than one week in advance.  Please contact me as soon as possible if you would like to come to any of the workshops as places are limited,  07930 404751 or erica@ericaberryflowers.co.uk.

 

Christmas Workshops

We are now taking bookings for our Christmas workshops.  No experience is necessary as you will be given all the help you need to take home a decoration that you'll be proud of!  Workshops are relaxed and friendly so come with a friend and have a fun afternoon before your Christmas preparations leave you with no time for yourself.

Tuesday 19th November                           Festive Tables

Tuesday 10th December                           Christmas Door Decoration *

The above workshops take place at our studio at The Old Chapel, 47 Parkwood Street, Keighley, BD21 4QB and are at the special introductory price of £30.00 each.
The price includes all fresh materials, containers, accessories and light refreshments.
Time: 1.00pm - 3.15pm
To book, or if you have any questions please ring Erica on 07930 404751. Places are limited so do book early to avoid disappointment.



* The Christmas door decoration could be a traditional or contemporary door wreath, a star or a heart design.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Wedding Fair at The Coniston Hotel

Last Sunday saw us at the wedding fair at The Coniston Hotel, organised by The Craven Herald.  We always enjoy it there, the staff are friendly and helpful and look after the exhibitors very well, providing us with breakfast, lunch and drinks (tea and coffee that is!).
Flowers with a vintage theme continue to be very popular and we love all those soft shades and gorgeous roses, but......we thought it would be a good idea to create some designs for those brides who prefer brighter, bolder flowers and colours.


These green centred sunflowers look really fresh and zingy, and make a change from the more usual black centres ones.  Seeing these at the flower market was the starting point for these designs.


 

Tall arrangements always add the 'wow' factor when entering the room, and don't make conversation across the table difficult.

 

 

* New * Flower Workshops *

 

Brighten up your home with a beautiful display of fresh flowers that you've created yourself.

Do you think you can't arrange flowers and don't know where to start?
Do you love flowers and want some imaginative ideas on how to arrange them?

We can help!  From September onwards we will be running monthly flower workshops covering a range of styles and techniques and working very much with seasonal themes and materials.






Maybe you have some experience already, or perhaps you're a complete beginner.  Either way, in the relaxed and friendly surroundings of our fully equipped studio and with all the help you need, you will take home a creative display that you will be pleased to show off.  Come with a friend and have a fun afternoon!

2013 Autumn/Winter Workshop Programme

Tuesday 24th September                           Indian Summer
Tuesday 22nd October                              Nature's Harvest
Tuesday 19th November                           Festive Tables
Tuesday 10th December                           Christmas Door Decoration

All workshops are at the special introductory price of £30.00 each.
The price includes all fresh materials, containers, accessories and light refreshments.
Time: 1.00pm - 3.15pm
To book, or if you have any questions please ring Erica on 07930 404751. Places are limited so do book early to avoid disappointment.

The Lonely Bouquet

Today Sunday 30th June is the first National Lonely Bouquet Day, which is a movement dedicated to spreading happiness and smiles, one flower at a time! The ultimate goal of this is to dedicate one day a year to spread a little happiness to complete strangers, and what better way to do this than with a bouquet of flowers.
We love this idea and are leaving Lonely Bouquets in locations far and wide.  We think you'll be surprised where they turn up!  We would love to hear from you if you come across one of our summer scented bouquets.  Let us know at www.facebook.com/EricaBerryFlowers

Wedding Open Day Sunday 12th May

This Sunday we will be decorating the tables in the Repton Room at Oulton Hall Hotel for their wedding open day.
Do hope you can pop in and see a variety of table arrangement styles that will inspire you for your wedding.
We are still taking bookings for some dates this year, so if you haven't booked your flowers yet do give us a call to arrange your free no-obligation consultation.
We look forward to meeting you soon.

Food for the Soul

"Bread feeds the body, indeed, but flowers also feed the soul" 

Choosing your Wedding Flowers

Themed weddings
You've booked the venue, bought your dress and you know what colour your bridesmaids will be wearing. 

These three factors will already be setting the scene for how you want your special day to look.  You might choose a theme around a joint interest, the city or country where you shared a special holiday, or a bygone decade.  Is your wedding a formal affair in a grand country house, modern and minimalist in a city hotel, or relaxed and low key?
For the wedding shown here the bride wanted striking designs in tutti frutti colours to complement the bridesmaids' choice of dress colour, and a cocktail theme  We loved creating these colourful arrangements which include Phalaenopsis orchids and Callas.



Colour

Colour has a huge effect on the overall look of your wedding, and the exact shades will further set the tone of the occasion.  Purple has been a popular bridesmaids' colour recently.  Would you choose the simplicity of purple and white flowers, a blend of shades from palest lilac to deepest aubergine, or a vibrant contrast to the purple with yellow or lime green?

 

 What theme and colours would you choose for your wedding?  You can tell us on Twitter @EBerry_Flowers



Practical advice for choosing your wedding flowers

Ok, this is the less exciting, but very relevant part of choosing you wedding flowers.  It's worth giving some thought to these points before contacting your florist.  Next time we'll look at the fun part of planning your flowers!

Mood Board
It's a good idea to start a scrapbook or create a mood board with cuttings of flowers, colours and designs that you particularly love.  Your florist won't want to produce a carbon copy of a design you've seen - after all your wedding is unique to you- but it gives him/her a feel for your style and preferences.

Time of Year
If you are getting married at Christmas or New Year (very romantic but brings its own problems!) take your florist's advice about availability, freshness and cost.

Is your wedding close to Valentine's Day or Mothers' Day?  Be aware that some flowers will be much more expensive than usual.  Your florist will guide you in your choices, but be prepared to consider having less flower displays or upping your budget if you have firm ideas about the flowers you want!

