When our friends told us about 18 months ago that their daughter was getting married in
Samlesbury Hall in May 2013, I offered to help decorate the hall if they would like me to.
So from then on I thought of flowers a lot! Last year we all went off to the wholesaler to decide what we might like, Anna wanted lilac and lime.
A year later and here we are. By this time I was committed to everything floral for the wedding, bouquets, buttonholes, corsages table centres, top table decoration.
I had many sleepless nights beforehand. I suppose my lack of professionalism made it difficult for me to judge certain things, especially quantity. I probably used too many flowers!
On Wednesday morning I drove to the wholesalers about 20 miles away (its the only one anywhere near who will allow non-professional florists to shop there) and picked up the ordered flowers. I nearly fainted when they said they hadn't got all I'd ordered, but they said they'd deliver the next day.
So I was up early the next day for the delivery.
Very early! In fact it was a time I thought there was only one of in a day .
I leapt in at the deep end and started the big important ceremony and top table arrangement.
It was big and has a lot of flowers!
Many pictures: on the kitchen table......
...close up.....................lovely spray roses....
stocks with lovely scent.....viburnum...tricky woody stuff.......
and a photo in the garden. My garden has never had so many blooms in it!
Next job, the table centres.
We'd bought cream enamel jugs for this and I had no idea how they'd turn out but I waded in.
Here they are outside
I was thrilled with them. But I had a ton of 'material' leftover and I knew I wouldn't use it up in the little stuff so I filled up two old wine boxes for outside.
At three o'clock I filled my car with great difficulty, it was a squash, and drove to the hall.
I took the shortest route down country lanes where the cow parsley was almost above the hedges, the oak trees were in full spring growth and the fields were filled with buttercups.
The sun was shining too for a change.
This is not my car but on this occasion it would have been useful.
I put the 'big' arrangement on the table in the chapel where I have to admit it looked fabulous. Such a relief.
Here's the grand hall before the 'do'. Samlesbury hall is one of those places that has a unique atmosphere, just perfect in its Elizabethan 'rightness'
The big wine boxes went by the door. Another friend, Jenny, had made swags above the door and over the table in the chapel.
The jugs had to sit in a little quiet room until the next day with all the tablecloths and napkins.
Then I drove home and made a start on the buttonholes, corsages and bouquets.
I was delighted ( again!) with the way the bouquets turned out.
The brides was white in the middle and lilac and green around the edges with spiky Veronica poking out. It was VERY heavy. I should have warned Anna not to throw it as it would have killed someone! It stood up all by itself. I'm sure a professional florist could have made the centre a bit more prominent but it didn't matter. Viburnum, ranunculus, lisianthus, hypericum, spray roses, veronica, statice, all went well together.
The bridesmaids were wearing green and their bouquets were slightly smaller with predominantly green centres and white edges.
I finished them next morning with organza ribbon and pearl pins .
And guess what? I forgot to photograph the buttonholes (6 and a spare) or the corsages (three and a spare).
I went to bed at just after midnight.
The plan the next day was to take these things to the men who would take then to the hall in a taxi but when I called there we decided it would be better if I drove them to the hall.
It was lovely to be there and it gave me a chance to see what the tables looked like with the jugs. I only had my phone with me so the pictures aren't great.
I'd been a bit concerned that the arrangements would be 'in the way' stopping conversations but they were just the right size for the tables.
I popped into the chapel where the staff were just decorating the chairs.
I didn't see the ghost.
Here's the only 'White Lady' at Samlesbury Hall last Friday.
I hope they don't mind me stealing their picture. I'll add more as I find them.
By all accounts they had a lovely day.
I've pinched this photo of the ceremony from above from one of the guests.
And this one from Natalie, one of the beautiful Bridesmaids.
We went in the evening to a lovely Ceilidh where we danced folk dances we thought we couldn't do anymore, ate fish and chips from paper cones and had many compliments about the flowers.
Oh and this..both the bride and her mother are in Rivington Ladies Morris team Anna put her trainers on and held her train up and danced the first dance in this glorious setting.
I enjoyed myself. I hope it makes a good blog post!
I just have one question..how do Florists get their fingernails clean?
