Events by Mary and Gabrielle

The Eclective

2011-06-13T16:31:00.000+09:30

Attention Adelaide Brides and Grooms!

The Eclective is coming to Adelaide on the weekend of September 9th - 11th at the Queens Theatre.

This is an event you cannot miss as it brings together the best of what South Australia has to offer in the wedding industry in a way like you have never seen before!

Follow the Eclective on Facebook for more details or visit www.theeclective.com.au next week to watch it all unveil! This is SO exciting!

We are on The Lane...

2011-06-10T07:57:00.001+09:30

The incredibly fun Woodlands shoot we did with Scott and Alia from White Wall Photography is now up on The Lane! There are some spectacular images of ruffle cake, duck confit, and amazing stationery done as a collaboration between Mary and Alicia from Akimbo. Its all very exciting! And it lists some great Adelaide Vendors who helped out with the shoot.

P.S. Something Amazing is Coming soon.

Whimsical Woodlands Shoot

2011-05-29T22:51:00.001+09:30

What an incredible day! M&G and Scott and Alia from White Wall Photography all traveled in convoy deep into the Adelaide Hills to Mount Crawford forest to set up and style an editorial soon to be on The Lane. We can't talk highly enough of these two amazingly talented photographers! They really are a lot of fun and we had such a great time with them. We couldn't have done this shoot without the generosity and talent of Akimo (stationery), White & Wander (Props), Lotus (Flowers), Lush Lighting, Two Brothers (Catering), Pastille Petite Desserts (macaroons) and Heidelberg Cakes. Go check out some of the photos here at White Wall Photography and be sure to keep checking The Lane in the near future for more photos!

Blooming Wonderful - Hyacinth

2011-05-22T13:55:00.000+09:30

Blooming from April through September, Hyacinth blooms are available in shades of red, pink, white, orange, blue, violet and yellow. The Hyacinth has a single dense spike of clustered fragrant blooms up to approximately 4cm in diameter each, with the blooming portion of the stem approx. 15cm. These blooms can add height and texture to contemporary & rustic arrangements alike. Once cut they can last up to 1 1/2 weeks. $$$$$.

WIN an Engagement Shoot!

2011-05-17T07:53:00.005+09:30

We're working on a fabulous surprise with our super-talented friends Scott & Alia from White Wall Photography, Holly from Lotus Flowers and Emma & Lisa from White & Wander and are SO excited to be able to offer our readers an opportunity to participate in what will be a super fun & amazing day!

To be eligible you'll need to provide a current photo of you and your fiance and tell us in under 100 words why you'd like to be involved in the shoot! Send your entries to 'hello @ whitewallphotography . com . au' and be sure to tell your friends too! Whoo can't wait! Winners will be contacted by the end of the week, so get on it you gorgeous things!

Blooming Wonderful - ChrysantheMUM

2011-05-08T21:47:00.001+09:30

Being that it is Mothers Day today... we felt it only right to feature Chrysanthemum's for this weeks Blooming Wonderful.

This particular gorgeous sunny bloom directly above is the Dis Bud, it is one of the approximately 30 species of Chrysanthemum's available, and it's the largest of the species available in Australia at around 15cm in diameter. Available in May, once cut these beauties will last around 5 days, and are available in most colours you can imagine. $$$$$

Feels like Home

2011-05-05T22:30:00.005+09:30

A lot of people underestimate the power of putting a little thought and TLC into doing up their house for sale. Styling and staging homes is becoming more and more popular in order to get the best possible results when selling your home. And it does work!

Richelle and Ryan from R&R works last week asked Mary&Gabrielle to come along and help stage and style a shoot for an adorable little house they are putting on the market which they have spent the last 14 weeks bringing back to life. Everyone had a blast and with the crazy talented Mark Dohring from Bentinmarcs Photography taking the shots, Richelle and Ryan's incredible determination and hard work all pays off in these gorgeous images.

Thanks Richelle and Ryan for letting us help!

Blooming Wonderful - Cosmos

2011-05-01T23:27:00.002+09:30

There are 20 known species of these gorgeous flowers that bloom mid to late March through May.
These gorgeous delicate looking blooms are available most commonly in white & cream, shades of pink, purple, and dark rose but can also be found in shades of yellow, orange and red.

With relatively long stems, the blooms when open are around 7 - 10cm in diameter and once cut will last up to 2 weeks, so these blooms are not only great for bouquets but perfect for arrangements you want to continue to enjoy for more than just on the day. $$$$$.

Serves You Right

2011-04-29T08:18:00.002+09:30

We are absolutely loving the newly renovated 'Serves You Right!' Cafe on Unley Road! The new fitout was completed by the owner Nathan & some very dedicated friends in under 5 days... who needs sleep right? But the results are as fabulous & delicious as the Menu by chef Sam Worrall-Thompson (yes, for those English readers... the son of UK celebrity cook Antony Worrall-Thompson). We completely agree that the cafe (and gorgeous hidden courtyard) would make a fabulous venue for any party or event, particularly if there's any hint of a literary theme to reference - we LOVE the floor to ceiling bookcase and especially love that it's been filed by colour and that the complete works of Shakespeare are literally plastering the walls. The whole space is delightful and the food is mouth wateringly good, lately we've been a little guilty of making our Wednesday lunch an event for two at this fab little spot so thought it was definitely worth sharing...

Image Sources: servesyourightcafe.com.au via Mary & Gabrielle on Pinterest

Blooming Wonderful

2011-04-24T15:19:00.008+09:30

Repeatedly we've found that one of the biggest challenges for our clients (& for the Florists who need to break the news to them) is a knowledge of what bloom's are in season when, what what they look like and what colours the blooms are available in without having been subjected to photoshop or colour filters, and also what blooms will fit into the budget. So to make the process a little easier we're going to post regularly the best of the seasonal blooms that are available in Australia (with many thanks to the amazing Sally of Poppies Florist for her contributions to this endeavour!)

Delightful Dahlias

There are over 36 species and more than 300 varities including cute little Poms (golf ball size & appearance), Waterlily (not a waterlily - but petals have a very similar appearance), Decorative (larger ball shaped heads) & Cactus (spikey looking petals) of these beautiful blooms

Blooming from early February through to late April

Available in every colour of the rainbow

Blooms as big as 3cm in diameter through to the size of your head! (yep... from small to enormous!)

