|
I L
 VE you... you're wonderful... marry me... thank you... I'll never forget you... FLOWERS speak for us even when we are lost for words.
Happy happy new year to all x
Before I tell you my news... these are the Wedding Shows I'll be at over the coming weeks with sample flowers and bouquets, please come and say hello x Donnington Grove - 22nd January 2012 - 11am until 3.30pm
Wokefield Park Open Day - 19th February 2012 - 1pm until 5pm
Deanwood Park - 26th February 2012
Trunkwell Mansion 26th February 2012 - I'm really excited to be providing bouquets for the fashion show Lains Barn - 25th March 2012 - 11am until 3pm I can't believe we are into 2012 already, the run up to Christmas was so busy, I had four weddings between the 17th and 23rd December, all gorgeous and each one hoping for snow... we had a heavy frost and rain for one but it was still the most magical afternoon, a late wedding with candle filled church and a Narnia themed reception.. twenty five rooted silver birch trees at the venue decorated with pea lights, vintage lustres and fake snow! gas lamps, Christmas trees, frosted twigs and barked candles, lots of sustainable decor that I love. I can't wait to let you see some photographs.
The feedback from the festive wreath workshops has been brilliant - we are looking at an Easter class.. a Easter table with simple ideas for decorating at home using flowers and bulbs in your own everyday containers.
The new edition of 'Buzz' magazine is out with another wedding wisdoms article from myself, the lovely Laura from Mrs Jones Bridal Boutique and Lesley from Memories Thru a Lens - the focus being winter weddings.. below is my little section...
A winter wedding… the thought makes you warm and cosy like hot chocolate and chestnuts! Once you have chosen your winter date and your venue take your florist along to see what she can suggest for your floral décor and personal touches.. In winter time flowers are expensive so you need to be little inventive with the details of your wedding day. Maybe try sustainable snowdrops, bulbs in rustic or contemporary containers, hyacinth pips like snow on the tables with a heady scent... silver birch twigs with glass lustres, fairy lights and as days are short - candles by the box full... oh and mistletoe if it’s Christmas what could be more romantic? It doesn’t need to take lots of blooms to make an impact. Make use of evergreen foliage, ivy with black berries is freely available, mix with blue spruce, eucalyptus, rosemary and white eringium for the smell of winter… However, a wedding wouldn’t be a wedding without some gorgeous flowers... a bouquet of white orchids is a cost effective option, lots of flower heads per stem for your florist to work with. They last well so make great table centres too or perhaps if your dress is a straight elegant style – full blown Amaryllis cut short in length and bound with ribbon for a wonderful ‘white Christmas’ look. Above all have fun with your detail and a wonderful winter wedding day…
Before I go - congratulations to Nadia and Glen who married last Saturday, my first bride of 2012 - she had the most beautiful dress and carried dark burgundy and milky ivory spray and tea roses with herbs and winter foliage bound in vintage lace with pearl and diamante pins. She was great to work with and I loved her special touches to her country wedding. I can't wait to see photographs of her flower girl with shoulder length natural blonde ringlets in a burgundy dress with a scented herb and burgundy rose ball.. absolutely, gorgeous... Back soon, Karen x
Back to Christmas Wreath Workshops.. I love this time of year! the run up to Christmas is hectic for all of, some time out to do something creative is just what we need.... My classes are informal and friendly, we make foliage wreaths using garden finds and herbs with the waste from the Christmas tree - everything is provided... just bring yourself and an apron... x
12th December at the Watermill Theatre, Bagnor, Newbury 10am until 12pm and 1pm to 3pm making a scented garden foliage and herb wreath for your front door or Christmas table - £30.00 per class - contact the booking office on 01635 46044 - only a few places left at both classes
13th December at the Watermill Theatre, Bagnor, Newbury 10am until 12pm making a scented garden foliage and herb wreath for your front door or Christmas table -£30.00 per class - contact the booking office on 01635 46044
Please come and join us for some creative festive fun, coffee and cake, learn how to make something beautiful and take it home with you to grace your front door..
