Question 1

What is your advice on taking the first steps in wedding planning?

Accepted Answer

Don't underestimate the power of flowers! They can magically transform any space with their beauty, and we love to use the Secret Language of Flowers to add hidden meaning to your bouquets and displays. Think centrepieces, clouds, arches, pedestals and more when planning your vision. Your wedding is a once-in-a-lifetime occasion, so make it stand out with memorable floral landscapes. Wedding flowers are an investment. They're luxurious and often more expensive than you might expect. Take this into account when budgeting for your big day and remember that they'll be a major feature, living on forever in your photographs and memories. Finally, choose a florist that inspires you. There are many styles of floristry out there so pick a florist whose designs you love. Beyond the florals, the team putting it all together is equally as important. You're going to be working with them for the next however many months, so make sure you like and trust them. Most offer free wedding consultations so use this to find the best match for you and your big day.

Question 2

What is your advice on creating a winter wonderland wedding?

Accepted Answer

You may be worried that you won't have a lot of choice for your winter wedding when it comes to the flowers. But, as a florist I love creating designs at this time of year and there are plenty of varieties to choose from. It's all about delicate detail, textural berries and seed heads, and foliage when it comes to winter florals. I truly believe it's the beautiful, natural qualities of seasonal flowers that add a touch of magic to wedding designs. Gorgeous winter flowers include ranunculus, anemones, hellebore, paper whites and heather. Plus, varieties such as roses, snapdragons and stocks are available all year round, and teamed with seasonal blooms create a beautiful wintry feel to your floral designs. It's all about soft muted tones, beautiful white or deep dark reds at this time of year. Using colour is a wonderful way to add that winter look. Your floral designs are the perfect way to bring your chosen palette to all elements of your day; from your ceremony aisle, tables and cake, to your bouquets and buttonholes.

Question 3

Tell us how to plan a wedding sustainably

Accepted Answer

Sourcing your wedding flowers locally can be a brilliant way to be more sustainable on your big day. Ask your florist if they could possibly buy blooms from local flower farms, or at least be British grown. Ninety per cent of flowers in the UK are imported, flown over from as far afield as South America, and who knows if they're ethically grown, so it's always best to go local. At Flowers by Imogen, I use all British Flowers, including many we've grown in our very own cutting garden in Somerset.If you wanted to look into sourcing the flowers yourself, you can usually pick up buckets from your local flower farm. Look on www.flowersfromthefarm.co.uk to find your nearest one. They usually grow artisanal blooms, which will make your wedding flowers bespoke and special. They're also often grown organically, using sustainable methods; plus you'd be supporting a local, small-scale business. It's also a good idea to check that your florist uses sustainable mechanics, and works foam-free. Floral foam is a method of keeping flowers fresh, but it's made from toxic chemicals including formaldehyde.

Question 4

How can I reflect the best of the autumn through my bouquet?

Accepted Answer

Autumn blooms are my absolute favourite. It's that magical time of year when nights get darker and cooler and the leaves on the trees turn golden. As we shift seasons, nature transitions from rich greens to an array of golds, silver, bronzes, browns and deep reds. October and November weddings can be some of the most stunning as we're spoilt for choice with stunning flowers that thrive at this time of year. From textured fiery foliage to dried grasses and berries. A few of my favourites to include in an autumnal bridal bouquet are dahlias, spray roses, hypericum berries, eucalyptus, thistles and I love incorporating fiery foliage and dried grasses to create plenty of texture. Autumn colour palettes don't need to be all reds, vibrant orange and browns. If you want more of a classic bridal design for your wedding day, go for a more muted design and use a soft palette of off white, pale peach and natural tones throughout your florals for a sophisticated ethereal effect that can be enhanced by hints of rich cappuccino and rust in the foliage giving it a full seasonal feel.

Question 5

We're getting married in the spring and would love to incorporate some of the season's finest flowers into  our arrangements and bouquet. What would you recommend?

Accepted Answer

Spring is the perfect time for weddings and there are so many flowers to choose from, it's really hard to pick! If you're tying the knot earlier in the season, then anemones and ranunculus are always firm favourites, but if you're after something whimsical and a little bit different, then definitely take a look at butterfly ranunculus or Icelandic poppies. They're papery and delicate and really make an impact without being heavy visually. Combine these with blossoms and it's a winning combination. We also love unusual narcissi varieties such as Geranium for the scent – narcissi doesn't just mean yellow daffodil anymore! There are some showy varieties with coral centres and frilly edges, so they're perfect for adding a certain something. For a later spring wedding, I'd recommend peonies all the way. In fact, it should possibly be illegal to get married in late April or May and not have peonies! From the rich burgundy Buckeye Belle, which I had in my own wedding bouquet, to soft pink Mothers Choice, there's a variety of tones to suit most spring palettes.

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