The secret garden wedding

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.

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artichokes

calla lilies

calla lillies

cosmos

dahlias

dahlias & deplhinium

one of the fields of flowers

lacecap hydrangea

dhalias

tiger lilies & delphinium

tiger lilies & delphinium

An eventful life

'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