The Wedding fair season... I spent yesterday at a wedding fair and had a chance to catch up with fellow suppliers.. I was next to the lovely Mrs Jones from Mrs Jones bridal boutique in Newbury.. she had just a taste of some of the gorgeous dresses she has at the store... they were all so beautiful, you can look online at www.mrsjonesbridal.co.uk or go and take a look if you haven't found the perfect 'one'...
Thank you to all the 'brides to be' that came to say hello.. it was also great to meet so many just starting the path to their wedding day, I wrote in the last issue of 'Buzz' magazine that it can be a long journey from 'I will to I do' I seemed to hear myself saying the same thing again yesterday.. so much choice is partly the problem.. I think the message must be.. be true to yourself, have the wedding that you and your beloved want to share, set a budget, be relaxed and enjoy planning your very special wedding day..
Late September.... where has the summer gone? the nights suddenly seem to be drawing in and we are talking of winter weddings.. I am writing pieces for magazines on snowy scenes! I seem to have neglected the paperwork over clients, weekly weddings and the family gatherings that are so important...
It's been a busy summer with sixteen weddings since June, a golden wedding, some charity events and a swift trip to France since I last posted some flower news.. here are a few favourites, I have loved them all for different reasons and will upload some memories very soon..
Last weekend was a favourite bouquet.. a country setting with a wonderful Church set deep in Savernake Forest.. I can't wait to see some photographs of the beautiful bride.. but here are her gorgeous flowers.. Congratulations Emma and Ben..
The week before the lovely Clare, so kind and generous in nature that you wanted her to have just the best day ever. I loved working with her - she wanted sustainable and living plant so that they could live on well after the wedding day for almost all but her bridal flowers.. She carried a scented seasonal hand tie which smelt and looked divine.. the church at Ashford Hill was full of candles and heady smell of buckets of lavender, repeated at the wedding breakfast with white heather and herbs..
Another favourite because it was she was so elegant... Sarah and Perran, Ogbourne St Andrew, she wanted lily.. tall colombe de la paix, avalanche and crystal blush. Tall vases reached up toward the marquee canvas, the lily framed by the black twinkling drape that covered the stage and dance floor... but there was a country twist with bridesmaids of blue hydrangea, roses, veronica and dark blue eringium and ivy leaves.. together with eringium buttonholes each wrapped in navy blue ribbon.. see them on the Wonderful Weddings page..
Bonnie and Kieran with five bridesmaids and a flower girl you kept me very busy.. I loved your Church flowers softest pink roses with pale green and pink hydrangea that worked so well.. Thank you for your very kind words and telling me you could not bring yourself to throw your bouquet so you threw a bridesmaids..
Debs and Gav... an amazing couple so into their garden and flowers that they are creating a wedding flower border, such a great idea. I don't think I have seen such a gathering of cool looking guests... the bridal party chaps with pale blue suits, white shoes and trilby hats! and only fitting for such a stunning bride.. Deb you looked amazing and I so loved your hair.... I adored your flowers, it was a pleasure to create them, sustainable and gorgeous garden herbs in whitewashed planters with candles and petals to scent the barn.. bridal flowers of lily, dahlia and garden roses of ivory, burgundy and vintage beige wrapped in twine and pearl buttons.. a scented arch of herbs and roses and tall twisted willow in urns with gladioli, dahlia, Scabious, veronica and herbs.. unique.. very now.. very English country garden.
Until next time Karen x
22nd June 2011...
It's been too long... I have been away from my page for far too long - I have watched more of my brides have special days that I feel priviledged to have shared with them...
18th June – Claire and Tim, all pale greens and creams, seasonal and little scented but I may be allergic to the flowers was my brief!! After a trial run with a small bucket from the barn and thankfully no reaction to our collection I used sweet peas with lily of the valley, white peony and roses with the palest green hydrangea, ammi, veronica and antirrhinum, elegant country... a flower girl basket of white peonies and roses with tiny rose buds in her hair.. Beautiful bridesmaids in long sage green dresses, her lovely Mum looked radiant in vintage pink, large pedestals at the church and a huge flower arch at the barn of ivory roses and hydrangea with herbs, it was all in the detail and it was truly wonderful..
