Form Over Function

Featured - Real Weddings: Daini & Luke I Jonah's, Palm Beach, Sydney I A coastal chic wedding

2012-01-19T15:06:00.001+11:00

Daini + Luke's Style File:

Photographer: McKay Photography

Venue: Jonah's, Palm Beach

Event design, styling, flowers, hire and management: Form Over Function

Dress: Amsale @ Angela Wilson

Caroyln + Terry I Ottoman Cuisine Restaurant, Sydney I A cocktail wedding by Sydney Harbour

2011-12-30T15:10:00.006+11:00

It's impossible to resist the urge to post for the first time in six months (guilt, guilt) -- let alone on the last working day of 2011 -- and not share with you the beauty, grace, generosity of spirit and fun of Carolyn and Terry's wedding at Ottoman Cuisine, by Sydney Harbour.

What was there not to love about designing, styling and co-ordinating a wedding for a woman, who, unable to choose between all the special women in her life, slipped a poem she wrote, printed in pink, into the invitations asking anyone who wore pink on the day to be her bridesmaid.

And so they did. Thirty of them. Wearing everything from just pink fingernails or shoes, to being decked out in pink head to toe. And one very dapper gent in hottest, hot pink vest.

Rising to the joyous challenge, we came up with the idea of bouquets of sweet pea in various shades of pink being handed to each delighted, pink wearing guest as a surprise on arrival. (That made for 35 bouquets created for the one wedding - definitely a Form Over Function first).

For Terry and Carolyn, this wedding was all about the love and laughs they share, the life they've built together, and the family and friends who surround them. They wanted a great party with fantastic food, wine and music. And it was. Guests were also treated to a two metre long cheese bar, a lolly station, a band which kept the dance floor packed all night, and a night by Sydney Harbour no one is about to forget in a hurry.

And speaking of generosity of spirit - a special thank you to Israel, from Israel Smith Photographers for sharing so many of his images, so we could share them with you.

Enjoy.

Alicia
x

A close up of our wall of flowers

Even though it was winter, we were spoilt for choice for white blooms, and had the unadulterated luxury and joy of Carolyn trusting us to pick whatever we wanted to use on the day

We dipped into our hire range of vases to put together a collection of differing heights, widths and shapes to bring out the best in the parrot tulips, freesias, vendella roses, arum lilies, hyacinth, stock, gladioli, astilbe and range of foliages we selected at the flower markets to create this wall of flowers. White cymbidium orchids with the palest of pink throats featured on the ceremony table.

A simple vase of beautifully shaped glossy leaves can be every bit as beautiful as a vase of flowers.

Early afternoon view from the penthouse suite at Sheraton on the Park, where the bridal party got ready.

So excited. Much dress twirling practice to be had.

Delivered: our bouquets of hand tied vendella roses for all.

Carolyn's sons prepare to walk their mum down the aisle.

Detail of Carolyn's Pronovias gown and vendella rose bouquet.

Pearl and diamond wedding day earrings and wedding bands, all by Cerrone.

Sunset, Ottoman Cuisine,Walsh Bay

A fleet of Rolls Royces ferried the bride and the bridal party to Ottoman Cuisine, where the ceremony and reception took place

Candle vases from our hire range lined the entry to the venue

Trays of pink sweet pea bouquets bound with grosgrain ribbon, for guests who wore pink in honour of being Carolyn's bridesmaid for the night. Thirty guests did just that.

Carolyn's two nieces hand out the bridesmaid bouquets

Arrival: we created an inviting entrance with flowers and candles echoing the styling in the space just around the corner....

Terry, the expectant groom, keeps an eye out for Carolyn's arrival

We created the candlelit backdrop for the evening ceremony by bringing in sleek white consoles from our hire range, and lining them with conical glass candlesticks, also from our hire range, in various heights, as well as tall bullet vases filled with masses of white gladioli - one of Terry's favourite flowers

A small round mirror covered table played host to the unity candles used during the ceremony; candleholders Carolyn and Terry now have as keepsakes of their wedding day.

Now that's what we call an arrival.

Vows...

Rings...

We did it! (Could they look any happier?)

We think the littlest one of the all was just as happy (love how she sneaked in souveniering a freesia along the way)

Exquisite cake art from Faye Cahill Cake Design who used the pattern of the wedding stationery as the inspiration for the piping and topped the cake with her signature overblown rosess. Carolyn's response upon seeing it carried out? "Look at that cake! Oh my god. I can't believe how beautiful. Just look at that cake." We could but concur.

Now that's a cheeseboard. We searched high and low for matching cheeseboards in the differing sizes needed to accommodate all the varying shapes and sizes of the most extraordinary cheese bar we have ever had the pleasure of creating. They were nowhere to be found. What to do? Buy a tree, get it sliced, assign beloved member of team to sand, oil, sand, oil, sand, oil and sand again for lots of hours, and presto, one 2m long single cheeseboard of beautiful camphor laurel wood is born. Available now for hire!

Dipping into the larder of the finest cheese importer in the country goes down as one of Form Over Function's culinary highlights for 2011 (which is saying something since we got to be a restaurant reviewer this year but we digress). Not only was there an entire wheel of two year old grana reggiano from Italy, but manchego from Spain, tetemoin from Switzerland, goats cheese from France....we could go on but won't. Corella pears, mounds of fresh strawberries, Iranian dates, Barossa Bark (should come with an addicition warning), quince paste....and no names, no pack drill, we had to sneak a packet of Jatz onto the board for one very special guest....

Eighteen jars...eighteen types of lollies...way more than eighteen kilograms of lollies....two very, very happy flowergirls (and the grown ups all found their inner child)...

The bridesmaids hit the dancefloor...

First dance. It's a wrap.

