Secret Garden wedding...

It's difficult to know where to start with this wedding... it was put together incredibly fast following a surprise engagement at the end of April 2021 with the wedding in mid-October of the same year

The couple realised they needed the help of a planner to get this all done so the planning skills of marquee-maestro Susie Evans were brought in just 13 weeks before the wedding date and she corralled an amazing team of suppliers to bring Imogen and Josh's wedding dream to life...

VENUE...

For many florists, Euridge Manor is one of those 'bucket list' venues to work at... it has stunning grounds, fabulous views and lovely staff. I had it on my wish list for several years so when Imogen's family asked me to go on a site visit with them, I was the first in the car

We've since been back there to flower around 7/8 times and each time the look is very different - weddings are unique and so are our couples (look out for an upcoming blog post featuring some of these more recent Euridge weddings)

DECOR...

The set up for us took two days involving creating a full foliage canopy over a 33x15m clear span JB Marquee and we had 10x freelancers on board to make, set up, deliver, install and clear everything leaving the venue the day after the wedding when the guests were treated further to a festival with live music and food trucks

Our first task on arrival was to unload and get going on the canopy. This was slightly delayed due to technical problems with the lighting rigs but we were done just after midnight and in our beds ready to be back again the next day, the wedding morning, around 6am! So if your floral team present you with a high quote for delivery and installation, think again before questioning it... they may have travelled far, need to eat and stay over before finishing off and/or clearing and it takes a lot of people to dress tables and clear it away again

CEREMONY...

As this was a Jewish wedding, it involved the all-important chuppah and in my mind the only place this could really be was in the Boathouse, using the faded wooden columns as the legs of the ceremony structure...I think this may have been the first time the Boathouse had been used in this way

We used chicken wire and birch trees to dress the uprights adding in masses of British white leaf, beech, ivy and pittosporum... the British foliage really gave a natural feel to the space which is exactly the desired look and a theme that ran throughout the whole wedding

Candles in lantern shades added to the atmosphere and were added around the marquee entrance later

Family and close friends were seated to either side of the boathouse with more guests up the stone steps to one side and across the terrace, ensuring everyone got to see the ceremony and enjoy a very emotional service

After a quick drinks reception in the Rose Garden where guests could find their antique key adorned escort card amongst the yew hedges, it was on to dinner

RECEPTION...

The marquee had been dressed to disguise as much of the structure as possible and we created a tunnel at the entrance through which guests walked to be greeted by light smoke, into the magical secret garden dream setting that awaited them

It being October, the foliage we chose to use had a touch of Autumn about it, but this actually worked in our favour as it tied in perfectly with the flower colours - the hornbeam, beech, laurel and ivy worked brilliantly to dress the entrance and continue up to the ceiling above the tables. Opting for a black ceiling and dark green carpet also enhanced the inviting atmosphere and helped to blur the lines between marquee and room

TABLES...

We had three different shapes of tables within the marquee... classic round, square and narrow long and each style had it's own tablescape

Some had tall 'trees' with twisted willow and moss covered trunks topped with mixed beech and hornbeam foliage, the bases surrounded by potted plants, small jars of seasonal flowers, lots of coloured taper candles and tealights in glass votives that co-ordinated with the coloured water glasses

Other tables had large planted bowls of ferns and scented flowers, apothecary jars with delicate stems, embossed mini log slices serving as place names and gold photo frames with table numbers... all designed to entertain and amuse the guests

I think if anything, this wedding demonstrates that a winter wedding can be far from boring and full of twigs!

Some flowers had to be brought into the flower market from overseas but we used British foliage throughout and as much locally grown flower as possible - dahlia, cosmos, scabious, hydrangea, some roses, grasses and a lot more including many of the ferns and plants used on the tables

Discuss seasonal flowers with your florist - if they have a local grower, it is likely they will already be using them

Planner - Susie Evans

Venue - Euridge Manor

Photographer - Beccy Goddard

Marquee - JB Marquees

Lighting/Production - We Are Luminaire

Linen - Just 4 Linen

Tableware - Duchess Butler

Catering - Jason Millan

Candles - Candleflair

Trees - Twilight

Dress - Monique Lhuillier

Band - Sensation Band