Maryann and Joe - London
Jules Williams Photography
Love was still very much in the air 3 days after Valentine’s day on what started as a wet and grey Saturday in East London. The bustle of the streets and red buses whizzing past all added to the anticipation of Maryann and Joe’s beautiful wedding, and crikey was it BEAUTIFUL!
The brief was unbelievably cool, with Maryann having a clear vision for the day. We worked very closely throughout the planning process to focus on both florals and styling options to work for both the Ceremony and Reception. It was really interesting to design for two very juxtaposing spaces. The ceremony was held in Our lady of Lourdes, a beautiful Catholic Church in east London with pink hues and soft white marble. Stark contrast to Finch’s restaurant with its industrial iron accents and exposed brickwork. The florals had to work in both environments.
For this to be achieved we used meadow trays in varying ways. I split them into smaller sections to be more versatile. They framed Maryann and Joe on the marble stairs at the end of the aisle In the church and then moved to either side of the top table for the reception.
A fully dried flower cloud installation was placed on the beam above the top table to frame Maryann and Joe during the wedding breakfast and speeches. This was a fabulous focal point. I had spent months drying elements for this design to work within the colour palette and the final design was textural and worked so well in the space. Dried elements really lent into the room at Finch’s as the textures from these gave a slight edge to the florals, again working with the surrounding interior.
A floral mix of Roses, Blossom, Lisianthus, Anemone, Delphinium, Ranunculus were used along side the star of the show, Icelandic Poppies. These sorbet hues of coral, apricot, soft pinks and whites really lent them selves to both spaces perfectly, with Maryann’s bouquet being one of my favourites I have ever designed.
I couldn’t not mention the beyond spectacular images by Jules Williams photography. The way she captured this wedding was cinematic, real, with a hint of vintage glamour. I really feel like these images could be stills from a movie! If your looking for a photographer, she is your lady!
Finally I am so proud of how this wedding came to fruition. It captured the essence of Maryann and Joe as the wonderful people that they are. It was fun, emotional and having lived in East London in my 20’s, it felt like a true love letter to London in all it’s glory. Amazing to experience again but also made me fall back in love with Yorkshire when I got home.
‘Words from the Bride’
“Planning and brainstorming our wedding florals was an absolute joy with Sophie. We had a chat and I explained my vision; autumnal hues, lots of coral and soft blushes, with a hint of something deeper like rust to ground everything. I love this pallet and I also knew it would work well with the Church. We didn’t have much space in Ficnh’s (we really crammed in 100 peoole) so I knew something hanging would he the best way to add colour and texture. I’ve seen some of Sophie’s work in her dried flower clouds and I was already obsessed! I loved the idea of something I could keep and reuse in our home afterwards. For the tables I just wanted lots of candles and some greenery. We chose sharing platters for the meal, so lots of plates and serving dishes had to be able to be placed on the long tables. Greenery garlands were the perfect answer to add colour and interest without cluttering up the tables. The venue had charm and texture already and the florals and styling complimented it so well. I sent Sophie some images of the arrangements and colours I liked and she brought my dreams to life!! I knew I wanted my bouquet to be a statement, large and slightly a-symmetric and my goodness she created the perfect bouquet; utterly dreamy! She bound my bouquet in silk off cuts from my dress which was such a nice touch (so do always ask for any offcuts!) the Bridesmaids had trailing ribbon in shades that’s complimented their dresses and tied them together. The Bridesmen and my dad also wore floral pocket squares, I loved how it differentiated them from the Groomsmen but still so cohesive. So many people commented on how incredible the florals were, several saying they were the best wedding flowers they had ever seen, and I totally agree! The fact that Sophie provided candle sticks (to supplement my vintage collection) and gorgeous ribbon for styling was the icing on the cake. Speaking of cake she even wired some food safe flowers for the cake I made! We made the decision to add bows on all the candlesticks fairly late on, and I’m so glad we did, it softened the decor and added romance. I can’t rave about Sophie Fieldsend Florals enough; her passion, skill and talent are so inspiring. Her energy and expertise on the day was invaluable. Thank you Sophie.”
Florals and styling: Sophie Fieldsend Florals
Photography: Jules Williams Photography
2nd shooter: Leanne Peacock Photography
Dress: Andrea Hawkes Bridal
Venue: Finchs London
Church: Our Lady of Lourdes Wanstead