Carolyn + Terry's Style File:

Photographer: Israel Smith Photographers
Venue: The Wharf Restaurant
Event design, management, styling, decor and furniture hire, flowers: Form Over Function
Rings + Earrings: Cerrone
Dress: Pornovias @ Fashions by Farina
Wedding cake: Faye Cahill Cake Design

Featured: Elissa & James, Observatory Hill Marquee - Cosmopolitan Bride

2011-07-19T14:45:00.000+10:00

Featured: Claire & Peter, a marquee wedding in the Southern Highlands - Real Weddings magazine

2011-06-23T11:11:00.002+10:00

There are so many people who worked together with heart, a sense of humour, a desire to rise to any challenge (tree in the wrong place anyone?), to create magic on the last weekend in October last year, but I want to take the time to make tribute to a few, without whom we could not have been allowed to shine.

Firstly to Claire & Peter and their families: for believing in us, trusting us, welcoming us into their home and their lives, and not once making us feel we were anything but treasured and respected.

To my team on this one -- Shane, Anna, Sam, Peter, Bettina -- for working with flair, dedication, a serious lack of sleep, and possibly too much pizza, too late at night, for way too long. I can never thank you enough for all you did, not only in the months, days and hours leading up to the wedding day, but for being back up at dawn on Sunday, smiles on your faces and ready to make the post wedding celebration brunch one to be remembered by everyone who attended. For the thousands of roses you helped me strip, the marquee walls and table linens you labouriously steamed by hand (have your backs recovered yet? ;-)), the lace bar you lovingly created, for the several truckloads of gear you prepared, packed, loaded, unloaded, set up, packed, unloaded, cleaned and stored. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you.

To Karin Johnson, who manages Your Event Solution at Bowral: you were a calm and professional joy to work with for the months leading up to the event, as well as on the days we toiled away together leading up to the wedding. I love that you don't want to give no as an answer. That your tiffany chairs are impeccably white. That you knocked yourself out to design a marquee construction site that required serious packing, so we could place it where the view was best, allowed Peter & Claire (and us) the long banquet tables of our dreams, and saved the cherished weeping cherry in Mrs Mason's front garden.

Thank you all for helping us make it happen.

Love,

Alicia x

Event design, styling & management, flowers, stationery & mirror seating plans all

by Form Over Function.

Crystal and etched glass vases and candleholders, chandeliers, latte damask table runners, white linen, lace bar, antique bench, ottomans, side tables, silver table lamps, glassware & cutlery, latte damask and latte self stripe marquee walls

all available from Form Over Function's hire depot.

Site construction design & management, marquees, timber flooring, white tiffany chairs,

banquet tables, catering & serviceware equipment hire & outdoor lighting

by Your Event Solution.

Featured: Alison & Sam at Centennial Parklands Dining featured in Modern Wedding

2011-04-01T12:51:00.000+11:00

Covered: Vintage inspired shoot makes the front page

2011-03-25T13:12:00.001+11:00

http://www.modernwedding.com.au/

http://www.bailie.com.au/

Country Charm: Pretty Vintage Wedding Inspiration

2011-03-24T12:27:00.001+11:00

http://www.modernwedding.com.au/
http://www.bailie.com.au/

Meg & Andrew - A wedding on Pittwater at Palm Beach

2011-03-16T16:55:00.000+11:00

We're a little busy...and feeling very bad to have been neglecting our blog...and wondering why we can't get the writing here to not be screaming out in bold...but we will battle on bravely to share with you now, courtesy of the delicious SugarLove Weddings team, their beautiful, beautiful images of Meg & Andrew's wedding on Pittwater, with a celebration that followed at Barrenjoey House.

We loved so much about this wedding: that they arrived together...that the guests were served champagne on arrival which made it seem like a party from the very start...that Meg's mum who we worked with closely on the ceremony was just so great to be around....that we got to make a beautiful slip cover for a park bench for the first time (and a gorgeous shade of sage it is too...and available now for hire should anyone else not be taken by the very shabby state of the park bench in the park across the road from Barrenjoy House)...that the day was glorious and the sunset unbelievably beautiful.

As the banner declared, it was a celebration of love and friendship.

And it was. What was there not to love?

Enjoy

Alicia x

Thursday, March 10, 2011

REAL WEDDING - MEG & ANDREW

Venturing to one of our favourite parts of Sydney for Meg & Andrew's wedding at Palm Beach was a special day for SugarLove. A three page editorial was recently published in the Your Day edition of Bride to Be Magazine showcasing just a sample of images from their day. We decided it would be lovely to show you some more...

A perfect spring day in Palm Beach and the view from private beachhouse Rockridge. I have wished for many years to find a reason to book this gorgeous private home for a birthday, wedding anniversary or relaxing break with family & friends.

Meg & Andrew chose Rockridge as the perfect beachside pad for Meg's bridal preparations and weekend wedding stay before their honeymoon abroad.

Inspired by Grace Kelly in "To Catch A Thief"....Meg wore a white silk chiffon Lisa Ho gown. Finished with a single shoulder strap and black ribbon the grecian-style dress was perfect for the relaxed beachy setting.

The stunning exterior of Rockridge and simple bridal bouquet by Floriade.

A civil ceremony on the beach opposite their reception was designed by Form over Function.

Simple decorations in the pine trees complimented the Pittwater backdrop.

Keeping it all in the family - Meg & Andrew chose their brothers as bridal attendants who both flew in from London for the special day.

Lots of laughs with celebrant David Ackling-Jones in Pittwater Park.

Flower petal cones were used by guests to help celebrate the "i-do".

The first stroll as husband & wife on the sand in Palm Beach.

Place settings were designed with childhood pictures of Meg & Andrew.

Barrenjoey House has a lovely beachhouse feel where additional styling is often kept to a minimum by clients. There so many hidden trinkets and treasures throughout the restaurant - the less is more feel suited Meg & Andrew perfectly.

Small flower arrangements included baby pink field roses and white hydrangeas.

A cherished moment for Meg to remember for a lifetime.

One of the best sunsets we have ever seen at a Palm Beach wedding.

The groovy couple dance the night away on their wedding night.

