A Colourful wedding at Rhodri's by the Lake, Cardiff. Doug & Nicky's Big Day

A Colourful wedding at Rhodri's by the Lake, Cardiff.

Doug & Nicky's Big Day

Floral pocket square and not a muted palette in sight. Bold and bright from ceremony to reception.

Same sex wedding Bold and bright flowers.

Colourful and bright wedding ceremony flowers with floral backdrop, bright registry table and aisle flowers — Colourful ceremony flowers at Rhodri’s By the Lake, Canada Lodge South Wales. Image by Kate Richards Wedding Photography

This small, intimate wedding at Rhodri's by the Lake in the grounds of Canada Lodge, is one of my favourites so far this year, and I still can't stop smiling about it.

This picturesque lakeside log cabin at Rhodri’s is perfect for a smaller celebration like this.

Doug and Nicky wanted their day to feel exactly like them; relaxed, warm, and joyfully colourful. No muted palettes, no "safe" choices, just bold, happy flowers from start to finish. As a wedding florist, that's the kind of brief I live for. So much fun!

The groom at same sex wedding is smiling wearing his jacket with blue pocket floral square — Nicky at Rhodri’s By the Lake, Canada Lodge South Wales. Image by Kate Richards Wedding Photography

The groom at same sex wedding is smiling wearing his jacket with purple pocket floral square — Doug at Rhodri’s By the Lake, Canada Lodge South Wales. Image by Kate Richards Wedding Photography

Where the Inspiration Started

Every wedding starts somewhere, and this one started with a plate. Doug and Nicky brought me a beautifully illustrated Christian Lacroix charger plate covered in rich jewel tones — deep reds, purples, golds, and pinks woven through botanical detail. It was incredible and that single plate became our colour map for the entire day. This is one of my favourite parts of the job; taking something a couple loves, whether it's a plate, a piece of fabric, or a photo they can't stop looking at, and turning it into flowers.

The inspiration for the day the Christian Lacroix charger plate — The inspiration for the wedding. Rhodri’s By the Lake, Canada Lodge South Wales. Image by Kate Richards Wedding Photography

Colourful aisle flowers at Rhodri’s By the Lake, Canada Lodge South Wales. Image by Kate Richards Wedding Photography

Colourful flowers at Rhodri’s By the Lake, Canada Lodge South Wales. Image by Kate Richards Wedding Photography

The Ceremony Flowers

Colourful wedding flowers at Rhodris by the Lake with floral backdrop, floral urns and long and low table arrangement — Colourful floral backdrop at Rhodri’s By the Lake, Canada Lodge South Wales. Image by Kate Richards Wedding Photography

Colourful long and low display at Rhodri’s By the Lake, Canada Lodge South Wales. Image by Kate Richards Wedding Photography

Inside Rhodri's, the ceremony space called for something that could hold its own against all that beautiful timber and those antler chandeliers. We went big and bright: statement pedestal arrangements either side of the drape backdrop, trailing greenery and blooms cascading down the fabric, and a top table arrangement dense with colour.

All the flowers were carefully chosen to match the incredible charger plates. Deep red roses, purple alliums, clematis and iris, pink hydrangea and spray roses, yellow solidago and bold chrysanthemums, orange carnations, blue delphinium and oxypetalum. All layered together with other secondary blooms and textures for depth and colour. That mix of textures is something I always reach for, it's what makes an arrangement feel alive rather than flat.

Footed bowls full of flowers lined the aisle chairs in the same rich palette, tying the whole space together as guests walked in.

Cascading colourful flowers over draping materials for the ceremony focal point — Colourful ceremony floral backdrop at Rhodri’s By the Lake, Canada Lodge South Wales. Image by Kate Richards Wedding Photography

Colourful footed bowls at Rhodri’s By the Lake, Canada Lodge South Wales. Image by Kate Richards Wedding Photography

Floral urns full of colourful flowers line the ceremony area — Colourful floral urns at Rhodri’s By the Lake, Canada Lodge South Wales. Image by Kate Richards Wedding Photography

Pocket Squares With a Personal Touch

These are one of my favourite details of this wedding. Doug and Nicky each wore a floral pocket square, handmade to reflect their individual colours within the same overall palette, Nicky wore one in shades of blue, Doug in purples. It's such a lovely way for two grooms to each have their own moment within the shared design, and a detail I'd recommend to any couple looking for something personal and different to the more traditional buttonhole.

