Winter flower power

We receive so many wonderful words of wisdom from our experts that sometimes we can't fit it all in the magazine. That was certainly the case with our 'Flower power' feature that appears in the current issue (Feb/Mar) of Your Sussex Wedding. It would be remiss of us to keep it from you, so here is the extended cut, if you like, broken down into handy seasonal sections.

So here we are week two of our four part series and we're looking at...

WINTER

Kelly Kearly, Not Your Average Flowers, www.notyouraverageido.com/flowers
Winter brides still love the silvery hues of eucalyptus and white, year round, flowers such as roses, veronica, lisianthus and so on. Or a palette of the warmest deepest reds.

Many brides getting wed over Christmas and New Year, should be aware that this is the hardest time for florists. Markets and wholesalers close as the Dutch auctions don't operate over the festive period. In fact all key holidays are often tricky with the likes of Valentines, Mothers Day, Easter and Christmas often driving up prices and making certain flowers associated with that celebration extremely expensive and sometimes difficult to get hold of.

Steph Willoughby, Chirpee Flowers, www.chirpee.net
It’s a magical time of year, but not wanting the Christmas cliché? It’s increasingly more popular to wed in this chilly season. Reflect this, by using glitzy frosty colours. Ice blue, sparkling silver and snowy winter whites. Glamorous, cool and classy.

Flowers of the Season: Orchids, white moth orchids, ivory avalanche roses, silver brunnia and lots of grey eucalyptus and olive foliage.

Trend décor: Mix flowers with crystals, sparkly sprinkles for the tables, and mirror pllates to reflect light.

Top tip: If you're getting married near to Christmas, do not be shocked by a price rise in flowers. This is due to flowers being flown in from hotter climates and is perfectly normal. Budget for this when planning your flowers.

Budget tip: Choose seasonal foliage, berries, tinted white branches and reindeer moss to create your own winter wonderland.

Nicky Milliagan, Buds That Bloom, www.budsthatbloom.co.uk
Fresh white flowers such as roses, narcissus, ranunculus, hyacinth, hellebore teamed with green or silver foliages such as senecio, brunia and berried eucalyptus would make a magical winter wonderland wedding.

Trends change year by year and now it is all about classic white and green blooms in a rustic, whimsical, country cottage look, and many wedding trends are often inspired by Pantone’s colour of the year and can also be determined by a royal or big personality wedding.  For example, Prince Harry and Meghan Markle’s amazing archway they had on the staircase at their wedding is going to inspire a lot of brides.

Samantha Karlsson, Samantha Karlsson Flowers, www.samanthakarlssonflowers.co.uk
During the winter months and early spring hellebore are a perfect flower choice. These charming, whimsical and gentle flowers come in a variety of colours and hues, from deep purple to soft pink and mauve, green and black. They pair well with roses, ranunculus and anemones, a beautiful simple and elegant flower with a dark velvety center.

For scent, chamelaucium or wax flower, has a delicate appearance of tiny flowers and a wonderful lemon smell and is a perfect filler flower to soften bouquets and arrangements. Genista is elegant and sweetly scented, with tiny flowers on slender long branches which add lovely light swaying movements to bouquets and arrangements. And for me, no winter wedding is complete without the wonderful scent of eucalyptus foliage, with its beautiful silvery tones.

Amaryllis is an impressive winter flower and will make a bold statement in large scale floral designs.

Winter is all about texture and hypericum berries, red Ilex berries, steely blue Viburnum berries, snowberries and pussy willow all create a winter feel.