They will last approximately 5 days once cut $$$$$

Pamper Me Please!

2011-04-15T22:02:00.002+09:30

Apologies for our lack of posting of late, but it has been the wedding high season and nothing short of chaos over the last few months... fabulous chaos of course... which means despite the severe lack of recent posts, over the coming months we will have plenty to share of our recent exploits! whoot! can't wait to share what we've been up to! (weddings, birthdays & moving houses, oh my!)

Now in the meantime, as we have well & truly experienced over the last few months, when it comes to any event there is always a reasonable amount of stress and pressure involved in the planning & delivery process. For us this is part & parcel, but we definitely know that balance is required to maintain commitment, enthusiasm & momentum, and one of the best ways we have found to restore that balance is to reward and rejuvenate with a pamper session!

So in the interest of maintaining balance and rewarding ourselves for a job well done & more importantly as one of our key roles is to ensure that stress is decreased and relaxation & enjoyment is optimal for our clients we thought 2 birds 1 stone & all it was time that we actively investigated the best health & relaxation preparations and rehabilitations... after all if we're going to recommend the best options for our clients we need to have first hand experience of them ourselves - right? right!

So today it was off to Jurlique at Burnside Village for 60minutes of the Ultimate Face & Body ... A head to toe experience comprising of a relaxing massage with your choice of exquisite aromatheraphy oils followed by a restoring personalised facial. This treatment claims to be an overall indulgence that will leave you totally relaxed and refreshed...

the run down:

Products 10/10 - amazing! absolutely gorgeous aromas (we tried various combinations of rose, jasmine, lavendar & citrus products), gentle, calming & refreshing... feel very light & delicate on the skin and leave your skin feeling sublime!

Service 8/10 - very friendly, extremely polite & professional (but expect a little bit of a sales push for product purchase and re-booking at the end of your treatment)

Ambience & Fitout - 6/10 nice front of house (but not the most recent jurlique fitout), gentle warm low light in treatment rooms was appropriate, music was very well selected & relaxing, but unfortunately was drowned out somewhat by the construction zone next door (continuing until November) and we didn't pick the best time to go... 3pm on the last day of school meant the noise from the mall somewhat frustratingly interrupted the mood (so go outside of school holidays and book for the morning if you're going to Burnside). The services (as in water pipes, sinks etc) also need a bit of soundproofing. Treatment beds were super comfy (& heated -love!).

Treatments 8/10 - Duration of each element of the treatment was well timed & executed, arm & leg massage portions were to die for... amazing! Pressure applied throughout massage & facial was very close to perfect.

the verdict on this occasion:

Overall 7/10 - Doesn't hit the mark for an extravagant luxury stamp, this particular store would be a more ideal venue for for facial treatments as the ambient noise (mostly due to construction zone & school holidays) let the relaxation/retreat experience down, but the treatment itself was amazing!

image from here

vintage love - to have and bhldn

2011-02-22T09:22:00.001+10:30

These images from behind the scenes at the photoshoot for the fabulous 'bhldn' (pronounced beholden -inspired by the Dutch word for "to keep") over at Oh Joy! were to absolutely darling and we couldn't wait to see what the team behind the fabulous Anthropologie was going to inspire and delight us with through this venture. If you're swooning over some of our favourites from BHLDN that we've shared below, you'll have to wait a little longer until they ship directly to Australia, but if you're desperate look into a US mail forwarding service like Bongo to help deliver these stylish vintage inspired delights.

2011 Winter Fashion Colour Palette

2011-02-15T09:57:00.005+10:30

Coinciding with New York Fashion Week, Pantone (pretty much the worlds absolute authority on colour) have just announced their 2011 Winter Fashion Colour Report... drum roll please... tah dah!

This coming Winter season consider a refined but spirited palette and pay attention to texture and contrast in your details, look to old Hollywood and push for a contemporary interpretation. If you're heading down the aisle, be sure to take a look at how Chrissy from Perfect Palette has interpreted these trends, absolutely fabulous concepts Chrissy - we always love your work!

stationery sunday - enjoy a fruitful valentines day

2011-02-13T09:00:00.011+10:30

A healthy way to express your feelings ;) check out these fabulous and free downloads available over at twig & thistle to add some fun and love to the lunchboxes tomorrow.

Event.full Times

2011-02-12T13:00:00.001+10:30

Yay! It's approaching our favourite time of the year! Stay tuned as we start to share some of the amazing details and creative genius that explodes throughout SA during this amazing festival! 'The Garden' our favourite Fringe haunt is open this weekend and there are a few previews shows already popping up, so check here for what's on... so excited!!

If you are in Adelaide, be sure to check out the creative and inspiring talents of Meaghan Williams (one of the fabulously talented girls we loved studying and working with and look forward to collaborating with more in the future - a.mazing!) at her exhibition 'Paper Cut' that happens to coincide with the fabulous Fringe... we can't wait to see what she has in store this time!

Foodie Friday - In Love with This Cake

2011-02-11T08:00:00.004+10:30

We Heart This Cake - every pun intended :) but also, what a fabulous treat to share with you're loved ones this coming valentines day! Check out this absolutely darling cake and how to actually make it yourself with the full tutorial right here!

Summer Sessions - a Hawaiian Luau

2011-02-02T20:10:00.008+10:30

Last weekend Gabrielle's sister in law turned 30 and to celebrate she put on a Hawaiian Luau. It was a hot 36 degrees and everyone had a lovely time relaxing in the sun, drinking Coronas while watching their kids have water fights with one another. It was the perfect summers day and to wish Erin a happy birthday, we set up a Hawaiian themed photo booth.
Photography by Mary&Gabrielle

In love and ship wrecked

2011-01-27T20:06:00.005+10:30

This wedding shoot, is amazing. Such a romantic and surreal feel and of course the dreamy photos are done by the wonderful Elizabeth Messina. You MUST visit Green Wedding Shoes and have a look at the rest of the incredible images...

Stationery Sunday - Abracadabra!

