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Dec 16, 2020
The Blue Mountains are one of the most stunning places to get married in the world. I’m a Blue Mountains wedding and elopement photographer, regularly photographing weddings and elopements in this beautiful region! My Blue Mountains wedding photography has been featured on Vogue, Rock n Roll bride and more.
The Blue mountains is one of the most magic areas of New South Wales, and it’s always such a treat to photograph there. I wanted to share a few of my favourite shoots, so if you’re looking for a wedding photographer then take a peek and reach out to me at the bottom of this post.
Zoe and Adam – Hydro Majestic wedding / Blue Mountains Wedding Photographer
Zoe and Adam got married at the incredible Hydro Majestic hotel. We kicked things off with a wild pre-day shoot in the Blue Mountains, before spending the full day together on their wedding. Zoe is a brilliant photographer and has a particular affinity for old cameras, so I took some clunky gear from the 1960’s along for the ride. Find out why I love film wedding photography.
Find the Hydro Majestic Blue Mountains online
Hydro Majestic website: https://www.hydromajestic.com.au/
Sarah and Simons Blue Mountains Elopement photography
Based out of Berlin, Sarah and Simon are two incredible artists, who eloped to the other side of the world, to the Blue Mountains. They hired an incredible Air Bnb, and spent the day together with just themselves, and 4 of their closest friends.
Book me as your Blue Mountains Wedding photographer
Hire me for your wedding or elopement – www.briarsatlas.com/enquire
How I approach the day: I believe you maestros should be focusing on enjoying the shit out of each other, and not having me wave my arms around telling you what to do. Particularly in the Blue Mountains, that means spending time enjoying the region and letting the surrounds and your natural vibe do the heavy lifting.
The Blue Mountains has a wild range of incredible sheer cliffs, rugged bush and impossible escarpments, and it’s a bit of a dream location to photograph in. I’ve shot weddings deep into it, as well as all around the South Coast, Katoomba and Kangaroo Valley.
If you’re looking at a Blue mountains wedding or Blue Mountains elopement it would be a thrill to come along for the ride, and no other fees are payable for that little corner of New South Wales.
For weddings closer towards the city, check out this gorgeous Sydney Theatre Company wedding, as well as this Centennial Park Sydney Superintendent’s Residence wedding, or for a little outside of Byron Bay, Deux Belettes is a must see.
Featured blue mountains weddings published
See Zoe and Adams Blue Mountains Wedding Photos on Vogue
See Sarah and Simons Blue Mountains Wedding photos on RnR Bride
I have photographed all over New South Wales, including the Blue Mountains. You can hire me for your wedding, and there are no extra travel costs involved.
No. You get a single-fee that covers you for everything.
My internationally sought-after wedding photography begins at $5k AUD.
Leura and the Hydro Majestic have a special place in my heart.
Oct 8, 2020
Here’s a preview of the gorgeous Vogue Wedding of Zoe and Adam married at the incredible Leura Amphitheatre in the Blue Mountains, before heading over to their wedding reception at the Hydro Majestic Hotel. These two adventurers and sweethearts wear everything on their sleeves, maybe best shown when Adam took a detour with Zoe and their crew into a private room before their reception at the Hydro Majestic, where the Blue Mountains String Quartet played a piece that Adam had written with them in secret ahead of time. Magic stuff.
Thanks Vogue Australia for sharing these two marvels. See their full Vogue wedding feature here.
See more information on Blue Mountains Wedding Photography, or for a different flavour of wedding venue in Sydney, check out this Beta Bar Wedding.
Aug 21, 2020
Hunting for a wedding florist Melbourne or beyond? There are so many incredible florists in our home state, but these maestros really stand out from the crowd and produce some of the best wedding flowers Melbourne has on offer.
It can be a challenge finding a florist to collaborate on your vision (or share their own), and there are so many moving parts, such as logistics, seasonality, and more.
