Opportunity Knocks....

The New Year is here and with it comes the anticipation of what lies ahead.  For me, change is in the air.  Events last year led me to take stock and question whether I was happy with my 'career lot' or whether there were new possibilities out there for me.  As a wise man apparently said ....you regret the things you didn't do rather than those you did.

I am embarking on a new journey and hanging up my 'florist apron' for the time being, whilst I pursue exciting new opportunities.   This is a big, brave step for me however, I'm not THAT brave...or big so I will not just be wandering in the wilderness but keeping to the paths clearly signed posted 'Wedding Industry'.   I think it is nicer to walk with friends than alone.

I have given my blog a little spring clean, ever hopeful that spring is on it's way.  I have closed one door, well pulled it to rather than closed it completely and I am ready to open a new one.  Let the journey begin.  Who knows where it may lead....................

Perfect Day

Yesterday was my 14th Wedding Anniversary.  Yes, 14th !!! On the 28th November 1997 I acquired the title Mrs.Clarke.  A title I feel very lucky to have.  Mr.C became part of my life at a time of sadness and chaos and brought with him lots of love, kindness and calm.  It wasn't long before I was head over heels and after a whirlwind romance we set the date.

We were married on a cold but bright day in November at the lovely Stanneylands Hotel in Wilmslow.  I wore a cream dress by Hilary Morgan Over the years this has spent time in my daughters' dressing up box and the detachable train made a great 'roof' when den building. Now redundant it is packed away as you never know this may one day be 'vintage'.  I carried a bouquet of Cream Roses with a Salal leaf collar by Chelsea Flowers and our cake was by Edible Art near Stockport.

It was only a small wedding, I didn't have bridesmaids, table centres, ushers, flower girls, etc. etc........... just a bride and groom with family and friends, a gorgeous wedding breakfast followed by lots of wine and dancing. Perfect!! Speaking of perfect, I know there will be many of you out there who think they have the perfect partner but, I am sorry to disappoint, as in fact the perfect partner belongs to me.  (If you ignore DIY skills that is!)

14 years on we are still happy, still in love and we have 2 beautiful daughters.....now that's perfect.

A Dedication to Jane Packer

Yesterday we heard the very, very sad news that Jane Packer has died.

Jane Packer was truly inspiring and  had a huge influence on the floristry world.  She will be greatly missed and as the word spread yesterday of her untimely death florists came together to share their sadness.

Many spoke of how she had inspired them and those who knew her and had the privilege of working with her spoke of a wonderful lady and a fantastic boss.

Jane started out by opening a small florist Shop in Essex.  She went on to create a global empire in which her name and memory will live on.

From Flower to Flour

This time last week I was up to my eyes in cake (no bad thing!!!) and had a house full of lovely ladies and friends who came to my Macmillan Coffee Morning

                                                   (Our Gorgeous Cake 'Buffett')

It was was great fun and a brilliant way for lots of local ladies to 'catch up' .It was also a fantastic excuse to eat loads of cake and most importantly raise funds for such a worth while cause.

We had a great turn out, the weather was gorgeous and the 'coffee morning' soon became a 'coffee day'.....

The very lovely Louise at  Jelly Tots & Dolly Mixtures delivered boxes of her totally gorgeous mini Red Velvet cupcakes.  It was a real struggle making sure I didn't devour these before my guests had even arrived!

                                              (cakes by Jelly Tots & Dolly Mixtures)

As well as Louise's cakes we had a team of bakers, including myself, creating masterpieces such as Apple Cake, Millionaire Bread, Brownies and loads of cupcakes.......mmmmmm.

WARNING - Wear Elasticated waistbands when hosting and attending a Macmillan Coffee morning !

My event was held in memory of my lovely friend Jeanette and we raised a remarkable £472.00 in her memory for Macmillan.

On a separate note I seem to have become addicted to baking, so roll on next year's event who knows what masterpieces I will be preparing for my guests........

This Little Florist Went To Market.

Yesterday was an early start and a visit to the flower market.  I love this part of my job.  With so much to choose from it's like being a 'kid in a sweet shop'. 

It's always a temptation to get carried away and I  have to remind myself to stick to my shopping list!

