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.