We always love to meet our wedding couples before their big day...we don't like the impersonal approach of just emailing and we don't like to quote for wedding work before meeting our couples, but sometimes it is necessary to start this way. We met Debbie (Tom's Mum) at a couple of wedding fairs as she was given the unenviable job of starting the wedding planning for Haven and Tom who were based in Texas at the time. They had married in the US in a quiet ceremony and were therefore renewing their vows here in the UK as soon as they could. We spent time initially talking to Debbie and sending her emails and photos for her to discuss and pass onto Haven and then pass her answers back. It might sound cumbersome, but I think it worked pretty well as we then met Haven and Tom when they arrived in the UK and their wedding was complete in the snow in January of this year....a lovely rustic, personal mix of US and UK with lots of lovely spring flowers.
Haven had brought the most gorgeous tiered gown with her from Texas and was set to wear it with her cowboy boots (a Texan tradition). She was going to look so glamorous and yet we wanted to keep things pretty rustic and hence decided on a textured hand-tied bouquet of ranunculus, muscari, hypericum, pussy willow, paperwhites, chincherinchee, spray roses, gypsophilia and snowy birch. We wrapped the bouquet to match her dress and added the ribbon that had been used on the invitations along with a slightly vintage pearl pin.
Haven had a single Flower Girl, and had chosen a heart shaped wire basket which we dressed with flowers, added blue biodegradable petals and ribbon.
For the boys we decided on a re ranunculus with ivory berries and pussy willow for Tom, and an ivory ranunculus with red berries and pussy willow for the rest of the boys. Corsages were also provided for the ladies.
For the celebrant table, we provided a natural low and long arrangement using all the flowers used elsewhere and using birch and snowy birch to keep the rustic look.
For the reception tables, we looked at a range of different options but finally decided upon tall pitchers which were personalised and which included an advice tree...basically guests were given small cards in envelopes on which to write advice and pin them onto the branches. We used a range of different branches, some with subtle sparkle to ensure the right look, but also the holding power required. We then added flowers around the base of the branches. We also added a couple of Mason jars that Haven had brought over with her from Texas filled with flowers to match elsewhere. We weren't 100% sure how this would look in such a high ceilinged venue like Cooling, but it really did work and we got so many comments for how different it looked.
For the top table Haven and Tom had had personalised bunting made for the front of the table and we thus added a central arrangement that didn't trail forwards too much which may have covered the letters.
Haven and Tom had provided their own table plan cleverly made from chicken wire in a frame, and we dressed that to match the rest of the flowers.
We also provided a birdcage post box for their wedding cards, which again we dressed with flowers to match.
The final finishing touch (unknown even to Debbie and Chris) was a lovely travelling vintage suitcase / trunk cake made by our friends Creative Cakes...it even had the Texan star and the Union Jack attached...how appropriate.
We know that planning the wedding was a little less standard but I think Haven and Tom had the perfect day at the end, and I know everyone had a great time. Just goes to show that we all need to be flexible about how to work at times.
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