The colour theme for this mid-March wedding at
Stonefield in Brighton, was neutrals. The bride loved lots of interesting texture without the strong colour so I began collecting my ideas for this wedding by selecting the foliages. Foliage is such an important part of a bouquet. It can make such a difference to a design. I began with a palette of blue-green foliages in different shapes and sizes. In Autumn, the Eucalyptus Cordata, a beautiful spicy-fragranced blue leafed gum, was budding and just beginning to flower so it was a must. I also used
Tasmanian myrtle beech foliage - small glossy deep green leaves sitting prettily on stems that fan out. I also used Irish Juniper - a beautiful variegated fine-leafed Juniper that is a tad prickly. I forgive it because I love the blue green colour and texture it adds. And finally for foliage, I used a beautiful blue-green cyprus that has a lovely bend to its branches.
Each bouquet also contained Protea Pink Ice, and Protea White Ice as focal flowers. Some garden grown hydrangeas in subtle whites and green with little flecks of pink added to the foliagy effect. Some Leucadendron Gandogerii in its green, pre-flowering phase were also used. It had lovely bronzey-pink tips
Among other ingredients I used, were pittosporum berries in a green and white variegated form and some gorgeous green gum nuts from Corymbia Ficifolia. At the back on the right, you can also see a Silver Tree cone, the fruit from the female Silver Tree, which is a Leucadendron often grown for its magnificent foliage. The cones are stunning silvery velvety balls ranging from golf-ball to base-ball size. The are a beautiful and unusual addition to a bouquet.
Another textural ingredient was Brunia Albiflora which is often seen before it flowers with its beautiful silvery grey balls. In March it is flowering, so there are lots of tiny white flowers covering each of the balls opening from the outside-in and forming a fluffy white ring around each one.
Even though there is colour involved, the overall blend has a neutral look and the emphasis is on the texture of the bouquets.
For the boutonnieres, I used green gum nuts. I love using gum nuts in wedding flowers and they are quite versatile because you can use them at so many stages of their growth from flower right through to mature, dried woody nut. These green ones are last years fruit that haven't yet aged to a woody exterior. They're not always available, depending on the time of year.
The gum nuts were teamed with a leaf from their mother tree, the Corymbia Ficifolia. It has large leathery gum leaves that work well for the back of a boutonniere. I also added some Irish Juniper and some pittosporum berries. The groom stood out with the addition of some E. Cordata blooms in creamy white.
Stonefield is a beautiful venue! The bride and groom opted for doing their own table decorations and paid for a selection of flowers that worked with their theme.
It's always lovely to pack a boot full of flowers! Lots of Protea Pink Ice, at their best in Autumn, Eucalyptus, Myrtle Beech, flowering Brunia, Leucadendron Silver Tree and some of the other bits and pieces from the bouquets - all ready to play with.
The reception Venue at Stonefield has an abundance of glass, making the most of the gorgeous gardens.
It's always nice to see pictures of how it all turned out!
I really loved the opportunity of creating these texture-rich bouquets. It was a privilege, as always, to be involved in such a special day.