So I thought I’d compile a list of 10 of the most unique florists in Melbourne: scientists, wizards, aliens of the floral game, making things you’d never expect to see at weddings. But this is what we’ve come to expect from Melbourne – innovation, and wedding floristry was never going to be exempt!
Get around these floral masterminds, whether you’re planning a Melbourne City Elopement during Covid 19, a wedding at one of these brilliant small wedding venues or something bigger down the line, these florists Melbourne and beyond have done it all.
Top 10 wedding florists in Melbourne
- Hollingsworth Studio
- Babiana Botanic
- Raven and the Rose
- Good Grace and Humour
- Katie Marx Flowers
- The Flower District
- Bloom Boy
- Sassafras Flower design
- Georgie Boy
- North St Botanical
Flowers are a significant part of the style and feel of a wedding and in how they shape a space. The bouquets, table settings and accents to the decor all set the tone of a space and have more of an impact on the day than you might imagine.
The incredible photo and ceremony backdrops (especially this slice of genius by Hollingsworth Studio) will be the talk of the town (or at least your mob of mates) for years to come. If you’re going to spend cash you need to spend it with the right people, which means a small crew who are personally invested and creative masterminds in their own right.
The wedding florist you want on your team isn’t just one who can take and enhance your ideas, but throw their own in the ring. With a wealth of experience under their belt, they’ve seen everything under the sun, and if you can lean into fully trusting the wedding florist you hire, you’ll be left with the brilliance that can only come from a professional taking a little insight into your venue and who you are as a couple, and then running with it.
Melbourne wedding florists: a comparison chart
| Wedding Florist name | Florist style | Florist location | You may also like | Florist gallery |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hollingsworth Studio | Delicate genius | Garfield, VIC | Babiana Botanic | Coming soon |
| Babiana Botanic | Colour fireworks | Melbourne | Hollingsworth Studio | Coming soon |
| Raven and the Rose | Seasonal art | Macedon Ranges | Katie Marx Flowers | Coming soon |
| Good Grace and Humour | Interstellar | Melbourne | Georgie Boy | Coming soon |
| Katie Marx Flowers | Majestic natural | Castlemaine | Raven and the Rose | Coming soon |
| The Flower District | Gloriously sleek | Berwick | Bloom Boy | Coming soon |
| Bloom Boy | Tarantino | Seddon | Good Grace and Humour | Coming soon |
| Sassafras Flower design | Abundant | Yarra Valley | North St Botanical | Coming soon |
| Georgie Boy | Designed | Northcote | Good Grace and Humour | Coming soon |
| North St Botanical | Natural magic | Northcote | Sassafras Flower design | Coming soon |
Best wedding flowers Melbourne: their impact on your wedding photos
For me as a photographer, it’s bloody great when you get a top-notch wedding florist. It can make the photos really come alive and gives me something to play around with. A stunning venue all dressed up with flowers creates such a vibe. The bridal party’s pinholes and the bride’s bouquet transform photos. Adding that floral dash of coordinating colour helps tie it all together, creating that one shot that you can’t stop looking at after the big day.
Where to find a wedding florist in Victoria
I want to let you in to Victoria’s exceptionally exciting floristry scene. We have some of the world’s best wedding floral designers right on our doorstep. These scallywags are the most forward-thinking and talented group of wedding florists I’ve found, and push the boundaries of what’s possible with wedding flowers, mostly using locally sourced and native species, and operating on the edge of the movement towards maximum sustainability.
1. Melbourne wedding flowers: Hollingsworth Studio
Vivien and her team, formerly Flos Botanical, are just the most amazing, colourful, bombastic geniuses around. They are always looking for ways to be more eco-friendly and work sustainably – which is no longer an option, but a responsibility (and as a wedding couple, something you should consider using in your vetting process). Their relationship with their flowers is built on fun and creativity, and forward-thinking synergy with the venues they work in.