It has been so lovely dealing with you since your wedding day & we wish you the very best for an exciting future journey together, Leigh & all the team @ SugarLove x

Centennial Parklands Dining Expo - Tables #3 - It's not just about the bride

2011-02-17T08:30:00.000+11:00

Now we have to reveal, it doesn't happen very often, but we think it's lovely when it does: a couple meet with us and ask for their wedding to be styled in a way that reflects both of them, in colours they both love, with touches both feminine and masculine.

Sometimes it is not always just about the bride, and the groom gets a say too (oops, did we just dare to write that?!).

So this was the inspiration behind this look we showcased at the Centennial Parklands Dining Expo - to come up with a design that was pretty without being girly, a design we could "man up" with a touches of beautiful pale camel suede and chocolate leather, while retaining a chic, contemporary look that is not at all gentleman's club.

We covered the table in a luxurious pale camel suede overlay from our hire range, and dipped into our hire depot to style the centre of each table with a chocolate ceramic ribbed vase filled with a pretty and soft arrangement of deep blue hydrangea, velevety dusty miller and the Australian native berezillia, added a delicious cornflower blue milk glass vase, a posy of oh so pretty thistle (though I was not thinking that when dealing with the thorns preparing said pretty posty) in an amber frosted glass vase, and a scatter of the same amber glass votives aglow with candlelight.

The cream, latte, chocolate and cornflower blue colour palette flowed through to the "vintage duo" stationery from our range - used for everything from the framed table number to thank you cards atop each gift box and menus tucked into each place setting alongisde napkins held by chocolate leather napkin rings.

We love, too, how it is a look that would work well, whatever the season, or whatever the event - be it wedding, private celebration or a corporate dinner to celebrate the end of another great working year.

Enjoy x

All decor items available for hire from Form Over Function. Stauionery by Form Over Function. Form Over Function styling and flowers captured with beauty and grace by Photography by Anliette.

Centennial Parklands Dining Expo - Table #2 Vintage Romance

2011-02-16T10:32:00.000+11:00

One of the joys -- and challenges - of styling a whole lot of different looks for the one venue on the one night (as we have to when we take part in an expo at Centennial Parklands Dining) is how to create different seasonal looks to encompass the moods and colours flowers offer at different times of the year, only we're attending flower market on the one day, in the one season, to gather all we need to style the tables.

But the flower gods of Tasmania smiled upon us this February and supplied us with these delicious pink peonies - a flower we would normally only have access to in late October through to early December.

Combined with the fact we had access to blackberries in season, rosy crab apples picked fresh from a tree growing at the gate of our favourite farmer's property on the outskirts of Sydney, watermelon hued dahlias and lusicious velvety celosia in shades of sunset pink, we were a bit excited about designing this arrangement for the very new cream and vintage glass footed flower stands now on the shelf in our hire range. (This was their very first outing. They would also make excellent cake or sweet stands for a dessert buffet, as as there's a lovely cut glass plate under all those delicious flowers, but we digress.).

For this romantic, vintage setting we placed a large mirror at the centre of a table clothed in cream linen, added a crystal cut plate filled with rosy crab apples to the side of the main centrepiece, scattered glass votives with a fleur de lys embossed pattern around the mirror and before each guest. Cream napkins were held by a beaded cream napkin ring and a cream gift box tied up in chocolate and dusty pink striped ribbon, with fresh blackberries as a top knot, were at each place setting.

Etched wine glasses carried the vintage feel through to the tableware, and cream and chocolate stationery, with pink caligraphied names, from our stationery range finished off the look.

Cream anyone? Would you like one lump, or two?

Enjoy.
x

Form Over Function flowers and styling captured with grace and beauty by Photography by Anliette.

Centennial Parklands Dining Expo - Table #1 - Summer Bridal

2011-02-15T16:03:00.001+11:00

Now we don't have anything against white in here -- honest! -- but as we sketched and plotted and designed away to come up with six new looks for the latest showcase at Centennial Parklands Dining, we could not help ourselves in wanting to create a traditional bridal table that was everything but.

And here we share the results with you.

With a venue set within one of Sydney's living, breathing garden treasures, it was was hard to resist bringing the colours and textures of the outside in.

We dipped into our hire range to cover the table in a bold yet earthy mix of green, white and chocolate stripes, lined the front edge of the table with a collection of white ceramic vases and flower holders placed before each guest, and created vivid green and crisp white arrangements featuring hydrangea, succulents, calla lilies, very young privet berry and more.

Before each guest glowed one of our white crete votives, and the summertime feel continued through the use of paperlace white glasses and tumblers from our hire range.

A fan was added at each place setting - pretty and practical for a summer wedding - as well as a menu from our Bohdi range of stationery.

And the best thing about this design? It would be just as perfect for a private or corporate celebration of any sort.

Enjoy.

More looks unveiled tomorrow.

x

Form Over Function styling and flowers captured with beauty and grace by Photography by Anliette

white ceramic vases, trays and holders filled with structural and beautiful summer blooms, berries and plants

calla lily nestled within a spray of young privet berry

one of our white footed vases filled with an arrangement of white callas, hydrangea foliage & lotus flowers

the vase seen from the other side: the lotus pod is what is left once the lotus flower, seen here in pink bloom, has opened up and lost its petals

Could this summery and beautiful creation from Faye Cahill Cake Design be any more perfect for this setting?

old fashioned snapdragons in a moderrn setting

fans for cooling, and pretty floral glasses to keep that summer feel running right through to the tableware

Wedding styling and planning: it's all in the delicious details

2011-02-09T10:06:00.002+11:00

The secret garden wedding

2010-12-24T08:57:00.000+11:00

We get to work in some of the most spectacularly beautiful locations, but the garden we had the privilege of visiting and working in last week (we added chandelier magic to the wedding marquee), is a vision which keeps dancing in our heads, and we wanted to share just a touch of its beauty with you.

A case of no names, no pack drill, we can't reveal its location, nor share some of the vistas which could give away the identity of this extraordinary parkland with woodlands, manicured lawns, traditional formal flower beds, sculptures and touches of whimsy here and there, fields of flowers, orchards, a vineyard, a potting shed we would be proud to call home...and more...but we can share just a touch of what we saw growing and in bloom in but a small pocket of this floral wonderland ... it was all I could do to stop myself from grabbing the flower scissors, get picking and start arranging...so I captured beauty on the end of my iPhone instead.

