As we have now come to the end of our 2016 wedding season, it’s time to catch-up on lots of news posts and we are delighted to start with the images from a rather lovely shoot we did in the summer this year…

On a very hot July day, we welcomed Holly from Willow and Pearl who designs and makes stunning multi-way bridesmaids and flower girl dresses.  The shoot was planned to celebrate the launch of Willow and Pearl’s new colour ranges which included Periwinkle, Blush, Sage, Heather and Wisteria and whilst these colours looked stunning together Holly and her stylist Kate (By Kate Elizabeth) decided to create four different sets to showcase the new colours whilst making use of different areas of our gardens and grounds.

The team also included Penny from Crown House Flowers who created some rather special florals for each shoot and  Lanoi Hansakda and Jeahan Tuddenham who provided stunning hair styling and make-up for our gorgeous models Emma, Liz, Hollie, Sophie and Lanoi.

Provence

The first shoot entitled “Provence” featured Willow and Pearls beautiful Periwinkle Pearl gowns which are a lovely soft blue and looked gorgeous against all the lavender which was in full bloom in our gardens.   We also had a bride, Emma, for this shoot who wore her own elegant wedding dress from her actual wedding which was just the week before!

Penny created a beautiful bridal bouquet and bridesmaids posies which included lavender, rosemary and poppy seed heads.   The elegant look was completed with lavender fizz and delightful afternoon tea treats.

Enchanted Forest

For the second part of the shoot we moved to the edge of our woodland and used the shade of our majestic oak and sycamore trees.  Our models wore Sage and Blush Willow gowns which were all wrapped in different ways to highlight how versatile these dresses are – in fact there are endless ways to wrap these dresses! To finish the look, Penny wove delicate daisies into the braids of our models hair and the dresses were complemented with crystal accessories.

The Sage and Blush colours looked stunning together and are perfect for Brides looking to have their bridesmaids in “mismatched” gowns which allows them to choose complimentary colours and styles.

Magical Meadow

Our meadow, with it’s mowed paths, is a lovely part of the garden in July when the grasses reach waist height and on a warm day is a filled with butterflies and dragonflies.  For this part of the shoot, our models all wore Blush Willow dresses and this soft colour looked amazing amongst the delicate grasses.

Dark Romance

The final part to the shoot (and probably our favourite, although it is hard to choose!) was set in our woodland within our glade garden.  Our models wore Heather and Wisteria gowns which are gorgeous shades of plum and lilac and once more looked stunning together.  We loved the botanical feel to this part of the shoot and especially loved the bouquets Penny created using ferns and other foliage and the rather special floral fascinators she made to compliment the bouquets.

We would like to thank everyone for coming together for this shoot and hope we have provided lots of bridesmaid inspiration!
Location: Swanton Morley House & Gardens, Florist: Crown House Flowers, Photography: Swanton Morley Studios, Dresses: Willow & Pearl, Stylist: By Kate Elizabeth, Makeup: Lanoi Hansakda, Hair Stylist: Jeahan Tuddenham, Models: Emma, Liz, Hollie, Sophie & Lanoi

 

Chris and Jaqueta say “I do”

Many congratulations to Chris and Jaqueta who recently married at Swanton Morley House and Gardens with a beautiful outside ceremony under our magnificent and ancient Lawson Cypress tree.

On one of the warmest days of the summer, the weather was just perfect for an outside ceremony and with Jaqueta’s love of flowers, our gardens provided a lovely backdrop for the couple to exchange their vows.  Further floral arrangements and hanging garlands of flowers in peach and green tones added to the setting and were reflected in Jaqueta’s bouquet which looked stunning with her full length bridal gown and jade green shoes!

After the ceremony, guests enjoyed Pimms and canapés on the terrace and played garden games on our lawns including having a go on some of the biggest space hoppers we have ever seen!  Later, guests moved to our courtyard marquee which had also been decorated with beautiful floral arrangements.  Everybody enjoyed a delicious three course wedding breakfast and there was much more food later with cupcakes, a hog roast and a sweet buffet which kept all the guests topped up whilst being entertained by a live band and disco.

Chris and Jaqueta added lots of personal touches to their day and with the help of their family and close friends, set up a great “superhero” inspired selfie area which many guests enjoyed and we look forward to seeing some of these images soon.  This all added to the fun and relaxed day Chris and Jaqueta hoped for which we think they certainly achieved.

