At The Blossom Parlour, our dedication to sustainability has been going strong since 2018. It's a process, more than a destination as there is always changes and improvements to be made as we become more adventurous with designs and ideas.
Our simple changes began with packaging and ensuring we use seasonal flowers, purchasing from British Flower Farms when possible. From there, we looked into our funeral florals, and how they could become more sustainable, as basic arrangements use an enormous amount of toxic floral foam. Finally we re-evaluated our wedding provision and how we could overhaul practices there.
As a wedding only floral design company, our improvements within this sector of the floral industry is our main focus. As couples come to us as industry experts, often not having had experience of planning events with fresh flowers before, our expertise and knowledge will lead them to making sustainable choices and educating them around the subject area in general. Our top tips for sustainable florals include:
Using a floral designer that does not use floral foam. Mechanics for bigger installations will vary, ask about how they tackle this.
Using British grown flowers where possible. This cuts down the travel of flowers, and supports the local industry.
When importing flowers, using a floral designer who has a wholesaler with a sustainable focus where possible, and then using a "planting trees" programme to offset the carbon footprint of the delivery.
Use a floral designer closer to your venue. This is a tricky one, because sometimes we fall in love with the work of someone further afield. But nevertheless, is a point to consider. Likewise, floral designers will use a freelance team at times, and using freelancers local to the venue is another great way to lower our carbon contribution.
Ask your floral designer to create one set of floral arrangements that will be repurposed across the day. This not only limits waste, but also is better for your financial investment.
At the end of your wedding, ask for your florals to be broken down so you can gift them out to guests. Please note, some florists will charge extra for this service, especially if there is a lot to breakdown and there is a venue time constraint.
The Blossom Parlour's commitment to sustainability means we already practice a lot of the list we previously mention. Our mechanics are fully reusable or compostable. Our relationships with British Flower Farmers mean we are able to source a wide selection of seasonal flowers during the growing season. We have a wonderful roster of freelancers across the area we work in. Our consultations are structured so that we can create one set of florals to serve your wedding day without creating extra waste. We also ensure that waste that cannot be regifted is composted, that we are careful with our water consumption (we used to have a water butt at the last workshop, alas we don't have one since moving! It's on our list to organise), and we would like to invest in a more sustainable method of delivery - electric/hybrid vehicle of sorts in the long term. Sustainability is a constant journey that requires our reflection and consideration, regularly.
For those who would like to make more sustainable choices within their wedding planning, ask suppliers that you are considering how they work and make sustainable choices. It's not about the big grand gestures, but more the little and consistent steps that they are taking to improve. It's a hard task as a business to implement sustainable practices, and we should celebrate those wins!
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