Love, Loss, and a Wedding in Two Weeks: A Story of Devotion, Flowers, and Tears

This story does come with a mascara warning:

We had our first wedding of 2023 in March, nothing unusual about this, except that it was booked and turned around from start to finish in less than two weeks.

So, when I say turned around in two weeks, I don’t just mean oh the previous florist pulled out, or they forgot about flowers. I mean from start to finish was organised and delivered.

The couple weren’t even engaged before this. Within that time frame they organised the legal ceremony, invites, the suits, a photographer, wedding flowers and bridal gown.

My part to play starts with a message from a dear friend, ‘do you have plans on the xx date?’ I’m free, was my response thinking she’s going to invite me for drinks or dinner.

‘Well, I’m out with my friend, and she’s just got engaged! But we need to turn the wedding around in less than two weeks!’

Ok! Let’s do this.

At this point the details were brief, it was evening, they were celebrating, but the date was now in my diary.

When I speak to my friend and the gorgeous bride Catrin a day or two later, the reason for the quick turn around becomes apparent. The groom’s mother is unfortunately very poorly and had been given only a few weeks to live. The Bride and Groom made it their mission to organise the wedding so she could take part, or at least be with them the day they were married.

Every wedding is absolutely special, but for this couple the sheer determination and thought into every detail for the groom’s mum just made me want to do whatever I could to help them succeed. The primary flower choice, tulips, were her favourite flower, and the meadow box design that was chosen was to be moved to her bedside for her to be able to enjoy the wedding flowers.

The couple also have a daughter who was 2 at the time (the same age as my little girl) and we set about making her a gorgeous floral crown as well as a sweet little posey!

All the planning seemed to be falling into place, they booked their chosen photographer When Charlie met Hannah (win!) the date, and location was set, Mansion House in Newport.

And then devastatingly 3 days before the wedding, the grooms mum passed.

I remember taking this phone call from my friend in the morning and being in tears. I was gutted for them from the bottom of my stomach. Understandingly everything was put on pause.

The decision however was made the wedding would go on, in memory of the groom’s mum. She absolutely would be there watching down and would be remembered throughout the day in people’s thoughts and conversations. She absolutely would have wanted it to continue.

The day before the wedding when I am making these flowers, I cannot tell you the number of times I cried, thinking about the couple, their daughter, their friends and family. I managed to pull myself together and get everything created. The groom’s buttonhole, a tulip for his mum, but also a daisy from his daughter’s flower crown. The flower girl posey a very close smaller version of her mother’s bridal bouquet, these small details which create such a special day.

The day arrives….

I set about to the ceremony to set up, as I wait for the flower girl to arrive to place the crown on her head, I am so aware of the bittersweet nature of the day. And when I pop the crown on, I can barely keep it together, a quick escape into the foyer is needed as I can’t hold back the tears anymore. The bride arrives in her PJs to get changed in the toilet (talk about just making the best of it!) the flowers are handed over and I’m on my way to let them have their day.

Oh, and one final thing, there’s snow, in March! A springling of magic.