The girls did a great job capturing the look of the flowers I created for Caitlin and Loren at the Newman College Chapel in Melbourne. Here’s a sneaky peak! Thanks again!!
Finessence Photography at Newman College Chapel
April 26th, 2012 | Posted by in Posts - (0 Comments)
I love the mountains of the Sunshine Coast Hinterland. They encapsulate everything I love about seaside/mountain living. You get the green, shady, cool climate of a mountain, along with sea views, sea breezes and sunny days. Montville, Maleny and Mapleton are three towns in the hinterland peppered with stunning venues for weddings or special events. Winerys, restaurants, old homesteads and national parks are all on offer here, and one of the best is Flaxton Gardens.
On most days in summer/autumn, you’ll find the temperature and atmosphere can change within minutes from being bright and sunny, to being overcast with rain clouds looming. My favourite aspect of this sudden change in temperature is the fantastic could cover you get - it makes you feel like you’re in the heart of the Isle of Skye, or in the clouds with the love Gods. It makes for stunning photography, and happily enough, some very idealistic light for wedding photography.
M and C wanted country elegance, with touches of purple, peach and green. The reception centrepieces were simple, yet grand. A single Phalaenopsis orchid plant with scattered ‘happily ever after’ rounds and moss were the highlight. The old converted barn with high ceilings and stone floor was simply fantastic, a decorators dream. Space, angles, light and opportunity presented a very relaxed and formidable room for any bridal party and their treasured guests. My favourite aspect of the wedding though were the bouquets and buttonholes.
M had a beautiful lace bolero to wear over her shoulders, so lace was incorporated into the handle of her bouquet as well. Burlap also featured heavily in the overall styling, so the boys had a small feature of burlap in their buttonholes.
All in all, a beautiful, satisfying and very romantic wedding.
Last weekend I had the pleasure of going to Melbourne to do the flowers for my cousins wedding. The day was your typical autumnal Victorian weather…slightly cool, breezy and a clear blue sky. Perfect for a wedding I believe! The bride was after old worlde romance, with pinks, creams, blues and greens present in all the flowers.
Two large glass urns adorned the alter of the Chapel. They were overflowing with phalaenopsis stems, peppercorn tree (from a very special tree in the Yarra Valley…one dedicated to my late grandmother) and height was given with stunning blue delphiniums and hot pink tulips.
The bouquets were a lot of fun to make. Sim carnations, sweet avalanche, creme brulee and magadi roses, pink parrot tulips, hypericum berry and Pin Oak leaves from another very special tree. The Pin Oak is the strongest of trees and symbolises strength and courage. The romans believed the oak attracted lightening and thus joined the sky God Jupiter and his wife Juno, the goddess of marriage. They believed for this reason that the Oak tree was a symbol of conjugal fidelity and fulfillment.
The centrepieces for the reception were simple, with roses, peony tulips and sea holly amid mini magnolia. Sadly, the Melbourne Club does not permit photography inside the venue, so until I get some photos from the lovely Karen at Finessence Photography, I will not be able to show you!
For more photos from the wedding, check out the gallery in weddings!
It rained as we set up, it cleared while we sold our wares, and it rained as we packed up…can’t complain!
I was a little apprehensive and quite nervous about venturing out into the market scene to show the world my GLR brand and style. Only because I wasn’t sure how well it would be received, with some very well known and loved florists in the area who have been here a while, I was worried about a ‘backlash’ of sorts…turns out it was all for naught!
Lots of people stopped and admired the artistic set up of my tent. Parasols hanging from the ceiling (thankyou www.parasolswithlove.com.au), willow wreaths adorning the walls and a big urn filled with branches and more parasols made up the backdrop. A blackboard with my other logo sat atop the side table, and was surrounded with fish bowl vases and white tin buckets all brimming with posies and bouquets. The main centrepiece was made up with mini cymbidiums, lilies, roses, amaranthus, silver suede, monstera leaves and palm bark. The detail was in the vase- sea urchins and shells.