In flower at the moment are artichokes, tiger lilies and delphinium (literally 2m tall), calla lilies in jewel colours, delicate lace cap hydrangenas, rare breeds of lavenders, dahlias (the most beautiful specimans we think we have ever seen), and more, more, more. We were a tad glad that the massive beds of hellebore were not in flower because that may have been a temptation-to-pick just too hard to resist.

We hope you enjoy the tour through just a little corner of this national treasure.

artichokes

calla lilies

calla lillies

cosmos

dahlias

dahlias & deplhinium

one of the fields of flowers

lacecap hydrangea

dhalias

tiger lilies & delphinium

Rebecca & Nick - Real Weddings Summer issue 2010/2011. Centennial Parklands Dining.

2010-12-23T14:18:00.000+11:00

Form Over Function got married

2010-10-26T12:07:00.000+11:00

springtime wedding #1 - ali & sam

2010-10-10T11:30:00.002+11:00

bridesmaid bouquet

ceremony backdrop flowers

No, really, it can't be July since we showered a little picture love our blog's way?!

Ok, promise to make it up to you this week as we play serious catch up on the lovely things we have been up to in the past few months.

We tried to be all 2010 on Friday and do a day in the life of a wedding for Ali & Sam on our facebook page (sneak peeks of which you see here), but the iPhone refused to play when it came to uploading images (and it wasn't us being techno-illiterate promise), so here we are on a chilly, grey Sunday morning in Sydney, blogging instead, and thinking how great it was the sun shone down on such a lovely, lovely couple on Friday when they married under a stunning weeping willow at Centennial Parklands.

And those extremely large ducks you see looking oh so cute as they take a walk through the park with Ali & Sam? Let me tell you, they were tres scary up close and personal when I was setting up the ceremony flowers by the lake (even armed with a candleholder on a stake to gently try to prod them away from me, just in case they got too close, it was scary). But who can blame the proud new parents? There were little ducklings everywhere ('tis Spring after all), and they were just being protective.

Ali + Sam

Proud parent ducks & Sam + Ali

After the ceremony, Ali, Sam and their guests strolled to Centennial Parklands Dining where the wisteria around the restaurant is in spectacular bloom, for a reception that was all about fantastic food, wine, friends and dancing. Ali opted for a classic, and classy, combination of navy & cream for the day, so we dressed the tables with beautiful midnight blue tablecloths, and created centerpieces with a collection of beautiful cream ceramic vases and bowls filled with the best spring has to offer: hyacinth, jonquils, freesia, ranunculus, roses and carnations (now, now don't turn up your nose, they are such a beautiful flower used in massed arrangements like those shown here). Adding her own touch to the tables, Ali used etched silver tin hearts tied off with cream and navy ribbon as the place cards for the guests.

When we arrived towards the end of the night, it was evident no-one wanted to leave. Now we know that's always a good sign of how much fun was being had. We'll share a few more of our happy snaps below, but really look forward to sharing Cameron Bloom's beautiful images in the not too distant future with you. x

cream ceramic bowl with ranunculus and more

navy cloths, cream ceramic vase with spring blooms

hyacinth, jonquils, ranunculus, carnations, roses & more

centennial parklands dining - a spring setting

Centennial Parklands Dining #5 - Table 4, please take your seats

2010-07-20T16:50:00.000+10:00

As much as we try to be in denial at Form Over Function, it's winter (to state the obvious), in some ways we should be grateful, for winter is the season that brings kale into glorious bloom in delicious shades of mauve, purple, cream and pale sage green. Who would have thought a relative of the cabbage could look so, so beautiful in a floral arrangement? It's also the season for privet berries to turn deep purple-black, and together with fragrant lavender, roses in mauve hues and lovely, lovely velvety dusty miller, it's a season which gives us the scope to make up gorgeous textural arrangements like the one shown here.

From our hire range we combined delicate beaded votives before each guest, beautiful taupe dupion silk overlays with an aubergine silk organza edge, beaded aubergine napkin rings, menus from our fern stationery range, and we placed a large mirror centerpiece under the flowers and pale aubergine fabric lantern to reflect all that lovely warm glow.

It makes for a cosy and intimate feel, and who could ask for more when it's cold and grey outside, and you wish it wasn't?

Enjoy.

x

Photography by Luke Jarvis.

Centennial Parklands Dining Expo #4 - Table 3, please take your seats

2010-07-18T23:21:00.002+10:00

Chocolate is one of our very favourite things. To eat. To smell. And to dress the world with.

And whilst red is a colour traditionally associated with weddings, it's usually a colour introduced via the rose.

Here we've gone for a red wedding look with a twist, pairing it with chocolate, forgoing the roses for the lushness of vanda orchids in a ribbed ceramic vase, and adding a chocolate flower bowl playing host to a sculptural arrangement of succulents and Australian natives, including leucadenron in a gorgeous shade of rhubarb with green stripes.

It's a look that is modern, yet warm, created with items from our hire range. And just as suitable for a corporate event or a private celebration, as a wedding. It's a table setting designed to reflect the season of winter or autumn.

Table numbers are calligraphied and showcased in leather frames. Burnished red vases in chic modern shapes and finishes are at the centre of tables laid with silken chocolate overlays.

This is a recreation of a wedding we styled in May for a couple at Centennial Parklands Dining who wanted their celebration to feel warm from the moment guests walked in. And it did - from the glow of the candles and lanterns, to the shades of the vases, flowers and succulents.

It's always a good idea to consider the time of year your celebration is being held when your thoughts turn to styling. The sky won't fall in if you opt for a white and green theme for an August wedding or event, but it's a cooling combination, and the venue, and your guests, will feel instantly warmer if you turn to tones which might include burnished red, camel, chocolate, cream, latte, aubergine, burnt orange, rust, copper, bronze (and most definitely not all at once). Still have your heart set on green and don't want to let it go? No need to, but consider adding some chocolate to the mix.