Eco-friendly and Ethical
If you want to minimize your carbon footprint make sure your florist knows this at the outset. Choose locally grown and seasonal flowers.  Fair trade flowers are also increasingly available.  Your choice of flowers will be more limited, but is offset by being able to stick to your ideals.














Allergies
Do you or any of the main bridal party suffer from hayfever, asthma or other allergies?  Some flowers have a very strong perfume or produce lots of pollen and are best avoided.










 

3rd March Wedding fair

We're looking forward to this weekend's wedding fair at Oulton Hall Hotel.  We'll be creating bridal party flowers using beautiful Phalaenopsis orchids, showing what a versatile and long-lasting flower they are and how they suit classic or modern and minimalist designs.

We will also be showing designs using spring flowers and seasonal materials.   If you're getting married at this time of year it's a great opportunity to see the lovely flowers and colours available now.  The bouquet below shows some of the gorgeous colours of Hyacinths and Ranunculus to choose from.

 

 



We would love to see you on Sunday, please come and have a chat to discuss flower ideas for your special day. 

2013 Wedding Trends 2

Want to know what others think are the key looks for 2013?
Click this link for a further insight into this year's wedding trends:-

http://stylefile.julesb.co.uk/2013/02/01/wedding-trends-2013/?utm source=Jul

We've certainly noticed many of our brides are choosing lace gowns.  We love it and it can be seen in many styles whether glamorous, vintage, chic or casual.

If your dress is entirely lace be careful that your choice of flowers doesn't include too many different types of flowers and fussy textures as these will compete with your dress. However, do choose one or two delicate forms or textures such as lily of the valley in an elegant bouquet or dill for a more relaxed style, as they will complement the lace.

Nice day for a white wedding....

White is the most timeless and classic colour for wedding flowers and can look stunning whatever your style or theme.

Contemporary chic

Phalaenopsis orchids are effortlessly chic and stylish.  They look fabulous used on their own in bouquets and tall table centres.  Alternatively, mix them with other choice flowers such as Hydrangeas or Roses for a stylish display.
 

Classic Elegance 

 

Roses, Lily of the Valley, Stephanotis, Bouvardia are perfect for timeless elegant designs and their unforgettable perfume will be a lasting reminder of your special day.

Country Casual



Choose seasonal flowers such as Ranunculus, Freesia, Hyacinths, Tulips, Lilac, Anemones and apple blossom in Spring. Or in summer, garden flowers including Paeonies, sweetpeas, stocks and larkspur complemented with herbs can be used for a natural and informal look.

Remember:

• very few flowers are pure white so there is no need to worry that they won't go with your ivory dress
• concerned that a white bouquet won't show against your dress?  No need to be, the different shapes and textures of the flowers will be in contrast to your dress.
• all white bouquets and arrangements need to be of all one type of flower for sheer impact, or mixed flowers with lots of variety in form and texture to give interest.
• in church where the flowers may only be seen from a distance, or if the light is subdued, white flowers will be seen more clearly than any other colour.

 

 

New Year wedding promotion

It's not too late to take advantage of our New Year wedding promotion.*  Book a no-obligation wedding consultation at our studio to discuss your wedding flowers and browse our portfolios.

Come with your own ideas or let us help and guide you according to your style, theme and budget.  Following your consultation we will prepare a fully itemised quotation for you within a few days.

If you confirm your booking by 28th February we will take just a £50.00 (non-refundable) deposit from you, but will credit your account with £100.00.  So, when you pay the balance a month before your wedding we will deduct £100.00 from your invoice and not just the £50.00 you have paid.

*Subject to a spend of £500.00 and over.

Seven ways to make the most of your flower budget

Be flexible
Choose your 'must have' flowers and make sure these are included in the most important bouquets and arrangements.  Then trust your florist to source seasonal or abundant flowers to complement your choice and make your budget go further.

Double up
Take some of your church displays to re-use for your reception.  Pedestal arrangements placed at the entrance will welcome your guests or can be used to frame the top table.  Pew ends can be used on chair backs, to decorate a staircase or hung from wall lights.  Or, if your ceremony and wedding breakfast are at the same venue decorate the ceremony room with some of your arrangements, and then have them moved onto the tables for the wedding breakfast.

Accessorise
Use mirror plates to increase the impact of simple table decorations.  Add votives and fresh flower petals which will reflect in the glass to give an eye catching display.

Go large
Large flowers such as Amaryllis and Hydrangeas cost more but you need less of them.  They also give lots of impact in any situation.

Less is more
Fewer large displays are more effective than lots of small ones.  Look at your church/venue carefully and concentrate the flowers where they will be most visible.

Trust your florist
If you have a limited budget let your florist know.  They will use their expertise and experience to help you get the most from your budget without compromising on quality.

Re-use
If you are hiring containers or vases make sure the flowers can be lifted out of them afterwards so that you can give them to friends and family to take home and enjoy.

Wedding Fairs 2013

We love wedding fairs!  They give us the opportunity for you to see what we can do and hopefully inspire and inform you with new designs and trends.  We love meeting you to discuss your thoughts and ideas, and suggesting our own.  If you like what you see book an appointment to discuss your flowers in detail and we will prepare a fully itemised quotation for you.

So far this year we will be at the following:

Coniston Hotel, Coniston Cold,  Skipton        Sunday17th February
Oulton Hall Hotel, Oulton, Leeds                   Sunday 3rd March
Coniston Hotel                                             Sunday 22nd September
Oulton Hall Hotel                                          Sunday 20th October

In addition, we provide table flowers for Open Days at the above hotels.  Look out for details of the dates of these and go along to see how the venues look when set up for a wedding.