Wednesday 14 October 2015

A Very Festooned Styled Shoot!

Pheweeeeee did I have fun doing this one. Boho, colourful, eclectic, relaxed, broke all  the rules and threw some feathers in for good measure.

Roll out the Dahlias, Vintage Gin Bar, Real Ale and dance about in a bright purple Vivienne Westwood gown. That's my idea of a good Wedding shoot!

Hair & Make Up by Kassi Ellis 
Photography by Charlotte at That Photo Booth Company
Floristry & Styling by Festoon
Gin Bar by  The Vintage Gin Bar
Ale Bar by The Outdoor Ale Bar Company
Yurt & Canopy from Yurtmaker
Dress by Vivienne Westwood 
Yurt by Yurtmaker

With love from www.festoonsworld.tumblr.com










































Friday 2 October 2015

Formal Wedding Floristry? No, we want Natural, Relaxed, Local, Foraged Flowers!

Since starting work as a wedding decorator, and informal florist, I've spoken to so many couples about what they want for their wedding flowers. The average couple in their early 30's today don't know exactly what they want from flowers because an explicit shape and colour scheme looks quite dated. They want something a little different, not contrived, and they often have a hankering after the natural or eco friendly. Local, foraged, wild flowers that are of the season fit this bill brilliantly.

My favorite way to work is with a super wide brief. This is perfect for an artist who works with what they find seasonally. Find a florist or an artist friend with an eye for colour, knowledge of the fixings and of the life span of certain flowers out of water and you will have the most visually, texturally, exciting and fragrant wedding flowers going.

The request for 'something different' is met with an excited raised eyebrow from me! In the last year the two favourites have included adding foraged feathers to the bouquet, herbs for a traditional slant and vegetables. 2016 is going to be the year of the vegetable bouquet, mark my words.

Watch this beautiful Costa Sister's video for Vegetable bouquet inspiration!

And my favorite thank you from a bride this year: "Thank you Ruth for my beautiful bouquet (you know the bride loves it when she refuses to throw it to the single ladies!) Wild, beautiful, natural, foraged flowers.... exactly what I dreamed of, and you delivered it perfectly."

Flowers by Festoon, supplied by Gill Yuile & Stokesay Court Flower Garden
 
Bit of Veg action on the old Buttonhole!
Festoon is teaching this technique at The National Vintage Wedding Fair 18th Oct in Manchester

A January foraged Posy by Festoon.
 
     A lovely Flower Crown made by the wearer at a workshop led by Festoon for her 8th Birthday Party. Pic by Emma Playstead.