Enjoy. x

Photography by Luke Jarvis.

Centennial Parklands Dining Expo #3 - Table 2, please take your seats

2010-07-12T21:17:00.000+10:00

For those of you in Sydney, hasn't it been wonderful to see the sun again? Even if the air temp was frigid? Almost looked like spring, so long as you were all cosy inside, looking out.

Since we can see the dark and rainy clouds gathering on the horizon heading our way already, we thought we'd make it keep feeling like spring for just a little longer. At least in our virtual world.

Cream and navy is such a classic, beautiful combination. Mother of pearl beaded napkin rings on cream napkins. A nest of sweet vases and candleholders in different heights, textures and hues of cream, at the centre of a table laid with a midnight blue cloth. Fragrant, soft arrangements of erlicheers and jonquils. A candle aglow before each guest. All available from our hire depot.

Simple, lovely, a case of less is more.

Enjoy.

Photography by Luke Jarvis.

Centennial Parklands Dining Expo #2 - Table 1, please take your seats

2010-07-12T17:31:00.000+10:00

We thought we'd warm up the early part of the working week with a look at how we put together this elegant look for the open night we styled at Centennial Parklands Dining.

Now as you can see here, having a vintage, classic or elegant feel for your wedding day does not mean having to necessarily go all girly (and it would also be perfect for a special private or corporate dinner party).

We think this look is a perfect option for a couple looking for a vintage feel that is feminine and romantic, yet has touches designed to not make the men in the room feel like they don't belong there.

From Form Over Function's hire range we hit the shelves to chose beautiful black linens featuring a taupe tassel motif, a large round mirror for the centre of each table to reflect all that warm glow, and then gathered a collection of chic glass candle sticks in three different heights, antique mirror finish candleholders, some with delicate crystal detail, and small arrangements of delectable antique roses (all real). Matching napkins -- only this time taupe with the black tassel motif - are held in place by silver picture frame napkin rings featuring the guest's name to complete the look, along with embossed menus from our stationery range.

One of the lovely things about this look is its adaptability: want less black? Forgo the overlays, and use just the napkins. Want a bit more white? Forgo the taupe napkins and substitute some beautiful white damask ones from our linen hire range.

Instead of the candle aglow in the antique mirror finish hurricane, we could do a large arrangement of flowers for you instead. Instead of antique roses, the flowers that would work in with this look could also include peonies, david austen roses, sweet pea, hydrangea, hellebore, carnations (now, now don't snicker, they actually look beautiful when arranged in a tight, low mass), baby's breath (ditto, truly), julia roses, freesias, violets, lily of the valley. To name a few. But definitely not all at once!

We'd love to hear your thoughts: what do you think of this styling?

More lovely images from the very, very talented Mr Lucas Jarvis, tomorrow.

Enjoy. x

Centennial Parklands Dining Expo #1 - Ten looks, which to choose?

2010-07-09T14:42:00.000+10:00

We have to admit we're feeling just a little bit fluffy around the edges at FOF headquarters today after spending a wonderful evening at one of our very favourite venues in Sydney (fantastic food, stunning parklands setting, beautiful room, great staff, what's not to love), meeting lots of happy brides and grooms-to-be checking out Centennial Parklands Dining for their day (and it's not because we were the ones sipping champagne!)

[And for those who attended how yum were the bocconcini, cherry tomato & basil on lavosh, the blue swimmer crab, with apple & celeriac remoulade & roe, the Thai beef salad with Szechaun pickled cucumber, the cured ocean trout & fennel tartlet with eucalyptus honey and last but so, so not least, the miniature sticky meringues with fresh cream & raspberry compote?]

Now it's not every day we get to style ten different events in the one venue at the same time, so the team embraced the challenge with gusto, and although we are in the midst of winter (and a damn chilly one at that), we worked to bring summer, spring, autumn and winter to the venue all at once. As well as a wedding cake, dessert & lolly station that would have disappeared within the hour if one of our trusty assistants, Sam, had not been there to stand guard (in a lovely, smiling way of course).

And whilst the night was designed to make it easy for couples to find everything from a DJ and celebrant, to a stylist (that's us) to put their own individual stamp on their wedding day, some of the designs we came up with would work just as beautifully for a special dinner or lunch, be it for a corporate or private celebration.

When we launched into the blogosphere earlier this year, we promised we would offer a behind the scenes look at what we do and how it comes together, so over the next couple of weeks, we will be sharing lots of beautiful images captured by the very, very talented Mr Lucas Jarvis, of last night's showcase at Centennial Parklands Dining, and walking you through the whys and wherefores of each design.

But here's a sneak peek at some of the lovely images you have to look forward to.

Enjoy.

More, more, more: Liz & Sean, the MCA and a Real Wedding to remember

2010-06-16T17:47:00.000+10:00

With the weekend almost here - & a wet, wet, wet one forecast for our home town - I thought those spending the coming days curled up with their lap top seeking inspiration for their wedding day might enjoy seeing more of the styling touches from Liz & Sean's wedding day at the MCA.

Now these images I captured with my trusty Canon DSLR (point, shoot, works most of the time...yay), so no comparing with what Trish from tealily photography captured & was published in Real Weddings, okay?

And we've also been good & updated our online hire depot, so if any of the items here catch your eye, it's all available for hire - the turquoise blue candlesticks; the mirror table runners; conical glass candlesticks in a range of sizes (I love how they allow us to tuck fresh blooms within); the footed glass vases filled with massed arrangements of white peonies, hydrangea, david austen roses & lissianthus (well flowers for sale not hire but you know what I mean); the tiffany blue, white & darkest charcoal table linens; white chesterfield ottomans; oversized ornately framed mirrors & more.

The stationery we designed just for Liz will be on our online stationery store soon too, but those who don't want to wait that long, just drop us line.