I also had cards and canvas prints made up from my photographic obsession (husband will be pleased I’m finally trying to make some money out of those…), and sold well. The biggest draw card was the white and yellow bridal posy I had up for grabs. The handle was bound with silk brocade and crystal beads…billly buttons added some interest to an otherwise ‘safe’ looking bouquet.
All in all a great experience and a wonderful way to meet people and shoot ideas around with like minded individuals (shoutout to Sonya at www.redcliffecityflorist.com.au - your infectious enthusiasm for flowers and unique design had me smiling for hours afterwards!!)
Enjoy the pics!
I recently had a request from a follower in NZ for some birthday flowers for her mother. Ordinarily I stick to weddings etc because it’s more economical (being home based etc…), but I couldn’t help but want this project (however small). The client was so sweet, and with the story attached to the sentiment, I was reminded of my own childhood and fond memories of my mother.
The result was an arrangement of white roses, white freesias, white orientals and allocacia leaves from my garden (they are a favourite of mine and my mothers too…) Set into a white ceramic pot with grosgrain ribbon detail, it was a fitting tribute to a wonderful memory!
Weddings at Kiss the Bride Wedding Flowers
The weather leading up to this wedding had left the team wondering if this wedding would still be held on the beautiful beach that the bride and groom had selected - full of happy moments, good waves and a couple of short walks with Zeus, the happy bulldog… Of course, in usual ‘positive thinking, optimistic Hails style’…(yes, I do take credit for this one…”It will be good weather, it WILL be good weather”) - the clouds cleared and we were privy to some rare unseasonal mild sunny weather, with a light breeze and a soft sky. Perfect for a beach wedding!!
The bride wasn’t interested in being very particular, her only vice were green cymbidium orchids, which are NOT in season! That’s OK, imported from Holland will do, so I called my trusty orchid guy and he delivered (thank goodness). Normally I encourage the bride to go with flowers in season…but the cymbid happens to be a favourite of mine too…so I made an acception!!
The bridesmaids wore lemon, so of course the lemon lizzies were a must…coupled with creamy/buttery carnations and white roses, the bouquets were the simply luscious, and the cotton twine to finish the handle was perfect for a beachy, driftwood inspired feel.
The bridal bouquet had white calla lilies, green cymbids, white lizzies and white roses. It was embellished with a little feather detail (at the brides specific request, in order to compliment the dress) and the handle was again bound with cotton twine. The end product was a soft, textural fantasy of monochromatic colour and modern romance. One of my favourite bouquets to date (especially seeing as it suited the bride’s personality so beautifully…)
The real work came with the beach ceremony area. A bamboo pergola with muslin and chiffon curtains; dodder vine and orchids teamed creamy white roses, tropical leaves and lotus pods to embellish the uprights; white beach chairs and a yellow rose petal path to guide the bride to the waiting groom. Large vases filled with river stones, dodder vine and orchids lined the aisle (they were later used for the table centrepieces at the reception venue). I could not have done it without the excellent eye for detail possessed by my husband (and of course the fact that he got an A+ for ‘roping’ in scouts)…or the willing hands of the child hood friends that the groom has had the privilege to hold onto after all these years (some of my favourite friendships are ones I’ve held onto since those school days…).
The waves crashing in the background supplied the photographer (and me) with a bonus. It wasn’t until after the fact that I realised how fantastic the waves were - the sound echoes still, and the salt breeze added a surprise element of fresh, unimposing exuberance that left the guests totally entranced with the love and friendship of the people fortunate enough to be witness to the event.
I loved this wedding. Partly because I had a beach wedding myself probably…but mostly because I simply LOVE the beach. I love the opportunity for inspiration that a warm day with azure sea brings to my life. Soft sea breezes, crashing waves, seagulls diving, the smell of sun-drenched seaweed (ok ok…I don’t mind it…), and above all, the happy memories of childhood weekends spent collecting shells and diving like dolphins (or the occasional mermaid…)
Thankyou to J and G for the privilege of supplying the floral decor for you wedding. I loved it, loved the colour, the texture and the location. Julia GLR xxx
Hi to all the beautiful brides I have had the pleasure of making bouquets for! GLR has gone live on www.easyweddings.com.au and I need your reviews!
