Bridal Inspiration Board #64 ~ Summer Florals

It's fair to say that the weather this year has been largely cold and miserable so far.  But, there is an upside to all of this doom and gloom…according to the experts, the late Spring has delayed blooming in plants and so as we now head into Summer (fingers crossed!), flowers that normally bloom weeks apart are all set to emerge together in a floral explosion.  As creative event designers, we've been inspired this week therefore by the anticipation of all this gorgeous colour and impact and have turned our attention to Summer Florals


Summer-wedding-flowers

Image Credits: 1. Ashlee Raubach Photography 2. Fox and Beau 3. BerinMade 4. Annika Likes on Etsy 5. Live It 6. Burnett's Boards

Our Summer Florals design is bright and breezy, celebrating the wonder of nature with a fresh and clean look that brings the outdoors in.  Think long, lazy days full of laughter and celebrations stretching into warm, relaxed evenings that will be remembered for a lifetime.  We're taking the classic English countryside look with its soft, vintage feel and giving it a crisp twist to create a feminine and uplifting look.

Drawing inspiration from floral prettiness, our colour palette for this look is bursting with shades found in nature; a peony pink, delicate lilac and a pale daffodil yellow all complemented perfectly with a wedgewood blue for depth.  Individually these soft shades are beautiful and together they create a warm, light and imminently cheerful look which is perfect for a summertime wedding.

We're aiming to create a look which is bright but not necessarily bold and so to keep the overall feel delicate and soft, stick to materials and textures which are light and fine.  Delicate tissue papers, soft petals and watercolours will all perfectly bring this design to life.

The-Look_Summer-Florals Image credits: 1. Temperley London 2. Bijoux Heart 3. Style Me Pretty 4. Temperley London 5. Moschino 6. Jimmy Choo

Our Summer Florals bride needs a look which is beautifully delicate so look for gowns with simple structures and exquisite yet largely understated detail.  Temperley London's Laelia gown fits the bill perfectly.  This silk crepe de chine dress creates a light and fluid look with beautiful flower appliqués adding a delicate and subtle detail. We adore the pleating which ensures our bride can float down the aisle gracefully and of course here at Pocketful of Dreams we love adding a little unexpected twist to proceedings, so couldn't resist these Greta suede sandals from Jimmy Choo in a stunning lilac shade which just happen to be in the Net-a-Porter sale now (it is your wedding day after all!)…

Keep make up muted and natural with delicate, pastel shades – we're aiming for seemingly effortless beauty here – and wear hair loose and tumbling or loosely pinned into a chignon for a romantic look.  And of course, we couldn't resist a floral crown; opt for a variety of texture and structures but stick to lilac and pink shades to complement those shoes.

Inject a little colour into your look with some beautiful and graceful accessories.  Look for exquisite jewellery pieces, ideally in pastel hues to complement your colour palette.  These gold-plated Swarovski crystal drop earrings have a stunning vintage style with the delicate shades keep the overall look feminine and breezy.

Keep your maids looking stylish in simple sheath style dresses in sweet floral patterns.  Refer back to our colour palette to ensure the look stays soft and radiant and stick to light and crisp fabrics.  Pair pretty florals with simple jewellery and pastel heels for a dainty look.

And of course let us not forget the groom…a ditsy floral bow tie or pocket handkerchief would add a charming note to a well cut suit.

The-DECOR_Faraway-Shores1

Image Credits: 1. All The Pretty Details 2. Portsmouth Fabric 3. Jennifer Brouwer Interior Design 4. The Green Vase 5. All The Pretty Details 6. Pulling Petals on Etsy

It will come as no great surprise that flowers are going to feature heavily in the decor for this design!  Use a variety of different flowers, primarily in shades from our palette, to create an eclectic display.  We're celebrating the English countryside with this look, so you don't want your arrangements to be overly structured or contrived, instead opt for organic and natural looking displays which are bright, beautiful and romantic.

Use wildflowers to create that unstructured look and present them in a variety of different bud vases, test tubes and glassware in differing heights, colours and shapes to create truly memorable and unique displays.

