I feel as though I’ve been on a journey with gypsophila – baby’s breath – over the years. In the early days of the English Wedding Blog it was a little-known bridal flower. Then with the vintage trend and especially with more DIY and budget weddings, it became the go-to flower for styled shoots and a perfect complement to the jam jars, hessian and lace look. And then, it plummeted from favour right along with chair covers and sugared almonds!! 

One leading wedding florist who I discovered on Instagram a few weeks ago hates gypsophila so much he’d like to ban it from weddings! (Does anyone know who this guy is?! I’ve lost the link to his account and his opinions made for a great read!) Now, this comes across as a little extreme. I asked my wedding supplier friends if they agreed with him: is gypsophila totally over as a wedding flower, or is it something we can reinvent and fall back in love with for 2017? 

Lovely wedding planner and stylist Jenna Hewitt believes gypsophila has a future, if we use it in creative and considered wedding styles. So no more jam jars stuffed with nothing but gyp; here are Jenna’s fabulous and inspiring thoughts on reinventing gypsophila! 

“I can’t stop pondering over gyp/wedding styling that’s been so over-used it makes us cringe!  There are definitely “trends” that still make me shudder (jam jars) but I’m a huge believer in same styling concepts but reinvented.  Gyp and jam jars has certainly had it’s day but it’s such a pretty (and economical) floral that it feels a shame to let it slip. There are some beautiful examples of how it can be incorporated into the latest trends in a very chic way (“greenery” for example).

Too Much of a Good Thing?

Like any trend, something done time and time again can become a little tired.  In fact, there’s a few past trends in the wedding world that personally make me shudder – gyp (or baby’s breath), jam jars, bunting and log slices are top of this ‘shudder’ list.  But, this week an email from Claire got me thinking – “can those ‘shudder’ styling trends ever be chic” and, for me the answer is a big fat YES!  With the right use, the right tweaks and the right styling all these items can have their day again, I’m sure of it.

Let’s take gyp as an example.  The immediate image in my mind is sprigs of the stuff in jam jars and that really makes me shudder.  But, it’s such a shame to dismiss poor gyp as a trend gone bad.  It has a really pretty flower and it’s also relatively inexpensive which can make it a very good choice.  It is also green and white, which, personally makes it a perfect accompaniment to the greenery trend (predicted to be HUGE this season).  Take it out of the context of jam jars and bunting and you’ve immediately changed its image, really!  The best way to revamp a dated look, in my opinion, is figure out how it fits with something current.

INTERSPERSE GYP WITH PLENTY OF GREENERY

What better way to make anything cool again than by combining it with something tipped to be HOT for the coming season.  White and green pair effortlessly and with style.   I love the idea of a greenery table runner interspersed with sprigs of the gyp – the key for me is getting the balance right – the right gyp to greenery ratio.  If the trend is the greenery, that is your focal point.  Anything else is providing the balance, the interest and the contrast.

GET CREATIVE WITH LOOSE, WILD ARRANGEMENTS

This leads me on to balls of gyp.  You know the ones I’m talking about and I have to admit it; I’m not a huge fan of those big balls!  It goes back to the stuffed jam jars and conjures up images of gyp pom poms hanging from a ceiling.  In fact, I actually think it’s the big tuffs or balls that give it that dated look.  Floral trends are moving towards much less structured, much looser, wilder arrangements (Jay Archer and Jennifer Pinder spring to mind as I write this).  Tight balls or arrangements of anything don’t sit with this – little pieces interspersed as part of an arrangement, however, can really work.  Tell a florist that you want gyp as your main wedding plant and there will, quite possibly, be a little bit of them that dies inside.  Give them creative license to use it in a way that shakes it up a little and you’ll evoke an entirely different reaction!

Love it or hate it, I still think gyp (and jam jars and log slices and bunting for that matter) have a place – there was a reason they became popular to begin with – they just need to be thought about a little differently when it comes to how you use them.

Never give up on the ‘good’ things – it’s all about reinvention!”

Jenna Hewitt is a wedding planner and stylist working across Surrey, Hampshire and East Dorset. We’re huge fans of Jenna’s understated luxury styling, and of her passion for her business and the weddings she loves.

Contact & bookings: www.jennahewitt.co.uk
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Supplier credits for images:

Ayshea Goldberg Photography | Butterfly Flowers | Calligraphy for Weddings | Browning Bros | Bellissima Weddings | Cakes and Lace | Wendy’s Hair and Beauty | The Prop Boutique