But my favourite shot? Steven Khalil, who designed the dress for his friend Liz, fussing over her just before she made her big entrance. And the simple beauty of the peony bouquet: there's nothing tricky here, just superb blooms at their peak. More wedding flowers should be like this, methinks.

Enjoy. Alicia x

Liz & Sean, the MCA and a Real Wedding to remember

2010-06-15T17:34:00.000+10:00

At last, at last it's here. We've been a little bit excited waiting for the always divine, stylish, chic and inspirational June issue of Real Weddings magazine to arrive on the stands and here you can see why. We loved styling this wedding. We loved working for this gorgeous couple (inside and out). And we love the fact we can share all its gorgeous details in living colour with you now courtesy of the talents of Trish from tealily photography, who captured the day so, so beautifully through her lens. We look forward to sharing many more details with you tomorrow.

Enjoy

x

On our marks, get ready, design ten tables now

2010-06-10T13:20:00.001+10:00

Our blog has been feeling decidedy unloved because we've been busy working on designing several corporate events, meeting with lots of brides to be and spending time in the country preparing for a very special event later this year, so as we turn to the next thing on our to do list -- designing at least ten different table looks for the open night at Centennial Parklands Dining next month --we thought we'd share some of our favourite tables from the open day we styled at this beautiful Sydney venue in February.

The only thing that makes this fun job so hard is sticking to only designing ten (ok let's make it twelve) tables when we have so much delicious new stock on the shelves in our hire depot and more on the way.

We hope you enjoy the inspiration and if you are wanting to attend the open night on Thursday July 8 (gorgeous canapes, a glass or two of bubbles, the opportunity to see the venue's tables dressed in lots of different ways... what's not to love) cross over to our facebook page, drop us a line and we'll organise an invite for you.

Till soon,

Alicia x

Let Them Eat Cake #2, New York, New York #5

2010-05-20T16:13:00.000+10:00

You have to love a dancing cup cake. We did. This New York institution had queues ten deep at the counter when we called in. When we finally made it to the counter we could see and smell why.

Leaving aside the cup cake flavours (not that you would want to when they include chocolate, vanilla, lemon, maple & walnut, lemon poppy, orange & carrot), it was the icing art that caught our attention.

How perfect would these be gracing a spring or garden wedding?

Butter, sugar, colouring and flavouring, apparently in the hands of someone with the right talent, can be transformed into the most delectable blossoms. It's not an icing decorating style we're particularly familiar with in Australia (please let us know if you know of a similar local talent), but it is simply gorgeous, delectable, almost too pretty to eat.

We could try and put it better than the New York Magazine but won't try: “The blossoms on Cupcake Café’s cakes set co-owner Ann Warren’s cakes apart... her colors, shapes, and arrangements seem to bloom from roots beneath the frosting.”

The cupcake craze sweeping the bridal market as an alternative to a more traditional wedding cake shows no sign of abating (thank you Martha Stewart, thank you Miranda and Carrie in that episode of Sex and the City where they devour some on a bench outside Magnolia Bakery in Bleeker Street).

The cupcakes I've photographed here are beautiful examples, and we've got some incredibly talented cake designers in Australia who do wonders in the miniature (Cake Occasions for one), but we're sorry to report we've also witnessed some really, really poor examples of the art at too many weddings. Just be careful when shopping around, and don't base your decision on price alone or you could end up spending the night with a new husband on your right, and a tier of cupcakes on your left that look like a labour of love by your baby brother for his school's mother's day bake stall (and yes, scary but true some have looked that bad and there was no brother involved).

Contrary to perception, cup cakes, if done with the love, care and attention they deserve, are not a cheaper alternative to the trad cake. To decorate one this beautifully, and then duplicate it 100, 150, 250 times over, is every bit as labour intensive as a three tier creation.

So enjoy these delectable cup cakes in mind and spirit, if not in person, and we hope they inspire you to create little wonders of your own - be it at home, or for the party of your life (call in the professionals).

Alicia x

Let Them Eat Cake #1, New York, New York #4

2010-05-02T05:03:00.000+10:00

What a gem of a cake artist studio. And we wish we could share the recipe for their triple chocolate spice cookie with you (but we're working on it).

We visited City Cake's Marc Matthias to get a feel for what the ultimate cakes look like in New York and were blown away by the attention to detail and creativity of the team behind this leading studio.

With clients like Kate's Paperie (the exquisite green cymbidium orchid cake you can see above and alongside, and more on this incredible stationery store soon), Rachel Ray (an extraordinarily detailed bowl of spaghetti bologonese on a red and white checked place mat) and a couple who commissioned a massive $US4000 crocodile cake for their reception at the top of the Rockerfeller Centre (they'd married in a swamp), chef Marc Matthias and cake artist Benny Rivera, are on the city's must-call list for event cakes with a difference.

We loved this tower of cushions in their window, the detail of the cherry blossom (see below), the whimsy of their royalty cake which took a painstaking 20 hours to create and mould (see below), and being able to take a peek at the original artworks that are the starting point for each and every one of the cakes that you can see here. And unlike a lot of the cake studios in Australia - they still bake their own on site, specialising in the liquor soaked cakes that are a Latin American speciality. Harder to mould...but so worth the effort when it comes to eating them.

We asked Marc what the hottest cake trends in NYC are, and he said it's all about the personal (the alligator cake case in point). Whilst corporate clients have always aimed for a cake that represents them, their message or the fun of the theme party they are staging, wedding couples are finally moving away from the traditional and incorporating motifs and designs that mean something to them (at Form Over Function we've been encouraging this for some time, too).

Marc shows us photos of the chic, sleek wedding cake enveloped in octopus tentacles because it meant something to the couple, as well as a dizzying array of grooms cakes which are apparently hot, hot, hot. Bride gets the pretty, chic or whimsical cake of her dreams; groom gets the car/the golf bag/the surfboard cake of his dreams (one had a butt cake created - yes, a female derriere in red knickers).

The grooms cake is not a trend that has taken off in Australia yet, but we work with cake designers who would love to see this happen. It's quite a nice idea really, especially when it's a wedding where the bride gets the whole thing to look like her vision, rather than theirs (something we try to gently discourage at Form Over Function - it's a wedding for two, not one after all).

