We civilians needn’t lose our heads when plotting the floral schemes for our weddings – but neither should we downplay the importance of flowers at big events, with their endless capacity to soften, prettify and scent.
Trends come and go, of course, but wedding flowers tend, in 2022, to be seasonal, loosely arranged and carry a low carbon footprint. From Royal Warrant holders to new kids on the block, here are the people who will weave floral magic for the wedding of your dreams.
Willow Crossley
The fragrant and insanely talented Willow Crossley cheered up the nation with the lockdown flower-arranging videos she recorded in her Cotswold barn. She turns her hand majestically to big events. Crossley is said to have done the flowers for the evening reception at Harry and Meghan’s splendid wedding in 2018. A guest told Vanity Fair: ‘She’s a very cool, understated girl who wouldn’t want anyone to know she was involved with the royal wedding, but she played quite a key part doing all the flowers for the night and making sure the tables looked beautiful.’ Get inspiration at @willowcrossleycreates and discover more here.
Aesme
A very chic pair of sisters founded this family flower business in 2015. Their relaxed and romantic style is enchanting. They say: ‘Flowers help us reconnect with the natural world, slow down and enjoy a fleeting moment of beauty in a busy world.’ They grow their flowers in Hampshire – though their studio is in London – and are committed to thinking sustainably in all that they do. Get inspiration at @aesmeweddings and discover more here.
Francis Smith
From her small West London studio, Philippa Smith uses “the best of what Mother Nature can provide to create beautiful floral arrangements, hand tied bouquets and statement pieces for all occasions”. Because she has such a cheery approach and exquisite taste, planning flowers for a wedding with her is ridiculously easy and pleasurable. Get inspiration at @francissmithflowers.
Shane Connolly & Company
Using only British-grown flowers, Connolly was the florist for Prince Charles’s wedding to Camilla Parker Bowles and for William and Kate’s nuptials. He says: “I am very lucky to have a Royal Warrant of Appointment both to HRH The Prince of Wales and HM The Queen. I often think that it’s extraordinary that a boy who grew up in Northern Ireland could have been so lucky!” Get inspiration at @shaneconnollyandco.
Worm
These guys, based in East London, add a serious dose of cool to the creativity that oozes through all they produce. Colourful and imaginative, their work has a freshness and modernity to it that is rarely seen elsewhere. The founders say: “We began as a book and bunch delivery service but have since spread our wings and now design flowers for occasions, print and conceptual projects. We are inspired by many things, starting with the imperfect wildflowers that grew around us when we were growing up on the coast of southern Ireland.” Get inspiration at @wormlondon.
Millie Richardson Flowers
The Cotswolds are clearly a creatively fertile part of the country because Millie Richardson is based here, too. Her style is natural and romantic, whimsical and fresh. She trained in London and then set up in the countryside in 2016. Her stunning offering is a deliberate alternative to the traditional methods of floristry. Get inspiration at @mill.rich.flowers.
Jamjar Flowers
Inspired by the garden and woods in Sussex where she grew up, Melissa Richardson established JamJar Flowers in 2009. It is now a thriving studio based in South London. Richardson says: “We are endlessly inspired by the changing seasons, and dedicated to using seasonal flowers, focussing on composition, colour and form.” Get inspiration at @jamjar_flowers.
Grandirosa
Less whimsical and statelier than most of the options on our list, Grandirosa is an appointment-only floral design studio. Tatler says: “Decadent, grand and above all romantic. Clever Lil Caldwell is the latest bright young thing to crop up within the floral industry. Responsible for some of Annabel’s [the private members’ club] most famous installations, she appreciates how flowers can make or break an event.” Get inspiration at @grandirosa.
Grance and Thorn
What we love most about this East London outfit is their clever off-the-shelf provision. It is inspired and we hope that where they have lead others might follow. You can buy ravishing readymade bouquets, buttonholes and flower girls’ posies as well as off-the-shelf jars and vases of flowers with which to decorate your venue. Get inspiration at @graceandthorn.
By Becky Ladenburg
March 2022
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