Pretty Flowers, and a request…

Claire February 26th, 2008

I was going to blog about this a while ago, and never got round to it, being caught up with everything else. And trying to sort of keep up with the momentum of the last few posts I thought I had better get back to it, or I shall disappear again.

A couple of weeks ago, Uzmah, my friend and colleague who is also a fully trained florist took me to buy the flowers for my wedding. Early I know, but I had received a bit of a bonus on my wages and wanted to spend it on the wedding rather than on random craft stuff…
Anyway, it’s rather handy to say the least knowing someone who is a fully trained florist who knows when I gibber about what I would like, exactly what I mean. Anyway, Uzmah, Habibah (Uzmah’s 7 year old daughter) and I went tripping off to a silk flower wholesale warehouse in Loughborough – my word I could have gone MAD in there! It wasn’t the biggest place I have been in, but it was floor to ceiling silk flowers. It was also a sensory overload – colours and textures crying out for attention! I chose to have silk mainly so I could have exactly what I wanted (as with many things I have found I have definate ideas of what I want, yet other things I haven’t even considered), and I could take them over to Ireland with me. And they are a lot cheaper than real. I also felt uncomfortable with the idea of beautiful flowers dying a couple of days after the wedding, and apart from drying them there would be nothing I could do to presrve how lovely they are. This way I can keep them and they will always stay the same. I know a lot of people have reservations about silk flowers, but these are stunning – the photos really don’t do them justice. They look and feel real, and I am really happy with what I have.
I have chosen different coloured roses for mine and my 2 bridesmaids’ bouquets. I love all kinds of flowers, but I also wanted to use flowers to represent different people David and I cared about and make it part of the day. This is particularly true of my parents, who I miss more and more the further into wedding planning I go.
I chose peach roses, as my Dad grew a climbing rose called “Schoolgirl“, which he loved and had a divine scent. My Mam adored Chrysanthemums, and when my Dad was courting her, he took her a bunch every week (along with a box of chocolates – what a romantic!) and so I want to use them either in the church flowers or the ones for the reception. I bought some pink roses for my bouquet as they are like the ones my Grandmother grew – her favourite was a climbing rose called “Dorothy Perkins” and the ones I found were a good match. Yellow roses are for friendship, so they are included. The white roses - they are my favourite, and of course, I am from Yorkshire, so needed to show something of my roots! My good friend Mary loved tulips, my Nanna loved freesias and ended up buying them. I have asked people what flowers they would like, or what means something to them, and I will make button holes to use these. David’s button hole is going to be miniature Calla lilies, as they remind him of the ones his Grandad grew. I also got paper roses for the wedding invites, and 2 rose swags with beautiful open white roses that are just like some I remember climbing up apple trees at Burton Agnes Hall - just looking at them brings back such lovely memories of our visit there that made me buy them there and then without too much thought of how exactly I would use them! These will look great when Uzmah has worked her magic. I bought pearl pins to put in the centre of the roses and tons of greenery. All in I spent £70 – that also included some ribbon and a box of fake sparrows (not for the wedding although if they had been bluebirds, I know I would have worked them in somewhere…) which is probably what my bouquet alone would have cost if I had had real flowers. I still need to get some more for the reception and different buttonholes, but the majority is done now.
These photos, I should confess have been taken by Habibah – I am ashamed to say a 7 year old takes better pictures than I do…

I also had the lace I am using on my wedding dress delivered today – I won’t post a pic in case David has a look, but it’s ivory embroidered tulle. I do, however, have a request of you lovely bloggers. As I am making the crochet flowers to applique on the dress, I would like to make leaves from pieces of old lace, to kind of make them into corsages. This is the bit you guys come in – if you have any small pieces of old lace that you don’t mind parting with, I would love to include it in my dress – I am looking for anything white or ivory/cream that could be made into a leaf, so it doesn’t have to be a huge bit – a couple of inches will do just fine.
It already feels like you guys are involved in this wedding – goodness knows I go on about it enough, your comments are so supportive (and believe me, truly appreciated!) so would like to make that part a bit more tangible really. If you do have a piece you would be happy for me to use, please drop me an email (work@claireatwork.co.uk) and we can swap details – in return I promise to send you a little something crafty as a thank you for taking part.

Anyhoo, better go and get to bed, or I shall turn into a pumpkin!x

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