Enjoy the edible inspiration.

Alicia x

Linen Hire Heaven - New York, New York #3

2010-04-29T15:12:00.000+10:00

The party starts here - wish we'd thought of that slogan.

When Form Over Function launched into the blogosphere earlier this month one of our missions was to bring you a behind-the-scenes peek into the event industry, and here in New York, there would be practically no event that does not start here - at Cloth Connection.

With thousands of options - yes thousands - to choose from, it is no surrpise to learn that this is the place the crews from Martha Stewart and Preston Bailey come to pick the tablecloths, overlays, table runners, napkins and chair ties for the events they style.

As did Donald Trump for his own wedding (well his stylists anyway) and apparently people with $US500,000 to drop on a Project Runway themed sweet sixteen birthday party for their daughter.

When we visited this week, manager Laurie Brown was preparing a box of samples to ship to a client with a $US50,000 budget -- yes, you read that right -- allocated to styling just the place card table at a bar mitzvah.

Now if Sydney had a population of 9 million and counting, our linen racks at Form Over Function would look just like this (but check out the all things fabric section of our hire depot and you'll be spolit for choice anyway, and there's many new linen lines to be added just as soon as we're back from our Manhattan adventure).

Cloth Connection may cater for events with 1000 tables (that's no typo), and offer every linen on its racks in five sizes, but one thing Form Over Function has in common with this US giant, which began its life as a home business operating from a kitchen table just 25 years ago, is a passion for the way fabric transforms an event space, and a mission to custom make at every opportunity to ensure clients get exactly what they're looking for.

Adding overlays or replacing a venue's exisiting tablecloths is a must: not only does it allow you to put your own mark on a space, and introduce colour and texture to your tables, but it also ensures that the seriously inferior linens many venues provide don't play a starring role at your party.

We're sorry to report that too many venues skimp on their linen and hire in cheap polyester tablecloths. Straight out of their packets and onto the tables, as well as awful to the touch, they are heavily creased, sometimes stained, and never ever cover the ugly table legs of venue tables.

It was nice to discover someone else shares our obsession with a need to lay the groundwork for a beautiful event from the linens up. Just like us at Form Over Function, Cloth Connection hand-presses all its specialty linens and invests in devising ways to pack stock for transport with minimum crease lines (and we never, ever leave home without our steamer).

We love the overlays created for a denim and diamonds themed party (so Dallas) we show above, and the delicious extravagance of these sheer organza overlays with shimmer discs and lush feather edging.

But for a total over the top, only-in-America linen option (sorry but it's true) we could not go past these decadent croteched overlays created from a lavender and sparkle yarn.

We hope you're as inspired as we are by the delicious fabric possibilities here and check out our ever growing racks soon!

Alicia x

Spring Blossom Shower Brides - New York, New York #2

2010-04-26T22:58:00.000+10:00

We're in love with spring.

It is literally raining spring blossom in New York's Central Park at the moment, and while we were busy strolling through its glades looking up at the beautiful and constant shower of petals raining down on us (and being grateful we don't suffer from hayfever) we came across two couples making the most of this spectacular backdrop for their wedding photos.

If you're dreaming of a wedding featuring the romance of spring blossom, get thee to a calender and map [or organise a wedding in Manhattan in mid to late April, we'd be very, very, very happy to help you make it happen ;-) ].

Over the years we've had many a bride disappointed to discover that blossom is not in season in December or March or June.

Branches of spring blossom start making their appearance at the Sydney flower markets in late August, early September, and are usually over by mid October.

But a warm winter can bring them on early. Or a bitterly cold one delay them. This is one bloom growers have no control over - they happen when they happen.

If you are wanting an outdoor ceremony with a tree blossom background, head to the southern highlands region two hours out of Sydney to find a location, and aim for a September/October spring wedding.

The lower reaches of the Blue Mountains (as well as its peaks) will also offer the possibility of a blossom wedding, as will Melbourne's city parks, and that city's beautiful hinterland regions.

Want to stay local? Keep your eyes peeled in spring, and take notice of where the blossom trees in your own neighbourhood may be - even if you don't end up with a blossom ceremony, there's no reason you can't have some images taken under the beautiful tree of an obliging neighbour.

Now Form Over Function will happily venue scout for you, and do the local, on the ground research to find you the photographic backdrop of your dreams, but if you are a do-it-yourself bride, make sure you take the time to speak to locals with an intimate knowledge of the area's floral seasons, and who know which tree is which, so there is no let down for you on the day when what you thought was a cherry blossom tree turns out to be a blossom-free Japanese maple.

Till soon

Alicia x

Flowers to go. Super size me. New York, New York #1

2010-04-25T03:38:00.000+10:00

Ok, we've all heard about the super size meals, the bottomless cups of alleged coffee (sorry but we'll take espresso every time), but our visit to the Manhattan flower markets on 28th street between 6th and 7th Avenues had me doing a double take on more than one occasion.

You want your flowers big?

This was a case of blooms on steroids.

I have never seen roses, hyacinth, phallaenopsis orchids, hypericum berry, ranunculus, blossom or peony roses this large (and there was more, much more).

See for yourselves, this caramel coloured rose below - the combo rose - is an Israel import. Measure across the top of the open rose and it was more than 12cm across.
Most of the large headed roses in Australia are Colombian imports, and they would struggle to compete either size or beauty wise with this specimen.

We came across the combo rose in Soho's Adore Me florist, and it took a lot of self control not to ask one of its lovely designers , Sarah, if we could jump across the counter and get to work pairing them with chocolate coloured succulents, aged lotus pods, some pale coffee coloured gingers (not that either of the last two were on the floor to be able to work with!).

We're looking forward to hassling our suppliers to see if they can start to bring this beauty to our shores too.

This is Adore Me on the left, and we spent a bit of time chatting with Sarah about bridal flower trends in Manhattan.

