Roses and weddings – a marriage surely made in heaven!

Hello, and welcome

     In Canberra we are having the most extraordinary spring I can ever remember! Many Saturdays have been rainy, reminding me that ‘wettings’ was the word our small daughter used to say for ‘weddings’. 

Jami and Daniel were the clever couple who picked
the best Saturday in October

     We had a glorious warm sunny Saturday on 9 October when Jami and Daniel married at the National Botanic Gardens, and that’s the only warm sunny one I can recall. By the next day it was very cool and overcast again for the wedding of Kylie and Troy at Rose Cottage. 

     At our son’s wedding on Saturday October 16 at The English Gardens in Yarralumla, we were gladdened by a gentle burst of warming sunshine, right on cue for the ceremony. Glad too that our back-up plan was Oaks Brasserie so we could gather in the warm marquee for our post-wedding party before the reception in Narrabundah.

     Other grooms and brides have been lucky with their timing too. For the wedding of Selina and Ben at Rose Cottage on Saturday October 23, there was light rain before the bride arrived, cloud cover and good light for the ceremony and just after I left, another downpour! I'm guessing all the guests were celebrating inside by then. (I plan to write a post soon about Rose Cottage, near the Monaro Highway in Gilmore. It's a great location for a family wedding, and under new management.)

     Last Saturday, November 6, when I was driving to the wedding of Femke and Tyson at the Senate Rose Gardens at Old Parliament House, I drove through rain almost all the way. Of course I anticipated a call about moving to Plan B but it seems the rain was localised and at the Gardens it was fine. Cool, but fine. We had a very happy party afterwards in the Gardens. Since I was invited as a guest I had the added pleasure of dressing as a guest.
     I'm sure that the frequent steady rain this Spring has gone deep into the soil, allowing hungry plants and trees to access nutrients they simply couldn’t access when the soil was dry. As a result, everything is bursting with vigour and beauty. 

Roses, roses, roses

     The Rose Gardens at Old Parliament House this year are absolutely stunning! I’ll mention here in case you don’t know it, this is a FREE wedding venue. You can book your favourite part by contacting the National Capital Authority.  

     Like my daughter and son-in-law were able to do for their early March wedding a couple of years ago, you may even book a whole garden. It then feels like you own a huge estate and you’re getting married in your own magnificent garden. Your guests will love you for it! Book early, I found out on Sunday that there are twelve weddings booked in these heritage rose gardens between now and Christmas. 

Newlyweds Tyson and Femke in the Senate Rose Gardens at Old Parliament House

     In the two major Rose Gardens (Senate on the right side of OPH and and House of Reps on the left) if you wish to use one of the kiosks to serve drinks to your guests, you pay a deposit for the key and it’s refunded on the key’s return. 

An old favourite of mine -  'Just Joey'
in the House of Reps Garden

 I think this will be a long post as I couldn’t resist taking lots and lots of photos when I was at the Gardens for the wedding of Femke and Tyson at 3 on Saturday, and the wedding of Danijela and Dalibor at 3 on Sunday. Dalibor and Danijela were so lucky to get the nonstop sunlight that we are more used to in Canberra in our peak wedding season of October/November.

     The generous perfumes of the enormous old roses in the warmth of the sunlight took me back to perfumed stationery I used to love using when I was a girl – was I ever not a writer? 

Danijela and Dalibor arrive for their

wedding on a lovely sunny Sunday

     If you’re thinking of having a ‘rosie’ wedding at our wonderful national treasure – the heritage Rose Gardens at Old Parliament House, it’s too late for the spring flush. Remember that your Notice of Intended Marriage must be lodged with your celebrant at least one month and one day before the event. 
     Of course the rose gardens will be lovely in the summer as well. Many roses will still be looking good. There are plantings of other pretty flowers, the trees are shady and the lawns are very well-maintained. But if it’s the spendour of roses that you’re after, I suggest you plan your wedding for the autumn flush around March/April. 

     Just before I finish, I’ll mention a new favourite of mine. “Julia’s Rose’.

  ‘Julia’s Rose' is actually brown. Beautiful creamy brown. There is nothing else like her. She’s not a hardy rose so she’s not as easy for florists to source as many other popular roses. My new daughter-in-law had some in her bouquet on Oct 16 so I can cut a photo and paste it here. 

     My Heart Garden is also looking superb this amazing Spring. At no extra charge, you’d be most welcome to have your small wedding in this tranquil secluded garden on any weekday. (And yes, I certainly do have a rose garden - two in fact.)

     Here are some more photos from the Old Parliament House Rose Garden weddings. You'll find even more photos from recent weddings in the slideshow to the right of this post. Sometimes it works for me to take photos at weddings, other times not. What's easy now though, is Picasa's new upload system for adding photos to blogs and blog albums.

  SIMPLE (BUT STILL) SPECIAL SERVICE in THE HEART GARDEN  

PLEASE NOTE: I have changed the Simple (but Still) Special Service I introduced on September 1 this year. It’s proven a very popular service, especially for couples who’ve found out we have no Registry Office celebrants in Canberra. 

    Please disregard what it says in the PDF about keeping everything minimal. If you wish, I will bring out the crystal champagne glasses for you and your guests (up to five) after the ceremony (which can be as short as five minutes) and you’ll be most welcome to linger for photos. 

    This is a natural conclusion to such a happy event and it didn’t feel right without the option of celebration drinks and lots of photos .Also, I will print your simple ceremony in your chosen font on heavy parchment and put it, with your certificate (also in your chosen font), not in an envelope but in an attractive clear plastic wallet for you to take with you. (See in the photo below, certificate and wording for Danijela and Dalibor, in clear plastic wallet for safekeeping.)

Here's an idea: Dalibor and Danijela
hired from Kennards for $50, a table, two
elegant chairs and a best quality
heavy white cloth. Very classy!

     I love my celebrant work and all the joy and beauty it brings into my life. If you would like me to officiate at your wedding, please call me on 6161 0718 any day between 9am and 9pm, or email me. Click here, or fill in the contact form (see Wedding Pages top right in this blog). 

     Whether you wish to book my services or not, please feel free to call me or email me with any questions you may have about getting married in Australia in general, or specifically about getting married in Canberra or nearby NSW. I'll be happy to help.

Till next time

Sincerely

Michele