When Carly came to us earlier this year, she asked us to make her wedding beautiful. That’s our specialty! Carl and Roger engaged Stradbroke Weddings to decorate both their ceremony and reception. The theme was soft and romantic and we worked with pastel colours including shades of pink and lilac with black accents.

Natural Willow arched covered in flowers formed an arch at their ceremony overlooking Deadmans Beach and thousands of petals were strewn over the grass as well as supplied to guests in confetti cones to shower the new couple after the ceremony.

Carly & Roger’s reception was originally going to be decorated with rice paper lanterns and ribbons however, as were draping the room for an event the previous night, we offered to let Carly & Roger have the draping for free for their wedding. Carly took one look at the room draped and was thrilled.

Tables were draped in black and white with centerpieces of soft pastel flowers to match the bridal bouquet. Thousands of candles and twinkle lights filled the room and were placed not only on and around the tables but were also suspended from the ceiling draping. transforming it into a glittering fairyland.

Said Carly after the wedding,”I loved the ideas I was given in event styling. It was more beautiful than I could have imagined. The flowers were gorgeous. Stradbroke Weddings thought of things I hadn’t thought of and everything was so organised. It was a great relief and we were proud to have such a beautiful day thanks to you”

Above: Carly & Roger are showered in thousands of pink & lilac petals after their wedding ceremony

Recently I was talking to a couple at a restaurant on the Island who were marrying on the Island the next day. They asked me what I did and I told them I operated Stradbroke Weddings. The groom looked surprised and said that he had spoken to me a few months earlier regarding their wedding flowers and indeed when he mentioned his name, I did remember that we had conversed briefly many months previous.

I asked him how he went with his flower plans and he said that he had used a mainland supply located close to the Island because they gave him a cheaper quote than Stradbroke Flowers. He then proceeded to tell me how sorry he was that he had chosen to go the cheaper quote as he explained that their experience had been less than satisfactory. I asked him why and he told me that in addition to the haphazard service they had received, they had received their flowers that afternoon and although they had ordered Gerberas and Lilies (both plentiful all year round); they had received neither flower in the bride’s bouquet. He said that as if that wasn’t bad enough, the florist had not even bothered to contact them to let them know that their chosen flowers were unavailable.

I felt so bad for this couple as I could see their disappointment. Whether someone is our client or not, as wedding coordinators our wish is to see everyone’s wedding unfold as they have hoped and indeed over the years we have helped many brides who are not our clients out of a last minute wedding jam. As a florist however, it is even more disappointing to hear stories like this as we know how readily available the requested flowers were at that time and that it happens only very rarely that we are unable to supply a requested bloom or specific colour due to changed growing and seasonal conditions.

Ultimately, these conditions are not within our control and as such we always let our clients know upon booking that no florist can ever guarantee a particular flower or colour. In the rare situations where a bloom or colour is unavailable, we ensure avenues of supply are exhausted and at times, we have even hand coloured flowers to fulfill our client’s requests. Should these options prove impossible, we then take immediate action to inform our clients and offer substitutes which are as close as possible to the original request.

We know that our services are not always the cheapest and although we do offer a guarantee to beat any genuine written quotation, we can only do so when comparing similar quality workmanship, service and blooms. When using the services of Stradbroke Flowers, you can be sure of receiving the flowers you ordered wherever possible in addition to honest and quality services backed by our comprehensive insurances, including professional indemnity.
You are also assured of original ideas and quality blooms, arranged fresh on the day to ensure they look fantastic and last throughout your wedding. Your flowers will arrive at your accommodation gift boxed and on time. All flowers are clearly labeled so there’s no confusion and we are happy to deliver the men’s flowers to a separate address for your convenience.

If you wish to speak with Stradbroke Flowers about your floral needs, please feel free to give us a call. We’re happy to chat with you on the phone or in person and provide a free, no obligation quotation. We’re sure, once you experience our service, you’ll be happy you chose Stradbroke Flowers.

“This is just to say thank you so much for the fabulous flowers you created for our wedding on 28 March. They were absolutely stunning!! Perfect arrangement, size and colour. More beautiful that I could have imagined. It was special to be able to enjoy the bouquet while on our honeymoon as well, they lasted so long. Your work is highly commended by us and we wish Stradbroke Flowers the very best for the future.” David & Natasha March 2009

Above: Stradbroke Flowers – Always beautiful!

