BRING ON THE SPRING Lou Miller from The Old Milking Parlour at Cavokay House (www.oldmilkingparlour.co.uk) says: Spring is traditionally a time of newness, a time when the land here in the beautiful Blackmore Vale wakes up from its winter slumber, the birds start to nest and blossom appears in the hedgerows. It’s the promise of wonderful things to come – not unlike a wedding. I’m sure that most of us, when we think of spring, imagine the cheerful yellow nodding faces of daffodils, but as I sit looking out at the purpley iris reticulata in our lawn I’m reminded that spring flowers come in a myriad of hues. There are the soft pinks of fruit blossom, the gorgeous blues of English bluebells and a whole rainbow spectrum of tulips. Of course, the obvious person to talk to about flowers is your florist, there are an increasing number now who grow their own flowers rather than buy blooms that have been flown in from abroad. They’ll be able to advise you what’s likely to be flowering at the time of your wedding. You might even decide to plant some spring bulbs of your own with which to decorate your venue. Living bulbs and plants for weddings have the advantage of taking on a new life afterwards; either serving as gifts to special family members or to be planted in your own garden as a memory of your day. There are many more subtle ways of incorporating the spirit and beauty of spring into your wedding though. Let’s start with your invitations. Think of colours and imagery that you associate with the season for their design. Think soft greens of leaf buds, catkins, snowdrops, cute lambs, and hares (a Celtic symbol of prosperity and good fortune). This theme could then run through to your table plan and table styling too, or perhaps complement the soft greens with table runners and napkins in apple blossom pink. For your spring-themed wedding favours, flower seeds are an obvious choice. I’m no horticulturalist but a quick Google tells me that sunflowers are good ones to plant at this time of year. How cool would that be? To know your wedding favours will become beautiful smiling sunflowers, whose seeds in turn, will become autumn food for birds. What about embracing spring through your attire? You could be as subtle or as full-on as you want. What about a discreet primrose-coloured belt on your dress and matching pocket squares or waistcoats for the groomsmen? For your something blue, I love the idea of bluebell coloured shoes and accessories. You could even go for a delicate blue sparkle in earrings and a necklace, or go all-out with a blue pom pom tiara. You might even embrace your inner Goddess Flora (the Roman goddess of the flowering of plants) and wear a beautiful flower crown. www.thurtlepower.com FRESH FLAVOURS Claire Hansen of North Somerset-based Claire Hansen Cakes (www.clairehansencakes.com) says: Springtime always means flowers to me; the first blooms of the year bringing with them brightness and joyful colour after the cosy darkness of winter. To bring a fresh, seasonal touch to your big-day bake, your cake designer and florist can work together to create something really special. The incredible blooms pictured here, supplied by Posee Floral Designs, perfectly encapsulate the spirit and beauty of the season and add a playful, light feeling of spring to the overall design with their candy colours. I also used a clear middle tier to add a dimension of light and air to the design, which reminds me of the feeling of a fresh spring breeze on the skin. Couples also love to bring a seasonal theme into their cake using the element of flavour. Lemon and elderflower is a particularly popular choice in the warmer months, as it’s so beautifully light and refreshing. Pink champagne is popular all year round, but especially so during the spring, when it subtly echoes the colour of cherry blossoms as the sponge itself is a delicate shade of rose pink. Who doesn’t love a glass of bubbly in the sunshine? 62
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