ADVICE FROM THE EXPERTS

Ah, flowers. A timeless, beautiful, and infallible way of elevating the status of any occasion.
Whether you want to keep it simple or go all out, how do you find the perfect florist to achieve your vision and remain respectful to the environment?
Well, let me introduce you to the lovely Holly of Holly Bee Flowers.
She’s been kind enough to share some words of wisdom with us that we think you’ll find very useful indeed.

Enjoy!

TOP TIPS FOR BOOKING YOUR WEDDING FLORIST

If you’re reading this, I’m guessing you’re newly engaged and planning a wedding – how very lovely, and exciting!
For eco-conscious couples, the wedding industry can feel like a minefield. Especially as sustainability is a bit of a marketing buzzword. How do you know your suppliers are truly sustainable and eco-friendly? The aim of this article is to even out any worries and try to keep it as straightforward and as simple as possible. With tips on what to look for when booking your wedding florist, and how to actually book them- let’s get going!

Photograph by Emma Barrow Photography

My Eco Credentials
Hello, I’m Holly and I run Holly Bee Flowers; a flower farm and floral design studio based in Dartington in South Devon. I promote a sustainable and natural growing process that nurtures creativity.
We provide natural wedding flowers, that are seasonally created with wildness and beauty at the forefront of all that we do. Having run this business for 6 years now, we’ve seen the industry grow and change, with lots more focus on local flowers (which is wonderful). We grow the majority of our own flowers and have local suppliers that we rely on to fill gaps. We don’t use imported flowers, it’s not our thing, and much prefer working with the seasons, and sometimes the challenges they bring. We also don’t use floral foam, as it pretty much doesn’t compost and works instead like a single-use plastic (no thanks).

Why Seasonal Flowers Are Important
Working with seasonal, local flowers is a must if you’re looking to book a sustainable and eco-friendly wedding florist. The imported cut flower industry has a pretty high carbon footprint. In Mike Berners – Lee’s How Bad Are Bananas, he cites roses as being the following:

– 0 CO2 if picked from your own garden using organic fertilizer
– 350g CO2 grown in Kenya and flown by air
– 2.1kg CO2 grown in a heated greenhouse in the Netherlands.

Out of season flowers are either put on a plane or grown with artificial heat – neither are great for the environment. When you make the connection to out of season cut flowers and the huge emissions and pressure they put on the land, you start to realise why seasonality and location are so important.

Seasonal Flowers – Truly Beautiful and Fleetingly Special
Seasonal as a word gets used a lot, ‘spring flowers’, ‘seasonal spring flowers’, will include anemones, tulips and beautiful blossom. But each of these has a season, tulips don’t really start until April, but get talked about being seasonal from January. Flower growers in Scotland will have a different seasonality than flower growers in Sussex. Scotland will be cooler; their season will be slower to get going. The best thing you can do is ask your local, or local to your wedding, flower grower and/or florist about seasonality. That way you’re getting local, and expert advice you can trust.

What will your sustainable florist need to know from you?
The basic and most important information is budget, colour scheme and style.
This might vary from grower to grower, but I never promise certain flower varieties. I can’t control the weather, and sometimes it’s too unpredictable to promise particular flower varieties for certain dates, even if I know I’d normally have them blooming. But if I know your colour palette and floral style, I’m confident in what I’m creating. The flowers I work with will always be beautiful, so have faith in the florist you choose, and their seasonal flower choices. I always offer a flower guide, but just also say not to get too fixated on definite flower types.

Photograph by Emma Barrow Photography

Budget – Let Us Help Guide Your Floral Choices
Having a budget and being upfront with it is brilliant. That way your florist has really helpful information from the get-go, in helping decide what flowers you need and want, AND can afford. It’s important! Florists have experience in working with different budgets and can help make your flower dreams a reality.

So What’s The Next Step?
Find your local flower grower and florist!
The brilliant Flowers From The Farm is a nationwide network of flower growers and florists. It’s a fantastic tool for couples searching for a florist close to home.
Remember, choose seasonal and local flowers – that’s the best way to be sustainable! Embrace the fleeting beauty and the constant change that seasons bring. Also, a big NO to floral foam, and yes to green mechanics – this is something very simple to check with the florist you decide to employ.
I hope this has helped clear up some of the jargon and makes booking your wedding florist simple and straightforward.

Thanks for reading, Holly.