Esther and Frankie, November 2011

My fantastic and talented hairdresser Frankie and his gorgeous wife Esther had a beautiful and relaxed wedding in the rotunda at Observatory Hill, and afterwards at Bel Mondo in the Rocks.

The view from the rotunda was just breathtaking, and Bel Mondo was a fantastic venue! Very cool and relaxed, and great staff!

There were haphazard posies tied to the posts of the rotunda, and also on the signing table. It was so lucky one of my favourite flowers was in season - the wild peony - such great colours - like a poppy on steroids!

Esther had a very pretty corsage with a david austin rose, lanbs ears, lavendar and herbs. The flowers were then all taken to Bel Mondo in the Rocks for the reception!

Enjoy!

Wendy and Chris, October 2011

Wendy and Chris had a gorgeous wedding in October last year! The wedding was in Forbes, and the reception at Eat your Greens in Eugowra!

We used lots of spring flowers - ranunculus, sweet peas, lavendar, roses, elderflower, and even some daisies from the Goodhew's garden in Orange where they very generously let me set up a temporary workshop the day before, even greeting me with lamingtons and a cup of tea on arrival!

The tables were the most fun - little bottles and jars of all shapes and sizes, with some colourful flowers created a gorgeous spring atmosphere!

I love doing the country weddings! It's great to get out on the road! Enjoy the pics by Denise Yates - www.dayates.com.au !

x Jane

Floreat Flower of the Month

As you step through the doors of the Sydney Flower Markets, it's very hard not to notice all the amazing Dahlias - they are everywhere! White, pale pink, fuscia, burnt orange, yellow, red, purple - AMAZING!

So, Dahlias are the inaugural Floreat Files Flower of the Month!

In the Victorian Era, The ideal Dahlia was an upright bloom, sitting straight and composed on its sturdy stem, the perfect floral representation of "Dignity".

Other amazing blooms out the at the moment - fragrant David Austin Roses, beautiful garden roses, julia roses, celosia, lavendar, paper daisies, chamomile, tuberose, hydrangea and water lilies - well there are lots of others, but they are my favourites!

Have a great January everyone, lots more exciting posts to come this month!

x Jane

It's the Twelfth Day of Christmas!

I know, Christmas was 12 days ago!!

Well, the traditionalists out there will know that today is the original "twelfth day of Christmas" - and we've reached the end of the traditional Christmas season, or "Christmastide"! (Thanks for pointing that out my Aunty Chrissy - apt name!)

In England in the Middle Ages, this period was one of continuous feasting and merrymaking, which climaxed on Twelfth Night. Well I don't know about you - but I'd done my fair share of merrymaking in the 12 days leading up to Christmas and by Christmas Day I was out for the count!

If you follow Floreat on Facebook, hopefully you will have enjoyed the photos I posted (almost!)each day of "floral" things I saw around me that reminded me of Christmas! Whether they be flowers, views, arrangments, kids... I have to say, I had never noticed before how many beautiful Australian natives flowered at this time of year in the traditional red and green - so much for holly and mistletoe!

So here, on the Twelfth Day of Christmas - please enjoy what both Sydney and Narrabri had to offer to me over the 12 days BEFORE Christmas!!!

Julia and Jonathan, October 2011

Happy New Year everyone! Welcome to the first Floreat Files post for 2012!

Julia and Jonathan got married on a gorgeous Spring day at Balmoral Bathers. We used pretty spring flowers like david austin roses and guelder roses (like fluffy versions of hydrangea!) for the bouquets and buttonholes, and lots of rustic flowers in the arrangements.

The table centres had pretty posies in old milk bottles sourced from an old Italian man in Leppington! Other pretty touches were a row of flowers in little tin pots along the aisle, and little posies of flowers tied to a lovely coat rack leading into the loos.

Photos by Elise Hassey - www.lisse.com.au