We’re back for another epic roundup, folks, and this time we’re diving into the most incredible styling of the year that was. You guys were bloody loving a floral fantasy this year, with the top 10 in styling (as clicked by you) featuring beautiful blooms, eye-popping arbours, hanging botanical installations… not to mention stunning tablescapes and even a few craftily placed disco balls.
There was also huge variety in colourways you guys were loving in 2021, from minimalist all-white palettes to bold pop colours, pretty pastels and subdued neutrals, proving what we’ve said all along – you’ve got to ditch the ‘shoulds’ and have-tos’ and do your big day your way.
Plenty of Hello May’s good friends made the cut, from Freakhaus‘ fantastic floral displays to Pia & Jade‘s pretty blooms and Mrs Gibbons Flowers‘ gorge displays. ELOPE came through with the goods (as always) for our couples who took their nuptials elsewhere, while The BIB Approach absolutely nailed a vintage Tuscan vibe and The Petal Project crafted quite possibly the best blue hydrangea arbour you’ve ever seen. And, of course, we couldn’t have brought you sneaky glimpses at these amaze weddings without all the mega-talented snappers behind the cameras – Beck Rocchi Photography, Cloud Catcher Studio, She Takes Pictures He Makes Films, Shane Shepherd Photography, Jessica Clark Photography and Ali Bailey to name just a handful of these super shutterbugs.
Alright, alright, that’s enough chat – let’s get to the main event. In no particular order, allow us to introduce your top 10 styling ideas for 2021…
Put Perth event stylist and florist Freakhaus (formerly Freek Florals) in charge of an “escapism and romance” theme with “slightly kitsch ‘Italy in the ’80s’ vibes” and what do you get? Something that’s pretty dang close to perfection, guys – which is exactly what brides Bobbi Jo and Ella got when they tied the knot at Si Paradiso this year. “Our flowers were exactly what we had hoped for. Eden from Freakhaus totally nailed the brief. She also went above and beyond on the day.” Heavenly swathes of draped fabric paired with piles upon piles of delicate blooms set the scene for romance, while cleverly placed pastel orchids stole the show. Plus, we can’t go past a cute story – the gals met their styling queen (who’s one of our faves here at Hello May) at the local dog park! Check out their big day in full right here for more eye-popping styling inspo.
SOPHIE & DAVID, NSW
Florals are obviously a big thing at weddings, but there are some styling guns who take the concept of incorporating blooms into a big day and absolutely smash it out of the park. Without a doubt, Pia + Jade falls into this category – seriously, just look at the downright delicious job they did for Sophie and David’s wedding at Ooralba Estate, in NSW’s Kangaroo Valley. “Pia & Jade did the most incredible job creating the vision of my dreams with the floral and styling,” gushes the very happy bride, whose modern and chic colour palette consisted of black, white and pale pinks. “She got the vision that I wanted to portray as soon as I linked my Pinterest mood board to her.” With two dresses (courtesy of Georgia Young Couture and Karen Willis Holmes) and Heart & Colour behind the lens, this wedding’s giving chic modern elegance in spades.
EILISH & NELLA, NSW
It must be said: there’s a revival happening with baby’s breath and we’re not at all mad about it. Possibly the key flower of the ’80s has made a strong return this year and you, dear readers, can’t get enough! Like tufts of white fluffy clouds scattered around the venue and surrounding the couple as they did the “I do” thing, the arbour and table decos ELOPE helped pull together for Eilish and Nella’s dream day in Byron Bay are like something straight outta your fave fairytale (with a little help from Wilderness Flowers on blooms). Of course, having the talented Beck Rocchi Photography behind the lens on the day doesn’t hurt (this gal‘s a gun behind the camera). Can we all also take a minute for those ornate chandeliers, hanging so casually in Byron View Farm‘s beautiful outdoor setting, bringing extra whimsy to the lush hinterland spot. Dreamy work, ELOPE.
ALEX & KOBY, QLD
We have something a wee bit special here, friends – this glammed-up “disco sunset” was a joint effort between the floral stylings of Mrs Gibbons Flowers and the clever planners over at Event Stylist & Co. Serving up fun, vibrant, fully joyful feels, the bright, bold blooms totally gave us (dare we say it…?) disco fever – and you guys couldn’t get enough of Alex and Koby’s flashy big-day decor, either, with the number of times you clicked on this real wedding! Check it out in all its glory right here. Oh and btw, bride Alex (the studio manager of Cloud Catcher Studio, who were responsible for photos on the big day) was just as delighted with Mrs Gibbons Flowers‘ work, saying, that the blooms were “such a central part of the whole day for us, they were super important to set the tone. So much detail was within all the floral pieces, but the arbour, bouquets and reception installations are always going to be a favourite detail from our day.”