The groomsmen during the wedding ceremony at Rhodri’s By the Lake, Canada Lodge South Wales. Image by Kate Richards Wedding Photography

The groom is fixing his floral pocket square of blue delphinium heads in his jacket — Nicky’s floral pocket square at Rhodri’s By the Lake, Canada Lodge South Wales. Image by Kate Richards Wedding Photography

The groom is looking in the mirror at his floral pocket square with purple flower heads — Doug’s floral pocket square at Rhodri’s By the Lake, Canada Lodge South Wales. Image by Kate Richards Wedding Photography

Aisle to Table: Making the Flowers Work Twice

I always encourage my couples to think about getting the most from every stem. For Doug and Nicky, the aisle arrangements were quickly repurposed into the reception table centres. Same beautiful flowers, brand new setting. It's a simple bit of planning that stretches a flower budget further without anyone ever knowing the difference.

Colourful reception flowers at Rhodri’s By the Lake, Canada Lodge South Wales. Image by Kate Richards Wedding Photography

Reception design at Rhodris by the Lake with colourful flowers — Colourful reception flowers at Rhodri’s By the Lake, Canada Lodge South Wales. Image by Kate Richards Wedding Photography

Table centrepiece of ceramic footed bowl full of bold colourful flowers — Colourful table flowers at Rhodri’s By the Lake, Canada Lodge South Wales. Image by Kate Richards Wedding Photography

This is what Doug had to say about their wedding day:

“Anne-Marie was lovely to work with. She took our brief and executed it with some beautiful arrangements. The trailing display across the backdrop to our ceremony and meal looked amazing. Highly recommended”

— Doug

The same sex couple are walking hand in hand to the ceremony, both wearing floral pocket squares — Same sex groomsmen at Rhodri’s By the Lake, Canada Lodge South Wales. Image by Kate Richards Wedding Photography

Just married in front of cascading floral vbackdrop at Rhodri's by the Lake, Canada Lodge — Just married at Rhodri’s By the Lake, Canada Lodge South Wales. Image by Kate Richards Wedding Photography

Just married gay couple walking down the aisle in front of floral backdrop at Rhodri's by the Lake — Wedding at Rhodri’s By the Lake, Canada Lodge South Wales. Image by Kate Richards Wedding Photography

Working With Doug and Nicky

I only ever take on one wedding a day, because days like this deserve my full attention, not a slice of it. With over 18 years working across venues in South Wales, I've learned that the best weddings aren't the ones that follow the rules, they're the ones where a couple trusts their florist enough to go bold.

Doug and Nicky did exactly that, and Rhodri's at Canada Lodge has never looked better.

Signing the register at Rhodri’s By the Lake, Canada Lodge South Wales. Image by Kate Richards Wedding Photography

Are you looking for a wedding florist in Cardiff or South Wales who'll bring your vision to life, whatever that looks like? I'd love to hear about your day.

If you are inspired by these colourful wedding flowers and would like to see more take a look at this colourful summer wedding.

Get in touch for a free consultation, or head over to my gallery for more inspiration

Colourful reception flowers for same sex wedding at Rhodri's by the Lake Canada Lodge, Cardiff — Colourful flowers at Rhodri’s By the Lake, Canada Lodge South Wales. Image by Kate Richards Wedding Photography

Wedding speeches with colourful reception flowers for same sex wedding at Rhodri's by the Lake Canada Lodge, Cardiff — Colourful wedding flowers at Rhodri’s By the Lake, Canada Lodge South Wales. Image by Colourful ceremony flowers at Rhodri’s By the Lake, Canada Lodge South Wales. Image by Kate Richards Wedding Photography

Suppliers

Photographer: Kate Richards Wedding Photography

Cake : Bryn-Awel Cakes

Venue : Rhodri’s By the Lake, Canada Lodge

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Hi! I'm Anne-Marie, Petal Power is me!

