So what makes for styling up the ultimate Australian wedding? What is just ours, unique to our land, our landscape, our take on life’s celebrations?

Flowers

It’s hard to beat the incredible and unique flora this nation delivers, especially in spring. For this wedding we had the joy of working with flannel flowers, flowering gum, gum nuts, paper daisies, seeded gum, Geraldton wax, banksias and blushing bride in creamy white to deepest pink. And a starring role for king proteas, originally from South Africa, but now grafted into our landscape like they were born here.

Venue

Take to the spaces that surround you with the best of Australian nature. Our bushland, our rivers, our coastlines. Or buildings and spaces created by our architects, for our land, our lifestyle, our conditions.
This wedding took place in the iconic national treasure that was the property & studio retreat of artist Arthur Boyd. Bundanon on a hillside overlooking the Shoalhaven River was gifted to the nation.
This property afforded our couple a place to celebrate away from the maddening crowds, completely private, with those they love. Wedded by the river, celebrating immediately with champagne and ales under the warmth of a spring afternoon, followed by a gentle stroll back to the architect design splendour that is Riverside, designed by legendary Australian architect Glenn Murcutt for the reception.

Styling

We’re all about the long lunches and dinners in Australia and an easy on the eye style that is never ostentatious but always beautiful.
For this couple we dipped into our styling kit of linens in grey, charger plates in pale birch, linen napkins in a gorgeous shade of sand. Florals were worked into a collection including timber vases, and brown medicine bottle vases in a nod to the groom’s love of science and mathematics. Candles were hand made beeswax by the groom himself, and we showcased them in Australian designed and made amber votives and candleholders fashioned from slices of birch trees.

Outside, linen lounges and ottomans, bar tables clothed in linen with timber bentwood stools, and a fire pit for after sun down fireside chats set the scene for a party that flowed effortlessly from indoors to outside – another hallmark of how Australia loves to celebrate.

In keeping with our love of keeping it seamless, we took the palette from the florals, to design the stationery suite, commissioning an artist to create the design in water colour, as well as add her calligraphy font to the design; but for the menus for the day, we switched from paper to wood, and had individual timber menus for each guest, which also acted as a place card.

Never losing sight of what mattered to them both, we also worked in mathematical equations into the suite, and created fun quiz cards for the night guests to discover under the napkins.

The run of the day – we don’t think it gets more Australian than this – the marriage ceremony and the celebration taking place in the one space and place, no awkward breaks between ceremony and reception, with one flowing seamlessly into the next, no leaving the place to get wedding portraits taken and buses to pick up everyone from their accommodation, then taken them home again once the dancing is done. Carefree, generous, fun – all an Australian wedding should be.

Ms Zebra Says: What an incredible landscape and beautiful wedding! Thank you for sharing this amazing setting with us as we wrap up our Australia Issue. 

About the author Form Over Function: The Form Over Function team believe everyone has the right to enjoy a celebration – no matter how big or small – that is unique, personal, and carried out with a sense of fun, or a touch of style and grace. So whether you turn to us to design and manage your complete event, need to hire just a single spectacular vase, or wish to use our creative assistance for any of the many possibilities in between these two levels of service, you can be guaranteed the same degree of attention to detail, care and innovation we offer to all our clients.