Many congratulations again to Chris and Jaqueta and wish you all the very best for your married life together!

Flowers by Crown House Flowers, Catering by Florentina, Hog Roast by H.V. Graves, Bar Services by Twilight Bars.

Andy and Jodie say “I do!”

Many congratulations to Andy and Jodie who recently married at Swanton Morley House and Gardens and who had the most elegant day surrounded by family and friends.  Their wedding was held in our ceremony room which was decorated with floral displays by Crown House Flowers that included peonies and pink and cream roses to give a wonderful English garden feel.

Jodie looked stunning in her ivory lace wedding gown and her bridesmaids wore elegant blush pink dresses. Jodie and Andy’s dogs, Maggie and Clover, who came to the ceremony wore cream bows!

After the ceremony, guests enjoyed drinks and canapés on our terrace and lawns whilst chatting and enjoying garden games and some selfie fun!  Later, everybody moved to our courtyard marquee for a delicious three course wedding breakfast provided by Back to Your Place.  The marquee had also been decorated with pink and cream roses and peonies and a beautiful foliage garland on the centre pole.

Jodie and Andy’s wedding cake had been made by their friend and included little miniatures of themselves and even their dog Maggie!  Guests enjoyed the wedding cake together with a hog roast in the evening and later danced the night away with a disco in our dance room.

The following images are by kind permission of Jodie and Andy’s fabulous wedding photographer, Jo of Summer Love Photography.  We think these gorgeous images perfectly capture this wonderful wedding – thank you Jo for sharing!

We wish Jodie and Andy all the very best for their future married life together!

Flowers by Crown House Flowers, Catering by Back to Your Place, Photography by Summer Love Photography, Hog Roast by Lilwalls, DJ by Saturn Entertainments.

Chris and Rachel say “I do!”

Many congratulations to Chris and Rachel who recently married at Swanton Morley House & Gardens and who brought together a beautiful wedding inspired by their love of sailing and the beach.  Surrounded by family and close friends, Chris and Rachel tied the knot in our ceremony room which was decorated with lots of stunning flower arrangements in creams and blues.  Rachel looked stunning in her beautiful wedding gown and her bridal bouquet, which was arranged by a family friend, was an elegant design of cream roses and freesias.

Special mention has to made for Rachel’s Dad, Richard, who expertly choreographed the ceremony music to ensure they both walked down the aisle to the formula one racing car theme which was a complete surprise to Chris and all the guests and brought in another personal aspect to Chris and Rachel’s day – their love of motor sport!

After the ceremony, everyone headed to the terrace and enjoyed Pimms and canapés whilst a Jazz band played on the deck and then later guests headed into our courtyard marquee for a delicious wedding breakfast.

There were so many lovely touches to Chris and Rachel’s special day and we loved the shades of blue the couple used for their tableware, decorations and gorgeous three tier wedding cake.  Later, guests were treated to fish and chips (of course!) and enjoyed dancing the night away.

We wish Chris and Rachel every happiness for their future together!

Flowers by Crown House Flowers, Catering by Florentina, Evening Bar by East Coast Bars, Cake by Shortcakes, Jazz band by Eddie Seales Big Band, Evening Disco by Chica DJ

Congratulations Heidi and Dan!

Our congratulations to Heidi and Dan who recently married at Wymondham Abbey and held their wedding reception at Swanton Morley House and Gardens. This was a reception with a difference with not just one but two marquees!

Upon arrival, guests were treated to delicious canapés and ice-cream in the gardens whilst enjoying the sunshine and playing lawn games.  Later, guests moved to the marquee in the meadow for a vintage afternoon tea.

Heidi looked stunning in her beautiful fairytale wedding gown and both herself and Dan worked really hard at adding lots of personal touches to make their day truly unique including their own cocktail recipes!  A special mention, however, has to go to Heidi’s brother, Philip who handmade the wedding signage which looked fantastic in the gardens.

For the evening, guests moved to our courtyard marquee and danced and even sang with the band – One Night Standeoke who were great fun.  With a delicious hog roast, a cheese table, chocolates and a five-tier wedding cake in the evening this was definitely a reception for foodies!

We wish Dan and Heidi all the very best for their future and hope they had a relaxing honeymoon.

