Supplier Spotlight: Emma Norton Flowers

Of all the choices you'll make for your wedding day, few shape the way it looks and feels quite like the flowers you choose. Many of our couples put careful consideration into selecting the right seasonal flowers to complement the colour scheme and decor.

As a Grade II Listed Manor House, Grittleton House gives you a remarkable setting to work with for your wedding. Our rooms are filled with gilded mirrors, ornate ceilings, marble fireplaces and tall arched windows that pour light across the floors, so you can fully lean into displaying fuller blooms and romantic arrangements throughout the rooms. One of our expert florist's - Emma Norton - specialises in naturally romantic and garden-inspired flower arrangements, with seasonal flowers that look gathered rather than arranged. Think elegant displays, soft table arrangements, trailing foliage and versatile placements that can be shifted as the day moves on. Emma has a particular love for colour palettes that are a little unexpected, and for designs that feel abundant without ever becoming stiff or formal.

Why not come and see some of Emma's work at our Open House on Saturday 17 and Sunday 18 October.

Spotlight on Emma

Emma's story with flowers began at the age of 14, as a Saturday assistant in her local florist. She went on to manage the shop before launching Emma Norton Flowers in 2008, and today she designs every wedding from her garden studio in Bristol.

Three decades of experience show in the details. She will work closely with you to bring your vision to life.

"Whether you arrive with a Pinterest board full of ideas or simply know how you want your wedding to feel, we'll create something that works beautifully with Grittleton House, the season and the atmosphere you have in mind."

Setting the scene for your ceremony

We have a choice of ceremony areas both indoors and out, all with a character of their own. The Red Gallery is rich and warm, perfect in autumn and winter. The Yellow Gallery is light and airy, with Venetian bay windows filling the room with light and providing the perfect centrepiece for the ceremony. Alternatively choose the orangery for that perfect mix of indoors meets out, as it overlooks the stunning Italian Gardens All of the rooms are rich with detail, so ceremony flowers here are about framing the moment rather than filling the room. For those that love being in the open air, there is a choice of beautiful outdoor ceremony areas. The choices are endless.

View Floor Plan

Ideas for your ceremony:

• A pair of statement urns either side of the windows to frame your vows
• A soft, low arrangement on the registrar's table
• Choose a few key moments and do them beautifully, rather than decorating every corner
• Pick colours that complement the room: deep, jewel tones look stunning in the Red Gallery, while blush and soft whites glow in the Yellow Gallery

Emma's approach is to choose a few key moments and do them beautifully, rather than scattering flowers everywhere. A pair of generous arrangements in classic stone urns, standing either side of the windows, frames the space where you'll say your vows. An arrangement on the registrar's table adds softness at the heart of the room. Each piece is designed to be seen from every seat.

"Think beyond the ceremony. Many of these arrangements can be moved afterwards and enjoyed again during your wedding breakfast."

Flowers to lead the way

The aisle is where every eye turns to you, so it's the perfect place for flowers to frame your arrival. Polished parquet and rows of gilded chairs leading towards those Ca' d'Oro style windows form a natural processional route. Loose, garden-inspired flowers suit it perfectly. Real candles aren't permitted along the aisle in our listed house, so flowers are an elegant way to add romance at floor level.

Ideas for your aisle:

• Meadow-style arrangements gathered at the ends of the rows
• A handful of larger pieces, which often makes a stronger statement than flowers on every row
• Trailing foliage woven through for a relaxed, freshly gathered feel
• Designs that can be moved after the ceremony and enjoyed for the rest of the day

The Victorian Orangery

Atmospheric and full of light, our Victorian Orangery is one of the most beloved spaces at Grittleton House. Its arcaded front, with elegant moulded arches and a bowed centre, opens onto the terrace and formal gardens. It seats up to 196 guests for dinner, with room for more at a ceremony. Through the seasons it takes on many moods: in summer the doors open onto the gardens, and in winter it glows softly by candlelight.

One of its most distinctive features is the suspended installation above. Filled with flowers, it becomes a floral canopy over your guests, drawing the eye upwards and creating a striking backdrop for photographs, all without taking up an inch of table space.

Ideas for the Orangery:

• Fill the suspended installation with abundant blooms and cascading foliage
• Keep table flowers low beneath it so the canopy takes centre stage
• Echo the colours of your bouquet and ceremony flowers for a cohesive look
• Make it your one statement piece if you'd like to focus your flower budget

Emma's tip: "If you're looking for one statement floral piece for your wedding breakfast or ceremony, this is a wonderful place to invest your flower budget."

Your wedding breakfast

Whether you dine in the Galleries, which seat up to 126 guests on long tables, or in the Orangery, your wedding breakfast is where flowers really create atmosphere. As the candles are lit and your guests sit down, your tables become the heart of the celebration. They can be as understated or as flower-laden as you wish.

Ideas for your tables:

• Garden bowls overflowing with seasonal flowers for a relaxed, romantic feel
• Tall arrangements on slender stands to add drama beneath our high ceilings, while keeping conversation flowing
• Bud vases clustered along the table for a delicate, gathered-from-the-garden look
• Floral lamps that combine low flowers with a soft glow, lovely as the evening draws in
• A spill of flowers along one of our marble fireplaces as a finishing touch

Emma's tip: "Think beyond the ceremony. Many of these arrangements can be moved afterwards and enjoyed again during your wedding breakfast."

Photography by Kate Richards + Heather Bailey

Flowers through the seasons

One of the joys of working with a florist like Emma is that your flowers can celebrate the time of year you marry, just as our gardens change through the seasons.

• Spring: blossom, tulips and fresh whites and greens
• Summer: roses, delphiniums and cow parsley in soft abundance
• Autumn: dahlias, chrysanthemums and warm, golden foliage
• Winter: deep, rich tones that glow by firelight and candlelight

A real Grittleton wedding: Ollie and Ellie

Ollie and Ellie celebrated their wedding with us on 21 March, as spring was just arriving in the gardens, with flowers designed by Emma.

Photography: Dan Morris Photography

Good to know

Fresh flowers aren't included as part of your wedding booking. There's a selection of neutral silk flowers around the house, so your florist has a blank canvas to make every room feel entirely yours. Suppliers usually have access from 9am on your wedding day. Because Emma knows Grittleton so well, she understands exactly how to work within our listed house, giving you complete peace of mind.