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