I’ve always been really inspired by them. Her gallery is full of life and colour. I can just see the smiles they bring to people from the pictures. If you are dreaming of fun, stylish and vibrant creations give Vivien a call.
Working out of their studio in Melbourne with her husband running around doing deliveries, Vivien runs a truly personal experience.
Hollingsworth Studio website:
2. Florists in Melbourne: Babiana Botanic
I haven’t included this just because the name is fun to say: Anna is a fantastic new kid on the block and one of the most incredibly innovative florists Melbourne has on offer.
You can tell from her incredible pieces that she has a fine art background. Each meticulously designed arrangement is its own piece of art. You and your guests are going to be ogling at them and talking about them way after the party is over, and you can check out her incredible work for Pepe and Sam in the pages of Hello May.
See also: my interview with Babiana Botanic.
Known as a more bombastic Melbourne wedding florist, Anna likes working with colour and really pushing the boundaries of what the flowers can actually do. She has purple palm fans, yellow flower garlands and lush green ferns in her armoury ready to wow anyone that lays eyes on them. If you want a double serve of magic, pair this brilliant wedding florist in Melbourne with these amazing wedding arbours.
Florist Melbourne: Babiana Botanic website:
https://www.babianabotanic.com/
3. Macedon Ranges florist: Raven and the Rose
I first worked with Amy and her Raven and the Rose team at Castle Montsalvat, and she blew me away (or at least into the next stone-walled room).
Amy creates these beautiful, majestic dark moody pieces of art that are on trend, on season and eco friendly. If dark and moody isn’t your thing, she will create your perfect scene out of seasonal flowers whatever the colour scheme.
Amy loves catching up with her clients over a cuppa to get a feel for the day and the person, rather than just giving a generic quote, and the Macedon Ranges is lucky to have her. Call up and then drop in to her shop directly.
Florist Mt Macedon: Raven and the Rose website:
https://www.ravenandtherose.com.au/
4. Wedding florist in Melbourne: Good Grace and Humour
Meg and her team are pushing the boundaries of floral artistry. There’s no ‘floral fluff’ to be seen here, just free flowing, seemingly impossible, pure natural yet futuristic creations. And every single petal is sourced locally from Melbourne flower market.
I personally think she is the Elon Musk of floristry (minus offering flamethrowers for sale on the side… yet). She gets to know you, your themes and colour ideas and she’s curious about every detail, and how that might then fit into some impossibly devised creation.
Good Grace and Humour are located in a warehouse in the inner west of the city (sharing space with the inimitable Good Day Club) but they go out foraging for their special twists on the genre all the time. There’s always a little accent you wouldn’t have thought of that just lifts the whole visual dynamic and transcends everything you thought you knew about floral design.
Wedding florist in Melbourne: Good Grace and Humour website:
https://www.goodgraceandhumour.com/
5. Castlemaine wedding flowers: Katie Marx Flowers
Based well north of Melbourne in Newstead, Katie Marx has her floristry studio and runs ‘Butterland’ venue with her husband Greg. Previously a candle factory, Butterand is also ground zero for this brilliant Castlemaine florists artistry.
The venue runs floristry workshops and hosts gorgeous events year round. Katie is the queen of foraging, and keen to teach you all her tricks. She has an enormously earthy and natural feel to her displays and focuses on native species using interesting pieces her friends at the flower market secretly save for her. Katie also works as a Melbourne wedding florist, sprinkling her genius all over Victoria.
Check out the incredible work of Katie Marx florist below at the wedding of Iro and Alex, held at Butterland.
Katie’s passion for au naturale drives her unique designs. If you’re after a homegrown Australian dream wedding, then take a look at Katie Marx’s work.
Florist Victoria: Katie Marx Flowers Website:
https://www.instagram.com/katiemarxflowers
6. Wedding flowers Melbourne: The Flower District
A mother and daughter team working hard to stay sustainable and have minimal waste. They love beautiful things and “extra AF” parties! They are incomprehensibly talented, whilst remaining flexible, and create some of the most unique wedding flowers Melbourne has on offer.
