A peek at some of our recent weddings!

It has been an extremely busy June so far at Anastasia Flowers with some wonderfully unique weddings. We couldn't resist giving our customers and readers a peek at some of the beautiful and unusual designs we have created for our brides.

We were invited to create a soft, romantic chuppah for one of our couples at Etz Chaim Synagogue in Leeds. We use pure habatai silk which gives a wonderful draped effect, garlanded with long strands of fresh variegated ivy and dozens of gloriously scented ivory roses, each placed in individual glass tubes suspended on mono filament. We were very proud of this stunning result.

We designed this pair of elegant pedestal arrangements to welcome this couple's guests to a classically beautiful, formal occasion. The design was given a subtle modern twist by placing the displays in strong, geometric stone urns instead of traditional pedestal stands.

We have many more exciting weddings planned for the next few months. If you would like award-winning florist, Lana Bates, and her team to produce a unique design for your wedding flowers, please do not hesitate to contact us on 0113 2687415.

RHS Chelsea Flower Show - our latest medal!

Thanks to a fantastic win in the regional heats with her design on the theme of 'A Centrepiece for an Olympic Banquet', our head designer and master florist, Lana Bates, once again qualified for the final of the RHS Florist of the Year competition.

This year's design brief for the RHS Florist of the Year final at Chelsea Flower Show was 'Diamonds are Forever: A Chandelier for the Jubilee'. Quite a challenge indeed! Not only must competitors produce a dramatic and elegant design which incorporates elements which can be lit but the designer must also overcome the practical challenges involved in suspending a large and heavy arrangement from the ceiling!

As ever, Lana rose to the occasion with her signature flair, producing an exquisite design in shades of peaches and creams and incorporating hand-crocheted lace and sparkling crystals, recalling the muted candy-colour, pastel shades of the 1950s. The design was composed of dozens of tiny test tubes containing David Austen roses, sweet peas, eucharis and dendrobium orchids, mounted on a series of custom-made perspex panels, hand-embellished with diamantes, from which were suspended delicate droplets strung with silver beads, individual hyacinth pips, hypericum berries and vanda orchids. The overall effect was of frothy femininity and vintage opulence.

The competition this year was fierce but we are delighted to announce that Lana Bates has won another medal this year; a Bronze! It will join our previous two Chelsea medals, a Gold and a Silver-Gilt, in our trophy cabinet along with our 2010 Silver Designer of the Year from Fusion Flowers Magazine and our 3rd Place in the Florist of the Year competition 2010 from the British Florists Association.

Stylist Magazine

We are delighted to have been chosen to be featured by Stylist magazine in their 'Flowers Issue' in May.

http://issue.stylist.co.uk/1P4fb0c7730ef53806.cde/page/66

It is very flattering for Anastasia Flower School, which was launched only a year ago, to be one of only five schools in the whole of the UK profiled in their article.

Our small class sizes and personal approach mean that we are able to tailor our classes to the particular interests and skill level of our students, from absolute beginners to master florists. We love helping people discover a passion for flowers, whether as a hobby, a new career or a new perspective on their existing floristry business.

If you would like to find out more about our upcoming classes, please phone us on 0113 268 7415.

Our First Wedding Showcase

Our first wedding showcase was a sparkling success.

We were joined by our invited guests for a glass of wine and delicious cakes by our own Alina, who makes fabulous wedding cakes and our neighbours at the Sunshine Bakery, who provided the yummy cupcakes.

We were delighted to hear the admiring comments and compliments on our new designs, including a quirky vintage tea party centrepiece with tiny spray roses and button chrysanthemums tightly packed into antique tea cups.

Other exciting new ideas including a vivid display of tropical orchids in intense, saturated colours to reflect a summer, party atmosphere.

We also showed an exciting array of pedestal arrangements, bridal bouquets and corsages, to inspire our brides.

If you would like to ensure your guests are awed by your gorgeous wedding flowers, please contact award-winning florist, Lana Bates, to create a uniquely memorable design for your wedding.

Harrogate Show 2012

We're very proud of our trainee florist, Ben Gebal, who won 2nd Prize in his category at Harrogate Flower Show with his interpretation of the Giant's Causeway in County Antrim, using fluffy green dianthus, pale jade-green carnations, button kermit chrysanthemums, mung beans and sliced okra in jelly. Slightly unusual materials but a really striking result !

Congratulations, Ben !

Spring Workshop at Anastasia Flower School

We were joined by 11 new students at the first of our Spring Workshops this week.


Great fun was had by all as we shared laughter as well as learning new skills, over a selection of decadent chocolate brownies from our neighbour, David, at The Sunshine Bakery.


Award-winning florist, Lana Bates, demonstrated an intricate, woven nest design, featuring gorgeous, ruffled, white ranunculus; luxurious, avalanche roses; fresh, spring-green gilder rose; all within a woven nest of twisted hazel, nestled amongst branches of sprouting dogwood and pussy willow.


Lana also demonstrated the technique of making delicate wax eggs as vessels to contain tiny, yellow bill-ball blooms, with which to accent the nest arrangement.

A few places are still available on our remaining Spring Workshops but are being booked up quickly. Call us on 0113 268 7415 to reserve your place now.

Decor of the St-Leonard's chapel at Hazlewood castle

Christmas and New Year flower classes

With 16 students last night we have created not just flower designs but great atmosphere, making new friends, having fun, learning new skills and finding creativity inside each one of us - thank you to everybody, it was a pleasure to work with you!

See more pics here

http://www.facebook.com/pages/Anastasia-Flowers/170809192949507

Few pictures from Hazlewood wedding fair last Sunday - we have transformed the chapel into a magical place.

Looking forward to our brides to discuss these news pew decor ideas

Sunday workshop

By Sunday the weather cooled down a bit, so we were not tempted for sunbathing :) and had a chance to run another successful workshop,

We had a lot of fun yesterday working on autumn theme, all our students left the workshop loaded with both designs and ideas!