Step away from the hydrangeas, as gorgeous as they are they are not on the list.......

So I have collected the flowers for the first of my weddings this week, they have been conditioned and ready are for use.......It's time to get to work!

Let There Be White

I wanted to share with you my love for white.  I'm a bit obsessed with it really. White makes everything seem spacious, calm and peaceful. White is...fluffy clouds on a summer day, a soft blanket on a winter morning.  It's sweet meringues and quite literally...the icing on the cake!  It can sometimes be overlooked and considered plain and boring.  So I am on a mission to champion the cause for white and this is the first of what will probably be many posts on the subject.  Also, in view of the fact that the Duchess of Cambridge opted for white for her wedding flowers, it is fair to say white will prove to be popular for weddings in 2012.

But before we embark on all things white for weddings, I just wanted to share with you one of my favourite blogs, dedicated to all things white.   The White Approach is by the very lovely and very stylish Karen Jones.

Her blog is the story of her home and how she has transformed it with a wave of her 'white' magic wand.   She has a gift for spotting the perfect vintage and shabby chic pieces and lovingly restores and paints her brilliant furniture finds.  You can even buy some of her stunning finds and furniture.  So take a peek at her blog and put some white in your life......

She has also recently added another string to her impressive bow in the form of her VINTAGE CHINA RENTAL SERVICE.

The gorgeous vintage china she has carefully collected can now be rented for weddings, hen events, birthday parties and baby showers.  Karen will set up for you or also offers a collection service only. Prices are for a 3 day hire and she doesn't even ask that you wash up before returning everything to her ! .....  I did say she has a magic wand.   For full details of prices and terms go to  The White approach  or email her at info@thewhiteapproach.com.  It will transform your event.

So is a white wedding for you?  White translates into all styles whether you go for modern and minimal.....

( image by James Christianson)

Beautiful and elegant.......

 (Images belong to You and Your Wedding and  Robbie Honey)

Or Vintage Inspired.....

(image by 100 layer cake)

So no matter what your style why not go for the ultimate  'WHITE WEDDING'.....

Dream Design

Here we are on the eve of William and Kate's wedding and women everywhere are waiting in anticipation to see Kate's dress.  What colour will it be? Will it be plain or embellished? Slim fitting or with a full skirt? and finally who will the designer be?

If you had been given this momentous task, what would you choose for Kate?  Well, this was the task put before my youngest daughter Freya (aged 9) for her homework last week.  I have to say she embraced this task much more readily than her usual numeracy and literacy homework!

To begin with she poured over my stack of bridal magazines searching for inspiration........

After ALOT of searching.....she finally picked two gowns which she loved and wanted to use as the basis of her design.  The first was a beautiful strapless ball gown style dress with a very full tulle skirt by Britta Kjerkegaard from the The Couture Gallery

She also loved the beading and sparkle on the bodice of this beautiful dress by Hollywood Dreams

She hunted for pieces of  material, gems, ribbon and glue and set to work sketching, colouring, glueing and sticking.  Which is what she loves to do best.  She created a beautiful gown in a very pale blue with blue ribbon detailing on the bodice, a gorgeous big bow on the waist and a full net shirt.  Finally she finished the dress with lots of sparkles.

She worked hard on her design and was very pleased with the result.....and rightly so!!

So this is the dress fit for a princess and designed by my little princess.

Images from Wedding Magazine and Brides Magazine, Photos by me (Mum), design by Freya Clarke (possibly the next Vera Wang??)

Veils - Just Sheer Delight

Image by www.susannebarrettphotography.co.uk Flowers by www.rosaandcompany.co.uk

So...Today's question is 'to wear a veil or not to wear a veil'. Brides have endless options to choose from to create the perfect look for their big day.  From dream dresses and heavenly hair accessories to suit all budgets, there are simply no limits.  Brides embrace this choice and will for example, consider lots of different shapes and styles when dress shopping.  However, when it comes to the veil brides seem to be divided and put themselves clearly in the 'Yes' or 'No' camps.

I think that some brides feel that a veil is not appropriate if their wedding day is going to be relaxed and informal. But this is not true. A veil will look fantastic whatever type of wedding you have chosen to have. A full length veil is simply stunning for a traditional church wedding and yet also looks fabulous if you are getting married on a beautiful beach. Birdcage style veils are great for brides who want an individual, modern or even vintage look.

