BEYOND THE SEASONAL NORMAL: A MODERN TAKE ON WINTER WEDDINGS IN WILTSHIRE
- Fi Passey
- Feb 3
- 5 min read
Thinking of a winter wedding but want to avoid the predictable dark tones or overt Christmas themes? You’ve come to the right place. At Corky and Prince, our philosophy for winter wedding flowers is focused upon creating warmth, romance, and bespoke elegance without relying on clichés.
The wedding of my London based clients Chess and Rich at the stunning North Wiltshire venue, The Pear Tree at Purton, is the perfect case study for this approach. Every element, from the radiant, pink and red flowers to the sophisticated styling, created an atmosphere that was deeply romantic, warm, and elegant. It proved that a winter celebration can be spectacularly vibrant and uniquely yours. As a local Wiltshire wedding florist, we thrive on making these cold-weather dreams blossom into a vivid reality.
The Evolution of a Vision: From Pastel Summer to Vibrant Winter
The journey to this wedding was a long one. London-based clients Chess and Rich chose the newly renovated Pear Tree at Purton in Wiltshire for its sleek lines and modern feel. Like many couples during the pandemic, they were forced to reschedule more than once. Eventually, they tied the knot in the winter of 2021.
Chess was an ultra-chilled bride who readily relinquished her original vision for a soft pastel summer wedding. In fact, we decided to do the opposite of "soft." We decided to embrace the winter season and "dial up" the warmth. We moved away from muted tones and toward a palette of warm and bright pink and red flowers. Accents of gold foliage were added to provide a festive "twinkle," paired with an abundance of fairy lights. This shift in direction allowed us to create a high-impact, modern bridal style that felt fresh and unexpected for a December date.
The Art of the Wiltshire Wedding Florist: Creating a Floral Narrative
At Corky and Prince, we are passionate about bringing your floral dreams to life, no matter the season or location. Specialising in bespoke luxury wedding flowers, we collaborate closely with our couples to understand their vision, transforming spaces into unforgettable memories.
For Wiltshire weddings, the venue often dictates the floral strategy. The Pear Tree is a beautiful blend of historic charm and contemporary glass architecture. To make this work in winter, we needed to ensure the flowers provided the emotional "heat" in the room. By blending rich, deep pinks, passionate reds, and soft creams, we transformed The Blossom Room—the ceremony space—into a cosy, intimate setting that felt worlds away from the crisp Wiltshire frost outside.
The Ceremony: A Dramatic Broken Arch
The ceremony took place in front of the grand doors leading out to the sweeping external staircase. To frame the couple without blocking the architectural beauty of the venue, we designed a dramatic "broken arch." This design was abundant with large pink roses, scented stocks, and golden eucalyptus.
The beauty of the broken arch lies in its contemporary wedding appeal; it feels less rigid than a traditional arch and more like a natural explosion of blooms. We leant into the winter vibe with glamorous touches of gilded gold eucalyptus amongst the abundant pink and red flowers.
The aisle was lined with soft chiffon chair drapes and posies of pink flowers, ensuring that every guest felt enveloped in the "warmth" of the design from the moment they took their seats.
Modern Bridal Style: The Pink and Red Bouquet
Chess’s bouquet was a was a captivating, hand-tied bridal bouquet, full of exquisite bright and dusky pinks, red, and ivory garden roses. The combination of pink and red flowers is a major trend for contemporary weddings as it's a colour palette that signals passion and joy, yet is also deeply romantic. Each bloom was carefully chosen for its perfection—from the velvet texture of the deep red petals to the delicate scent of the O’Hara roses.
For the groom, we chose a dusky pink rose and added a deep fuchsia pink spray rose accent to complement Chess's bouquet perfectly. The seven bridesmaids looked amazing in their satin gowns, carrying smaller versions of the bridal bouquet that made the pink tones "pop" against their dresses.
Transforming The Orangery: A Masterclass in Winter Styling
The reception was held in the modern Orangery at The Pear Tree. This is a "white and glass" space that is flooded with light during the summer, but in the winter, it can feel cool if not styled correctly. Chess and I were keen to bring a sense of internal warmth to this space.
Lighting and Height
To create a magical atmosphere, I draped star lights through the roof lantern, mimicking a night sky. For the guest tables, we created a flow of low and high floral centrepieces. Using our signature elegant gold flower stands allowed us to place lush, vibrant arrangements high above the eye line. This is a crucial tip for Wiltshire weddings: it ensures that guests can chat across the tables without blocked views or stilted conversations, all while filling the "vertical void" of a high-ceilinged room.
The Signature Table Floral Runner for the Top Table in The Orangery
The lush floral table runner stretching across the head table is a signature design at Corky and Prince. Bursting with vibrant roses and fragrant winter foliage, it created an inviting and festive atmosphere that commanded the room. Imagine this opulent design adapted for your own winter wedding flowers, perhaps incorporating deep burgundies, forest greens, and touches of metallic elements for a truly festive feel.
A Statement Cake
The clients were cake lovers and Bella Cakes delivered a showstopper with a waterfall of fresh flowers supplied by us. It's really worth exploring with your cake designer how fresh flowers can be incorporated into the finished piece.
Why Winter Weddings in Wiltshire are Truly Special
As a Wiltshire florist, I often find that winter weddings allow for more creativity than summer ones. In the summer, the outside garden setting does a lot of the work for you. In the winter, the florist and the stylist become the architects of the atmosphere.
Chess and Rich’s wedding beautifully illustrated how Corky and Prince can infuse bold beauty into any celebration. We don't just "provide flowers"—we design a floral narrative. From the romantic red rose at each place setting to the dramatic wedding cake featuring a luxurious waterfall of fresh roses, every touch was a deliberate choice to banish the winter blues.
Final Thoughts on Modern Bridal Style
Modern bridal style is about being brave. It’s about choosing a palette like pink and red when the rest of the world is choosing white and green. It’s about working with a Wiltshire florist who isn't afraid to scale up and create installations that challenge the "standard" wedding look.
If you are currently planning your own Wiltshire weddings, I encourage you to look at your venue not just for what it is, but for what it could be with the right floral touch. Whether you envision an opulent, rose-filled banquet or a minimalist, architectural ceremony, we are here to bring that vision to life.
The Creative Team:
Floral Design: Corky and Prince
Photography: @courtneylouisephotography
Styling: @ambiencebath (Holly)
Cake: @bellacakes
Venue: @thepeartreeatpurton
