CLAIRE’S BLOG

Guest Blog: Jades Flower Design “Floral inspiration for marquee weddings”

In this second of our Guest Blogs, we welcome Beverley Nichols from Jades Flowers Design. Happy reading!

Love,

As a floral designer for over 20 years I have been fortunate enough to work at many beautiful venues all over the country.  Each type of venue offers unique opportunities and logistical challenges but experience has taught me how to adorn each location to maximise its full beauty.

One type of venue that I love to work with is a marquee.  Marquees are extremely versatile and allow me to do what I do best – create unforgettable weddings!  They are truly amazing spaces that always excite me – as a designer they offer so many opportunities.

I thought that I would share my experience of dressing marquees and provide some advice and inspiration to newly engaged couples looking to hold their wedding in a marquee.  There are definite ways to showcase a marquee to its full potential and I hope that you find my top tips useful.  If you would like to talk to me directly about your upcoming wedding please call me on 01376 563 111

As you can probably tell, I LOVE talking about weddings! x

Beverley Nichols – Floral Designer at Jades Flower Design tel: 01376 563 111

 

Make an entrance:

The outside of a marquee is normally neutral white or cream.  To create excitement before entering the space I always recommend dressing the entrance.  This gives the guests a hint of what to expect inside the marquee and provides interest to what is otherwise a blank canvas.  Outside of this gorgeous marquee by Highfield Marquees, we placed two glamourous pedestals comprising of David Austin roses, delphiniums, hydrangeas and dahlias, which also provided the most incredible perfume when entering the marquee.

Chinese top hat

In the photograph below the bride and groom wanted a magical, forest feel to their marquee so we dressed both entrances with large arrangements to ensure that guests felt as though they were entering a wooded wonderland, creating a seamless transition from the outside setting to the inside.

 

Dress the ceiling

You have a unique opportunity in a marquee to create a huge impact by dressing the ceiling.  It is a vast, neutral space that presents a myriad of possibilities.  There are numerous ways to add impact to a ceiling to create a jaw dropping, unique display that wows guests all day and looks simply spectacular in photographs.

Ceilings can be adorned with anything from floral chandeliers, tree branches dripping with hanging flowers or meters and meters of garlands made from sweet scented eucalyptus and rosemary.

 

This is where choosing an experienced and creative florist is so important. They will be able to advise on the best installation to suit your marquee and how to create something bespoke and unique for your wedding. 

In the photograph below I suspended silk flowers from a central pole which created a dramatic display that wowed guests all day and has been a talking point on social media ever since for journalists, celebrities and stylists!

Photograph by Jasmine Jade

In the next photograph Bernadette Chapman from Dream Occasions created the most spectacular display using multi-coloured ribbons to dress the ceiling.  The colours complemented the floral designs and striped table linen and looked incredible in the photographs.

Greenery is the 2017 Pantone colour of the year and I have used all types of foliage to dress marquee ceilings from metres and metres of garlands of eucalyptus and rosemary to full sized birch trees.

Floral Chandeliers are proving to be extremely popular in 2017 and are a beautiful way of drawing the eye all the way up to the ceiling.

1.     Incorporate tall arrangements

Tall arrangements can be easily seen by guests from all angles of the marquee and look simply spectacular in photographs.  They are an effective way of creating great impact in such a cavernous space.  If you are spending money on flowers you need them to be seen and simply by elevating them on top of a tall vase they immediately look decadent, luxurious and expensive!

Notice in the photograph opposite how the tall arrangements filled this large marquee from Highfield Marquees with colour.

We have even been known to place trees on top of tables to create impact.  They are an easy and unusual way of creating great drama without using a large number of expensive flowers.  Pippa Middleton used blossom trees on the tables in her glass marquee and we definitely share her sense of style.  Using trees on tables creates a glamourous canopy for guests to dine under and ensures that a large marquee still feels intimate and romantic.

CreCreate something on the table for guests to look at

Although I feel as though it is important to create height in a marquee, you do need something to adorn the tables for the guests to look at whilst enjoying the wedding breakfast.  This can be anything from flickering candles, pretty lanterns or vases filled with flowers.

flowers

1.      Use the space

Marquees often offer a unique space with plenty of room.  You therefore have plenty of scope to be creative and incorporate personal touches to your wedding.  This side unit was transformed into a unique and beautiful cake table, complete with messages such as ‘All you need is Love…and a Dog’.  I couldn’t agree more!  Make the most of the space available and have fun with it!

Photo by Tim Bowen

flowers