We’ve been busy as usual at Stradbroke Weddings but life isn’t all about work and we’ve been having a bit of fun too! We recently created our own YouTube video to spread the word about what we do. As you will see, we had a little bit of fun with the video and it turned into a silent movie!

It can be viewed on the home page of our website at ww.stradbrokewedindgs.com.au or you can follow the link here to YouTube.

Now that we’ve made one, were keen to make more so watch this space for future productions and move over Steven Spielberg (Well, maybe he doesn’t have too much to worry about just yet).

Let us know what you think!

Above: Our crew film talented ‘Bride’ Paige Lacey on our recent video shoot

We’ve been operating for many years now on North Stradbroke Island. In fact we are the most experienced wedding operator on the Island and as our experience has grown over the years, so has our inventory. We literally have thousands of hire items, gift and flower accessories in stock and our current office is bursting at the seams! That’s why we’re expanding and have taken over the premises next door to our Point Lookout office.

Our clients and visitors always comment on how beautiful our Island office is and now it’s going to be even better.
Along with our new space for hire display and storage, we’re landscaping a beautiful garden area that will be just right for a cup of tea or glass of champers with our clients when they come to meet with us on the Island and I’m sure Ra, our Island manager will be happy to share a glass with you.

In addition, now that we have more room, we will be adding even more items to our range of hires including bringing back a few old favourites such as our Balinese umbrellas which some of you may remember were one of our popular hire items way back when we began in 2002. Be sure to watch our webpage over the holidays for updates on this and a new list of hire equipment and prices available online.

Our new office also means that we are able to expand our range of floristry and online sale items and these will also be listed on our website over the holidays so next time you’re on the Island pop in and see what’s new or check out what’s new at www.stradbrokeweddings.com.au.

Above: Our Island office is expanding

It’s been a busy year for the team here at Stradbroke Weddings and that means that 2010 is going to be even busier.

With many of our weekends already fully booked, it’s time to welcome another staff member into the fold. Ratu (or Ra as he is affectionately known comes to us with many years experience in the hospitality industry.

Accustomed to island life being as he is from Fiji, Ra is also very familiar with Stradbroke Island, having lived here for a number of years. Ra’s experience includes wedding coordination for Customs House in Brisbane, resort wedding management in Fiji and hospitality work for companies such as Orient Express in Europe and Orpheus Island in Queensland.

Ra’s presence in our Island office means that we will be reopening the office not only for day-to-day business but also for Island consultations. For those of you who want to travel to the Island and consult with an experienced coordinator during your stay, this is your opportunity.

Our Island phone number of 3409 8768 remains the same, so you can now phone this number for all your wedding questions from February and when Ra is not attendance, this number will automatically redirect you to our mainland office.

Loved by everyone he meets and a popular resident on Stradbroke Island, Ra will be an asset to our team and we welcome him on board!

Above: Stradbroke Weddings welcomes Ra to our team!

2009 was a beautiful year for weddings with the reemergence of strong, bold colours and black as a feature in bridesmaid’s dresses and wedding accents.

The birdcage veil re-emerged reminiscent of 1950’s weddings and while traditional flowers such as Roses will always be popular, we saw a strong trend toward bold colours and flowers such as Calla Lilies and natives. Even Carnations began making a reappearance after many years in the floral wilderness and deservedly so; they are a gorgeous flower.

Individualised gifts for wedding guests and hand written notes were also big on the agenda as couples paid homage to the global trends to simplify and emphasise the personal.

In 2010 we’re set to see these trends continue. It’s all about personalising your wedding through small accents and individualised notes and touches. Strong, bold colours such as yellow, red and burnt orange are still emerging, with burnt orange being the colour for 2010. We’re even set to see a surge in the popularity of red wedding dresses, so be prepared from some bright and vibrant wedding statements.

The hippest brides will be seen walking down the aisle in THE wedding dress for 2010; the short dress reminiscent of the 1950’s frocks our mothers or grandmothers wore. Team these with a birdcage veil and a hand tied posie of gorgeous bright blooms and you’ll feel like Audrey Hepburn!