2011-01-23T12:36:00.005+10:30

Love it when we come across truely fun, inovative and inspiring invitations. This one, designed by Black Squid was sent out inviting guests to the Bone Growth Foundation fundraising dinner with a magical theme. Brightly coloured silk scarves (made from remnants and ends of rolls - yay! go recycling!) were tied together and pulled from a tube to magically reveal the details of the event at the end... loving the interactive element, what a great way to truely engage guests in the theme in preparation for the event!

Foodie Friday - Australia Day Super Styling

2011-01-19T19:07:00.006+10:30

Check out these amazing images by Katie of 'What Katie Ate' for 'Real Living' Magazine that we discovered while searching for inspiration for this years Australia Day celebrations. Loving the way the food styling has given a nod to the green and gold, and completely adore the decorative and floral elements that have been incorporated, fun & unique but refined - love it!

Aussie As

2011-01-19T16:14:00.008+10:30

It's one week exactly until in true Aussie style we enjoy another public holiday... can't wait! Last year the invite went out alright vegemite & we celebrated with a back yard bbq and a bit of driveway cricket, but in true m&g style couldn't resist imparting a stylish touch to the green and gold... hessian, yellow gingham & gumnuts with home made treats with an aussie flavour, lamingtons & pavalova - yum! An intentionally fun and kitchy spread that went down a treat :) 7 sleeps to go and counting until a mid-week mini holiday yay!

Sexy Texty

2011-01-12T21:06:00.004+10:30

These prints are witty, pretty and fabulous! They make me want to have a whole room dedicated to black and white typology! Or it would be great fun to design a black and white wedding that focuses on typology as a theme. visit Therese Sennerholt Design here for all the great images!

Eat cheese and be merry

2011-01-01T15:44:00.004+10:30

Gabrielle recently celebrated her birthday, and decided to throw a simple yet marvelous dinner party for 26 of her closest friends and family. With Mary's help, the tables were set, the salmon was baking, the potatoes were boiling, the Pimms was flowing and the Cheese quickly vanishing.

Merry Christmas

2010-12-26T10:13:00.005+10:30

We hope you had a wonderful day full of food, family and fun! In celebration of Christmas here are images from our SA Life shoot with Sally from Poppies Flowers and Alicia from Akimbo. Enjoy the holidays and have a Happy New Year!

Coming up Roses

2010-12-14T17:47:00.004+10:30

Absolutely loving these gorgeous images from over at Design*Sponge... What a fabulous signature cocktail for any girl to add that wow factor and memorable element to any occassion! We're thinking simply fabulous for birthdays, hens days, wedding receptions... endless opportunites for this feminine and delicious martini. Get the recipe here.

Merry Cocktail um oops... Merry Christmas!

2010-12-10T08:40:00.005+10:30

The countdown is on & Christmas Party Season is well & truely underway! So we were very excited to find such fabulous freebies available featured on Restored Style for an inspired gift to get the party started. Get them here! from 'Hi Friend'... Can't wait to try these out!! Fabulous idea for any party any time of year really! Great work Kristen, Meg & Jen!!

All Set For Christmas... well the table anyway

2010-12-03T11:46:00.004+10:30

Drum roll... So here's the result of the christmas styling concepts we developed for Sally of Poppies Florist featured in this months SA Style Mag. Stay tuned for more pics of our fab styling efforts as we have a heap of detail shots that we can't wait to share! We were also super happy with the brilliant stationery elements we briefed and commissioned Alicia from Akimbo to contribute check them out here...

Groom(ing)

2010-11-18T21:51:00.004+10:30

We have noticed a trend in the men wanting to become more involved in the wedding plans and are wanting to have a say in the look and feel of the day. There is no opportunity better for your husband-to-be to show his character at the wedding than in deciding what his groomsmen and himself get to wear... from striped socks to a cowboy hat, its the little quirks that make a wedding 'you', so successful!
1. Jose Villa Photography
2. Linda Chaja Photography
3. Jose Villa Photography
4. Jennifer Longaway Photography
5. Valeria Duque Photography
6. Millie Holloman Photography
7. Jason & Anna Photography

christmas merriment

2010-11-10T16:24:00.007+10:30

this past monday night & tuesday was spent styling up a fab christmas spread for a photoshoot with the supertalented Sally from Poppies. With Christmas not far off now (- yay for holidays!! ) we thought we'd give you a sneak peek into the palette & style inspiration we collated for Sally & the shoot.

Memorable Marquees

2010-11-02T21:27:00.014+10:30

In the spirit of the day we thought we'd share our two all time favourite Melbourne Cup Marquees... These are both absolutely fabulous examples of how the skills of qualified & talented interior designers can transform spaces into truely unique and memorable environments.

Both of these amazing marquees demonstrate clearly that event design is far more than just styling, choosing a colour theme and table decorations, these marquees exemplify design through their dedication to the attention to detail, the considered maniuplation of space and creating atmosphere through the innovative application of layering texture, colour, light, movement and object... yay for design!!

Check out what PTW Architects helped realise for Moet Chandon... could you get any closer to being inside a glass of champagne?

and we love this playful interpretation of 'The Village Green' in the Birdcage that Interior Designers Hecker Phelan & Guthrie helped realise...

Perfect Specimens...

2010-10-26T22:33:00.004+10:30

Mary was indulged by her Mista Mista for hours when they paid a visit to the breath of fresh air that is the Port Elliot Show, among the exhibits was this simply stunning presentation of perfect blooms, each just one speciment per bottle. We think this is such a fabulous example of how a single,very simple, but repetative element can be used to create a stunningly beautiful impact. *sigh* ... if you want to see more of the show take a look here

OO! Brooches & Balloons!

2010-10-26T22:06:00.006+10:30

who says bouqeuts have to be floral? we LOVE these fabulously playful alternatives...

Oh Doily Doily Me...

2010-10-18T11:44:00.034+10:30

Doily inspired details are popping up all over the blog world at the moment & will definitely be a beautiful detail flooding into weddings over the next season. These sweet little pieces of inspiration embrace the gorgeous lacey touches in a refined and sophisticated way without screaming nana, (from design work life, country living, martha & elisa).

