Queen of Flowers : Cherrie Miriklis-Pavlou

Flowers Vasette founder Cherrie Miriklis-Pavlou went from selling posies at her parent’s fruit shop as a side-gig to creating the largest floral and events business of its kind in Australia. Cherrie and her team of 45 staff now sell their posies and direct floral for some of the country’s most iconic events from her magical shop in the uber-cool Melbourne suburb of Fitzroy. Cherrie’s work is beloved by bridal couples and it is the subject of weddings that we discuss with her today.

Flowers Vasette is celebrating 30 years in business. Congratulations! Tell us what inspires you and what are you famous for?

Flowers Vasette was established in 1989, born through a passion for flowers and the emotional impact they can make on a person’s life. Whilst working as a stockbroker I began selling small posies through my parent’s Brunswick Street fruit shop after work and people loved them. The success of this alone was overwhelming and encouraged me to take the first step in creating my own business, now 30 years ago.

We are known for our diversity in being able to translate our client’s vision into life through the beauty of nature. We are proud to have long standing relationships with Melbourne’s premium growers which translates to us having access to the best product within the market.

What is the most memorable wedding you have done and why?

Every wedding is memorable for us and to us, whether a simple civil ceremony or the most lavish of affairs. Our aim is to ensure the florals we create are truly memorable for our clients milestone celebration, be it as simple as a sophisticated bridal bouquet or entire venue floral styling.

What’s on trend now for wedding flowers and what’s making a comeback?

Popular bouquet styles include one variety of premium bloom en masse, such as garden roses or Phalaenopsis orchids. There is a definite movement towards less is more with the styling of bridal bouquets, clean lines and classic simplicity.

Old fashioned flower varieties are making a comeback – although they have never really gone out of style. They are just becoming more popular! Varieties include lily of the valley, forget me not and violets.

What other elements of the wedding do you take into account when planning the floral theme?

For bridal party florals we always consider the bridal party outfits along with the client’s personal taste. With ceremony and reception florals we must take into consideration the venue décor and any other decorative touches that the couple wish to include in their celebration, to ensure there is harmony across all elements.

How do wedding caterers and florists collaborate to create beautiful weddings?

Timing is everything! We work closely with the venue managers to ensure bump-in and bump-out times are scheduled effectively. We also enjoy working with caterers to ensure the details are perfect. From a single bloom to adorn a platter of canapes through to creating bespoke arrangements for grazing tables and dessert buffets.

What would be your dream wedding brief? 

It is every florist’s dream to have complete creative freedom with an unlimited budget!

Flowers on dining tables at a wedding reception. What are the rules to getting it right?

Work with the venue design style. Rather than trying to transform a space into a different look and feel, it is better to complement what is existing in terms of colour, style and interior.

Some flower varieties are strongly perfumed and this can interfere with the palette, so it’s very important not to go over board when dressing a dining table with fragrant florals.

It’s also important to consider the colour and texture of table linens, crockery, cutlery and glass ware. Along with the dimensions of the table to ensure there is suitable room for all of the elements upon the table.

Peter Rowland are proud to have been associated with Flowers Vasette for many years, whether it be working directly with their team or with clients celebrating at one of our beautiful venues – from the old world grandeur of Rippon Lea Estate to the industrial modernity of Canvas House.

Are you newly engaged and planning your wedding? Congratulations! Our wedding planning team would love to help create your dream wedding. Talk to us now about our wedding packages and venues.