Wayne & Andy’s amazing all-white wedding flowers at Botleys Mansion in Surrey
When I met with Wayne and Andy, I was so thrilled to find that they had loved some of our previous designs at Botleys Mansion so much, that they pretty much wanted to follow that style and make it their own. Botleys Mansion in Ottershaw in Surrey seemed like a perfect venue for Wayne and Andy who wanted a modern and light wedding venue, combining character with unfussy but elegant and classy decor. In adapting the wedding that they based their designs on, we simply tweaked a few details to make it less busy but that was pretty much it when it came to changes.
While talking to them during the planning stages, I realised that planning the details for a civil partnership wedding is not really that much simpler than a mixed couples wedding… The same hard calls to make about choices of decor, cakes, suppliers, bands etc. A few things even make it more complicated – who walks the couple down the aisle, are there to be ‘groomsmaids’ or are there simply two best men? Who comes in first? These were just a few of the questions that were mentioned. But a few things were in this case undeniably simpler since there was only one flower girl rather than many many bridesmaids to worry about when it came to dresses, shoes, make-up, flowers. A relaxed bouquet for Andy’s niece was simple and pretty, alongside with buttonholes and corsages for the wedding party. And keeping the outfits secret and not to be seen by the other until the day was also not needed, so shopping for the suits together was possible – much more fun and one less thing to worry about.
When it came to planning the look of the venue flowers, Wayne and Andy wanted to replicate the wedding that they had liked before, and opted to have the same beautiful, statement, all-white wedding flower-wall as the backdrop to them tying the knot. The ceremony aisle was again styled with modern lanterns, stylish chair back sashes, and plenty of rose petals scatter, and the mantlepiece dressed with a series of low vases and candle-lights. But instead of additional grand displays, Wayne and Andy were quite happy to reuse some of their dramatic table centrepieces to frame them as they stood in the Green Room for the ceremony.
Downstairs, wanting as much impact as possible, Wayne & Andy opted to have all tall centrepieces for their guest tables, and all of them kept amazingly simple, modern and pure white, with a mix of hydrangeas, roses and gypsophila. The long top table was dressed with a beautiful long runner stretching the width of the long top table, and behind it, adding even more wow factor to the top table, was the gorgeous flower-wall, moved downstairs to the Atrium in the time that guests were outside having their drinks and photos. The guest seating plan was framed by our gorgeous flower-frame, and the stairs were also dressed with plenty of gorgeous blooms, making a real statement as Wayne and Andy stepped foot into the Atrium.