We love the feminine & romantic connotations of the gentle & muted tones above, but if your after some colour and quirk consider punching it up a little & appropriating these fun alternatives.

Merci Madame

2010-10-18T08:45:00.004+10:30

Head to Atypical Type A and check out the amazing new letterpress stationery line Alicia has developed for Akimbo... LOVE love love it! & we can't wait to see the cake buffet for more of these divine doily cookies! So in love with these doily cookies, & love how you carried through the palette you used in the invites into the food styling - Awesome work A!

Sneak Peek - Af & Frankie

2010-10-12T16:43:00.003+10:30

Yay! Congratulations Afrulla & Frank!! We hope you enjoyed your day & celebrating with all your family & friends... here is a sneak peek from when we bumped into the beautiful bride while collecting lavendar from her garden and us in the very early stages of styling up the reception venue... Af we can't wait to see your amazing professional photos by Shona!

one year on - delighting in the details

2010-10-12T01:24:00.021+10:30

As promised last week, here's a little indulgence (mostly on the part of M hehe!) Appropriately timed of course as Mary celebrates her first wedding anniversary with H... it was lovely to smile over these details again, the year has gone so quickly!

One truth every couple discovers is how quickly the wedding day goes & no doubt one of the pieces of advice any couple gets is to just take it all in as much as possible and enjoy every moment, and from our experience this couldn't be more true. For those walking, stepping, running, jumping or dancing down the aisle anytime in the future, make sure that you set aside several occassions, they only have to be 5 minutes here or there, throughout the day where you can take a quiet moment just to yourself and with your new mr or mrs, these will more than likely be some of the most memorable and imporant minutes you have on the day. Brett Hartwig of Allpics captured these wonderful little moments between Mary & Hamish just over a year ago nearly to the day, & Mary has loved looking back over her fave b&w's (here) too, that portray the casual elegance and joy of the day perfectly.

Foodie Friday - French Macaroons....

2010-10-08T20:01:00.011+10:30

Tomorrow is my first year wedding anniversary, and it got me thinking about all the fabulous experiences I shared with my husband on our honeymoon (here)... One of my favourite memories is enjoying the most delicious authentically french macaroons from LADUREE in Paris so I thought I'd share just a few of the pics I took of these amazing treats... Oooohhhhhh! they were so light and melty and the flavours were to die for... they really did taste as good as they look & would be the perfect addition to any dessert banquet or buffet!

If you want to try some of these amazing treats more locally, Callum (from Australia's masterchef) sells a line of them at Providore in the Adelaide Central Markets, & the amazing From Scratch Patisserie is most definitely worth a visit at the Adelaide Farmers Market at Wayville... definitely definitely worth it!

Happy weekend! M

Happy Hour

2010-10-05T19:50:00.011+10:30

One aspect of our job we love is when we get to design a signature cocktail or drink for any event... recently while hitting up the dubdubdubyou world for some beautiful inspiration we came across these concepts. We love love love They Draw & Cook... take a look at these adorable illustrations.

Hit the Press - Double Up!

2010-09-28T20:52:00.007+09:30

This seasons edition of My Wedding SA, a local publication featuring only South Australian based weddings features the work m&g did on Mary's wedding this time last year... (nearly to the day -stay tuned for 1st year anniversary ideas!) So go and check it out for a little contrast to the vivid styling we did for Gabrielles & take a look at some dreamy "eclectic vintage" & whimsy... you can also revisit it here and just for absolute indulgence, next week we'll post some of the images you we haven't shared with anyone else...
BTW we're also total celebs now... haha, just kidding! not quite yet... but we did make this issue of CLEO as a 'successful duo' who have found the right mix of business & pleasure... look out world!

Blooming Wonderful - Tree Peonies

2010-09-28T20:03:00.006+09:30

EEEEEKKKKK!!! *squeals of delight* One of m&g's fave suppliers of all things blooming wonderful Sally of Poppies called with the most exciting news this morning... she had the amazingly beautiful and super rare tree peonies just delivered to her store on Glen Osmond Rd.

These photos don't do them enough justice, & just so you can appreciate how rare and amazing these flowers are... the trees take at least 6 years before they begin to flower & then up to 70years to mature! The lovely gentlement kind enough to share these beautiful blooms with Sally, so in turn she could jump up and down with delight with Mary this afternoon, had a mature tree on the property he bought 30 years ago so the amazing flowers you see below are from a tree likely to be nearly 100years old! how mind blowing is that!

If you're in Adelaide this week make a trip to Poppies on Glen Osmond Rd & you might be lucky enough to appreciate these wonders in real life & have the opportunity to meet one of our fave and super talented florists too!

hey mister mister

2010-09-28T19:30:00.004+09:30

With more men showing an interest in the details and ambience of their events these days we thought we'd share some styling and detail inspiration that has caught our eyes of late more than suitable for nearly any mister mister in our lives...

Check out Akimbo.com.au for the fab beer inspired invite, LetterboxCo. for the kraft swingtags & numbered amber bottles, The Style Files for the cookware, and Head vs Heart for the Honey brew labels... loving all the golden, earthy & masculine tones.

Pretty Girly

2010-09-20T19:14:00.003+09:30

Sometimes simple girly hues really work...
photography by Deborah Cull and design by Weddings by Socialites

For those who will Travel

2010-09-04T10:40:00.004+09:30

We have followed the blog of KC and Sarah Giessen for a while now and it was very exciting to see Style Me Pretty had featured Sarah's latest amazing wedding invitations. You really must go here and see them and watch the gorgeous video of Sarah making the invites.

The lovely photos of the couple were done by one of our favourite photographers Kyle Hale and the other images were taken by KC Giessen

French Provincial Garden Party

2010-08-28T10:01:00.004+09:30

This wedding is adorable. Everything from the red soles of the shoes to the pink striped shirt. The splashes of colours are so subtle and really gives a unique touch to wanting a white wedding. Go HERE and HERE to check out more photos...
Photography by CK Metro Photos

Green and Natural, beautiful

2010-08-26T21:07:00.002+09:30

Loving these invites by Alyson behind the Unruly Things Blog... Check out the rest of her wedding here!