They use flowers to set the mood. If you want romance, you can have the whole room oozing with love. If you want colour, Caroline will make the room explode with excitement. Taking her creative flare from her mother, the two make the perfect team. She has been known to slip a tiny pineapple or disco ball into a bouquet, so watch out!
Florist Melbourne: The Flower District Website:
https://www.theflowerdistrict.com.au/contact
7. Unique wedding flowers Melbourne: Bloom Boy
Previously working in fashion in London, Ross is now a Melbourne-based flower lord: he creates flower arrangements that don’t even look like floristry as you know it, and is a front-runner on wedding floristry innovation.
Bloom Boy has chains, ribbons, spray paint, disco balls and naked men covered in flowers all over the shop: all the things you think of when you think of wedding floristry (naturally – or was that, au naturale).
Check out some of his brilliant work below that was set up at iconic small wedding venue in Melbourne, the Altar Electric.
If you want something with a bit of spice and flare he’s your man. If you had a ‘silly’ idea of hanging flowers across the ceiling, Ross will create the craziest, lushest, most fashion conscious installation you could have dreamed of and that ‘silly’ idea might just be the best one you had.
All photos above taken at Altar Electric – check them out along with some of the other incredible small wedding venues Melbourne has to offer.
Unique wedding flowers Melbourne: Bloom Boy website:
8. Yarra Valley Wedding Florist: Sassafrass Flower Design
Sassafras flower design merges a delicate, sensitive flair for design, with considered selection of florals. Check out these incredible arrangements for the Burnham Beeches wedding of Kate and Alex.
Yarra Valley Florists: Sassafras Flower Design website:
https://www.sassafraswedding.com.au/
9. Melbourne Florist: Georgie Boy
Georgie Boy is Gina Lasker. You know you’re dealing with one of the most unique wedding florists in town when they have their own feature on Melbourne’s leading design blog, The Design Files.
Check out Ginas spectacular work below, creating a jaw dropping installation at Geelong wedding venue, the Fyansford Paper Mill.
Melbourne Florists: Georgie Boy website:
10. Melbourne Florist: North St Botanical
North St Botanical have been around a while, and it’s no surprise: they stay at the edge of beautiful design, seasonality, and most importantly, making couples over the moon with their brilliant creations.
Melbourne Florists: North St Botanical website:
Common Melbourne wedding florist questions
Wedding flowers by a professional florist can be anywhere from $500 to $50000 depending on how many pieces and installations you’re having.
The best wedding flower is the one that makes you go “holy batman”. Consider things that are off-trend, and also know that seasonal is always a great way to go to avoid transport miles.
You should consider booking your florist at least one month in advance. This will enable them to plan your pieces properly, as well as make the market trips in advance to do all the materials purchasing.
Wedding flowers can occasionally seem like a bit of a whack to the pocket, but not when you realise the amount of time and effort that goes into creating them. Your wedding florist will spend weeks planning the arrangements, liaising with you about your day, not to mention 3am rises to hit the flower markets. There is so much more work involved than just slapping a few bouquets together.
Final tips for picking your wedding florist Melbourne or beyond:
Like all the pieces of the wedding and events puzzle, it’s a dance between executing your vision, and letting experienced professionals do their thing. Reach out to the florists up there with your ideas, and be sure to take a look at these brilliant alternative Melbourne wedding celebrants, as well as the most unique wedding venues in Melbourne.
Feb 1, 2020
I’m honestly at a loss for words trying to introduce this Blue Mountains wedding venue. The Hydro Majestic Hotel lives up to it’s name and is a turn-key wedding venue that really does offer everything you need to pull off the most extraordinary wedding. The hotel itself presents some phenomenal photo opportunities, with a refined art-deco style. The real magic though is in the view. It really does have to be seen to be believed. Luckily for you, I managed to snap a few wedding shots at this larger-than-life Blue Mountains wedding venue a little while ago and I’m more than happy to share. Enjoy!
