A Slow Flowers Wedding in Australia

Note: I received this letter and photos recently from Australian farmer-florist Ashley McFadden of Yellow House Flower Farm. Her correspondence was perfectly timed to lift our spirits and she has given permission to share it here, along with her photographs.

Hi Debra,

Such beautiful flowers for a Slow Wedding in Australia (c) Alice Laidlaw Photography

I hope despite the massive challenges facing our world at the moment this email finds you well. I wanted to share with you a little bit about our wedding back in March.

We held our wedding 12 hours before Australia locked down, which wasn’t our plan initially but it is how it all came together and we couldn’t have been happier.

I wanted to share with you our wedding because while some brides might have felt stressed or upset, I was at peace while designing my bouquet the morning of our wedding. I was at peace because of Slow Flowers.

Ash McFadden and Lach Ranken on their wedding day (c) Alice Laidlaw Photography

I have been following your podcast for the past 5 years. It brings me such comfort and I love on Thursdays in Australia when an episode comes out. Whenever I’m feeling overwhelmed or stressed due to my other job (I’m a veterinarian), I put on a podcast and immediately I become relaxed and centred.

So on our wedding morning when things were so unsettled in the world, knowing where my flowers came from and from listening for years, I was just so happy that I had the ability to use stems grown by me.

Ashley (left) with a relative/guest; tea service with just-picked flowers (right) (c) Alice Laidlaw Photography

I loved that after all those years of listening, I was having my own ‘slow flowers’ wedding. Only 1 hour before the ceremony, I was designing centrepieces for our afternoon tea and I couldn’t have felt more at content and happy.

Ash (far left) and Lach (far right) with some of their special relatives

I also loved that my loved ones (husband, grandparents) wore roses that I had tendered to and grown in our little house yard on our sheep farm. The flowers captured our moment in time so perfectly. 

Thank you for creating Slow Flowers. For me it is so much more than just a word, its a way of living and thank you for sharing everything you do. I’ve attached a couple of pics so you can put a name to a face. 

I hope in the second half of 2020 there are more positives in the world and that you and your family stay well. Sending you light and love during this moment in time.
Ash xx 

Ashley McFadden
Yellow House Flower Farm
Farmerflorist, Hexham

Debra Prinzing

Debra Prinzing is a Seattle-based writer, speaker and leading advocate for American-grown flowers. Through her many Slow Flowers-branded projects, she has convened a national conversation that encourages consumers and professionals alike to make conscious choices about their floral purchases. Debra is the producer of SlowFlowers.com, the weekly "Slow Flowers Podcast" and the American Flowers Week (June 28-July 4) campaign. Debra is author of 11 books, including Slow Flowers (2013), The 50 Mile Bouquet (2012) and Slow Flowers Journal (2020). She is the co-founder of BLOOM Imprint, the boutique publishing arm of Slow Flowers.

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Slow Flowers Journal is brought to you by SlowFlowers.com. Slow Flowers is an award-winning online directory created to help consumers find florists, studio designers, wedding and event planners, supermarket flower departments and flower farmers that supply American grown flowers. Founded in 2014, the site has grown to 850 members across the U.S.

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For more information, please contact Debra Prinzing
at 206-769-8211 or 844-SLOWFLO (844-756-9356); debra(at)slowflowers.com.