Setting the (earthy) tone

2010-08-18T20:23:00.004+09:30

We love the mood that this wedding has about it...So natural and light hearted. Love it!

Have a look at the rest of this gorgeous wedding...here

Colour your Wedding

2010-08-17T21:37:00.003+09:30

Love this cute table set out that Angie and Tyson had for their wedding! This would be a great idea for a school themed event with your customised pencils and library card invites and red apple escort cards.

If you want to see the full wedding head over to Green Wedding Shoes Here

Da Da Da Dum - Gabrielle & Jarrod - The ceremony

2010-07-06T12:06:00.007+09:30

The Stunning Glen Ewin Estste in the Adelaide foothills set the scene for what was to be an elegant summer picnic wedding. The venue, like the rest of the day was nothing short of perfect...and Mary was there from the early hours of the morning to set up each intricate element and calculating where the sun would be in the afternoon to assure guests and the bridal party would be comfortable in the dappled sun through the tress...oh and every finger and toe crossed for a flawless day!...which by the way worked a charm!
Gabrielle was right on time, and she walked down the aisle to a summery acoustic version of Jason Mraz's "I'm Yours" (listen here). The shade was perfect, and the flowers by Sally from Poppies were exquisite, with lavendar, jasmine and rosemary lining the aisle and baby pink hydrangeas swinging amongst the weeping willow branches...*swoon*
The ceremony was a beautiful dedication of their love for each other as they spoke their own vows. And as they were announce husband and wife for the first time, guests celebrated by showering them with multi-coloured rose petals.
Croquet, bocce, picnic rugs, pimms and friendly swans were just some of the delights on hand as guests laughed and celebrated... visit Gabrielle's blog to see some of the guest shots.

Under my Umbrella

2010-07-05T13:30:00.005+09:30

Particularly for open air or cavernous spaces, canopies create the illusion of a more intimate space by drawing the eye of guests down and taking focus off any of the emptiness... they can also be used to help emphasise the theme and atmosphere of any event depending on how creative you get with what you hang.
Absolutely LOVING this feature canopy of umbrellas by March Studio! There's an amazing Mary Poppins type wonderment that this floating mass of umbrellas evokes...

Foodie Friday - Anyone else for a much needed Cocktail Hour?

2010-07-02T14:54:00.003+09:30

We love this inspired 'Martini Bar' by the super talented team over at Sunday Suppers! Can't wait for an opportunity to appropriate this... enjoy your weekend :)

Gabrielle & Jarrod - Getting Ready

2010-07-01T18:57:00.008+09:30

This post we’re going to give you a look into how the day began for the Gabrielle and Jarrod and their closest friends...

The day had arrived! Every detail planned, every moment considered, each ingredient of the occasion was designed to reflect Gabrielle & Jarrod’s casual, unassuming and caring character. Even the shoes, the dress, the suit, the rings... all perfectly emulated the relaxed but refined and beautiful day that was about to begin.
The mood of the bridal party was light and excited with anticipation & photographer Shona Henderson was there from the very start capturing every gorgeous moment, she did such an amazing job – we only wish we could share more images, but as mentioned there were literally thousands of photos and it has been so hard to choose so we’re going to share our favourites here
Gabrielle’s stunning dress was custom designed by Adelaide local fashion legend Liza Emanuele – B.E.A.UTIFUL! The dress epitomised femineity - flirty but completely graceful and the girls dresses reflected the vibrancy and fun that was to come. Meanwhile can we just mention that Jarrod and the boys totally rocked out their own choice of smooth attire – very nice boys... very nice!
Stay tuned for the next amazing instalment (on whatever day of the week it will be)... da da dadum da da dadum... Gabrielle and Jarrod’s ceremony is nothing short of quiver worthy! All the details come together to perfectly set the scene for A beautiful Summer Picnic Wedding.
And be sure to check out the winter issue of WSG magazine & click over to 100 Layer Cake to get even more of a look into the spectacular day!

Key tip for all brides and grooms: A wedding planner (ahem... um that would be us and in Gabrielle’s case that was Mary!) will be your best of friends not only on the day of your wedding but the months leading up to your big day. Let them/us do all the worrying and running around for you so that you get to just enjoy every moment and appreciate the pampering and fun of the occasion...

Ashliegh and James' Save The Dates

2010-06-30T21:24:00.004+09:30

Ashleigh and James are this incredible and relaxed couple who have decided to take on Mary&Gabrielle to design and coordinate their wedding in March. We are extremely excited to be such a big part of what will be an amazing day in the sun of the beautiful botanic gardens. Mary and I have been putting our heads together and have come up with some fun ideas that will truly reflect the couple and the feel of what they envision their day to be. Here are their Save the Date cards we did just under a month ago and we cant wait to carry on this theme through to the rest of the stationery and through to the details in their wedding. Stay tuned, this will be one wedding you wont be able to look past!

Sorry for the poor images, we will eventually have some professional photos of all the stationery.

Oh Baby!

2010-06-29T13:34:00.004+09:30

We're very excited to announce that Sonia delivered her beautiful & healthy baby girl Holly on the morning of Tuesday 22nd of June! To celebrate Holly's 1st week we thought we'd share images of the delicious desserts evening that was held a few weeks back in honour of the lovely Mother-to-be.

While it was important for guests to enjoy the feast for the senses, it was most important that the very expectant Mum-to-be couldn't be more comfortable and relaxed, so a cosy lounge setting adjacent the desserts was definitely order of the evening for seating arrangements and the custom themed bunting that flanked the lounge suites ensured a casual & fun, but refined atmosphere. The bunting & the balloon canopy that greeted guests as they entered the front reception hall were some of our favourite decorative DIY elements that announced 'celebration' and contributed to the sense of occasion.
Absolutely stunning, seasonal pink & red themed floral arrangements created by Poppies helped anchor the delicious home made desserts table perfectly and contributed a little lush luxe to the evening. We also chose to break with the strong fashion of ushering the desserts table to one side of the room to generate more communal space and instead chose specifically to make the table literally the centrepiece of the room to add a sense of grandure to a relatively small space & promote interaction among the deliberately limited guest list.
The evening couldn't have been sweeter, & neither could beautiful Holly... Congratulations Sonia & Chris! xoxo

Not long now!

