Paper Flowers on their wedding day by Petal and Bird
PHILLY & ANDY’S WEDDING
The real wedding of Philly and Andy featuring paper flowers by Petal & Bird.
I was so happy when I heard that Philly and Andy had got engaged. Philly is one of my sister very close friends and we were so happy for her. Andy, a British Windsurfing Champion and instructor proposed to Philly on a beautiful beach while they were on a windsurfing holiday in Hawaii.
I WAS SO HONOURED TO BE ASKED
Petal and Bird’s involvement in their big day started when I received a message from Philly asking if I could make some flower girl headpieces and 2 Hawaiian style leis. Such a lovely message to receive and I was so honoured to be asked.
I love a challenge so I set to experimenting with the lei (flower garland) idea as I hadn’t made anything like that before. A few sessions playing in the studio later and I had figured out how I could create them.
I sent images over to Philly of what I had experimented with;
“Andy and I LOVE this. Really love it. The colours are perfect and the flowers look so realistic. So beautiful. Thank you”
Then a visit to the studio to see the prototypes in real life and discuss the flower girl and page boys accessories all was coming together nicely and the making could begin.
FLOWER CROWNS AND BUTTONHOLES
I started with the flower crowns and matching buttonholes for the page boys, as we couldn’t leave the boys out. Here I used a combination of a blossom/hibiscus type flower and delicate small roses to combine the Hawaiian and English flower theme. Finished off with blue ribbons they were complete.
THE LEIS (PAPER FLOWER GARLANDS)
Then I moved onto the leis. I began by cutting individual petals for a plumeria/ frangipani style flowers and hand painting the centers to give them more definition. I then formed each petal into the flowers shapes and then repeated the process but with leaf shaped sections this time. Threading the individual flowers and foliage onto blue ribbons to match the seaside wedding theme.
Hand painting the details on each petal. (If only my hands worked this fast!)
THE WEDDING DAY
The Wedding was held at The Sandbanks Hotel in Poole, not far from where the couple live and windsurf. Entering the room where the cute flowers girls, Philly’s nieces, in their beautiful light blue and white lace dresses wearing their individual flower crowns and her nephews looking very dapper in their navy chinos and pale blue bow ties and matching blue paper flower buttonholes.
“The flower girls realised they can keep their flowers and the screams were heard in Swanage i think!!”
THE EXCHANGE OF LEIS
It was so lovely to hear how Philly and Andy chose to use their paper flowers and see them in action through the photographs. Philly and Andy exchanged their flower leis as part of their ceremony, like the exchange of rings. What a truly magical moment and a beautiful couple.
“I can’t wait to wear my lei. Thank you again for my unique little touch to my big day”
I wish them both all the happiness in the world during their adventures together as husband and wife.
“I’ve found the perfect place for my beautiful leis”
Later in the month after their wedding I received a lovely message from Philly with the following photo attached;
“I’ve found the perfect place for my beautiful leis. I’ll see them every time I walk through the door.”
That’s the great thing about Petal & Bird paper flowers, they will last forever. A unique keepsake to remember your special day or event.
PLEASE DO GET IN TOUCH
Please do get in touch if you would like forever flowers as part of your day, or if you are already married and your flowers are no longer around, how about a lasting paper recreation? Send me some photographs to clare@petalandbird.co.uk and I will get back to you with quote options to recreate.
To see more example of my work please take a look at the gallery here and to see my paper flower in actions take a look here.
Wedding photography- John Carter Photography
Wedding Venue- Sandbanks Hotel
Best wishes