I run my weddings and event floristry business out of my studio in Creigiau, Cardiff, South Wales.

I hope you have enjoyed reading this blog.

If you want even more prettiness take a look back at my page. You will find information on the latest beautiful weddings I have been lucky enough to be a part of.

Also, you can keep up to date with essential advice, craft ideas, my favourite seasonal wedding flowers and more.

You can find out more about me and my work here.

Anne-Marie xoxo

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This gallery area is linked to my Instagram account where I post all my latest weddings, projects and news. I would love it if you follow me.

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Stay with me. I know it sounds counterintuitive, but when planning your wedding flowers if you give us a colour palette instead of a rigid "must-have" list, you give us the freedom to buy the freshest, best value and most beautiful blooms available on your wedding week. Any questions? Get in touch and let's start planning! #weddingfloweradvice #Cardiffweddingflorist #Cardiff wedding flowers #southwaleswedding #canadalodgeweddingflowers

Can we go back to when things were easier? Let's normalise posting one picture because it's pretty and we like it 😍 Do you love these wedding ceremony flowers as much as I do? Did you see the 'exciting' Meta muse was launched and lasted...less than a week. Strangely enough people took umbridge on others being able to literally copy their work, put it into AI and tweak it for their own content. And I know you can sort of already do this with AI but this was a fast track way. And the algorithm would reward you for it! Where is the creativity?! Because I have posted my work and face on these squares I was fair game. Anyway, enough people kicked up a fuss and it was removed..for now. But I am sure that something will be released before we know it. I would love to hear your thoughts on AI. I am really trying not to use it. I understand how useful it is in comparing data or recognising patterns but for those in the creative environment? We are forgetting how to write a caption. And why are we asking it for personal advice? And don't get me started on the meta glasses. A street photographer whose work I really like, he takes pictures of alternative looking people in Cardiff and makes them feel great and they look wonderful - that's beautiful. But he wears the glasses and records the interactions and posts it. That makes me feel a bit icky. Anyway, I have ranted enough. I really do wish we could go back to posting single photos of beautiful work and that be enough for the algorithm gods. Also, no floral foam was used in this wedding ❤️ Stunning image by @katerichardsphotography Venue @rhodrisbythelake_ @canadalodgelake #southweddingflorist #Southwalesweddingflowers #Cardiff #Cardiffweddingflorist #nofloralfoam

These flower requests always get a resounding yes from me! What do you think? Unexpected flower or colour requests - Something a little out of the ordinary will always get me saying yes. Isn't it fun being a little bit different? Single stem bridesmaid bouquets - I love this look. It's so quirky and different to the norm. One small caveat, I prefer this look when the bridesmaids are wearing matching dresses. Statement ceremony flowers - I always recommend to focus your budget on a wow area, what better place than where you say your wedding vows. Ignoring traditional flower rules - I honestly don't care what tradition dictates. Do what you want! Don't want buttonholes, sure. Want bright clashing colours? I'm in. And this advice is for your entire wedding! Do I sound like your kind of wedding florist? 🤞 Get in touch via the comments and let's start planning! #Southwalesweddingflorist #Southwalesweddingflowers #Cardiffweddingflorist #Cardiffweddingflowers

ARE YOU GETTING MARRIED?

I have created a page just for you.

It’s only natural that you have a load of questions when planning your wedding flowers.

Some of the most common questions that keep cropping up I have already answered. You will find this page helpful; to read more CLICK HERE

I have written so many blogs, take a few moments and have a good look.

But if you are a LGBTQ+ couple looking for someone to work with and want to see more same sex wedding inspiration take a look at this beautiful wedding.

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