Swoon-worthy bouquets, cascading arbours, wild foliage… It’s all in a day’s work for Millicent Green’s Kate Southon, a peninsula local who creates bespoke floral arrangements for weddings big and small.
So far, 2021 has been the year of the micro-wedding. As we’ve moved in and out of lockdown, couples across Melbourne have had to shift and pivot plans for their big day, adding density quotients and restrictions to the long list of stresses involved in planning a wedding. It’s no surprise then that minimonies, micro-weddings and elopements have made a resurgence as a bridal trend, both by choice and by necessity. These intimate weddings have allowed couples to save money on the headcount and invest in the finer details, with many opting to make an impact with beautiful blooms and show-stopping installations.
Take a moment to scroll through Millicent Green’s feed and you’ll likely be captured by the dreamy, dusky colour palette – with pops of plum and olive green. Whilst couples will often bring in photos from Pinterest as their source of inspiration, Kate will guide them in designing an arrangement that is unique to them, incorporating textural elements and feature pieces to capture and reflect their individuality. Each arrangement tells a story, with the goal “to create florals that feel as if they’ve been curated by a friend”. Kate offers a range of services including consultation, design, coordination and installation, with a focus on building trust and rapport that ensures her clients feel fully supported and celebrated on their big day.
Understanding that different couples will have different budgets, Kate eases the pressure by offering no minimum spend. Her quotations include a sliding scale of pricing options, providing suggestions on how couples can create similar effects at different price points. With meticulous attention to detail, Kate creates a digital mood board for each of her clients, stitching together all of the design elements to illustrate how they will meld and create an overall vibe. On the day, Kate is on hand to ensure that the bridal bouquet remains picture-perfect, and will happily repurpose and transform an arbour installation into a beautiful bar arrangement or individual bouquets for guests to take home.
Recently, Kate has joined forces with ‘The Elopement Hub’ – a team of local creatives who are working together to offer all-inclusive wedding ceremonies. The talented crew includes a local photographer, celebrant, hairstylist and makeup artist who have banded together to provide couples with simple, stylish and heartfelt celebrations for up to twenty guests. The packages are available at a range of dreamy destinations, ranging from sun-drenched clifftops and private acreages to The Old Church Red Hill or Tanglewood Estate.
Living in Balnarring with her husband and two children, Kate feels lucky to work and play on the Peninsula – “it has the best of both worlds in that it is both coastal and rural, with beautiful beaches and a strong sense of community”. When she’s not busy prepping for a wedding, Kate’s favourite morning ritual is a swim at Somers beach followed by a coffee at Merricks General Store – “There is so much to love about the Mornington Peninsula” she says – “the pace is just right”.
With a unique approach to floristry, an appreciation of nature and an ever-growing community of clients, creatives and friends, you’d have to say that Kate Southon has found her niche.