We are delighted to be celebrating British Flower Week this year with a special British Flower Arrangements for British Flower Week Workshop on Wednesday 15th June 2016.

In celebration of British Flower Week, this fun filled workshop will be focusing on arranging beautiful British Blooms.  Bring along your favourite vase and learn how to prepare and make stunning arrangements with lots of inspirational ideas and tips on how to create more beautiful arrangements for the home.

Also, as a special celebration for British Flower Week we will also be creating an elegant posy for you to pass on.  What better way to make someone’s day then by giving them some British flowers?  Why not surprise a neighbour, relative, friend or even a complete stranger and create a smile with British flowers!

Includes all flowers, materials, equipment, expert tuition, coffee and cake and all designs made can be taken home.  For this workshop, please bring along your own vase and a large box to assist with transporting your arrangement home.   Vases will also be available to purchase on the day.

9.30am to 12.30pm – £48 per person,

Please contact us for further information or to book a place.

Will and Tina say “I do!”

Many congratulations to Tina and Will who recently married at Swanton Morley House and Gardens surrounded by close family and friends.  Their intimate and elegant wedding was full of fun with lots of personal touches which everyone enjoyed.  Tina and Will chose cream and olive green colours for their wedding floristry and Penny, our in house florist, created wonderful displays for the ceremony room, marquee and even a garland for our swing for two in our woodland.   With potted olive trees, elements of lace and lots of candles and fairy lights, the ceremony room and marquee had the most romantic feel.

We were delighted that the rain stayed away so Tina and Will were able to have some photographs in our gardens before they relaxed with their guests with a glass of bubbly and delicious canapés.   Guests also enjoyed a mouth watering three course wedding breakfast, provided by Back to Your Place, in our courtyard marquee and later danced the night away!

We wish Tina and Will all the very best for a long and happy marriage from all of us at Swanton Morley House!

Stuck for a Valentine or Mother’s Day present? Our floristry workshops make great gifts. Learn a new skill and also take home some beautiful blooms! For full details of our Spring 2016 workshops please see our website http://swantonmh.wpengine.com/workshops/

Gift certificates also available.

At Swanton Morley House we love flowers and foliage and are delighted that the use of greenery is a key wedding theme for 2016.   Foliage plays such an important part in wedding floristry and used with imagination can enhance designs with texture, scent and value for money!

We are also loving the use of beautiful floral table runners to dress tables ready for the wedding breakfast. Together with our in-house florist Penny we recently created an Italian inspired design using lots of eucalyptus and rosemary and the scent was amazing.  Elegant cream spray roses and lisianthus were dotted through the design and we think this would beautifully complement rustic platters of breads and antipasti for Italian dining – delicious!

If you fancy learning how to create your own garlands and more about the latest trends for dressing wedding breakfast tables please have a look at our latest flower workshops and the course running on 23 April 2016.

Beautiful jewellery designed by fine jeweller Emily Richardson

We love a bit of sparkle and glamour at Swanton Morley House so we were delighted when fine jeweller Emily Richardson chose our venue to shoot her new jewellery collections last September.

Taking inspiration from Salvador Dali and the love of his paintings Emily wanted to create a romantic and theatrical story to showcase her stunning jewellery and chose Swanton Morley House for its unique “garden rooms” which we have within our beautiful grounds.  

Emily’s creative team for the shoot included Tori Hancock the photographer (who is also a highly recommended wedding photographer), Elinor Skrupski the model with glowing red hair and Dominika Kroczak for make-up and hair styling.

The first part of the shoot was near our glasshouse and hot borders which were still bursting with late summer colour, other images were shot in our meadow with Elinor chasing butterflies.  The stumpery at the edge of our woodland was used to create some dramatic imagery and tall ladders were also used beside our Mediterranean courtyard to literally reach into the clouds!  Each of these areas perfectly complimented Emily’s new Rose, Butterfly, Clock and Cloud collections which include necklaces, bracelets, rings and earrings.

We think these elegant pieces of jewellery would be perfect for brides on their wedding day, perhaps as a special gift from the groom!  Emily also designs engagement and wedding rings and with a bespoke design service her clients are able to create one-of-a kind pieces of jewellery that are truly personal.

We love the final results and for more information and for a closer look at Emily’s work please visit Emily Richardson Jewellery.