Wedding flowers: dress to impress

2d. PHILIPPA_CRADDOCK_COUNTRY_BRIGHTS_IN_SUSSEX_1599 copy 2

Wedding flowers are magical scene setters, and the only limit is your imagination. Here, two of London’s leading florists showcase designs that will transform your venue – be it a rustic English village or glorious Mediterranean landscape

1a. Wild at Heart 20140903_003935 copy — Mixing contrasting shades created a bold colour pop at a country wedding designed by Wild at Heart’s Nikki Tibbles

Colour pop

Florist Wild at Heart, led by Nikki Tibbles, says that often brides tend to think in terms of one or two colours. But entirely different effects are created when you choose a bright scheme, where complementary shades are woven together.

1. Wild at Heart 20140903_003758 copy — The dramatic colour mixing looked equally effective on a smaller scale or in groupings, such as these arrangements on the backs of guests’ chairs

This fabulous display featuring lush roses and hydrangeas created a lush country-garden theme at a Wild at Heart wedding, with the bold colour mixes looking equally effective on centrepiece displays and the smaller arrangements, such as guests’ chairs.

2. PHILIPPA_CRADDOCK_COUNTRY_BRIGHTS_IN_SUSSEX_1485 copy 2 — Wonderfully eclectic, this Philippa Craddock table design for a Sussex wedding incorporated different coloured candles with small arrangements of romantic English country-garden flowers in mixed containers – some new and others salvaged

Country blooms

Philippa Craddock worked closely with the bride – an interior designer – at this Sussex celebration to create a fun and upbeat theme for the table. The bride had already sourced the brightly coloured candles for the table, so Philippa’s team arranged flowers in an array of different bottles, vases and clay pots – some new and other salvaged.

2c. PHILIPPA_CRADDOCK_COUNTRY_BRIGHTS_IN_SUSSEX_1614 copy 2 — While table displays were delicate, often focused around one or two flowers, a bold garland featuring larger country-garden favourites was created for the archway of the church

These were filled with country-style blooms, including peonies, delphiniums, alchemilla, cornflowers and viburnum. Impressive swags and garlands of scented flowers decorated the marquee and church door.

3. Wild at Heart _DSC9625 copy — Candles were also a key part of the theme of this wedding – in a fabulous coastal location – created by Nikki Tibbles ofWild at Heart. With such a dramatic view, plain white candles and tea lights and single-colour floral displays were a perfect scene setter

Candle bright

A wedding with added candlelight is the ultimate in romance, and Nikki and the team at Wild at Heart love adding candlesticks and tea lights around arrangements of beautiful flowers to transform the ambiance. Hanging votives from trees or creating a candlelit pathway or staircase is also a great way to lead guests into the venue.

At this wedding in a romantic coastal location the view supplied all the drama guests could want, so Nikki and her team opted for lavish single-colour arrangements in planters and then mixed in a variety of votives and tea lights to create a magical after-dark effect. Mixing different sized candles was especially effective here – adding interest to displays and creating pools of light to set the scene.

4. PHILIPPA_CRADDOCK_SARDINIA_9126 copy 2 — Pure drama, this fabulous floral ceiling was created by Philippa Craddock for a wedding in a rugged Sardinian location

Mediterranean splash

A fabulous Sardinian location deserves flowers to match and Philippa Craddock and a team of 35 worked with a Dubai couple over five days to create the ultimate romantic floral theme to match the rugged surroundings. This included this fabulous 20m-long ceiling installation, trees and planters of lush blooms. In contrast, delicate and muted blooms were used for tablesettings.