Bridesmaid’s dresses also become simpler with a trend towards straight edges, low cut backs and drop waists, which will be huge in 2010. Headbands and fascinators will be another growing trend as brides forgo long veils for a simpler, cleaner look. Gone will be the all black bridesmaid dresses we’ve seen of late as vibrant colours in various shades emerge and black, while still hugely popular, will be used more in accents and highlights throughout the wedding.

For grooms, velvet is making a comeback in suits. “Oh no!” I hear you say (and for those of us who lived through the 70’s, you definitely have the right to gasp) however, it’s not what you think; today’s velvet is far superior in quality to the old fabric and we have modern manufacturing technology to thank. Many pop stars have been seen in velvet lately, so you can be sure it will be trend that will filter though in the coming year.

Overall, we’re also set to see a bigger trend toward elopements as couples seek to escape the pull of the large, traditional wedding. Shorter engagements are also making a comeback as we hark back to the vintage era of the 40’s and 50’s. Art deco and eco-friendly will be the buzz words for 2010 as we yearn for a time when life was simpler and climate change meant the changing of the seasons.

Be set for a huge year in weddings but whatever you do, remember that it’s your day and nobody else can be your style police. Style your wedding in a way that makes you comfortable and spend within your budget. Ultimately, all weddings are about you , your guests and creating those moments for you to share. Enjoy!

Above: Burnt orange Calla Lilies, just one fo the growing trends for 2010

We’ve been promising our new range of wedding products for some time now but with one thing and another, we just haven’t had a moment to finalise our range. After all, we’re here to look after our brides and grooms and when they need us, we drop everything to ensure we’re there.

Lately we’ve had a number of brides telling us that they are anxiously awaiting our online store so what could we do? What our brides want, our brides get! As a result, we’re pleased to announce the launch of our first online range featuring wedding and event products and accessories.

Because we work in weddings all day, every day, we know what brides and grooms want and need and with this in mind, have styled an initial range of products that we think you’re going to love. We’ve begun with a range of decorations and accessories and there’s a lot more to come in the next couple of weeks. We will be adding guest favour ideas catering to both the do-it-yourself bride and those who are looking for a complete product. We are happy to further personalise our products, so be sure to let us know if there is something you want and we’ll do our utmost to source it for you.

Feel free to browse our new online store and stay tuned because it’s just the beginning. We’ll be letting you know when we add new products and if you follow our Tweets at http://twitter.com/IslandWeddings, you’ll be the first to know and will be invited to take advantage of limited offers.

Looking towards 2010 (and it’s just around the corner), there are some very clear new trends emerging and some that will continue on from the past year.

As the world continues to deal with the consequences of the GFC, we’re searching for the things in our lives that really matter. Gone are the celebrity style, over-dramatised events that have characterised the last five years. There is a strong shift back to placing importance on the personal. More and more couples are looking for ways to thank their guests for the effort they have made to attend their wedding.

Personally, I always find that the couples who tell us that their priority is to make sure their guests are cared for and entertained always have the very best weddings. It seems that their generosity and goodwill is passed on to their guests and there is a tangible energy on the day that reflects their care and concern for others and makes for a great celebration. With this in mind, guest favours are seeing a big comeback. Wrapped boxes containing a hand written thank you note from the bride and groom and something as simple as a chocolate are something we’re seeing more of as well as unusual trinkets to keep as a memento of the day. They don’t have to be expensive and the old saying applies here; “It’s the thought that counts”.

Colour trends are going monochromatic and there is an increasing demand for bright, bold and vibrant colours as the 70s and 80s bring a strong influence to fashion. Vibrant, burnt orange, that classic colour of the 70s, is coming back in a big way, as is aqua, bright yellow and hot pink. I have a very distinct memory from my childhood from around 1973 of my older cousin marrying and the four bridesmaids dressed in floor length hot pink dresses. If only I had those vintage dresses now!

Team colours with metals which are also coming back; silver, pewter, copper and gold are all featuring heavily in the detail and although we’ve seen it creeping back into some weddings of late, black will be the new black and bigger than ever in 2010. Dare to be bold and dress your attendants in pure black or use black to accessories your style – black head bands, black ribbon belts and black feathers in flower posies and arrangements all look great and strike a beautiful vintage feel.

