Here is a selection of Q&As from Your Hampshire and Dorset Wedding magazine whether it be about flowers, hair and makeup, fashion, wedding themes, health & beauty, cakes, stationery, legal advice. If you would like your question answered by our experts, please email it to editor@yourhampshiredorset.wedding
To view more expert advice on a different topic, please select one from the list below.
Flower power
Q. I love fresh flowers and I want our whole day to be filled with them! What creative ideas can you suggest for the venue styling?
A. Nicola Waddilove says: Nicola says:
The sky really is the limit when it comes to adorning your wedding with beautiful blooms. Whether you've chosen a very classic venue with a regal feel or a marquee or barn setting, the options are endless.
Freestanding flower arrangements are ideal for a variety of spaces and can be used for the ceremony and then moved to enjoy again at the wedding breakfast and reception. A wonderful way to make the most of your wedding flowers, you can have tall standing pedestals or floral displays in vintage milk churns which not only look beautiful but provide a great talking point for your guests.
When it comes to the styling, think about eye-catching focal areas for your wedding flowers such as fireplaces, staircases and even ceilings for fabulous hanging floral chandeliers to provide the wow factor. Every venue is different, so it's important to go through all the spaces with your wedding florist so they can design a bespoke package for your special day.
Nicola Waddilove, Petals and Posies
www.petalsandposies.co.uk
Seasonal blooms
Q. We love flowers but have no idea about all the different varieties. What will look great and be in season for our summer wedding?
A. Karen Fisher says: Karen says: There's an amazing array to choose from and one of my go-to summer picks is the delphinium; a wonderful tall flower available in shades of blue, purple, pink and white. One of the few naturally blue flowers, it's perfect for large statement arrangements, great to fill space if your venue has a high ceiling or a large blank backdrop. Extremely versatile, they can be used not only to create contemporary designs, but also a wild country look, mix with whimsical flowers such as nigella, scabiosa and Ammi majus. A true wow-factor bloom, they can be added to hand-tied bouquets to add height and texture and look divine in a shower bouquet. There's also an abundance of colour to celebrate the season, beautiful pink, purple, white and of course yellow. Summer arrangements using all these can be very uplifting, especially if your venue is a little dark or the décor is quite neutral. Your wedding is about you though, so don't feel pressured into using an array of colours if it's just 'not you'. If a timeless classic look is more to your taste then go for white, lime green and a mix of different shades of greenery, or add a hint of colour, like the blue delphinium!
Karen Fisher, The Village Blooms
www.thevillageblooms.co.uk
Seasonal style
Q. We want our autumn wedding to reflect all the magic of the season. What would you suggest?
A. Sian Bowron says: Sian says: I like to pair deep floral tones with metallics to create elegant and striking autumnal tablescapes. Russet and shades of pink team well with rose gold and other golden hues, while deep ruby reds work beautifully with silver accents. In my book, you can never have too many candleholders, as flickering candlelight always adds a magical intimate touch to the wedding décor.
Make the most of seasonal fruit too, like viburnum berries and trailing vines to create a table runner; ideal if you're only using a few tall flower arrangements.
Sian Bowron, Amethyst Weddings
www.amethystweddings.co.uk
Pick of the bunch
Q. We got engaged during lockdown and haven't even thought about setting the date yet. I know I want masses of lovely flowers, especially peonies as they're my favourite. I've no idea what type of blooms are available at different times of the year though. Can you help?
A. Nicola Waddilove says: Nicola says: Brides often set their heart on a particular flower only to find it's out of season for the time of year they're getting married. The peony is the queen of bridal flowers, with stunning layers of delicate petals, beautiful form and colours ranging from cream to blush pink and coral, it really does steal the show. The peony has a fairly short season though from May through to the beginning of July and once they're gone, they're gone!!
Late summer through to autumn brings the dahlia, which in my opinion is just as stunning as the peony. It comes in more than 400 different types in all shapes, sizes and colours, including many brides' favourite the café au lait variety. It has lots of petals and beautiful soft warm tones ranging from cream to pink and apricot. It will blend and complement any of the blush colour palettes and is available from August through to the first frosts in late October early November.
Spring provides us with the stunning ranunculus, another popular choice for weddings as it has lots of similar features to the peony, but on a much smaller scale. With very delicate layered petals, there are many different shades to suit most colour schemes and it's available from early January through to April.
These are three very popular varieties all very great for weddings and with very distinct seasons. So even if you can't have peonies if you decide to get married in September, don't worry as there's always a lovely alternative to take its place.
Nicola Waddilove, Petals and Posies
www.petalsandposies.co.uk