Floweriize Workshop in Mexico City

I booked a floral workshop in NYC at the beginning of 2022 which unfortunately fell through at the last minute, but as fate would have it I got to meet Sarah Saunders in New York during my short solo trip, who was kind enough to take me for a trip to the Manhattan flower markets, and the MET. I had a couple of months off until wedding season would start again, and fortunately after contacting Jimena at Floweriize in Mexico City, we arranged a 1-1 mentorship within a couple of weeks.

We spent a couple of days playing with flowers, making bouquets, table centres and a floral installation, as well as sampling the delicious food Mexico City had to offer. Jimena and I also spent a day at her allotment, and showed me around her polytunnels filled with a beautiful selection of ranunculus, poppies and snapdragons.

June Workshop in O'Hara's Garden

Photos by Paula O’Hara of our recent mentoring day in her beautiful garden in County Armagh. For more information about our lovely day flowering and dining together, visit Paula’s website;

https://www.oharasgarden.com/post/the-june-garden-workshop

Harvest Workshop with Paula O'Hara 24.08.23

My lovely friend Paula and I decided to combine our love for the garden, and all things Autumn, for our very first Harvest workshop at Loughcrew Estate in county Meath. We embraced the changing leaves and let seasonal flowers from the garden dictate our warm, earthy colour palette for the day.

After meeting and greeting our lovely attendees, I started the day by leading a floral demonstration. Afterwards, everyone set out to make their own floral footed bowl. Paula and I mingled and advised where necessary, but everyone seemed to get stuck right in, and enjoyed chatting and creating together in the beautifully quaint Millhouse at Loughcrew.

Paula then took our group out into the gardens at Loughcrew and demonstrated how best to capture their creations. Paula is an incredible photographer, and was able to share her wealth of knowledge with everyone, including myself!

Laura from Betty Williamson helped us style our long banquet style table, while Wilde Dining prepared a delicious seasonal harvest feast for us to enjoy.

We then sat down together in the inviting candlelit glow of the Millhouse, and dined together. Paula captured these stunning photos from our day.

Castle Leslie Shoot for Image Magazine

Where to even begin. When Kate @loveandgatherings gets in touch and @paulaohara is shooting, along with the most epic team, count me right in!

This shoot is currently featured in @image.ie magazine.

Photos: Paula O'Hara

Concept/Styling: Kate at Love and Gatherings

Venue: Castle Leslie

Model: Danielle from Not Another Agency

Hair: Lisa Babikian Hair

Make up: Orlaith Shore Make up

Cake: Cove Cake Design

Stationery: Romeo and Jules Bespoke

Flõs Botanical greenhouse shoot, with Kat Mervyn

Here are a few shots by Kat Mervyn of a fun shoot with my floral friend Viv from Flōs Botanical, Olivia Muldoon (hair and make up), Oonagh from Style Academy Model Agency, with dresses from Ivy and White Bridal and The White Gallery. Hair crowns by Rachie (https://www.instagram.com/crownsandstems/) X

Hart Floral, Portland Oregon

At the start of every year I like to do something or go somewhere to inspire and motivate myself for the busy wedding season ahead. This year I flew to Oregon to take a 1:1 class with Madison at Hart Floral. I have followed Madison’s work on Instagram for a number of years, so it was lovely to meet her in person and work alongside her in her studio space in Portland.

Parkanaur Spring Shoot, with Paula O'Hara

Hanging out and getting creative with fellow wedding vendors is not only a heap of fun, but it also allows us to experiment, and try new ideas to inspire our future brides. Delighted to have been involved in this shoot with some of our industry favourites - Photos by Paula O’Hara | Hair Lynette Murray | Make up Jennifer Ireland | Dresses The White Gallery | Venue Parkanaur Manor House | Model Style Academy Model Agency | Hair accessories Blue Meadow Bridal.

Melbourne, Victoria

This is a long overdue blog post and one I wish I had documented much, much more. For three of our winter seasons I freelanced for some of Melbourne’s top event florists, including; Fleur, Flõs Botanical Studio, Badlands & Co., Cecilia Fox, North St, The Road Stall/Bunched Together, Floretta, and I Heart Flowers. I not only avoided the frost and snow for a few years, but I made some lifelong Flos friends, as well as being able to bring home some inspiration from the other side of the world!

Project 49, with North St

The Estate Trenham, with Flõs Botanical

Euroa Butter Factory, with Badlands & Co.

Alto, with North St

Birr, Ontario.

At the weekend I had the absolute pleasure of making the flowers for my oldest and dearest friend, J's wedding, in a small community called Birr, just outside London, Ontario.

I have known Jonty since we were young pups back in our school days, and I could not even imagine a more compatible life partner for him than Michelle! I am so delighted for the two of them!

They got married in their back yard, in front of what seemed like a never ending wheat field, followed by a buffet meal reception (also in their back yard), with all of the guests dancing from the golden sunset into the wee hours of the next morning.

The day was just like a dream from start to end. Here are a few cheeky snaps from their perfect day by Mint Photography... X

Behind the scenes at Orange Tree House

So we thought it would be cool to document what we get up to behind the scenes the morning of a wedding, and fortunately for us, our lovely, talented photographer friend Grant Jones was happy to oblige! X

Working down under with Floretta!

2016 has a lot up its sleeve for this little company! There are some really challenging and exciting bespoke weddings coming up, a pair of extremely talented and experienced helping hands joining the team in the very near future, as well an ever changing fresh take on contemporary floristry! 

I had the absolute pleasure of working recently with the incredibly creative, self taught florist, graphic designer and director of Floretta, Grace Camobreco Reyes (www.floretta.com.au). I worked alongside Grace and her amazing team of top Melbourne based freelance florists at her Brunswick East studio, Victoria. 

Together we created arrangements for a number of large weddings and it was so refreshing to watch and learn a completely new style of floristry, as well as using delicious locally grown flowers and foliage, that I had only ever swooned over before on Pinterest! Grace's natural eye for design is next to none and her love for what she does is truly infectious! It was such an awesome and often challenging experience from which I learnt so, so much in such a short space of time.

Here are a few photos of some of the weddings we worked on during my visit down under;