11th June - Tara and Matt, a horse and carriage and the very beautiful St Mary’s Church in Kintbury. Deep reds, roses and peonies complimented with green hydrangea with red tips and ivory roses and antirrhinums in country buckets for a marquee setting in the grounds of a beautiful home. Thank you for your kind words and I would love to see the preserved bouquet!
4th June - Heather, my wonderful Yattendon bride who grew her own flowers... both passionate about their garden, Heather and Tim wanted to have their own flowers at their wedding, together with the armfuls of foxgloves from the estate that they collected for me to add to the milk churns at the Church, we had baskets of roses and herbs and vintage tins of garden flowers - a just picked look.. Bridal flowers tied with twine and finished with a pearl button of peony, mint, rosemary, rose, lily of the valley. I used her home grown ‘Granny’s rose for all the boutonnières and in her bouquet, it was such a pleasure and a privilege to work with them in this way to create their wedding flowers.
29th May - Mary and Ian at a country house in Gloucestershire, a wonderfully setting with rolling fields the view from every window, grand rooms with high ceilings and wonderful wooden panelling, a gorgeous bride who carried the last of the white lilac of the spring season, peony, calla lily and roses with a touch of the palest blue hydrangea for her beautiful twin boys. Fabulous tall vases of flowers in blue and white tones with hydrangea petals, an amazing tower of individually iced mini wedding cakes.. oh and a helicopter display that was amazing!!
21st May - Sarah and Jonathan, a private elegant affair, all ivory roses, her favourite, his favourite, quietly understated glamour.. one flower with serious impact and the first of the scented roses this season.. Congratulations again..
14th May - Vicki and her Phil married at Great Shefford Church, an Irish affair with hundreds of candles and deep red romantic roses with crimson peonies so full blown like frilly petticoats, a touch of Moulin Rouge chic, a pure deep flash of colour against a beautiful and elegant dress.. a barn dressed with the scent of the rose petals that were everywhere, lots of personal detail, buckets of flowers with wire hearts... a fabulous day..
9th May 2011...
The last three weeks have been a blur.. four weddings and a wedding show to organise.. plus the Royal wedding of course! How beautiful was Kate and I just loved her flowers, I always try and include lily of the valley into my bridal bouquets - pure indulgence of the scent.. my absolute favourite. My bride last Saturday, an equally beautiful Kate carried vintage roses, palest pink peonies, lilac, stocks and lily of the valley infused with rosemary and thyme - the smell was amazing, it was a lovely wedding - a family affair, a marquee at the top of a field with the a fabulous vista of the Berkshire countryside as they love the outdoors, Bridesmaids in gorgeous dresses with wellies as they walked the line of crooks adorned with pale green buckets of county flowers and lanterns that would lead the way home hours later when a serious party had been enjoyed by all.
I become attached to all of my brides, I felt particularly privileged to have a wedding actually at Bucklebury Church on 30th April. As I prepared the flowers on the Friday evening, a succession of visitors some from the village tea party and others just sightseeing the village and Church stopped by... The gorgeous Victoria married her beloved James on a welcome sunny day with an Honour Guard. The flowers were a vivid cobalt blue of delphinium and mid tone lilac Starlight with ivory stocks and roses, herbs and hydrangea- tall spires of magnificent flowers that echoed the colours of the amazing leaded window behind the main alter. St Mary's is the most beautiful Grade 1 listed building that has been there for nearly a 1000 years.
My garden is calling me today, but I have quotes and brides to email with updates and flower suggestions... maybe an hour or two later.... pop back soon xx
The 2011 Wedding seasion has begun... April 11th 2011...
It seems an age since I last wrote on my page, but soon I will have a blog and more regular posts on my new website so come back and see the new Allium page very soon. The warm weather is making us all think of the outdoors and our gardens that are turning greener daily.. and my beautiful brides have been smiling, full of love and happy to walk in the sunshine in their beautiful wedding dresses..
Last weekend I was florist at a wedding at Templars Barn, one of my favourite venues, it was the most beautiful day with my gorgeous bride and her beloved. Rosie Cutbill spent the day taking photographs, I have just looked at her website, please take a look too at rosiecutbillphotography.co.uk as she did the most amazing job and captured the romance of a spring day perfectly. The flowers were seasonal, simple spring arrangements, tulips, hyacinths, muscari and herbs with some stock and snowflake spray roses with herbs... rosemary and thyme in coir baskets and eau de nil buckets, the heat of the sun made the scent in the barn fabulous. We planted urns with growing bulbs that could be planted in the garden afterwards to flower next year.. what better way to bring back precious memories.