ALYSSA & CALLUM, WA
If you can’t make it to Italy for your wedding (thanks, COVID), styling that transports you there in spirit is the next best thing – and that’s what Alyssa and Callum had when they got hitched in at Bina Maya Yallingup Escape in WA’s Margaret River region earlier this year. Luckily, The BIB Approach was on hand to bring their “relaxed, classic, Tuscan vibes” to life, bringing rustic vases and carafes to the tablescapes, along with terracotta pots, grapes from the vine and a mix of dried and fresh florals in neutral shades (with a little help from florist Rose + Bud). “Brodie from The BIB Approach did an incredible job at incorporating the colours and textures of Italy into our styling,” shares bride Alyssa. “Our venue was located in the beautiful, natural surrounds of Australian bush so it was also important to us that this was still a feature on the day and as we didn’t want to just ‘recreate’ our Italian wedding. Brodie also made this vision come to life and we are so grateful for that.” With snaps by Nectarine, this big day is one to remember!
SARAH & NICK, NSW
With its rustic charm and old-world Mediterranean feel, Villa Rustica Byron Bay set the scene for Sarah and Nick’s “modern romance”-themed dream wedding, but it was the talented team behind one of Hello May’s faves, ELOPE, that brought the bride’s vision to life. They nailed the brief – “an understated but elegant neutral and white palette” that would let the venue speak for itself – bringing texture to the simple palette with decorative urns, clouds of roses, tumbling phalaenopsis orchids (thanks, Wilderness Flowers!) and tablescapes of organza, stone and crystal. “I knew we had to work with Emily from ELOPE, who I followed on Instagram and who I knew worked with some of my dream venues,” shares the bride of the vendor who made her wedding dream a reality. “All of our vendors [including photographers Rabbit and the Bear] were part of their collective and came highly recommended.”
SARAH & SCOTT, VIC
It took a team effort to style Sarah and Scott’s day to perfection but by golly gosh it shows. Just look at that fresh floral arbour! The incredible botanical installation hanging over their reception marquee! With Nomad on the concept, Georgie Boy on the blooms and Ruby & James in charge of executing this big, bold and beautiful vision on the day, this one’s proof great things really do come in threes. “Shonel from Nomad is incredibly talented and also incredibly resilient,” spill the bride and groom of their standout stylist. “Whilst going through intense cancer treatment, she completed our styling designs and arranged all of the logistics with another stylist in case she couldn’t be there on the day – Ruby & James, who stepped in just a few weeks before the wedding [and] were an incredible example of how people in the wedding industry look out for one another.” She Takes Pictures He Makes Films documented it all – check it out in full right here!
ALANA & JAMES, NSW
Sometimes, the venue, the lighting and floral design come together just right – and that’s called styling gold, friends. The proof is in these piccies of Alana and James’ nuptials, by Shane Shepherd Photography (see more of his work here)! The rustic interiors of EarthHouse in the Byron Bay Hinterland provided the ideal base for Maria Birch from Frank & Joy to do her thing, and those exposed wooden beams – well, they were practically begging to be draped with bright blooms (thanks, The French Petal). “When I walked into EarthHouse, our hanging installations nearly brought me to tears,” admits the bride, “whilst the understated table styling played focus to our stunning hanging floral arrangements”. Highlighting natural materials (“timber, linens and cane”) kept the styling true to the Byron vibes, with those popping colours in the floral arrangements making a massive statement. Bloody brilliant.
LIV & ANDREW, NSW
When Liv and Andrew decided early on to make blue hydrangeas the feature flower of their blue-themed Melbourne wedding, they def made the right choice in calling on The Petal Project to bring their vision to life. “We thought, ‘the bluer the better’ when it came to the flowers and Alison from The Petal Project nailed it. The blue hydrangeas she used were incredible and the arbour her team created was exactly what we had envisaged.” The big day was made even more special by the fact that it was held in the backyard of the bride’s parents’ home, and with Ali Bailey capturing every moment on film, plus Poni Studio on styling, this loved-up duo “had such a perfect day”, spills the bride. Take a look at the rest of their incredible day here.
PORSCHA & MARK, SA
Look, we could never play favourites because we truly do love every single one of the real weddings we feature on Hello May, but if you’re thinking we saved the best for last here, guys, we wouldn’t blame you one little bit. Would you just look at the totally frickin’ incredible neon dream Comida created in their garden for Porscha and Mark’s big day? The brief was “light on the formalities and heavy on the fun!” – totally nailed it, obvs – and we actually can’t get enough of the party atmosphere, captured perfectly by Jessica Clark Photography. (Check out the wedding in full for more of Jessica Clark Photography‘s snaps of the epic disco ball tower, the neon arbour and the old-school Nintendo setup!)