Jen and Paddy met at a party through a mutual friend 10 years ago (they also happen to be my upstairs neighbours and had seen me many times hauling flowers to and from my car!).
They chose Shark Island as the backdrop to their stunning wedding ceremony, because Paddy is a sailor and sails around the island every weekend during the summer.
“We both love being on the water/close to the water, and Sydney Harbour is stunning, so with that in mind the venues were an obvious choice!”
The island was such a unique location and absolutely unforgettable! The couple hired a barge for the suppliers (such as us) to transport everything across, and this was the most unique transportation experience we have had to date.
The only way to get to Shark Island is via boat, so the couple chartered a private ferry for all of their guests, which transported people to and from Balmain. The boat trip was also a great opportunity for the couple to mingle with everyone.
Balmain Rowing Club was chosen for the reception, because it’s close to Jen’s parents’ house. The Rowing Club had also recently been renovated so it was perfect for their party, and Jen’s dad decorated it with gorgeous fairy lights and lanterns.
Jen was drawn to the look of the single flower variety bouquets, choosing cosmos for the bride’s bouquet and chamomile for the bridesmaids (Jen’s sisters!)
Jen says she loved how they were “simple, delicate and complemented each other really well. The cosmos looked almost ethereal and like they were floating, which was stunning and perfect for the bride bouquet! I knew I wanted white and green (to complement the white and black colours worn by the bridal party) and I also thought both worked really well with the island backdrop. The cosmos reminds me of poppies (which are my favourite, but sadly weren’t in season).”
The bridesmaid bouquets were finished with pretty trailing white ribbon bows.
For the Ceremony backdrop, Jen and Paddy chose asymmetrical flower towers, which were then transported back to the Reception to frame the couple at dinner.
The towers included white and green, with a touch of pale pink. The wild foliage was perfect against the backdrop of the wilderness of the island.
We worked with some really delicate florals such as cosmos, scabiosa and hydrangea. These stunners are summer florals yet they struggle in the heat, so we had to ensure they were kept as fresh as possible prior to the day, and fortunately we were able to set up the flower towers out of direct sun.
Jen says “I also loved the flowers on the tables at the Reception – Julia nailed the brief which was a mix of different heights, a bit wild and interesting. They also didn’t overcrowd the tables but created the feeling like we were sitting in a garden.”
On the day Jen says the couple “loved being surrounded by all of our closest family and friends. We also loved the different elements (boat trip, island, rowing club and finally after party at my parents’ house) which made the day really fun and like a journey.”
The day after the wedding, Paddy’s mum, an art teacher, was able to collect several of the florals to take to her class to paint. This was a great way to continue to give the beautiful flowers a life beyond the wedding day!
Overall this was the most unique wedding ceremony venue we think we have ever attended!
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