Translating moodboards and ideas into reality is a tough ask, but talented Scottish florists do it with ease. In the second of a two-part series, Nicole Conner hears the stories of three brides who adored their big day blooms
Jasmine and Stephanos opted for bountiful boho blooms created by The Greenshed Flower Studio
Having been friends with Helen at The Greenshed Flower Studio for years, Jasmine knew the florist would nail any arrangement she wanted for her nuptials. “I made a moodboard with the colour scheme so Helen had a good idea of how our day would look and feel,” she says. “I gave her a loose brief of the types of flowers I wanted as I know she has an amazing eye for gorgeous blooms. I did, however, make some specific suggestions to ensure we were on the same page.”
Helen appreciated the bride’s clear directions from the outset, and says that this, coupled with Jasmine’s trust in her style and ability, made her job easier. Jasmine, in turn, was thrilled by her “breathtakingly colourful” bouquets.
“The arrangements were wild and organic, with huge blooms spilling out into gorgeous foliage that I’d never seen before but instantly loved,” she beams. “I cannot tell you how happy I am that we decided to make flowers a priority – they just brightened our whole venue and made me so happy. I was in my wildflower fairy dreamland when I saw our aisle lined with Helen’s mini meadows!”
Flowers by Fiona Hay created elegant arrangements for Robyn and Robbie at Newhall Estate
To go with her neutral colour palette, bride Robyn wanted flowers that would be as simple and as beautiful as possible. “The blooms were very important to help elevate our venue without overwhelming it,” she explains. “We wanted soft, textured flowers, including peonies and ranunculus, that weren’t too uniform.”
The couple initially thought they’d like a floral arch for the ceremony, but to make the most of the venue’s light they changed this to a ‘broken’ arch. “Our florist Fiona was very accommodating with any changes we had and was great at interpreting our ideas – the floral arrangement was like it had come out of our heads,” she smiles.
As for table decor, the florist made drawings to help the couple understand their options, and they decided on bud vase arrangements. “We honestly loved our flowers more than we could have hoped,” says the bride. “Fiona did a beautiful job and we couldn’t have been happier.”
Nicole and Rashid wanted a zero-waste wedding, so went to Twiggs & Thistles for locally sourced flowers
As sustainability was key for bride Nicole, having flowers from less than 40 miles down the road was a huge plus: “Peonies are my favourites but sadly they weren’t in season for our wedding, and we didn’t want to ship them. Instead, Gemma at Twiggs & Thistles picked different types of flowers from the local flower farm that were stunning. They had a Scottish feel thanks to the thistles, and all of the colour pops I’d wanted.”
The bride praises the florist’s personal touches: Gemma added little photos of Nicole’s late grandparents to the bouquet, suggested wrapping the handles with fabric from the bridal and bridesmaid dresses, and provided a basket with petals for the couple’s flower man – their rugby-playing pal who walked down the aisle with the flower girls.
“I had in mind a palette of pinks, purples and blues, and was keen on a wild garden look,” says Nicole. “The florals exceeded all my expectations. They looked like a carefully nurtured wild country garden – pretty in pink and Scottish at heart. I wish I could have them in my house every day.”