Spring Wedding

Last Saturday, we at Calypso Flowers decorated a garden for the spring wedding of Sam and Sophie.When I first saw the garden, it was towards the end of winter, and Margaret and I stood under an umbrella in the rain, looking at the beautiful structure of the bare garden. The only flowers on that day were green and white hellebores (Christmas roses). Hundreds of them! 

Early spring being early spring, we had to take into account the fact that the ceremony might have to take place under a marquee, and that everything might have to be moved around.

Their plan was to have the ceremony and then croquembouche and champagne in the garden, then go to a restaurant for dinner later.

After thinking about the wedding for a few days, I came up with a picture – no, some pictures - in my head. Sophie was going to wear a pale apricot/orange – the colour of rock melon or cantaloupe – and so we discussed orange, red, and hot pink as the theme colours. Pockets of colour would be strategically place around the garden, to inject a feeling of gaiety… of celebration … a party! Rather than make the whole garden ablaze with colour, I imagined vignettes, as part of the journey that the guests would take.

Guests were to enter via a side gate bedecked with Tracey’s gorgeous wreaths, and walk down the rose-petal strewn path, through the ‘spindle walk’ (bamboo poles with vine wound around the top, and ribbons blowing in the breeze) to the seating area. Here, the petals have still to be strewn, and flowers to be placed on the table in the distance. This would lead the guests by colour.

The ceremony was to take place in front of an old urn. We ‘planted’ dark orange tulips in the urn, and defined the ‘stage’ with 2 bamboo tripods which held polyanthus plants in the theme colours. You can see the signing table on the right (3rd picture), minus its white cloth and orange and red roses.

 The  bar was to be set up under an arbour covered in Boston ivy – all branches, not a leaf to be seen. Paper lanterns added a party atmosphere, and bobbed around in the breeze.

 

Another area needing some colour was the veranda entrance to the house from the garden. I had several wooden fruit boxes filled with polyanthus that could be easily moved around the garden to add colour into ‘dead’ spots, and we positioned some of these by the steps. A large, beautiful woven basket was placed against the wall and filled with polyanthus plants. On the corner we hung glass test tubes with ranunculus, tulips and roses.

I was really pleased with the way the garden was transformed. I wanted it to be that no matter in which direction the guests looked, there would be something interesting and colourful at eye level...something that would invite closer inspection and intrigue. The photos don’t do true justice because they were taken quite hurriedly as the rain was falling…as you can see, they decided NOT to have the marquee…and because the rose petals and some other flowers were to be put out at the last minute.

It was an unconventional wedding in many ways. The bride and groom arrived together, and were the first to arrive ! I love it when Brides smile on their wedding day.  She was blown away by the transformation of the garden, and her dress was sooo beautiful.

It had stopped raining when we left, 45 minutes before the ceremony. 

Happy days, Sophie and Sam ! And thank you, Margaret, for inviting me to be part of the wedding.

Pallet Garden - the end of the tale

There have been a lot of people reading about my pallet garden effort on this blog, so I thought it only fair to finish the story...

I planted the garden in August last year (which is late winter in Melbourne), and  was in  a bit of a hurry as I was going overseas for a month the first week in September. I left it in the care of my fellow workers in my absence.

When I came back, it was flourishing - but no-one was eating the lettuce, and it was going to seed ! By then it was spring, and the vertical garden was getting more and more sun, it being on a north-facing wall, and needed more and more water, which I couldn't apply becuase it was so leafy and couldn't get the water in.

Then came summer, and it was HOT. The garden was in the sun. Against a brick wall. All day. 12 hours a day.

I gave up.

My advice to anyone planning a garden is this:

You are supposed to leave the pallet horizontal, once you have planted, to allow the root system to develop, and preferably in the right direction. I didn't do this. I planted it when it was attached to the wall. Wrong ! Be patient.

Put it somewhere where it gets a couple of hours of full sun, but not all day. It will dry out too quickly -  in the southern hemisphere, anyway.

If I did it again, I would put a piece or two of garden hose going to various lengths within the planter, so that you could pour water down the hose, and it would be guaranteed to reach the lower levels. Do this when you are filling it with soil.

It was fun while it lasted, but I don't really feel inspired to do it again - at least not in this location.

An Autumn Wedding in Green and White

Usually, I am approached about wedding flowers two or three months before The Big Day. The dresses are chosen, the venues are booked, the theme has been selected, and now attention can turn to the type and colour of flowers.

The last couple of months has been unusual, in that 2 couples have come to discuss their flowers over a YEAR in advance ! Talk about organised ! I can't really be too much help, apart from giving them some hints about what they should take into consideration, showing them some flowers and colours, and giving them a ballpark figure for their budget.

At the other end of the spectrum, Brian and Brooke came to see me just 3 weeks in advance. Nearly all decisions had been made, and they had a pretty good idea of what they wanted - at least, an overall feel.

The flowers arrive !

The brief was:

• natural looking table arrangements and bouquets
• in green and white
• some texture.

The wedding ceremony was taking place at Siglo, on a sort of rooftop bar, half-covered to provide at least some shelter.

These were the little 'rustic' pots we had on the cocktail tables.

The reception was at Alto, which is the top floor of the GPO. Quite different in style and mood, we used similar flowers, but in a more elegant presentation. We had some long, white ceramic containers...

and between them, some arrangements on pewter-coloured cake stands, providing some height.

We were able to move the rustic pots to the reception, and placed a couple of them on the bar, next to some taller arrangements...

Brooke and her six bridesmaids had very similar posies, except that Brooke's had some dirty pink roses, called Inner Secret, which hinted at  the colour of the sash on her dress.



I can't wait to see some of Brian and Brooke's official photos. Thank you for allowing me to be part of your wedding celebrations !

Beach Weddings (Part 1)

Even though autumn has definitely arrived here in Melbourne, at Calypso Flowers we are already starting to discuss weddings for next spring and summer !

I've started to collect some images for a beach wedding, and there are so many options...

from www.stylemepretty.com

I love this idea for a seaside location...one that's not actually ON the beach, but where you can see the sea.

You could mark the ends of the rows with buckets of gypsophilia, otherwise known as Baby's Breath...

From weddings.theknot.com

or hang little bottles of flowers from shepherd's crooks...

I don't know whose beautiful flowers these are

and just imagine the scene if you had the ceremony at dusk, and had all the candles pre-set and ready to go....

from suncoastbeachweddings.com

I would recommend using lanterns instead of candles, though. I've spent too much time at wedding ceremonies battling that gentle evening summer breeze that becomes a gale once you take out a box of matches !

What sort or dress would you wear ?