issyandbella

[issyandbella]

Hold the front page, i have blogged!!

Well i don’t know about you but this blog writing is harder than it looks, i read blogs, admire my fellow florists who write them, i talk about writing them, but i still don’t bloody do it. So this virus has me a little lost and out of sorts with no weddings until July, there are only so many times you can re paint the studio door, so now i am going to write a few posts! i am i promise!! So i thought i would start from the top and write one about me and introduce myself and my crew to those who don’t know us. We are a mad bunch so apologies to start. 

Hi, i am Jo, i am the owner of Issy & Bella Floral Design, i am the wrong side of 40, mad as a box of frogs, swear way to bloody much, love all things flowery, gin and making peoples day with my flowers. Also do like a spot of knitting!!

So the first thing people ask is; are you Issy or Bella? well neither my name is Joanne Isabel and my mums name is Isabel Joyce. When i first started my journey back to the flowers after 17 years on the corporate wheel for Starbucks coffee company, we needed a business name, and i called it ‘Isabelle Flowers’ got all the marketing bits of vista print, started a website and all the jazz, but when all the business cards etc arrived i bloody hated it, it didn't look right, just didn't sound or look me.

So over a Gin and Tonic ( my favourite tipple) myself and mum thrashed out various names and by gin number 2, Issy and Bella was born! Well it wasn't hard its the same name just pulled apart and put back together in a fashion. So there you have it, and 5 years later and hundreds of beautiful weddings down the line, Issy and Bella has grown and the name is still right and i love it. 

Business wise there is me, Jo, i am the face of the business i do all the admin, bridal consultations, quotes, wedding designs, flower orders, accounts, and put together, set up and clear down all the weddings, we flower over 70 weddings a year. I make every single bridal and maids bouquets myself. But i couldn't do this on my own, there is Mum who is now behind the scenes doing the planting and growing of all the lovely flowers we use during the summer months. Then there is Jenna my right hand women of 3 years, Jenna is freelancer and a business women/flower grower in her own right, check out @flower_and_forage on instrgram, Jen is amazing she has learnt my style and just rocks out the flowers, arches, crowns and more, i couldn't do it without her talent or her ability to keep me sane when life and working 7 days a week for 52 weeks a years gets too much.

Me: image @catbeardsleyphotography

 Jen delivering the bouquets to one of our brides. Image@dominiclemoinegrams

Mum and Jenna! what they do on their days off, typically on the gin!!

And when wedding season kicks off another Jo comes and helps out and she is a bloody blast, keeps us all laughing and works like a trooper helping us setup big wedding. Then we also have my nephew George who comes and helps in the summer holidays ( but only if there is sweet cart at the wedding, we always nicks a few) and then my dear dad who at 84 is as fit as a butchers dog, is my Sunday helper and travels around the country with me pulling down all the arches, collecting vases etc, he loves sitting in the big van because he can do some farming over the hedges. 

Jo and Jen sorting the flat tyre, team work at its best..

The mother and father-ship, not bad for a pair of over 80′s

Then there is Rich my other half, not sure how he puts up with me during wedding season, but he does and he helps out at the big weddings that need some muscle and being an engineer when i need something to balance form a ceiling or marquee he is my man, and i am always wanting something built or have an idea but don’t know how to make it happen, and he makes it happen. 

Rich doing what he does best.

And last but my no means least there is Willow my spaniel who comes to most weddings with us if she can squeeze in the van, she is a flower dog to the bone and sits in her chair everyday watching me flower weddings, she is also named after my favourite tree. And when Jen is not here willow keeps me sane.

Images of willow by @lucygweddings

So that’s us team Issy and Bella, i will starting blogging about weddings, starting with the seasons and the lovely weddings we do in each one. Hope this was an ok read.

Cheers Peeps

Jo xx

[issyandbella]

Beautiful May Wedding With The Dress Of Dreams.

Victoria and Russel married at the stunning Dewsall Court in Herefordshire in May, and what a wedding! This was so special, I just had to share it with you.

Images by the hugely talented Nicola Dixon

When I first met Victoria, and her mum Karen, I just knew this wedding would be a dream from the start. The colours, the dress, the flowers, the styling, it was all just perfect.

Roses are Victoria’s favourite flower, and they were the running theme through the entire wedding.  With no exception the bouquet flowers were made using beautiful roses supplied by the Real Flower Company in Hampshire. We used David Austins Keira, White Ohara, Prince Jardinier, Cream piaget and peony pink. Victoria wanted her bouquet to be scented and it was, we added in sweet peas, and lily of the valley, as it was her grandmothers favourite flower. Myrtle from the mother of the Brides garden. Silver lavender, mint, scented geranium and eucalyptus, this was without a doubt a bouquet bursting with floral scents. For the final flourish we finished using our own organic, natural dyed silk ribbons to complete the look.

The bridesmaids had smaller versions of the bridal bouquet.

Victoria chose Eleanor from Leglow Brides to do the makeup, and Angie from Beautiful Brides to style her hair.

Victoria's dress was designed by herself and Emma. It was out of this world. With a simple, sexy split to show off those sequin Jimmy Choos. The dress was from Emma Beaumont Atelier.

The ceremony took place in the Wainhouse at Dewsall. For this we decorated with rustic chandeliers, that were hung above the aisle. We made multiple bunches of scented eucalyptus, rosemary and mint. They were then placed on the chairs.

