Jade McIntosh Flowers

Flowers play a significant role in creating atmosphere on your wedding day. In fact, it’s the most flowers you are ever likely to purchase for a single event in your life. Traditionally, you will need a bouquet for yourself, bouquets for your attendants, boutonnieres for your husband-to-be, groomsmen and fathers, corsages for mothers, and flowers to decorate the ceremony and reception venues. That’s a lot of flowers! The florist you select will be the person responsible for the final look of your wedding flowers, so choosing the right florist, and working well with them, is crucial.

Do you want a florist, or a specialist wedding florist?

Although all florists are experts in flower arrangements for any occasion, there is another option that may be better suited to breathing life into your wedding floral dream. Florists who specialise in providing flowers for weddings have loads of experience in not just supplying flowers for weddings, but making flowers a work of art and tying them in with your overall wedding theme to enhance the look and feel of your big day. A florist who specialises in weddings may cost a little more, but they usually take on fewer clients in order to devote more time to each event.

Browse magazines and photographs

In your mind, you likely have a very precise picture of what you would like your wedding flowers to look like, but it can be a bit tricky relaying that exact vision to a florist. The key to having your dream perfectly realised is collecting pictures of flower arrangements that catch your eye. Browse wedding magazines for flowers you like, then clip the image and place it in a file to show potential florists. When it comes to social media, Pinterest is a particularly fabulous source of wedding flower ideas. The more information you give a florist, the better chance you have of them understanding your dream. You’re looking for a florist you can trust to take control of your ideas, without taking over and making you feel intimidated.

Know your budget

It’s vital you know exactly how much you’re going to spend on your wedding flowers before you make appointments with potential florists. Giving a florist an accurate budget amount allows them to show you what they can realistically accomplish, and avoids embarrassing misunderstandings down the track.

So what’s a reasonable amount to spend on flowers? Wedding experts usually recommend spending eight to 10 percent of your total wedding budget on flowers. For example, a wedding costing $20,000 might have a budget of around $2,000 for flowers.

Remember the extras

The more a florist can take on, the less planning you need to do, so make a list of possible extras and ask potential florists if they can help you out. So, what sort of extras should you ask about? If confetti isn’t allowed at your venue, saying goodbye under a shower of rose petals can be a romantic alternative, and small posies in the reception restrooms add class and a touch of colour. Honoured guests such as grandparents will appreciate lapel flowers or corsages. Also keep in mind some florists can supply candles, ornaments and centrepieces that you can use as decorations.

Contemporary outlook

Ideally, you’re looking for experience combined with up-to-date knowledge of the latest trends and techniques when looking at wedding florists. Florists servicing the Hunter region and specialise in wedding flowers will take your vision and make it happen. They will offer advice and suggestions, but still allow you to make the final decisions, so your wedding flowers are the gorgeous creations you imagined.

Curly Tree Photography

Lake Macquarie is situated on the east coast of NSW, around one and a half hours north of Sydney. The lake is the largest saltwater lake in Australia, and offers 170 kilometres of beautiful shoreline nestled beneath the picturesque Watagan mountain range. Lake, beach, bush or park, Lake Macquarie has the ideal wedding setting for couples searching for a romantic atmosphere combined with spectacular natural scenery.

Lakeside wedding

One of the main things you should take into account when considering a lakeside wedding is how easy the spot will be for your guests to locate. If you’ve chosen one of the area’s pretty parks alongside Lake Macquarie, your guests shouldn’t have any trouble. If you’re set on one of the myriad more private lakeside locations, it might not be clearly signposted. If this is the case ask the local council if you can put up your own signs for the day, and ensure each guest has a detailed map. If many of your guests have flown in from other states, hiring a bus to transport them to the ceremony and back to the reception can prevent any potential confusion.

A lakeside wedding in Lake Macquarie comes with some of the most impressive natural beauty there is as a backdrop, giving your photographer many unique photo opportunities. Imagine exchanging vows while silhouetted against the softly romantic colours of the sun setting over the lake, or the bleached grey planks of an endless jetty highlighting the beauty of your bridal gown.

Beachfront wedding

If you’re looking for a watery wedding, but you prefer beachfront to lakeside, then this region has you spoilt for choice. Although a beach-themed wedding can be casually chic and romantic, it does require some planning, especially when it comes to the weather.

Have plenty of umbrellas on hand as a precaution against the heat or an unexpected shower of rain. Setting up a drinks station under a market umbrella is also a thoughtful gesture, and will ensure the groomsmen and early arrivals stay hydrated – especially in the hot Aussie summer. Keep in mind, it’s not a good idea to keep your guest waiting under a hot sun while you arrive fashionably late. This is one wedding where your guests will appreciate your timely arrival!

Bush wedding

Weddings in Lake Macquarie don’t have to involve water. If you’re a country girl at heart, the Watagan mountain range is ideal for holding an Australian bush-themed wedding. A wedding held in a bush setting is a wonderful excuse to literally relax and wear flowers in your hair, especially native wildflowers.

Your wedding colours can mimic the strong hues of Australian wildflowers or you can go with soft mossy greens, woodsy caramels and deep ochre reds. Think rustic chic and you can’t go wrong.

Take the Australian bush theme a step further by adorning the reception tables with gum leaves and gum nuts, and cook and serve reception food Aussie barbeque style. Choose classic Australian soft rock for your guests to dance away the night, and planning your bush wedding is complete.

Research your choices

Start by checking out our listings for weddings in Lake Macquarie, and remember that (as with all in-demand wedding locations) it’s best to book your ceremony site, reception location and your photographer well in advance. Scouting out potential wedding venues in Lake Macquarie is also the perfect excuse to spend a weekend or two exploring the area, while grabbing some rest and recreation. Remember to take your camera with you to snap photos of venues and locations that catch your eye. That way when you get back home, you have a visual record of your favourite places to remind you and help you make your eventual choice.