In winter, we sat down with friend of Mona Farm, Myra from My Violet to chat about this seasons trends, the 3 Instagram pages you should follow and when you should lock in your wedding florist.

At the end of this journal post, we’ve included two very different examples of Myra’s floristry genius at Mona Farm. From Cherie & Rob’s understated ‘farm-fresh’ wedding to Billy & Brea’s bright, bold & bespoke celebrations, My Violet nailed the brief (as per usual).

Here’s Myra.

What floral arrangements & colour palettes are trending this winter?

Dark & moody has always been a major request in winter. We’re also keeping it interesting by incorporating a variety of fruits, branches and plants to add more texture and depth. This combination creates a really captivating tablescape which is great because flowers tend to be a bit scarcer during winter. Citrus continues to be highly sought after in tandem with lush greens and crisp whites.

Are there any insider ‘flower rules’ we should know about?

No rules!! Personally, I prefer to work with the seasons best. There are a whole range of factors to consider here (i.e. the ongoing wet weather) so by allowing the seasons to guide me - the results are always striking. We work a lot with colour and texture so I’m open to mixing up! Often the most ‘random’ combination creates the biggest impact.

The only insider advice I can give is to put your trust in your suppliers. They have a vested interest in providing you with the best florals the season has to offer.

Once we’ve picked our wedding bouquet, how do we choose the right ribbon to match?

A great way to go about this (if you can) is to provide your florist with a small off-cut from your wedding dress. with so many different shades of white (light, crisp, warm, ivory, butter) this will give us the best chance to match the ribbon exactly to your dress! Once upon a time looong strands of different ribbons were a huge ask. But of late, a neat tie off is what we’re seeing the most.

Classic vs. contemporary table arrangements. Can you make a case for both?

‘Classic’ to me is white and greens; a fragrant white rose, hydrangeas, rose foliage creeping out of a vase, Tulips spilling out. I love this type of style - it’s something we do a lot for our everyday bouquet arrangements. A crowd-pleaser for sure!

On the other hand, contemporary briefs really allow me to get creative and use things like fruit, moss, sculptural leaves and flower varieties en masse. Vases can also play a big part here!

Should the bridesmaids bouquets differ from the brides?

As long as they speak the same language, I personally think yes - always!

We’re seeing a trend that the bridesmaids have a small bouquet (ie. a solo rose) and the bride stands out with this en masse (ie. a bouquet of roses)

What are three Instagram pages that inspire your creativity?

@kimkeever.art @abstractpainters @nick_knight

How many months out from the wedding should we start to organise flowers?

The reality is, Covid completely changed the game! To be safe, I would recommend 6 months out to give us an idea of what your loving. If you have a particular florist (or any supplier for that matter) it’s best to get in quick to secure your date — you can always flesh out the details (and budget) closer to your wedding.

I’d also recommend checking back in with your florist three weeks prior to your wedding. Mother nature works in mysterious ways and what you may think is in season the week of your wedding changes overnight.

If we’re nearing the end of our flower budget, what could we potentially do without?

Personally I’m not a big fan of buttonholes, flower crowns and the small tiny things like wrist corsages & dress corsages. I’d recommend directing the budget to where florals have the biggest ‘impact’ and those spaces which have high foot traffic - so that everyone can enjoy them! The Mona Farm wedding we did for Billy & Brea is a great example of this!

In my opinion, the reception area and your bridal bouquets need the most attention. If your budget is coming to an end, perhaps you could lose the hanging installations or ‘extra moments’ that are only seen for a short time and then not visited again.

What couples sometimes don’t realise is that hanging installations require quite a bit of manpower and often require a midnight bump out.

Plus, if the venue has amazing lighting and is beautiful in its own right - this usually isn’t even needed! The wedding we did for Cherie & Rob is a great example of this.

How can we help our wedding flowers make it to the recovery day?

Ask for your florals to be stored in vases overnight.

Flowers need fresh water to make it through the day so make sure they get a refresh before your recovery day.

In addition to Billy & Brea and Cherie & Rob, we had the pleasure of working with you to bring Vogue Bride Lis Davies Wood and her partner, Phil Wood’s floral vision to life. What did you enjoy the most about Mona Farm?

Mona Farm is a florist’s dream!! If I could I would have a studio nearby so I had the opportunity to do weddings there on a regular. The gardens are stunning, the location is a dream road trip.

When we were there the garden beds were just starting off , so I am excited to return and see how it has changed. I loved how we are only adding touches to compliment the beautiful surroundings. The whole experience was just amazing.