Katelyn & Jason| A Lakeside Garden in Pastel, Raffertys Resort
Soft spring colour, cottage-garden flowers and a beautiful celebration beside the lake.
Katelyn and Jason stepping into married life beneath a shower of confetti. Photograph by She Got the Shot. Florals by House of Hydrangeas.
Wedding date: 12 March 2026 | Venue: Raffertys Resort | Lake Macquarie, NSW
The Couple
Katelyn came to me through Rishelle from Coastal Elegance Events. We worked together mainly by email and she was incredibly easy to plan with. From the beginning, Katelyn trusted me to interpret her ideas rather than recreate something she had already seen. We did not meet before the wedding, but by the time the day arrived, I felt as though I already understood exactly what she and Jason wanted.
Their wedding was relaxed, family-focused and full of personality - from their ridiculously cute daughter in her tiny flower crown to the hilarious flower grannies, who completely embraced their role and absolutely nailed it.
Katelyn and Jason surrounded by the people they chose to share the day with. Photograph by She Got the Shot.
Florals by House of Hydrangeas.
The Vision
Katelyn loved cottage-garden flowers, spring colour, natural greenery and blooms with an older, romantic feel. She wanted her bridal bouquet to feature more colour, while the bridesmaids’ bouquets would be softer and predominantly white with gentle pastel touches.
Her bridesmaids wore different shades of blue, yellow and soft mauve, so the flowers needed to bring those individual colours together without feeling overly coordinated. The overall design was romantic and garden-inspired, with enough movement and variation to feel natural beside the lake at Raffertys Resort. Katelyn’s invitation to have fun and “work my magic” gave me the freedom to create something personal to them rather than copied from an inspiration image.
In Bloom
The flower recipe included garden roses, spray roses, lisianthus, delphinium, dahlias, soft carnations, chamomile-style flowers and delicate seasonal details. Dusty miller, trailing greenery and airy foliage added softness, texture and movement.
Katelyn’s bouquet was loose and garden-inspired, filled with blush, ivory, peach, soft pink and mauve, with small touches of blue and yellow. It was finished with long, flowing ribbon. The bridesmaids carried smaller bouquets in white, ivory and soft pastels, designed to complement their individually coloured dresses.
For the ceremony, an abundant floral installation framed the draped timber arbour, accompanied by two large ground arrangements. The flowers created the feeling of a pastel garden growing beside the lake. Jason wore a statement pocket boutonniere, while the other boutonnieres echoed the same soft spring palette.
The Day
The weather was gorgeous, and it felt lovely working outside in the sunshine beside the lake. I created and installed the florals on my own, while Rishelle and I worked together to get the arbour draping and ceremony space just right.
The finished setting felt soft, colourful and completely at home against the water. After the ceremony, the arrangements were moved into the reception and used to highlight the retro “leave a message” telephone and other key areas. It meant the flowers continued to shape the celebration long after the ceremony was over.
The ceremony itself was heartfelt, with a few insider jokes thrown in that made me giggle while I watched from nearby.
The Moment
Later in the evening, I began the wrapping service during the speeches, just before the first dance. As I worked, I was able to listen to all the funny, heartfelt stories being shared about Katelyn and Jason. It was such a lovely way to experience a little more of who they are and the people who love them.
I also spent a fair amount of time eyeing off the incredible desserts!
The ceremony flowers were wrapped into individual bouquets for guests to take home, allowing the flowers - and a small piece of the celebration - to be enjoyed beyond the wedding day.
Client Words
“We honestly cannot recommend House of Hydrangeas enough! Michelle brought our entire wedding vision to life more beautifully than we ever could have imagined.
From the very beginning, Michelle was so kind, organised and genuinely passionate about making our day special. Her communication throughout the whole process was amazing and she made everything feel so easy and stress-free. She took the time to understand exactly what we wanted and somehow managed to make it even more magical than we pictured.
The flowers completely transformed the space and so many of our guests commented on how stunning everything looked. Michelle’s creativity and talent truly shine through in every little detail she creates.
Thank you again Michelle for making our wedding day feel like an absolute dream, we are so grateful!”
Creative Team
Venue: Raffertys Resort
Planning and styling: Coastal Elegance Events
Photography: She Got the Shot
Content creation: Hype Girl Content
Celebrant: Jaya Bargwanna Celebrant
Hair: Inspired Hair by Jade
Makeup: Makeup by Candice
Bridal boutique: Muse Bridal
Entertainment: Howard Shearman
Gelato cart: Spoon Gelato
Floral design and styling: House of Hydrangeas