Beautiful Blooms by Natalie:The Wedding Designer Florist

I first discovered Natalie’s beautiful bouquets and floristry back in 2006 when my Sister got married. Fast forward 10 years and I met her at a local wedding fair in Arundel where both myself and Al fell in love with Amberlilys.  They often say that your relationship with your wedding supplier’s is crucial to the overall success of your special day and Natalie was great at answering our questions, sharing her expertise and putting us both at ease. After trawling Pininterest for just over a year and sending numerous emails and messages to Natalie, me and Al both agreed that we couldn’t think of anyone who we would rather have as our florist, so we went ahead and booked Natalie for our 2018 Summer wedding.

How much of our wedding budget should we allocate for our flowers?

Mmm, general guide would be 5-10% of total cost of wedding.

We are having a 2 year engagement when should I book my florist?

If your florist is recommended she will probably be booking a year ahead especially during wedding seasons typically June through August.

I am on a really tight budget, what can I do to ensure I get the most from it?

Make sure you choose seasonally abundant flowers i.e. Don’t ask for peonies in August as their season is May to June. Ask your florist to help you get the best for your money as they’ve made many weddings to many budgets. Above all be realistic as the Internet can show lots of designs but not all will be in your reach.

I really want peonies but I am getting married in August. What alternatives should I consider?

There are many open blousy roses such as David Austen or Equadorian varieties that look similar to peonies. Remember that buying peonies if put of season will be costly if they’re available and they’ll not be at their best either!

What made you want to become a florist?

 I was made redundant from my job, I’ve always been arty so I went to an open day at an Agricultural college and decided to sign up for Floristry! Took all my qualifications and got a job in a florist to get hands on experience whilst I learned.

Do you have any other hobbies?

Yes I love to draw and paint, use pastels and I am teaching myself crochet!  I Love to be at the seaside or in the woods with my best friend Little Pip

What is your favourite flower and why?

Favourite flower is Lily of the valley, beautiful delicate and highly scented

Have you always work as a florist?

No I’ve trained as a mortgage advisor, worked in a bank and in Insurance and whilst in Canada I worked in a telecommunications company!

 

What would look great for a barn wedding?

A barn wedding….most have beautiful interiors and I would always try to keep to the theme to match the venue. Lots of foliage’s and candle light in particular is a favourite of mine.

Any tips on how to find the right florist?

I think you need to meet the florist, I love meeting my brides to be…it’s an exciting time. Share any ideas with them and ask them for their help as they will guide you. Make a scrap-book of designs and colours you like before meeting as it helps to have a starting point. You’ll know if they’re right and don’t just go for the cheapest, especially if their work is not your style.

Well that concludes this week’s Bride diaries from the talented Natalie from Amberlilys. If you are considering a florist and would like to see some more examples of her fantastic creations then you can find her over on Facebook . Whilst I am disappointed that I am unable to create my dream Peony filled bouquet, I am confident that Natalie will exceed all of our wildest dreams when it comes to creating some floral masterpieces for our Summer Barn wedding and I know that with her guidance we will create something that we all love.