Here are a few of my brides who said 'Yes' to the veil..
Images by www.carolinewhitephotography.co.uk and www.susannebarrettphotography.co.uk

If you are looking for a veil then you may want to contact Margaret at  www.dream-veils.co.uk . Margaret will make your veil by hand to your specific requirements and finish it with a choice of edgings. Or it can be embellished with Swarovski Crystals.  She also makes Mantilla styled veils and Birdcage Veils.  She, like me, is based in Manchester but is happy to ship all over the UK and the world.   There are lots of images on her website to show her work and  the many brides she has made very happy.  If you are visiting her website take a look at the 'Special Featured Brides & Veils' section which tells the lovely stories of how some of her brides have passed their veils on to friends/family for their weddings and it has played the part of something 'borrowed'.   

Below are images from her website showing Ellie wearing a 126" firm silk veil with fine stitch edge sewn flat onto a comb.  Justine wears a 72" single layer soft silk veil and and Ioana wears a silver visor veil.

Images from the www.dream-veils.co.uk website. See website for details.

So consider all the different styles of veils available to complete your bridal outfit....the result will be a sheer delight!!

Let Them Eat Cake

Like most people I started the New Year with a diet.  However, my enthusiasm has been low of late but watching the last episode of 'Britain's Biggest Loser' on Monday evening has given me a much needed kick up my large backside.  This means no biscuits or cake.  Which is a real shame, I love cake, but if I can't eat it I thought a little indulgence here would be a good idea.  So help yourself  to a slice.......

Cakes always play an important part in celebrations whether it's a birthday, christening or wedding.  From an early age we delight in the ritual that goes with birthday cakes from blowing out the candles to carrying a sweet slice home carefully wrapped in kitchen paper at the end of a party.  To all of us cake evokes memories of happy occasions, parties and special moments.  Even your everyday cup of coffee can be transformed into a moment of bliss when it is accompanied by a beautiful cupcake.   At my youngest daughter's Christening we had a beautiful cake made to look like Noah's Ark by www.richardscakes.co.uk It had cute animals popping their heads out the windows and a giraffe coming out of the roof.  When we think about that special day we always think of that gorgeous cake.

The whole point about cake is that it is something special to be enjoyed.  For me, when a cake is being served I secretly hope for an end or corner piece as these come with extra icing and topping. Whereas some people opt for a small slice and then pull off the icing and just eat the sponge.  I understand that from a 'weight' point of view this may be better but, to me this is just plain wrong.  It's a bit like saying you will do a Sky Dive....then proceeding to jump off a small chair.  You miss the point of the whole experience entirely!!

For me cake is just heaven on a plate and here are a few more of my favourite 'angels' doing amazing things with butter and sugar.............

www.jellytotsanddollymixtures.co.uk
www.alice-rose.co.uk
www.cakesbybeth.co.uk
www.vanillacakeshop.co.uk
www.sweettoothcupcakery.co.uk

Image credits from top left a beautiful Peggy Porschen Cake, Cupcakes large and small from the Hummingbird Bakery, A Marks & Spencer cake dressed with flowers by Rosa and Co., Ian Stuart Bridal Gown from his Revolution Rocks collection, More cupcakes from the Hummingbird Bakery, A Richards Cake dressed with flowers by Rosa and Co., Tiered cupcakes from the Hummingbird Bakery (Bespoke Collection)

The Rambling Rose

Hello and welcome.  Rosa and Company is finally blogging.  Or to be more precise 'rambling' about flowers, brides, weddings, events, cakes, photography.........etc.,etc.  I am Jan Clarke owner of Rosa and Company Event Floristry and lover of all thing wedding related.  Infact, I would go as far as saying I am a bit obsessed about weddings.  I love the fact that my job means I get to be invloved in some way in lots of couples 'big day'.  I also get to drool over lovely wedding blogs and beautifully glossy wedding mags in the name of research.

So if you are on the look out for inspiration, information on wedding suppliers, venues, gorgeous flower ideas and much more then stop by once in a while and follow this rambling rose.....