But the floral element shouldn't just be restricted to your natural blooms.  Bolster your natural blooms with paper flowers, which can be used as alternative buttonhole ideas, as delicate touches or to create eye-catching backdrops and displays with oversized tissue paper blooms.  Look for patterned linens and furniture to create real wow factor; you may not be able to afford to hire in floral furniture for all your guests, but why not look for some eye-catching floral cushions or seat covers to create focal points in the ceremony and on the top table?

And finally, think about how you can use floral patterned fabric or paper in quirky and unexpected ways.  We have fallen head over heels with these amazing origami butterflies constructed with floral origami paper.  They play to the natural celebration of the design and would look fabulous grouped together on a wall or dotted about your reception room.

The-FEAST_Summer-Florals

Image Credits: 1. Sparkle and Swish 2. Sprinkle Bakes 3. Almond Corner 4. Family Fresh Cooking

Celebrate the summer with fresh ingredients and delicate flavours; avoid a formal wedding breakfast and instead think of long, leisurely summer picnics and how you can recreate that atmosphere with sharing platters and family style dining.

And of course, flowers can play a big role here too.  Decorating your wedding cake with delicate petals is a fantastic way to dress up a simple white cake but why not also consider incorporating edible flowers into your feast for a touch of charm?  A great option for everything from salads to cocktail garnishes, delicate petals will add a stunning and romantic twist to your food and drink.  We love the idea of serving homemade popsicles after the ceremony on a hot day or how about having a go at making these amazing looking floral lollipops to serve with your cake in the evening or as a little present for children attending your day? Just remember, not all blooms are safe to eat and you need to make sure your flowers are free from pesticides and insects.   Our best advice is to work with your florist to ensure the best result.

The-Details_Summer-Florals

Image Credits: 1. Mama Bleu Designs on Etsy 2. Back to Zero on Etsy 3. Annika Likes on Etsy 4. Vintage Scraps on Etsy 5. Oh Happy Day 6. Oh So Beautiful Paper

We believe it is often those little touches that can make a wedding truly personal, unique and memorable.  And with this design concept, there is huge potential to look at the details which can really make your day special.


For your stationery, look for floral patterns featuring hand drawn illustrations and watercolour paintings to give your look a delicate and vintage feel.  We're aiming for something that celebrates the essence and beauty of summer florals rather than accurate botanical representations so don't be afraid to be mix and match patterns for an eclectic yet beautiful look.  Also consider how you can extend beyond just flowers to other natural motifs in order to stop the overall effect being too one-dimensional.  Butterflies and pretty hedgerow birds would perfectly complement this look and be a great addition to on-the-day stationery; think about hand painted wooden signs or original vintage prints such as this one from Vintage Scraps on Etsy.

Serve your signature cocktails with pretty paper floral straws and why not create stunning paper flower favour bags to present heartfelt gifts to your guests?  These delicate paper flowers would also look stunning sat at each place setting for your wedding breakfast, with guest names inscribed into a leaf.

Our Summer Florals design is a great option for couples who are looking to create a peaceful yet bright look for their wedding day. celebrating the very best of the English countryside. If you've fallen for this look, then make sure you pop by our Summer Florals Pinterest board for even more inspiration.

 
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Do let us know what you think in the comments box below and if there are any colours, concepts or ideas that you'd like to see us incorporate into an upcoming inspiration board we'd love to hear from you!

Michelle & Vicki xx

Creative Event Designers at Pocketful of Dreams

 

Pocketful of Dreams is a duo of creative event designers, passionate about creating beautiful experiences. They design, style and deliver unique weddings tailored to your own personal story.  Email [email protected] to find out more.

Annabel

Annabel View all Annabel's articles

Founder of Love My Dress. Passionate Podcaster and Editor. Annabel lives in rural North Yorkshire with her husband and business partner Philip, their two daughters and menagerie of furry hounds. She loves photography, meditation, walking, being outdoors and star gazing. She is fierce when it comes to championing talent within the wedding industry and when she's not working on Love My Dress, she supports her husband Philip in the running of the family's sustainable flower farm and floral design business, Moonwind Flowers. In 2013, she became a published author.

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