The ceremony table had a gorgeous arrangement of the all the bridal flowers. The huge bundle of fresh flowers scented the wain for the whole ceremony.

After the ceremony, we saw the wain transformed for the reception. We decorated the long tables with a collection of foliage runners, and candles.

The yummy cake was made by Jo from Secret Cinderella, and of course decorated with needlessly endless scented roses.

Suppliers:

Photographer:  Nicola Dixon  http://nicoladixonphotography.com/

Venue: deswall court Herefordshire   http://www.dewsall.com/

Hair and Makeup: Leglow Brides  http://www.leglow.co.uk/

Dress: Emma Beautmont Atelier  www.emmabeaumont.com

Flowers: www.issyandbella.co.uk

Shoes:  https://www.jimmychoo.com

Cake: secret Cinderella http://www.secretcinderellacakes.co.uk/

#wedding #florist #weddingflorist #bridal

[issyandbella]

Oh What A Glorious April Wedding.

Sophie and Adam picked a stunning day for their wedding which was held at the Curradine Barns in Worcester.

Sophie had chosen a really pretty country vibe for her flowers which complemented her banging smoking hot dress and the gorgeous bridesmaids dresses to boot.

Her bouquet was filled with pearl and sweet avalanche roses, pale pink astilbe, powder blue love in the mist, delphinium tips, little tanacetum daises, freesia, alstromeria and baby's breath. We added in a touch of dried pink and dark blue larkspear, lavender and rosemary for scent. Green bell and eucalyptus for foliage. Seed heads and  bunny tail grasses for movement and character.

Cute little buttonholes of astilbe, delphinium, daises and eucalyptus wrapped in twine.

For the ceremony table a simple wooden box with flowers complimented the milk churns. 

For the reception we use simple retro kilner jars filled with an abundance of blooms for the guest table, with the top table having a vintage flower box over flowing with flowers.

The star of the show was the lovely backdrop Sophie wanted behind the top table, the barn wall is perfect for this flower hanging curtain. We used a mix of fresh and dried flowers.

Thanks to Cat Beardsley Photography for the stunning images she captured of Sophie and Adams day. \check out the link, Cat is an awesome photographer. 

Congratulations your beautiful pair and thank you fore letting issy and bella be part of your day.. Much Love xxx

[issyandbella]

Henley Hall, Photo-shoot

Henley Hall Photo shoot 2017.

So a few weeks ago i was invited to join a team of excellent suppliers from Herefordshire and Shropshire by Catherine Evans of Catherine Evans Photography. I was lucky enough to work along side the following team;

 Grace Beauty, Castle Brides - Wedding Dress Boutique,  Nick Boy Wedding Video, Trish Cameo,  Emma West,  Chillie Breeze Events and  Sams Sweet Treats.

Henley hall is a stunning 18th-century Grade 11 listed country house. Henley hall is a truly home from home wedding venue. www.henleyhall.co.uk

Catherine gave me the colour theme and an idea of her vision for the shoot. The bouquet we decided on was a shower bouquet made in a traditional holder, however me being me i couldn't keep it traditional and i had to ramp things up a bit and give it an issy & bella twist. So i added in pheasant feathers and curly willow and generally played around with the shape.

And you all know my love of flower crowns, seriously cant get enough of them, so i added one of these in, the crown was made so it was flower heavy at the back  and more delicate around the face.

Anyways enough of my ramblings, take a look at a few images from our shoot. I will also post a fabulous video by Nick boy wedding Video.

Next blog will be the uber cool Letton Court shoot. Stay tuned folks xxxxxxx

[issyandbella]

‘Just the smell of summer can make you fall in love’

As April is on its way out, we start to look towards the summer and the weddings we have booked in. I love the summer, beautiful roses, peonies, sweet peas, ammi, comos, lots of homegrown scented flowers to use. I wanted to share with you, one of the loveliest weddings from last summer, July the 23rd, it was one of the hottest Saturdays of the summer and we had two glorious weddings that day, here is the first one.  

Ilana and Todd Married at the beautiful Delbury Hall in Shrophire, the ceremony took place outside under the arch way which we had decorated, the reception was then held in the barn at Delbury Hall. 

Iiana and Todd choose the palette of blush, apricot, sage green and grey for their day. For the bouquets we used peonies, roses, astilbe, lisanthus, spray roses. to name a few. We added in eucalyptus which was a must as Ilana is Australian and blue thistles as Todd has Scottish roots.

For the tables and archway we added in hydrangea, carnations, stocks, ammi all in their gorgeous chosen palette.

Ilana wanted a flower-crown that was really full at the back, we love making flower crowns and had some much fun making this beaut. 

Take a look at some of the photographs of their day. Credit to ‘The Twins’ for the images.

[issyandbella]

Well hello to the word of blogging, i have finally got round to checking this thing out. Its Easter bank holiday weekend and in good old British traditional its raining outside... the office doesn't seem such a bad place now!! So i thought i would do a little post from last spring when this gorgeous pair tied the knot at How Caple Court in Herefordshire.There day was full of bright flowers, we used sunflowers which are Lou’s favorite, roses, delphinium tips, veronica, lavender, dried poppy seed-heads, waxflower to name a few. They recently celebrated their First anniversary for which Ryan had Lou’s bridal bouquet made again, what a fabulous thing to do. Photographs: Russell Lewis Photography

[issyandbella]

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