To leave a review, you need to sign in and become a member (doesn’t cost a thing!). Find my profile under ‘Flowers’- ‘Queensland’ - ’Sunshine Coast’ and click on Ginger Lily & Rose Floral Studio.
If you could leave your reviews for me that would be wonderful!! Thanks girls!
Julia GLR xx
The ball for 2 commando regiment at Sheraton on the Park was an opportunity to use colour and texture in order to brighten the lives of the men and women of the defence community who sacrifice so much in their line of work.
Purples, pinks, oranges and greens were chosen, with a variety of styles to keep the crowd interested. A room full of sit down tables for those that wanted a quieter environment were adorned with citrus centrepieces. Small fish bowl vases filled with roses and orchids decorated the cocktail rounds.
The set up for this wedding started on Friday…and took nearly 9 hours with a team of over 20 people. The bride had planned everything from a ‘room for the kids’ one of the corner stables, laid with a shag-pile rug and large purple cushions and beanbags, jars of lollies and party bags with activities for the kids); to ‘the ladies room’ another stable lined with a large gilt mirror, french sideboard topped with a large phalaenopsis orchid and scented infusers, and a large white two person couch which one would never have a hope of getting out of (as it was so soft and luscious…). The thought and precision behind every detail was meticulous, and my job was to add the ‘floral touches’.
The vision was one of a country banquet table - something that imbued community living, celebration and discussion. Pom pom garlands spanned the width of the hall. The band was stationed at one end, and the caterers at the other (in another building perpendicular to the stables). The dessert room was another stable converted into a french lolly shop, and the cake of course took pride of place…an animated creation from the team at ‘Sweet Art’ - Miss Piggy and Kermit sitting in a purple bath with bubbles afloat. Obviously the cake was ‘an inside joke’ - and the guests found out the meaning later on in the evening!
The bride was adamant about the colour and choice of flowers. Purple hydrangea, antique “Julia’s rose”, David Austen spray roses, french and spanish lavender, sweet peas, delphiniums, lilies, and above all LOADS of phalaenopsis - her favourite flower. The colour scheme was chocolate brown, royal purple, cream and white. It worked beautifully in the atmosphere of the old stables and was a perfect colour scheme for the bride’s beautiful skin and her Oscar de la Renta gown.
As with every project undertaken, it’s not without aggravating old injuries that the perfect day is pulled off. The urns with delphiniums and hydrangea adorned the church, and a hydrangea/ivy garland decorated the steps of the Greek Orthodox Church (they had two services)…sun burn (silly me) and a bung back are a small price to pay when you consider the overall look and execution of the day that proved ‘no project is too big…or too small’…in this case…BIG!
Outside the stables, where the guests mingled for canapes and drinks prior to the arrival of the bride and groom, the lawn was bedecked with garden furniture, a picnic rug, cushions and of course…hydrangea! Guests kicked off their shoes and enjoyed french bubbles and 5 star canapes of smoked salmon, risotto balls, oysters and prime fillet of beef cooked to perfection.
It was not until 15 minutes after the intended time, that the bride realised we were all still outside ‘having a very good time’…so the guests were quickly ushered into the banquet hall with gasps of ‘ooohs and ahhhs’ to the delight of everyone involved in the setup!!
The bridal party was as cute as a button - 6 flower girls, one ‘man of honour’ and of course the radiant bride. The bride’s bouquet was impossible to choose, as she loved some many different flowers! Being a friend, I did four for her to choose from. In the end she chose the royal purple hydrangea bouquet, and it suited her beautifully. The flower girls had matching bouquets, although smaller. The groom and his men were adorned with spray roses, berries, violet leaf and hessian string.
I loved working on this wedding. Not only because the bride had such vision and firm ideas, but because the sense of community and family that surrounded the set up and execution of the day was truly beautiful. It was full of love, respect, management (!!), laughter and togetherness. I’m positive the bride and groom had the day they’ll remember for the rest of their lives. I was so happy to be a part of it. Congratulation m+m - I hope your future together is superb, and full of happy memories just like this one! ~Jules GLR
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