 A month ago, we had the pleasure of meeting the lovely Caroline & Kate of Sussex Cutting Garden who grow their own seasonal flowers from their base in Hellingly in East Sussex. Offering a variety of beautiful home grown flowers plus a range of services from DIY to the full service, Caroline and Kate are the ladies to call if you fancy creating your own bouquets and table arrangements. So ladies, where did your love of floristry and flowers come from? It comes from our love of the outdoors and all things seasonal and natural. We have both worked for several years professionally gardening and growing and wanted to continue our careers in this field of expertise. We decided to start looking for an area of land to grow flowers on and started cultivating it 6 years ago. We realised that there was a huge trend towards home grown flowers for weddings and decided to put our knowledge of floristry to use. We had trained in this field but to be honest most of our experience has come from experimenting with our flowers to see what works best where and how. What are your favourite flowers and why? We both love sweet peas and roses as the scent from them is so lovely. What do you think are the wedding trends for 2018? Wild looking bouquets and arrangements - informal with foliage, berries, and seed head, also a large bright focal flower in the bouquet is very on trend. What are your two top tips to brides when they are choosing flowers? We grow to order and our dates during the busy wedding months get booked up well in advance so do come and see us early. There are so many varieties of flowers and foliage available so keep an open mind. All our bouquets are individual as every year the flowers we put together are grown with mother nature having the final say, so no two bouquets are ever the same. Individual bouquets add to the bespoke look that we offer. At The Pilgrims Rest we are constantly searched out inspiring and passionate suppliers to lend a helping hand on your wedding day. We are delighted to be adding Sussex Cutting Garden to our little black book of amazing Sussex suppliers. To find out how you can have your wedding at The Pilgrims Rest, please contact us on 07552873448 or venue@pilgrimsrestbattle.co.uk Sussex Cutting Garden please visit www.sussexcuttinggarden.co.uk   Do you love the idea of a DIY wedding but find the idea of doing the catering yourself daunting? If you need a helping hand, we have a list of highly recommended caterers that can offer a drop off to full catering service. We asked Emma Weekes of A Thyme For All Occasions - one of our recommended caterers her tips and favourites when cooking for weddings. Where did your love for cooking come from? I've cooked and baked since I was about 3 years old. My love for cooking came from watching and cooking with my nan and mum. I haven't stopped and still love it just as much, if not more. What is your favourite dish and why? I love cooking a big roasted joint with all the traditional trimmings. What is a great dish for a wedding or event? I enjoy creating beautiful centre pieces for the table, for example a whole dressed salmon or a honey & mustard gammon joint on DIY tables with plenty of colourful dishes. Is there a wedding you have catered for that really stood out for you and if so, why? I was running a wedding where everyone was so relaxed and happy. All the guests were very polite & all round a lovely bunch of people. This gave the wedding a real buzz when you’re working, plus a great atmosphere. What are your two top tips for couples choosing their caterer and food? I think it’s important to choose a caterer who makes the couple feel relaxed - as if you have known them forever. I try to encourage couples to have lots of choice and variety on the day, for example: sharing platters are great for this. It will go down a storm! Everyone loves a bit of everything. To see more of Emma’s menu please visit www.athymeforalloccasions.co.uk/ To find out how you can have your wedding at The Pilgrims Rest, please contact us on 07552873448 or venue@pilgrimsrestbattle.co.uk.  |
