Rambling Stems, Wedding flowers, Bedfordshire — Fresh green and white wedding; Carla & Gav

Carla & Gav weren’t sure exactly what they wanted; but they definitely knew what they DIDN’T want! For such a fun, relaxed couple, they didn’t want anything too formal or ‘stuffy’. They wanted their wedding day to be a reflection of them; relaxed, informal and with a big element of fun!

Wedding Flowers with a Meadow look!

We chatted about the sort of vibe they were thinking of; and soon built up a picture of vintage vibes, informal banquet-trestle tables and benches, lots of activities for the kids, an informal BBQ or hog roast style street food. Carla was keen to have lots of foliage in her wedding florals and some big impact, statement pieces, and liked the idea of fresh greens & whites, but didn’t have any strong flower preferences.

Try a ‘de-constructed flower arch’…for big Wow factor!

I suggested a real country meadow look – with lots of textural elements, including meadow grasses and lots of British flowers sourced locally; Dahlia, cosmos, strawflowers, Ammi and grasses. This meadow mix created a soft country charm without any of the formal structure that a rose-heavy design would have given.

The wow factor for their vows, was a centrepiece ‘de-constructed archway’ – built with completely foam-free hidden mechanics, to frame the couple during their vows. Set in the perfect backdrop of the gorgeous Stone Barn at Bradwell Abbey – just a few miles from the centre of Milton Keynes; you would be mistaken for thinking you were in the middle of the rolling countryside!

Bradwell Abbey itself is an absolute hidden gem – the site and remains of a medieval Benedictine Priory dating back to the 1200’s. Set within lovely natural woodland and surrounded by pretty gardens, the beautiful barn buildings and part of the original chapel are still standing, and form the perfect backdrop.

“Our flowers were quite honestly out of this world and way above and beyond what we ever imagined. As well as having such an incredible talent, Ali also has the kindest heart, she really made our day”

— Carla & Gav

Meadow style flowers

To complement the archway, we added meadow boxes along the aisle – to lead the eye down towards the focal point. Meadow Aisles are great, versatile pieces to add to your wedding florals. I added wispy tall grasses and lots of gorgeous perennials with wiry stems for lovely movement and ‘bounce’! All made in re-usable trays, with moss – we transported them and re-positioned them after the vows… to the gorgeous Cruk Barn opposite – and laid them in front of the top table, at ground level, creating a swathe of meadow for the reception.

Trestle-table place settings and Bud vases

Carla & Gav were really keen to let their guests mingle, and chat and not have a formal seating arrangement or plan of any kind. Trestle table settings were the perfect solution. We added hessian runners and a mass swathe of cute cut-glass vintage style bud vases… nestled amongst tea lights and foliage. Super easy to move around if necessary, to allow for food-sharing plates.

The archway didn’t go to waste after the ceremony either – a quick dash by my small team and we managed to get it re-positioned in front of the huge Cruk Barn doors, just in time, as photos were being taken, and to welcome guests into the reception barn.

Garden style bouquet

We had so much fun designing Carla’s bouquet and Gav’s boutonnière. Following the relaxed theme; we went for a totally unstructured, loose-stem approach, with dainty flowers sitting high above the others and creating a gorgeous sense of movement and texture. A selection of florals provided by Hay Lane Flowers meant that everything looked as if it had just been picked from the countryside. Exactly the look I had wanted to create for Carla. The cute boutonnières for the groomsmen looked great on their braces, completing the look with their bow ties, shirt sleeves and vintage picture brooches.

The barn setting was the perfect backdrop for other details/elements – including hanging macrame, cane furniture, sweet table and guestbook table – all decorated with floral touches – to complete the look and set the scene. What a fabulous day! Thank you so much Carla & Gavin – you were a complete joy to work with X.

If you want to check out the eco-friendly wedding florals I do make, have a look here. Feel free to contact me here with any questions about your wedding flowers and plans as well – I’d love to help