"I dedicate time to studying plants growing in nature and I then try to mimic their position, growth, and behaviour in an arrangement." Malindri - Peridot Pretty
Take us back to the beginning of it all for you - How and when was Peridot Pretty Floristry born? Colour, Light, Shape, Texture: Art and Nature. This is where it all began for me. I'm a passionate artist and for as long as I can remember, I always have been. I'm also an avid gardener and planet-lover. Until recently, I was working full time at the University of Queensland. Alongside project work I dipped my feet into some event styling when the opportunities arose.
While I was setting up an 'Alice in Wonderland' Great Picnic in the Great Court of the university as an orientation activity for uni students, I had this moment when I realised, " I could do things like this every day for a living, and it would bring such joy". So, with the support of my husband, I set on my way to establish for myself a job that combines: art, nature & gardening, and the pretty side of events.
The goal of shaping my dream job came to fruition in August 2018. Since then, Peridot Pretty floristry has taken leaps and bounds in establishing itself. I never imagined that it would take off so fast and so strong. We (myself and a team of casual staff that pop up for the bigger events) love creating beautiful things for our clients' special moments, events, and for editorials.
What can Peridot Pretty Floristry offer a couple for their Wedding day? We specialise in event floristry and eco-bonbonnieres (party favours). Our services range from all your traditional floristry options to our unique extras. These are: Fresh floral jewellery, bejewelled 'everlasting' boutonnieres and corsages, and 100% sustainable and recycled Eco Porcelain Party favours. These are hand made place cards made from from nature's gifts and personalised and stamped to match our couples' guest list. We've been told by some of our brides and grooms that their guests were blown away by the luxurious minimalism of these party favours.
Communication leading up to the big day is very important and this is a big one for me - so I always spend a good amount of time in consultation with my clients about 3 months before their big day, discussing their vision, what they want to achieve and making sure they are happy along the way. I personally create every bridal bouquet and write a personalised Artist Statement for the couple. The statement is usually inscribed on unique, luxe hand-crafted stationery - otherwise framed.
The statement is a reflection of the couple and the energy of their love. It also explains the different inspiration drawn from nature, luxury and light that inspired the wedding bouquet or Boutonniere. I'm a sucker for a good love story so my absolute favourite event is a wedding. I always feel so honoured when a couple extends that opportunity to contribute to their special day.
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Did you always know that you wanted to design floral couture & eco bonbonierres? Honestly, no. I always knew I loved art and I always knew a lot about gardening and flowers - which I inherited from my Dad. But I hadn't considered art through nature and floristry. The natural progression, looking back, now makes so much sense, but it's not something I would have predicted.
What keeps you inspired along the way? I wish I could say something truly profound for this - but instead to be absolutely honestly I just LOVE creating beautiful things, I love seeing the look on a person's face when their 'dream creation' is a reality, and I love waking up wondering, ' what will I make today?' My biggest creative inspirations are drawn from nature itself. There are so many different styles of floristry and I'm always so happy to make those come true for my clients, but my personal favourite style is the very romantic natural look. I dedicate time to studying plants growing in nature and I then try to mimic their position, growth, and behaviour in an arrangement.
Do you have any stories that you would like to share from your experiences? One definitely does stand out for me. This was in Peridot Pretty's infancy days - we had come across a bride in a discussion board online who was feeling a little sad about her wedding day because the father of the groom was very unwell and was going in for a major heart surgery. They weren't sure if he would make it to the wedding. It was soo sad, and the lady was so lovely. Imagine how sad this would be leading up to your wedding day, and worrying so much about your father in law.
We reached out and asked about her colour scheme for her wedding, and if we could please arrange for a small bouquet and buttonhole to be made and delivered to him in his ward for an appropriate time so that he could be part of it all, and to lift the spirit of the mood in the lead up. She's one of our all time favourite people because of how classy and brave she and her family remained in such a scary time. They had a beautiful wedding.
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Advice: I would definitely suggest starting with a mood board. It can otherwise be pretty overwhelming with endless possibilities and an sneakily expanding budget. Couples can hop onto pinterest and gather photos, colours, anything that speaks to them about the mood, tone and vibe they want for their wedding day. Then, considering their moodboard they can easily see what the most important aspects are to their reception and wedding decor - they'll know what type of venue they want, and then can budget around how to create the same look by identifying the major stand outs they need.
The biggest thing I notice is that people often spend heaps of money on decor for a wedding reception when really some times less creates more impact. For example, a venue could be stunning. Filling the space with too many florals can be overwhelming and detract from the venue's beauty. Instead a couple can have small inexpensive guest table florals, a major statement piece on the bridal table, and reuse arbour florals for their cake table, gift table or entrance easel. Always make the most use of your florals!
What is your own personal favourite style? I have 2 personal favourite styles: The first is bright colour blocks of vivid pinks, oranges paired with soft lilacs. I like the feel of explosions of colour. My second favourite style is cascading, asymmetrical and soft and romantic. Personally I love a tiny bit of something dry or slightly decayed even in the freshest of bouquets because that unwinding and realness is so beautiful.
In the grandest of editorials you often see this look. It evokes a sense of luxury and grandeur because it's so real. But when one or two decayed florals are placed in an arrangement they are subtle - so it's hard to pinpoint why it looks so grand. My favourite personal style is perfectly imperfect with at least one influence from nature, luxury and light.
What is the best part about what you do: Oh this is two-part. My favourite things about what I do are: I get to put all my passion and art techniques into every creation, and secondly I love the 'reveal' when a bride or groom sees their wedding florals.
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Lead Florist & Designer
