Your Gloucestershire and Wiltshire Wedding- October/November 2020 (Issue 23)

BIG-DAY BLOOMS Meet the expert: Laura Awdry is the owner of Pinkney Farm Flowers based in Trowbridge, Wiltshire, who creates relaxed and natural floral designs inspired by the seasonality of British flowers and homegrown varieties from her cutting beds. We’re keen to have locally grown flowers in our wedding arrangements - can you help? Laura says: If you’re looking for a sustainable and eco-friendly approach to your wedding flowers, try searching for a local flower grower on www.flowersfromthefarm.co.uk. Th ere are hundreds of members and growers like myself all over the country specialising in seasonal British blooms. In peak times, I use this wonderful network of growers to help keep me supplied for the busy wedding season. Autumn marks the end of the British flower-growing season, but there are still October treasures to be found. The end of the dahlia season is normally October, depending on the first frosts, making these stunning flowers a real treat for an autumnal bouquet. Many growers will have these cared for undercover to extend their season. Chrysanthemums are another wonderful choice, not like the shop varieties, but those with bold, blousy heads. Dried flowers are also very in vogue at present, so incorporating dried grasses, seed heads and flowers is another way to embrace the changing of the season. Being able to buy British flowers when they’re out of season is made possible because many growers dry large quantities of flowers for the winter months. Why not pick dried flowers displayed in bud vases for table arrangements to create a different look? Choose a dried-flower hanging arrangement, or incorporate them into buttonholes and bouquets - the ideas are endless. This bouquet, pictured, showcases chemical-free varieties grown on my farm that includes amaranthus, daucus dara, dahlias, honesty and scabiosa seed heads, dried grasses, jasmine, and viburnum mixed with artichoke. These are also examples of how dried buttonholes and table flowers can look. A very environmentally friendly choice, British flowers are a wonderful way to style your wedding, embracing the style and seasonality of flowers for your big day. Pinkney Farm Flowers | 07973 136 712 | www.pinkneyfarmflowers.co.uk | www.instagram.com/ pinkneyfarmflowers | www.facebook.com/pinkneyfarm CAKE, GLORIOUS CAKE Meet the expert: Pia Cato is the owner of Vanilla Pod Bakery, a luxury celebration cake and cupcake shop located in Cheltenham, Gloucestershire. Because we’re having a small wedding with 30 loved ones, we won’t need a large cake and many wedding designs seem to be at least three tiers. Can you help? Pia says :I have just designed an intimate wedding cake collection that includes single and double- tiered designs. They are still every bit as mouth-watering, just smaller so ideal for a more intimate number of guests. They can still be styled with flowers, fresh fruit and decorative icing, and cupcakes work very well being individual because they can be served as dessert. Our wedding cake prices range from £295 to £1,800 with an average spend between £500 and £1,250. Though we specialise in naked, semi-naked and buttercream wedding cakes, we also love a challenge so we encourage brides to get in touch with their dream cake designs. Vanilla Pod Bakery | 07828 668 932 | https://vanillapodbakery.com | www.instagram.com/vanillapodbakery | www.facebook.com/vanillapodbakery | https://twitter.com/vanillapodchelt 60