Spring is coming and LOVE is in the air... I am starting to feel that the Royal Wedding will uplift us all - when in town last week I saw the first of the cups, plates and tea towels (somehow I have managed to miss them until now!) with Kate and William written across them - some more tasteful than others but I found myself smiling - why is that? Perhaps being a hopeless romantic it makes me feel warm inside that two people can meet - fall in love and start a life together. I so love my job, I meet couples like this all of the time and share with them the preparations for their special day. The journey to your wedding day should be magical and I want to make choosing the wedding flowers a very personal and memorable experience.
I have seen so many brides since the beginning of January and I have loved my time with each one, each consultation lasts about two hours, I make a pot of tea and if it's cold I light the fire too! I ask brides to bring dress fabric samples and any photographs they have collected that help me to understand the style they want for their wedding. Some come with a mood board, others just a general idea and draw on my expertise as we put together a picture. We take flowers from the barn and make posies of flowers in their chosen colours which each bride takes home as a gift from our meeting.
HOT OFF THE PRESS! I am working with Catherine Parry from Templars Barn who is hosting the West Berkshire Wedding Show on April 17th 2011 - this is only the second year that the barn has opened it's doors to wedding suppliers. The response from local business has been tremendous and we already have over 30 tables. Please put the date in your diary, come and have a glass of champagne and sample some yummy food whilst meeting some great people, all chosen because they provide quality and service.
See our website www.westberkshireweddingshow.co.uk for more detail.
Please email me if you have read this page - I'd love to hear from you and all feedback is good
Karen xx
Welcome to The Allium Design Company - Specialist Event Florist - Karen Sopp
I love you... you're wonderful... marry me... thank you... I'll never forget you...
FLOWERS speak for us even when we are lost for words.
As a little girl I always wanted to have a flower shop, rows of cream buckets filled with flowers; piled high making a statement for the season - like fashion only with nature taking centre stage... It took some years, a career in law and a dabble in horticulture to make my love of flowers, particularly a passion for our English garden herbs and scented roses... allow me realise there was no other career for me. I am inspired by flowers, they are my retail therapy, my designs are informal, taking hedgerow foliage and herbs and mixing them to feed your senses.
Thank you for taking a look through the shop window... don't hesitate to give call me for advice and any assistance.
Karen x
A little bit about The Allium Design Company.....
Allium creates floral designs for the intimate and informal country wedding to the grandest of gatherings. We believe all wedding flowers should be special and unique. Whatever the size of your wedding from my studio we will create the most elegant and eye-catching wedding flowers that will be completely tailored to the theme and colours of your special day. Utilising our vast knowledge of wedding venues in Berkshire, Oxfordshire and Wiltshire we are able to advise you on exquisite floral displays that will compliment your venues surroundings. We always have several meetings with brides over the course of the build up to your wedding, through this bespoke 'getting to know you' service we can develop ideas together and design something completely unique.
We really believe that detail is everything - from the blooms we use to the containers we place them in. We have a wonderful selection of beautiful vases and containers that really compliment the flowers and the surroundings that they are placed in. From vintage pieces such as cake stands, tea cups, painted buckets, birdcages to hurricane lamps of various shapes and sizes and silvered bowls that give a magical speckled glow with candle light. We have plinths and unusual pedestals that transform floral displays to a truly memorable part of your wedding day.
Whether your style is country, vintage, traditional or contemporary. We will advise and guide you and will create the most stylish wedding flowers for your budget.
Allium also offers unique and personal floral services for all types of events. Our consultation time will ensure that your floral arrangements will be the ones your guests and clients will never forget. There is a caring personal at home service for sympathy flowers; to assist at a difficult time with attention always given to the very smallest detail.
Contact us for a free and informal consultation at:
The Studio +44 1488 648142
Karen's Mobile +44 789 990 8703
Email: allium.design@btconnect.com
|