2010-06-27T20:50:00.003+09:30

We are at the moment finalising which images to post on Gabrielle and Jarrod's wedding as there are 1300 amazing photos to sort through! We will hope to have our first post ready for you on Wednesday. Also keep checking 100 Layer Cake for their article on the wedding coming up soon!

Loving...

2010-06-26T21:30:00.005+09:30

French Company Milk & Paper...
lovely little bits and pieces to give your event a truely unique touch.

Stationery Sunday... DIY longweekend

2010-06-11T14:10:00.007+09:30

We LOVE this DIY project from Once Wed here ... what an absolutely gorgeous way to thank your bridesmaids!

Hit the Press - WSG!

2010-06-11T09:26:00.004+09:30

It's finally arrived! The issue we've been waiting for is out now! So hit the stands and go out and grab your copy of the winter issue of Wedding Style Guide to check out m&g's work in the Real Wedding Feature Article on Gabrielle & Jarrod's wedding... & stay tuned for for a full wrap up of the day and run down from the bride herself when she returns from her European honeymoon xx

Pretty Pretty things

2010-06-05T07:59:00.006+09:30

I got so excited when I came across these invites by Erica from Thoughtful Day for Jenna and Jon. They are so fun and colourful and set the tone perfectly for the wedding day which you must check out here. That is something Mary and I feel strongly about with invitations, they are the first bit of the wedding your guests will see and it is so nice to get an invite that teases you a little about what the wedding will be like and also its nice to get an invite and think, 'this is so them'!

xgabrielle

Stationery Sunday... (um well Monday - again)

2010-05-24T09:12:00.002+09:30

AKIMBO has officially launched! Check out the fab services available by the super talented Alicia! SO SO exciting! www.akimbo.com.au

Venue Ideas

2010-05-23T10:33:00.004+09:30

G came across Ella Dining room (designed by UXUS) while researching restaurants for a new waterfront restaurant she is designing down at West Lakes in Adelaide and thought it would make the perfect venue for a vintage style wedding with a modern quirky twist. The olive branches on the tables give the space a calming organic and exotic touch and it would be great to bring them into the wedding florals.

images via cool boom

Foodie Friday - More than Cake Stories

2010-05-21T16:46:00.004+09:30

One event m&g are busy planning at the moment is a baby shower in anticipation for the arrival of one sure to be adorable Holly Bishop! We can't wait to meet her, but while we do we are helping the expectant mum Sonia celebrate this momentous occasion with a day of pampering and pressies. The adorable treats above are by Cake Stories a local Adelaide Patisserie & Chocolaterie that we both LOVE for decadent cakes and are some of the delicatable inclusions we are considering to appropriate as invitations. Stay tuned to see what we do!

Fab Friday

2010-05-21T16:27:00.002+09:30

Courtesy of Siggi Eggertsson hope you all have a Fab weekend!

Oh So Lovely!

2010-05-19T10:29:00.004+09:30

Fabulous photographer Jill Thomas captured these gorgeous images of a first anniversary dinner party arranged by amorology weddings in a orange grove in California. We know there are plenty of orchards here in Australia where this could be translated just as effectively, or even set up just in your own back yard under the canopy of your favourite tree. This setting captures our love of texture, layering and eclecticism... L O V E!

Beachy Goodness

2010-05-17T16:13:00.004+09:30

In protest to the up and coming winter and to compliment the bright and sunny beachy goodness of the previous post, we thought we'd share some of our other fave beach event decor images thanks to Green Wedding Shoes, Ruffles and Atmosphere Events. Notice the lack of fishbowls sitting on a mirror & filled with floating frangipanis!

Sunshiney Daze

2010-05-17T15:58:00.004+09:30

M was require to spend the weekend at the Gold Coast for work... oh darn! so we couldn't help but share these sunny images to help share the joy and beachy goodness!

Blooming Wonderful

2010-05-17T15:20:00.005+09:30

Our apocrathy jars have been hugely popular and we love the impression & impact they have on our confectionary tables but we are so excited to share these images from Barbie & Ken's wedding over at Green Wedding Shoes. These jars are so versatile! We're so so looking forward to posting our appropriation of these fabulous centrepieces... stay tuned!

Foodie Friday - Wine & Cheese... Yes Please!

2010-05-14T09:58:00.006+09:30

This is the very clever invite from our friend Alicia of Akimbo to the wonderful Wine & Cheese night she held with her man to celebrate their birthdays over the weekend. We Loved the spread she did & she even picked up some amazing amazing ash chevre from the central markets!! (nice one!) When in Adelaide & wanting to celebrate or even just enjoy some fabulous fresh food of any description... number one hot tip - hit up the Central Markets!! We are also very spoilt here in Adelaide with some of the best wine in the world on our doorstep, so needless to say the vino was nothing short of fantastic either... But one of our most favourite details of the night was what had been done with some recycled wine bottles (courtesy of a local restaurant) and taper candles... have a look at how repeating a simple element en masse can create a sensational backdrop - not to mention some great ambient light and a decent amount of warmth for a cold autumn night. Enjoy your weekends!

My Goodness...Where have we been?

2010-05-12T09:08:00.006+09:30

We must apologise for the complete lack of posts recently... but we promise to be back with a posting vengence very shortly - because we...& there has been a lot of excitement and progress in the lives of m&g recently that we will want to share. M has moved houses! & G has been conquering the paperwork so that we're ready for end of financial year... bah! But mostly... we are looking forward to sharing some of our ideas and inspirations for the upcoming events we have booked! Weddings, Babys Showers, & a Cosmetics Launch Party are just some of the amazing and fun projects we are working on right now. See you soon!!