It's shifted from magenta and lime green with a touch of blue, to all reds and a move to the use of more interesting pieces to create more textured arrangements and bouquets, incorporating for example, pods and succulents.

Sounds like our kind of trend. Only we can report this has been at work in Australia for some time: Form Over Function, and other Sydney floral designers whose work we love, like Saskia from Grandiflora, were incorporating succulents, pods and husks into bouquets and arrangements at least a decade ago.

But wandering the flower district I can understand why New Yorkers and Martha Stewart Inc have been reluctant to let go of the softer, prettier arrangements that are a hallmark of this city's top floral designers.

There is an abundance of choice of blooms here that would spoil anyone. A direct result of a mass population that is there, ever eager to buy whatever is put out on the floor, and a case of the more is more.

On the plus side for Sydneysiders, many of our best flowers are grown just kilometres from the markets. It does not get any fresher than David Austen roses picked off the bush late on Thursday afternoon and at the markets by midnight, ready for us to buy at 5am on Friday morning.

It also allows florists such as ourselves to have a very personal relationship with our growers - we've had some of Form Over Function's growers of choice hold back on harvesting blue hydrangeas just for us so we would have enough for a booked event, or plant a special stash of callas to ensure we would have what we needed for a particular date.

The New York flower markets have shrunk in the name of progress to a very large block, pushed back by the space hungry needs of this constantly evolving city taking over its warehouses to turn into apartments and office space.

Unlike the Sydney flower markets, which are done and dusted by 9am at the latest six days a week, and really only have the best suppliers there Monday, Wednesday and Friday, the markets here are open seven days a week, all day, and instead of one large warehouse, there are dozens of massive stores crammed with flowers, plants, trees (amazing what will grow on a rooftop here), as well as tools of the trade.

We're looking forward to sharing more images of the world's biggest cut flowers soon - but this city waits for no-one and we're outta here for now to go forth and seek inspiration.

Alicia x

retro sunset - a wedding by the sea

2010-04-20T17:38:00.000+10:00

Buttonhole of the week. Tie of the week. Most stylish, beautiful inside and out, hard working, supportive, putting-up-with-too-much-with-grace-under-pressure best man of forever (he's my best friend Craig so I am allowed to be openly biased).

Here at Form Over Function we had to share. I captured this image as we got ready.

It's autumn, the wedding was set on a bushland clifftop by the sea, and retro fabric designs in a delicious shade of burnished orange and taupe set the tone for the whole of the day.

Watch this space for more soon.

Alicia x

PS Can't wait to see what Bailie Photography has captured of the day.

Vision in green

2010-04-12T11:36:00.000+10:00

Now here in the land of Form Over Function we've been known to encounter the odd wedding photographer out there with a bit of a jaded eye (fortunately not often!).

You know the type. They think they've seen it all before, they pretend to be interested in a client's wedding day and they're not, and for them it's just another job (note to people who approach their work in this way - find a new career!). And couples end up with the photos to prove it.

Well, we're a bit more than blown away by the work of Bailie from Bailie Photography who captured Aivee and Peter's wedding at Pavilion on the Park last night - and can't imagine you won't be too.

He was actually excited by what he had to capture and it shows in every frame.

We can't wait to see the whole day through his lens. What a talent.

And writing of talents, Aivee's beautiful and graceful mum made the classically chic wedding cake (and yes, we confess we know it tasted as good as it looked) and created the delicate and exquisite flowers to grace the corners, adding another personal touch to a very special day.

Alicia x

An eventful life

2010-04-10T06:05:00.000+10:00

'Tis the season to be busy, and we can't think of a better time to launch Form Over Function into that world wide blogosphere out there - a space where we'll tap away and post pretty photos, funny photos and simply stunning ones too; a space where we'll work to keep our clients and fellow travellers inspired, informed and maybe even amused, as we share the behind-the-scenes workings of an event design & hire company that hates to do the same thing twice.

We love Fridays in here. Happy and excited clients looking forward to their event on the weekend, means happy and excited us.

Burnished red dahlias sit on our desks today - such beautiful structural flowers in gorgeous, gorgeous shades - fresh from our pre-dawn trip to the flower markets in Sydney.

Their season is drawing to a close (sadly, but we look forward to cymbidium orchids just a week or two away), but one of our brides Aivee will enjoy masses of white dahlias with a just-there touch of pink, on her tables at Pavilion on the Park across from the Art Gallery of NSW tomorrow.

In Gloucester, in country NSW, Matt and Holly spent yesterday unpacking the boxes of style we shipped them earlier this week to transform their marquee for their wedding on a family property.

Wanting to steer clear of the all-white wedding, they turned to the colours of a country sunset, which they love, for inspiration.

And we love that they wanted to break out of the traditional country wedding thing and create a celebration that was their very own, so we came up with all it takes to warm up what is -- let's face it -- an (expensive) white plastic tent, and shipped it to them.

Deep aubergine marquee walls feature on two sides, large hanging vases from our hire range filled with purple orchids add interest, and we've created arrangements of delicate amber & violet beaded branches to fill the stunning metre tall tangerine vases which will feature in the corners of the space. Tables will be overlaid with delicate aubergine silk, with smaller tangerine vases picking up on the styling in the corners of the marquee, and pretty, pretty candleholders, some aubergine silk, others delicated beaded.

And wait till Matt sees THE dress.

I just caught up with Matt on the phone to check how set up was going, and might offer them a job - it's done. Was finished last night, so they're off to enjoy barefoot bowls with their family and friends for the afternoon.

Now that's what we call good planning.

And we love a groom-to-be who cares and takes an interest in every aspect of their looming wedding day: Matt described to me how they've sited the marquee so the open side faces west to capture the setting sun, and yesterday afternoon he and Holly took the time out to stand in their marquee watching the light change within as the sun set over the hills, casting a glow over the aubergine walls and tangerine vases.

Serious yum we think. Photos to follow soon.

Now, as much fun as it could be to keep blogging tapping, writing, we have flower arrangements to create...but who's complaining when this is what we are surrounded by:

Enjoy the view.

Alicia x