Translating moodboards and ideas into reality is a tough ask, but brilliant Scottish florists have the skills. In the first of a two part series, Nicole Conner hears the stories of four brides who got all they hoped for from their wedding flowers
JG Flowers created colourful blooms for Nicola and Andy’s big day at Lochside House Hotel
Nicola didn’t want traditional wedding colours for her blooms, instead opting for “wild, vibrant and striking” hues that would complement her venue and reflect her personality. “I shared my vision with James at JG Flowers, and he really brought it to life using flowers that were in season, locally grown and sustainably sourced. The end result was a visual masterpiece,” she smiles.
The florist, James Gemmell, created bouquets for the bride and bridesmaids, buttonholes for the gents, table centrepieces and a moongate arrangement. He believes it all turned out even better than they’d hoped: “It had impact and created a statement without taking over,” he says. “I think it added the perfect finishing touch to Nicola and Andy’s day.”
The bride couldn’t have been happier with the flowers: “They were bursting with colour and energy, and represented my personality, which is what I asked James to do. He certainly understood the task!” laughs Nicola. “The textures created a beautiful contrast, and the overall effect was genuinely breathtaking.”
Rachel and Simon wed in Spain, and enlisted Botany & Brass to help with their blooms
As Rachel and Simon were marrying abroad, they didn’t want their flowers to go to waste, so they used a mixture of real and artificial blooms. The latter were supplied by Glasgow-based Botany & Brass, which specialises in silk and dried flowers. The bride had fallen in love with its Garden Collection when she spotted it at the Scottish Wedding Show. She asked owner Paula for a fuller version for her nuptials and describes the finished product as “everything I wanted and more”.
Apart from being incredibly beautiful, it was the little thoughtful details that impressed her so much. “The flowers were scented – it was a gorgeous perfume that lasted for months afterwards,” she smiles.
“I also loved that Paula added a flower to my bouquet and to Simon’s buttonhole that none of the other arrangements had – such a romantic touch! My flowers were as I’d imagined and much more, and the fact I can keep them is just so special. I’m so happy I met the Botany & Brass team that day.”
Braw Blooms supplied florals that went beautifully with Eilidh and Josh’s theme for their big day
“Our flowers were a mix of ivory, rose and peachy colours to tie in with the blush tones in my dress, the bridesmaids’ green gowns and the vistas of Loch Ard from our venue, Altskeith House,” recalls Eilidh.
“We wanted nicely scented flowers, foliage such as eucalyptus and a rustic look. Louise at Braw Blooms was brilliant at suggesting styles and types of in-season flowers that would match our vision. It was very much a collaboration between her and us, and we were happy to be guided by her expertise.” The end result, she adds, was “better than we could have imagined”.
A few things had to be reworked at the last minute due to the weather. The plan to marry outdoors in front of a floral-decorated wooden arch was scrapped, and as the structure would obstruct views if brought indoors, Louise suggested using the blooms to make a floor-level flower meadow to frame the couple for the ceremony instead.
“It was absolutely gorgeous and something we would never have thought of,” smiles Eilidh. “Louise did everything with so much care, and she was a wonderful energy to have there on the wedding morning too.”
Willow & Wisteria Flowers supplied Tia and Gary’s big day with warm, rustic florals
“I had an idea of something vintage and rustic for my wedding florals,” Tia tells us. “I hadn’t really thought about which type, but Liana at Willow & Wisteria showed me dried flowers and toffee roses, which I fell in love with.”
She praises the florist for understanding her vision; at the first appointment, a test bouquet was created so she could see the ideas in her head coming to life, and the process just got better from there: “I had full trust the blooms would be gorgeous!”
The table centrepieces ended up being one her favourite elements. Tia had originally looked elsewhere for decor, but once Liana shared a vision of how she could create these arrangements, the bride was sold. Having everything taken care of by the one supplier made the process much easier, she believes.
“The final product was genuinely better than I expected, and Gary and our guests were so impressed by how it all looked,” says Tia. “My bridesmaids still have their dried bouquets at home as a sweet keepsake.”