Stationery Sunday... (um well Monday) Introducing AKIMBO

2010-05-03T11:21:00.006+09:30

Well we here at m&g are very very excited! One of our great pals and fave fab graphic designers (that we've managed to snag as a consultant for m&g!!! YAY) has launched into the blog world & will be debuting her website any day now... for a sneak peak at her fabulousness check out these wonderful Save The Dates she designed for her up coming nuptials at a beautiful historic library here in Adelaide. Check back at her blog & stay tuned at for updates at AKIMBO as she too helps us add some style & quirk to the world :)

Foodie Friday - Banana Pancakes for your own Pretty Pancake Party

2010-04-23T14:47:00.004+09:30

Taking inspiration from the pretty pancake party we posted yesterday, and as the autumn mornings start to get a little cooler, we thought we'd share our delicious recipe for banana pancakes with you... Mary is definitely making these for breakfast tomorrow! Our favourite indulgence is to drizzle with honey and serve with a scoop of icecream... Mouth. Watering. Already!

Preparation time 5 mins Cooking time 10 mins Serves 10 large pancakes or approx 18 pikelets

Ingredients
1 Cup Self Raising Flour
3/4 Cup Milk
1 Egg
1/4 - 1/2 teaspoon Cinnamon to taste
2 Ripe Bananas
Pinch of Salt
Butter
(Honey & Vanilla Ice cream for a treat!)

Method
Sift flour and combine flour, milk, egg, cinnamon, ½ banana (mashed) and pinch of salt until batter is smooth (it’s ok if there are some lumps from the squished banana).

Heat Frying Pan on stovetop to moderate heat, add knob of butter.

Slice remaining banana into pieces no thicker than ½ centimetre. Once butter is melted and has coated the surface of the pan, place desired number of banana slices (we suggest 3-5 for large pancakes, or if you’re making pikelets just the one slice for the centre of each pikelet) and pour/spoon batter to coat slices to desired pancake size.

Wait until the surface of the pancake starts to bubble and turn pancake to cook on other side. After each pancake is cooked, remove from pan and place on plate in low oven to keep warm and ready to serve.

When all pancakes are cooked, stack and plate with remaining fresh sliced banana, drizzle stack with honey add a scoop of ice cream and dust with cinnamon... ENJOY!

image from here

Pretty Pancake Parties

2010-04-22T21:01:00.001+09:30

Isn't this pancake picnic just wonderful!
We are head over heels for colourful parties at the moment and this is the perfect balance of colour and retro features like the radio and pink plates. Emily from Once Wed teamed up with Ashley from The Flashdance and Jesse from Our Labor of Love to produce another"Beyond the Big Day" article on another one of our favourite blogs, Design*Sponge. Make sure you go there and have a look, it has lots of DIY ideas to make your own Pancake Picnic.

Stationery Sunday - Thank You Cards

2010-04-18T10:04:00.001+09:30

Gabrielle's thank you cards came up a treat! For their wedding they had a photo booth set up and got a couple of sneaky photos of them for their thank you cards. We printed out the photos with a matt finish and mounted them to 1mm card and tied them with twine to link back to the invitations and other stationery from the wedding.

Foodie Friday - Melon ball cocktails

2010-04-16T07:38:00.001+09:30

This is one of our favourite sweet treats to have at a summer cocktail function. We are making them for a small christening event on Sunday afternoon in glass shot glasses with pink green, yellow and watermelon coloured tooth picks. They are perfect for any summer occasion or even as a palate cleanser. Yummy!

Melon Ball Cocktail

Boil 1 cup of water with 1 cup of sugar for 5 minutes.

Stir in 3 tablespoons of finely chopped mint leaves to the liquid, cool, then strain.

Add the juice of 2 lemons and 1 orange.

Cut lots of balls of watermelon, honeydew and cantaloupe with a melon baller

Pour the sugar and mint mixture over the melons and chill for a few hours.

For the Love of Animals

2010-04-13T20:45:00.000+09:30

Sharon Montrose is a fabulous! In fact fabulous isn't a word that justifies the talent and wit that goes into these gorgeous and lovable images! Make sure you check out the Animal Print shop or her Etsy shop, you will spend hours flicking through all the cute photos trying to figure out which one's you want to get if not all of them!

Stationery Sunday - The Dingbat's Agenda

2010-04-11T20:25:00.001+09:30

We are looking at doing our own business cards at the moment and we have a few ideas in the works. So we thought it would be fitting to have a look at these gorgeous business cards by Adrienne over at The Dingbat's Agenda for today's stationery Sunday.

Faire Houre

2010-04-10T11:41:00.000+09:30

Jenilyn from Faire Houre makes the most adorable hand made clocks. Wouldn't it be wonderful to have a whole feature wall covered with a mixture of collected plates and these beautiful clocks? Hopefully when she gets back from her travels we will be able to purchase a couple for our offices.

Foodie Friday - sweet treats

2010-04-09T20:42:00.000+09:30

We are OBSESSED with candy buffets (that's why we do them for weddings here in Adelaide) and this one in particular has left us all hot an flustered and feeling like a child in a candy store! What girl doesn't love pink? Especially when it is done this well. This stunning pink candy table by Dawn from One Girl Cookies could be suited to almost any wedding theme. Our coconut ice would be perfect for this! Speaking of pink, we are on the look out for pink glass be it cake stands, vases, jars so if you see something let us know!
Have a wonderful weekend!

photography by Mel Barlow Photography

Pink stripes and pigs with bow ties

2010-04-08T22:26:00.000+09:30

There are so many amazing images of this wonderful wedding (photographed by Orchard Cove), so you will have to go here and check out the rest of them. We love the subtle summer feel of this wedding with the muted turquoise and pink and the fun and quirky charm with the stationery and table cloths. Gosh! We would love to do a wedding with this vibe and style!

Stationery Sunday - Oh Hello Friend

2010-04-04T11:09:00.000+09:30

Danni from Oh Hello Friend, a little while ago did a great DIY guest blog post over at 100 Layer Cake for these dainty vintage Save the Date Cards. Make sure you head over there and check it out!

Foodie Friday

2010-04-02T21:23:00.001+10:30

Happy Easter Weekend everyone! We hope you all have a wonderful holiday! This weeks Foodie Friday is looking at one of our favourite food blogs. Sweet Paul is a food and prop stylist not only makes incredible dishes (like the apple and cinnamon ice cream cones below) but also does some amazing stylist work. It is well worth taking a good long time going through his blog and exploring all the yummy recipes and photos that go with them.