The Hydro Majestic Blue Mountains Wedding Venue
Ok, this is the part where I blab on and on about how incredible this venue is. It is definitely for good reason though, there really isn’t a single downside. So, if you’re not thinking of booking The Hydro for your upcoming nuptials, maybe turn away if you don’t want to know what you’re missing out on.
This wedding venue is an absolute BEAST. It is a towering ode to the dreams of businessman Mark Foy and his drive to install Australia’s very first Health Retreat. That’s what The Hydro is, first and foremost – a retreat. And a mighty enormous one at that.
In 1903, Mark oversaw the construction of the Hydro, pulling out all the stops. A generator imported from Germany, artworks from all across the globe, a dome shaped roof that was built in Chicago and shipped all the way to Australia, and a Swiss health professional to run the joint. He even renamed the township The Hydro was situated in to “Medlow Bath” to make it suit the overall vibe of the hotel. If that isn’t a baller move, I don’t know what is.
The venue has hosted a plethora of famous guests over the years including: Dame Nellie Melba the magnificent Aussie Opera singer, Sir Arthur Conan Doyle the creator of Sherlock Holmes, Australia’s first Prime Minister Sir Edmund Barton who actually died in the hotel in 1920. Sure, it’s a morbid claim to fame, but it’s a claim to fame nonetheless.
If the grandiose of this venue isn’t apparent in its history, then allow the photos below to show you just how remarkable this place truly is.
The Ceremony
If you’ve been pining after a wedding ceremony with a view, there’s no better way to do it than right here in the Blue Mountains. The Hydro Majestic boasts a breathtaking lookout with a viewing platform that’s perfectly suited to hosting a wedding ceremony in the natural surrounds of the serene Australian bush.
Honestly, whilst capturing photos for this wedding I was constantly picking my jaw up off the floor. I couldn’t believe just how ridiculously gorgeous the entire place was.
The ceremony was backed by a tremendous valley that held an expanse of native bush lands. The Blue Mountains really is one of the most naturally beautiful places in Australia – it’s no wonder this spot was selected to host the grandeur of The Hydro Hotel.
The Services
When you book your wedding venue through The Hydro Majestic, you’re basically covered for everything. And I mean, everything.
- A dedicated Wedding Coordinator
- On-site accommodation (overnight complimentary for the happy couple)
- Design guidance
- Welcome dinners
- Spa sessions
- Delectable meals and canapes
- 5+ reception sites to choose from
The list goes on, my friends. I truly cannot recommend this venue enough, not only for weddings but for other events, photography shoots, high teas – anything that requires a spacious site that oozes class and style.
I’m going to leave you with a few more photos from this gorgeous Blue Mountains wedding venue. Once you’re done browsing through them why not check out this post on the awesome I Do Drive Through?
For more beautiful rural New South Wales weddings, check out this Kangaroo Valley wedding,
Jan 8, 2020
Zoe and Adam married at the incredible Hydro Majestic hotel, in New South Wales. Zoe’s bridesmaids wore stunning Elle Zeitoune Emerald Bridesmaid Dresses, in emerald green.
You can see Zoe and Adams full day on Vogue, and here we just wanted to share these incredible, shimmering emerald green bridesmaid dresses.
To hire me to photograph your wedding, enquire at Briarsatlas.com
Emerald Green Bridesmaid Dress by Elle Zeitoune
Shop Elle Zeitoune emerald green bridesmaid dresses
Elle Zeitoune Website: https://www.ellezeitoune.com.au/shop/section/55/Bridesmaids
Love these green dresses? Then check this dress inspiration out:
Head here for more modern wedding dresses and be sure to check out this incredible wedding dress by KYHA Studios.
Book me as your wedding photographer
Wedding photography Melbourne – Briars Atlas: Enquire
