Back in May, things kicked off rather inauspiciously on a very rainy day at The Almonry Barn, Muchelney - all too reminiscent of the Somerset flooding earlier in the year when they had, indeed, been under water. However, it is a fantastic venue and crates, bottles and jars filled with clouds of gypsophila quickly transformed it - just as the sun came out.
Also, in May I was back at an old favourite venue, Minterne House for two very different weddings - the first a riot of red roses throughout and then into soft pastel summer flowers - the gardens there were at their best with everything coming into leaf and bloom, making a spectacular backdrop for both events.
By early June, I was in a marquee beside the lake at Sherborne Castle doing flowers for a bride whose two sisters I have also done flowers for and the marquee and orangery were brimming with hydrangeas, lilies and roses in white and green with touches of blue on a beautiful day with light shimmering over the lake and the gardens there also looking marvellous. A few weeks later, I was back there again recreating 3m eucalyptus 'trees' on the marquee poles and hundreds of tiny white LED lights glinting everywhere for a very magical effect.
Almost on my doorstep, there are two wonderful new-ish and very contrasting venues. If you don't already know them, they are well worth a look. Firstly, North Cadbury Court is a stunning venue, carefully and painstakingly restored by its owners over recent years and even has it's own ballroom ! There is a huge church nearby and, of course, it is also licensed for civil ceremonies. There is so much space there and endless possibilities - the parties and weddings I've done flowers there for have all been so varied and great fun to do.
Also, worth knowing about is Pennard House at East Pennard, near Glastonbury. With the elegant main house, the cleverly converted coach-house and even a field of tipis nearby it is a great place to make your own.
There is much more to catch up on which I will do again soon. Of course, there are also other weddings I'm busy working on over the coming weeks, so fingers crossed for a lovely Indian summer as we go into September - the hedgerows around here are already bursting with blackberries and sloes - time to get picking !