Blooming Wonderful

2010-03-29T17:08:00.000+10:30

Over the weekend Mary held the first open inspection for the sale of her home with husband Hamish & this open house meant a search for some beautiful fresh flowers to welcome visitors as they entered. Thus began the pining for such wonderful blooms as these by Saipua...

Stationery Sunday - Simplesong

2010-03-28T21:22:00.001+10:30

One of the blogs we love is that of letterpress designer and printer Suaan Song. Simplesong is a gorgeous blog of great everyday inspiration and some amazing examples of her stationery work. Here are some of our favourites from Simplesong's etsy shop.

The xoxo pencils would be so cute to send with save the date cards! And they're less than US$1 each!

Colours of a Summer day

2010-03-23T20:45:00.000+10:30

Details Details Details!

We LOVE details!

We found this wedding flicking through Once Wed's gallery and knew we had to share it with you. The yellow! The pink! The bicycle! We love it all. We always say that successful weddings pay attention to details and one way of doing that is through the stationery. This would have to be some of the nicest stationery we have come across from the circle tags on the lolly jars to the delicate edging detail of the RSVP card. Perfect!

photography by Jessica Johnson

Stationery Sunday - On Paper

2010-03-21T09:07:00.000+10:30

Today we wanted to show you the amazing studio/shop of On Paper who sell ready made and DIY stationery but also make their own gorgeous custom stationery that is simple and elegant and suits any one's taste.
For more images of stationery by On Paper, go here

Some Exciting News

2010-03-16T18:19:00.001+10:30

We are very excited to announce that a Mary&Gabrielle Wedding will be published in the June issue of Wedding Style Guide! So make sure you hit the shops in June to grab your issue, in fact hit the shops now and grab their latest issue or just go their website and purchase their online issue.

Delicate Displays of Perfection.

2010-03-15T21:45:00.000+10:30

This is such a beautiful and feminine table scape. The dusty whites and pinks of the flowers by Florette Floral Designs are matched perfectly with the rustic feel of the old wooden table, vintage lace table runner and crystal cut glassware. And those plates! Such an elegant and soft touch. We love how much texture there is! Wouldn't it be lovely to have a setting like this for a summer luncheon with all the women in your family? Served with home made lemonade and vanilla and lavender cake with a light cream cheese icing.

photography by Ian Grant Photography
styling by Joy de Vivre

Stationery Sunday

2010-03-15T06:08:00.000+10:30

Hope you've all had a wonderful weekend. As this week sees us celebrate St Patrick's day and all things green, we thought we'd share with you one of our green (but not the colour green) wedding invitations (a stretch of a connection we know... but eh..)

The lovely couple we designed this for asked that their eco-friendly invite reflect a beachy palette without being blue and yellow (or having seashells) and that it capture the more informal grounded nature of the days celebrations.

This invite was designed with 100% recycled stock and materials and the bride & groom were delighted with the result.

Foodie Friday - coconut ice

2010-03-12T13:13:00.000+10:30

To sweeten your weekend we thought we’d share the recipe for the amazing Coconut Ice Mary made for Gabrielle’s wedding confectionery stall. It was a huge huge hit with all the guests and so easy to make. With every recipe we share and any food we recommend we’re going to aim to pair it with one of our fave refreshments too. As this recipe caters for the child in all of us and for those of you who may like to treat your little ones, we think it best that you enjoy our wonderful coconut ice with a strawberry milkshake or raspberry lemonade... either would suffice and whichever you choose will make for a wonderfully sweet treat for a frivolous and reminiscent weekend! So Enjoy!!

Preparation Time 10 minutes Cooking Time 5 minutes Serves 8-10

Ingredients
125g copha
250g desiccated coconut
500g pure icing sugar, sifted
2 egg whites, lightly whisked
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
3 drops red liquid food colouring

Method
Line a square 20cm (base measurement) cake pan with non-stick baking paper, allowing it to overhang the sides (it makes it easier to remove to slice when it's set).

Melt the copha in a small saucepan over low heat then remove from the heat and set aside for 10 minutes or until cooled to room temperature.

Combine the coconut and icing sugar in a large bowl then add the copha, egg white and vanilla extract, and stir until well combined. Divide coconut mixture in half and press half the coconut mixture over the base of the prepared pan.

Add a few small drops of the red food colouring to the remaining coconut mixture and stir until well combined and evenly coloured (less food colouring is the best way to start unless you're throwing a fluro party). Spread the pink coconut mixture over the white mixture in the pan and smooth the surface then cover with glad-wrap and place in the fridge for 1 hour or until set.

Remove the coconut ice from the pan and using a sharp knife cut into small squares to serve and present on a lovely cake stand for all to devour!

Notes
You can make it up to 1 day in advance but be sure to store it in an airtight container out of direct sunlight.

We are Here!

2010-03-09T22:44:00.000+10:30

Today is the big day!

www.MaryandGabrielle.com
is now online!

So have a flick through and check out what we do and what we've done and be sure to have a look at what we have for you to hire too. We're so excited to be able to share this with you, so be sure to drop us an email with any questions you may have. Look out world here we come!

Winter is just around the corner

2010-03-09T18:43:00.000+10:30

The other day, winter popped in just for a moment to remind us of what is to come. It was actually quite a welcome change. Although the hot summer days have been amazing, sunshine and happiness all around, it can be quite a wonderful treat to be able cuddle up on the couch with your favourite woolen blanket and a hot cup of tea. There is something we all love about being inside all snug and warm when its cold outside.

So in celebration of seasons changing, here is a beautiful winter inspired table setting (found on 100 Layer Cake) done by the wonderful Danielle of Brown Paper Design and photographed by the ever inspiring Jose Villa.

We are Mary and Gabrielle...

2010-02-20T15:30:00.000+10:30

Welcome!

We are Mary and Gabrielle, two long time friends and interior designers living in Adelaide, South Australia with a passion for life, fun and all things design. We have set out to apply our design and styling experience to the events industry and hope to tailor your next event in the finest detail to express who you are as an individual, couple or company.

This is where we will share everything that inspires us in the hope to inspire you, and take you for a ride through our thoughts and design processes.

So welcome, and please take the opportunity to visit our website.

maryandgabrielle.com
(launching 10.03.10)