Weddings - My Reflections
As winter sets in, I reflect back at the recent weddings I had the honour of creating for. Weddings in the Fleurieu Peninsula have a different feel to those in the city. The surrounds play a role in what you create. The couples who choose to celebrate their special day in the region usually ‘see’ and embrace the glory of what the Peninsula has to offer – the great food and wines as well as the spectacular scenery – lush and overgrown in the cooler months and sparce and architectural in the warmer months. Nature knows how to cater for events across all seasons.
From the first time I spoke with Steph, I knew she’d be a dream to work with. The brief was to create floral pieces which popped – with an overall whimsical, garden like feel. Their secret wedding was held in a luxury retreat in the Inman Valley. Being 15min away in Victor Harbor, enabled me to do a pre-event site visit and meet the owner of the property to understand the nuances of the place, as well as scout for the best ceremony set up spot.
As a florist you are always on the hunt for that something special, a stem which has that extra curve, the florals which have the extra large petals or petite floral heads. All placed ‘just so’ to reflect the specialness of the day and nest in with the overall mood and style - as well as reflect your craftsmanship as a florist. Practice is also important. I practice sustainable floristry techniques. What does this mean? It means no floral foam and sourcing your flowers locally with a preference for Australian grown if needing to go wider (low/no carbon footprint). It also means utilising materials as part of your mechanics which can be recycled. I go a step beyond and offer all couples the opportunity to repurpose their florals after the event (where possible) and on-gift to local not-for-profits – which is what Steph and Aaron chose to do.
So, the florals for the day – they were beautiful and absolutely made the stunning couple shine even more. The bouquet and ceremony pieces filled with local and Australian grown roses, speckled with berries and buds, poppies and tulips. Colours popped - peaches, blush, mauve, red and lushness of greens.