Happy New Year from this Devon Wedding Florist! I’m writing this on New Year’s Day, traditionally a period of reflection. For me 2023 was lucky enough to be filled with beautiful weddings I was privileged to flower. Working throughout the South West, we flowered some gorgeous new venues and also some of our more regular ones, working at some of the most stunning family homes and dressing marquees. It was the year I started to grow flowers myself and I continued to work really closely with some amazing British flower suppliers, bringing all the more exciting natural and seasonal blooms to my wedding work.
Looking back I’m so very grateful to be trusted to work on the most special days, I get to my clients so well we talk about every aspect of their big day so when the wedding finally arrives it is a really emotional time! We work our socks off to ensure the flowers are created to perfection, not a petal is left unnoticed. New Year also encourages us to look forward, and I start the year anticipating another beautiful year for my wedding florist business, working with the best clients, planners and venues about. So much so, I cannot wait to throw myself into wedding season. This is always a busy time of year for new enquiries with couples looking ahead to 2025 to secure their suppliers, as well as the upcoming year. I am taking on a limited number of weddings this year so have deliberately left space for couples wanting to book for this year, so if you are getting married in the South West and looking for beautiful, seasonal and naturally elegant wedding flowers I would love to hear from you. If you are interested in reading more about how to choose your wedding florist I have a super useful blog here.
I use my blog to write about anything from sharing wedding flower inspiration, real life weddings, wedding industry news and behind the scenes here at The Rose Shed. Today's blog is a laid back way to ease myself into blogging for the new year, to say hi to you all, welcome you all back to my page. It is filled with my thoughts on the new year and what I will be up to this month! I am unashamed to admit that I am controversially a lover of January. January is a still time, time to hibernate and focus on nourishing foods. Our energy for new beginnings aligns more with spring so I really think it is important to take time in allowing yourself to be slow, hunker down and relish in the quiet darker months. It’s so crucial that we take this time to rest and reset… it’s not about depriving ourselves, starting strict exercise regimes we are most certain to break, relentless diets or dry January!
January is no time to embrace diet culture, despite the constant messages of new year, new you! It’s a time to cook, nourish and warm the body with wholesome goodness. Soups, curries and big pasta dishes are my favourites in winter, I’m never happier than when in the kitchen cooking up a feast! Whether you partake in veganuary or not I naturally lean towards more vegetarian dishes this month after an over indulged December. Nigel Slater Greenfeast, Autumn and Winter Anna Jones One Pot, Pan, Planet are my go to books full of easy recipes.
It’s a time to rest, reset and reflect on the past year… I have always loved January as it is a quiet period within the wedding industry, so that automatically means a slower pace of life. Fellow suppliers rejoice in the no wedding months where we can get ourselves together, focus on the upcoming year, work on the business instead of being consumed in the business daily. Not forgetting the January dreaded accounts and catch up admin, it’s a time for consultations and existing new enquiries. I adore the stream of new enquiries January brings, the chance to meet new couples fresh in throes of wedding planning, listening to all of their ideas, dreams and visions they have for their wedding day. When everything is still, hibernating and naturally dull outside (the north Devon coast seems to be a constant shade of grey mizzle at the moment) the joy and elation of newly engaged couples embarking on a journey of wedding planning, really is quite a contagious feeling!
However, it is also a month for me to relish the slower pace and enjoy all those things we tend to miss out on during the rest of the year, I am a home bird so I adore being at home, pottering about (as much as you can do with a toddler!) It’s also a great time to focus on the garden, after my first year of growing flowers last year I’m well and truly hooked! I have planted all my bulbs (bar a few bags, which I MUST get in this week!) Some of the narcissi have sprouted up already, which is bringing me welcome sense of new beginnings. I’ll be ordering my sweet pea seeds and also look to get some bare root roses and shrubs. I’m looking at the garden this January in a new light as everything has died down, it is looking shockingly bare so it’s a chance to think where I’d love to add some all year round colour, structure and interest.
1 Winter Boots, Gucci, Net-A-Porter. are these not the perfect florist boots?!
2 Pie Dishes, Glassete. A classic melamine style these pie dishes are a staple to any kitchen. I’m so here for big hearty pies in January.
3 Wool Coat, Arket. Cross between a smart woollen jacket and a big cosy jumper, I adore the relaxed feel to this coat. We are still very much in the depths of winter so a super warm coat is a must, and I can always convince myself there is room for one more coat on the peg!
4 Calendar, Papier. Being organised goes without saying when you run your own business, so as well as my online diary sycnhed throughout I’m a fan of an traditional calander in the kitchen too.
5 Pasta Bowls, Glassette. January is no time for salads so these pasta bowls are a stylish way to serve up those one pot wonders, the pastas, curries & winter stews that nourish us throughout this dark month.
6 Adidas Samba, ASOS. New Year… New Trainers?! Now that is a motto I can get on board with.
7 Acne Studio Scarf, Selfridges. All the cosy vibes here and no florist uniform is complete without an oversized wooly scarf, the soft dusky pink is a warming tone and a change from the black and grey!
8 Face Mask, REN Skincare. I enjoy having more time to pay extra special care to my skin in the quieter months and this face mask is a quick way to immediately brighten any dull skin.
9 Denim Waistcoat, Fox and Feather . A more stylish version than a classic florist gilet! Layer over big jumpers in winter and floaty dresses in the summer… an all year round item what is not to love?!
10 Necklace, Aligheri, Liberty. One of my favourite jewellers, every time I wear her necklaces I get so many compliments… this little beauty is in the Liberty sale so be quick.
I'm easing myself in to 2024 gently like I do every year… and I am only taking on a limited number of weddings again this year. I’m positively fuelled by the changing seasons so if you’re looking at getting married and are searching for excitedly beautiful yet natural and elegant blooms then I’d love to hear more about your wedding day plans.
Photos courtesy of the brilliant Camilla Joy Photography