Bridesmaids will also be seen increasingly in mismatched dresses. These days it’s considered very uncool for your maids to be lumbered with dresses they will never wear again. What’s cool is giving them the freedom to choose a style that suits them and in which they feel comfortable. If your bridesmaids can’t agree on a colour, let them wear a complimentary colour, or even different shades of your chosen colour. Your bridesmaids will feel happy and confident on the day and will think of you every time they wear that special dress.

Veils will always be a feature of the bridal gown however; we’re noticing the re-emergence of the birdcage veil, once again reminiscent of the fashions of the 70s and 80s. Small skull caps trimmed with feathers, beading and short veils which barely cover the face are going to be big, big, big!

And finally, the emerging trend of the last year which is growing in popularity is the green wedding. The environment is hot and only going to get hotter (pardon the pun!). Consider offsetting the carbon for your wedding (it’s easier and less expensive than you think), using charity donation cards instead of or as a supplement to guest favours and consider recycled materials for decoration purposes. We’ve been using recycled materials in our original decoration designs for years and have received thousands of positive comments on our work, which just goes to prove that it doesn’t have to be new to be gorgeous. That’s what the vintage movement is all about!

Use environmentally aware service providers wherever you can and chose locally grown produce and wines for your reception. Avoid foods grown and harvested unsustainably like some seafood and battery caged animals, consider purchasing estate jewellery which doesn’t demand further mining and avoids some of the unethical and inhumane practices in diamond mining or purchase vintage wedding and bridesmaid dresses. Going green certainly doesn’t have to be expensive and nine times out of ten, will save you big dollars.

For further information and ideas, please feel free to chat with us on ways to incorporate the new trends into your wedding celebration or check out our twitter at http://twitter.com/IslandWeddings

Above: The emerging trend of the birdcage veil sits beautifully on our bride, Hannah, married earlier this year

When we announced our intention to become a carbon neutral business way back in 2007 many poeple looked at us askance and most didn’t know what carbon trading was. We were, to our knowledge and that of our carbon traders, the first wedding planner in Australia, if not the world to operate in this way. Since then, we’ve noticed many green wedding sites popping up with all sorts of providers sugesting ways to make your wedding more environmentally friendly and we think it’s great!

Stradbroke Weddings is continually striving to reduce our environmental footprint and we have recently been invited to participate in the pilot program of the Sustainable Regions Program which is a joint initiative of the University of Queensland and Tourism Queensland, funded by the Queensland Government. The program aims to encourage sustainable tourism operations throughout Queensland and as the environment is one of our greatest operational priorities, we are proud to be a part of this initiative to encourage greener operations within the tourism industry.

Stradbroke Weddings maintains an environmental policy which is available by contacting our office at info@stradbrokeweddings.com.au

We’ve been planning beautiful weddings on North Stradbroke Island for many years now. We’re the original and the best local supplier there is and yet we don’t meet some of our clients until they arrive on the Island the day before their wedding. Up until now we have had to make do with phone conversation and emails when communicating with our clients and while communications by phone and email get the job done, phone calls can be expensive and emails impersonal, so it’s never quite as satisfying as meeting someone face to face.

For those regular readers of our blogs and website over the years, you’ll know that here at Stradbroke Weddings we pride ourselves on our originality, innovation and fantastic customer service. We’re always thinking about how we can make our client’s lives easier and we’ve come up with yet another innovation in island wedding planning;. We are now offering our consultation service by Skype video conferencing.

This allows us to speak with you face to face and means that you don’t miss out on a thing by not actually being in the room with us. While we workshop your wedding with you, we will show you photographs of venues, ceremonies, decorations and all service pertaining to our meeting in real time. This means that you are fully informed and can make decisions on your likes and dislikes throughout the meeting. And for those clients who want more detail after our meeting, we are happy to email you requested photos.

And the best part is that our videoconferencing costs no more than our normal consultation. All you need is a Skype account and we will call at a time convenient to you. Signing up to Skype is free at
http://www.skype.com/intl/en/getconnected/

So what are you waiting for? Fast track your wedding planning now and contact us now to arrange your personal video conference.