Decorating Convocation House with Sarah Harper Floral Design
Welcome back to the Bodleian Wedding Blog. Today we’re inviting one of our wonderful partners to talk about how florals transform Convocation House at the Bodleian Library. Today, Sarah Harper, from Sarah Harper Floral Design will be shedding light on her experience as a sustainable wedding florist and how her signature style really creates an elegant and natural feel in Convocation House.
Read on to find out more about Sarah, her romantic floral flare and her useful hints and tips…
A Warm Welcome to Sarah Harper Floral Design…
Sarah Harper Floral Design first opened their doors in 2014. After developing the business over the last six years, they are now moving into an exciting new chapter – growing their own florals for wedding clients.
The team deliver a personalised service. First, couples will discuss their wedding-day dreams, and Sarah will then base her designs around these visions. This will range from buttonholes, to floral bouquets and larger floral installations. With the planning completed, then comes the flower selecting.
Come outside…
Sustainability and seasonality is essential to the busy team. To support their ethics, Sarah Harper Floral Design has a beautiful cutting garden brimming with British florals like lavender, mint, dahlias and cosmos. Here’s a snap of Sarah looking completely in her element:
‘Utilising our beautiful home-grown or locally sourced, sustainable, and foam-free florals to create stunning and natural wedding flowers has been a dream of mine for many years.’
We asked Sarah, what three words would you use to describe your floral style?
She said: ‘Timeless, natural and romantic’
Sarah’s favourite florals…
‘My all-time favourite flower has to be the peony. The super short season, big blousy blooms and heavenly fragrance make them all the more special’
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‘My favourite designs have to be the bridal bouquets. I really get to know my clients and the whole process from watching their ideas unfold as we chat through floral varieties and styles, to hand delivering them on their special day, is what gets me up in the morning! Throw our home-grown flowers into that mix and I am in heaven!’
The story behind this image…
This couple were originally due to get married at the Bodleian in March 2020. Unfortunately, because their guests were coming from over-seas, and with tightening travel restrictions, the wedding couldn’t go ahead. Luckily, prior to the UK Government placing us all on national lockdown, the couple were still able to visit the Bodleian and have some photos taken around Oxford with Weddings by Nicola and Glen and Sarah Harper’s Florals. Sarah’s floral bouquet (see below) pairs perfectly with the Bodleian’s stone floor. The fresh and natural palette was well suited to early spring and the birth of new and happy memories.
Decorating Convocation House
Convocation House is where the magic truly happens, the vows are professed and the room swells with applause and emotion. But how should such a magnificent room be dressed? We asked Sarah for some helpful tips…
‘As a wedding florist, Convocation House really is a dream venue. The wonderful thing about the room is the truly stunning architecture. It provides the perfect backdrop for a wedding ceremony; balancing incredible grandeur, elegance and history with a welcoming and intimate atmosphere.’
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‘For those looking for a classic and elegant ceremony, timeless stone urns with an abundance of seasonal florals or ‘broken arches’ work beautifully in this setting. Why not mix it up, and go with a more modern twist, utilising clear plinths and stands to catch the eye or opt for a more natural look by creating floral meadow runners to line the aisle?’
Keeping florals simple, cost-effective and beautiful
‘With the current situation we have all found ourselves in, it is really making us realise what is truly important, and when it comes to getting married that is ‘just you two’ and your love story. Many of our couples are looking for scaled-back options, without compromising on quality or beauty, and for those couples we are delighted to launch our Intimate Weddings Package.’
So how does it work? Well, to start, you select your preferred floral arrangement and colour palette and then leave it in Sarah’s safe hands. This is an easy, stress-free process and works effectively for small and intimate ceremonies in Convocation House.
Until next time!
Whatever your style, there’s a florist out there perfectly suited to your wedding vision. With Sarah Harper Floral Design’s top tips, we hope you can take away some useful information and think about how you might transform the space, should you decide to tie the knot in Convocation House.
To find out more from Sarah please see the information below:
Contact info:
Sarah Harper Floral Design
Email: info@sarahharperfloraldesign.co.uk
Website: www.sarahharperfloraldesign.co.uk
Instagram: www.instagram.com/sarahharperflowers
Photo credits: (by order of appearance)
Anita Nicholson Photography
If you enjoyed this post, you might also enjoy: Hosting smaller wedding ceremonies at the Bodleian
Website: www.visit.bodleian.ox.ac.uk/venue-hire/weddings
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