Beautiful florals for London weddings are the things that florists' memories are made of. We love to tell of our floral adventures and whilst we reminisce over glamorous award shows and super trendy product launches, it is those quintessentially London weddings that we still dream of. Those timelessly chic floral designs and possibly more importantly, the personalities that went into creating them.
The wedding for Selma and Chudy in September 2024 was one of our most exceptional weddings of the last twenty years. The day started at the stunning hotel, The Londoner, followed by the most romantic ceremony at St George’s on Hanover Square and then an awe-inspiring reception and party at the National Gallery. All of us at Hybrid Flowers will remember that day forever as the epitome of a timelessly chic, London wedding.
As London studio florists, we spend a lot of time talking about weddings. From the first client enquiry to reviewing and discussing mood boards, brainstorming unique design options and planning the wedding day logistics with each venue and location, there's a lot to talk about.
But we also spend a lot of time talking about a wedding after it is over; we really cannot help ourselves. It is a kind of debrief, enabling us to decompress, bask in the glory of a job well done and talk about how we might improve. We also tell each other the most touching, funny stories such as the time Alan (our Co-Director) had breakfast with the bride and groom the morning after the wedding when he was returning to clear the vases!).
It got us thinking: apart from the obviously beautiful flowers and the truly stunning photos you get back afterwards (especially if you are lucky enough to have Rachel of Rachel Takes Pictures as your photographer) what is it about a wedding that makes you, as a wedding floral supplier, remember it forever? We asked Pamela, one of Hybrid's fabulous floral designers, to tell us why Selma and Chudy’s wedding will be one of her most memorable. Here's what Pamela had to say...
What was the client’s inspiration?
I spoke to Selma on the phone first and immediately got the feel of the look she was going for – pure white and clean shapes. She then sent over her moodboard and I was just so excited and knew we had to be a part of the day. The best way I can think to describe the images she had gathered is to say that they consisted of Art-Deco lines with modern tailoring, punctuated with feminine flair. In a nutshell: timeless beauty.
What was important to the client?
That’s a good question. Based on our conversations and the site visits we had, it felt as though Selma was looking at the overall ambiance of the day rather than zeroing in on the individual details. The feeling I got from her was that they, as a couple, really wanted to fulfil the ‘eat, drink and be merry’ ethos, while making sure everything looked absolutely incredible along the way.
What was important to you?
Selma comes from a background in event planning, do there was an added layer of pressure because – quite rightly – she had a clear vision of what she wanted to achieve. So I just really wanted to make sure that happened and not let her down!
What surprised you?
How well the modern theming worked in the National Gallery. Especially in the iconic Room 32 where you are surrounded by classic Italian Baroque paintings you tend to automatically think of traditional styling in warm colours to complement the space, keeping it very soft and subtle. However, the stark contrast of the brilliant white-only arrangements against the dramatic and moody backdrop created a beautiful juxtaposition. Somehow, they didn’t fight with each other, but rather highlighted both the individual beauty of the paintings as well as the flowers, making them work harmoniously together.
What will you always remember about this wedding?
It was the moment just before the clock struck six. Everyone, and I mean everyone - all the vendors, production, catering, prop hire, linen hire, everyone – stood waiting in the loading bay for the moment we could get into the National Gallery… and it truly was the ‘calm before the storm.’ I just remember looking around at our team and thinking "yep, we’re about to do this and it’s going to be amazing".
Six o’clock hit, we took a deep breath and hit the ground running!
Most important flower to get right?
Interestingly, there wasn’t a particular flower that outshone or was more important than the rest. The main focus of the designs was to make sure the flowers and foliage were white – not cream or ivory, but pure white (which, as any florist knows, is no small feat!) with not a hint of green.
We are fortunate, though, to work with the best suppliers who understood and were able to get the insane quantities of flowers needed in the very specific varieties. Once acquired, we then had to ensure that the flowers were properly and fully processed, with all foliage removed and the flowers given enough space to ‘breathe’ to keep from bruising. In the end, it was all worth it!
Your favourite part of the wedding?
I have three answers to this:
Firstly, delivering the personal flowers to The Londoner and seeing how radiant Selma looked and how effortlessly calm and relaxed Chudy was. You never know what the atmosphere will be like on the morning of a wedding day. Sometimes it’s mayhem, sometimes fraught with tension, but in each of their suites there was an air of contentment and excitement that was catching.
Then that moment when the team was stood in the middle of Room 32 of the National Gallery when we were done, looking up at the magnificent Adoration of the Shepherds thinking "wow, we really did that".
And then finally, I just loved how epic the entry arrangements looked after being transferred to the modern looking Annenburg Court at the Gallery with the disco balls added. It just looked so cool and made them look completely different while really lending themselves to the space.
What could have been better?
I have been sat racking my brains and I really can’t think of a single thing that could have been better. There was a lot to plan and we will always worry a little bit because we care. I so desperately wanted it to be perfect for Selma and Chudy and, let’s be real, it’s the National Gallery!
But really, everything worked out beautifully and I wouldn’t change a thing.
Selma was so wonderful to work with, the team worked seamlessly, the flowers were stunning and everyone had an incredible day. I really can’t ask for more than that.
What was the set-up on the day like?
The thing with loading into historical spaces and/or galleries and museums from a logistical point of view, more so than hotels or other event venues, is that the access to these spaces is usually later in the day with tight turnaround times. This wedding was no exception and there were many moving parts, namely various rooms being used with staggered guest arrival times and transfers happening. But because we were so well versed on the timeline of the day and making sure we were able to get everything in place on time, we had everything planned down to the very last detail. So much so that at one point we were stood in the middle of the gallery waiting a few minutes for the tables to be clothed and ready for flowers!
As for the overall set up, it really was perfect. Selma truly had thought about every detail and how it would all work together - and she got it completely right. It was impactful but tasteful and timeless.
Standout people in the run up to the wedding and on the day?
Wow, this is tricky because we were one amazing team that day. Our contacts at both St George’s on Hanover Square and the National Gallery were so lovely and communicative; our suppliers completely pulled out all the stops even with me being super-specific about every variety, even the variety of white carnation. The coordinator on the day was wondrously helpful and all the staff we interacted with (whether it was at The Londoner, the Church or The National Gallery) were so sweet. Our team really got stuck in and involved. It really was the case that everyone worked together to make sure that the couple had the most beautiful of days.
All photos taken by Rachel Takes Pictures
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