Oatlands House is a heritage estate in Oatlands, near Parramatta, with formal gardens, a rose garden and gazebo for ceremonies, and two reception rooms: the Grand Ballroom and the lighter Deck Room looking onto the gardens. We've designed the flowers for four weddings there since 2021, for 60 to 140 guests, with more booked. Here's what we've set up in each space, and what works.
A garden ceremony at the gazebo, February 2026 (photo: Splendid Wedding Photography)
The spaces at a glance
| Space | Used for | What works |
|---|---|---|
| Gazebo and rose garden | Ceremony | Clusters on the gazebo posts or on plinths either side, petals for the exit; the gardens are the backdrop so the flowers stay to the sides |
| Deck Room | Reception up to about 140 | Round tables with low centrepieces, a long bridal table with a feature piece and candles, ceremony clusters moved to the entrance |
| Grand Ballroom | Larger seated receptions | A mix of tall and low centrepieces across the rounds, a long bridal table with a run of low arrangements and taper candles |
| House and verandah | Arrivals, portraits | A welcome sign arrangement; the sandstone and gardens carry the photos |
Ceremony in the gardens
Most couples marry at the gazebo or in the rose garden, with the house behind. The gardens do the work, so we keep the ceremony flowers to the sides: clusters on the gazebo posts, or a pair of arrangements on plinths at the front, and a basket of petals for the walk back. For a pastel garden party in February 2026, each bridesmaid carried a bouquet in her own colour to match her dress, and the ceremony pieces repeated the mix. Wet weather moves the ceremony into a room inside, and the same freestanding pieces work there.
The ceremony at the gazebo, and the bridesmaids' bouquets, each in its own pastel (photos: Splendid Wedding Photography)
Portraits in the gardens with a mixed pastel bouquet (photo: Splendid Wedding Photography)
Reception in the Deck Room
The Deck Room is the lighter of the two rooms, with windows onto the gardens, round tables and a long bridal table along one side. We've done low pastel centrepieces of roses, hydrangea and dahlias on the rounds with a fuller piece on the bridal table, and a white and olive-leaf palette with low bowls on 23 round tables, bud vases and candles along the bridal table, and a few tall pieces for height. The ceremony clusters come inside to the entrance and the bar.
The Deck Room with pastel centrepieces, and the bridal table against the garden windows (photos: Splendid Wedding Photography)
Roses, hydrangea and dahlias on the bridal table (photo: Splendid Wedding Photography)
White and olive on round tables for a November wedding (photos: Ashleigh Haase Photography)
Low bowls of garden roses, dahlias and olive leaf (photos: Ashleigh Haase Photography)
The long bridal table with low arrangements, bud vases and candles (photos: Ashleigh Haase Photography)
The room from the windows, and a bud vase up close (photos: Ashleigh Haase Photography)
Reception in the Grand Ballroom
The ballroom suits bigger guest lists and a more formal look. For an April wedding there we ran five low arrangements along the bridal table with bronze candles and tea lights between, and gave each guest table its own arrangement with three gold taper candles around it. For an earlier wedding the bridal table was a single-stem ikebana run with pillar and taper candles in crystal holders, and the guest tables alternated tall arrangements on gold stands, low arrangements with tea lights, and trios of pillar candles. Mixing heights across the rounds keeps a big room from feeling flat.
Timing and logistics
- Oatlands is about 40 minutes from our Northbridge studio, so we plan one run with everything on board and set the ceremony first, then the room while guests are at canapés.
- Ceremony to reception: the gazebo or plinth clusters move to the Deck Room entrance, the bar or the cake table.
- Wet weather: the ceremony moves inside, and freestanding clusters work in either spot. The call is made that morning.
- Couples often supply their own candles for cultural ceremonies. We collect them with the bouquets in the morning and place them with the flowers.
- Most couples skip pack-down. Guests take the flowers home, and hired stands, bowls and vases come back to the studio the next day.
More garden venue guides
See our guides to Centennial Homestead and Bendooley Estate, or our pick of outdoor garden venues in NSW.
See more real setups on our Oatlands House Pinterest board.
Oatlands House wedding flowers FAQ
How much do wedding flowers cost at Oatlands House?
There's no set price. It depends on your guest numbers, the room, the scale of the ceremony design and how much of it is repurposed for the reception. After your enquiry we send a tailored range estimate, then a detailed proposal. Our guide to wedding flower pricing explains what drives it.
Can the ceremony flowers be used at the reception?
Yes. Gazebo and plinth clusters move to the entrance, bar or cake table, and we design them to be lifted. More in our guide to reusing your wedding flowers.
What happens if it rains?
The ceremony moves into a room inside the house. We design freestanding pieces that work in either spot.
Do you work in both the Deck Room and the Grand Ballroom?
Yes. The Deck Room suits lower, lighter flowers against the garden windows; the ballroom takes a mix of tall and low centrepieces.
Planning an Oatlands House wedding?
Tell us your date, guest numbers and the moments you'd like flowers for, and we'll send a tailored range estimate. See our work as a Sydney wedding florist or start your enquiry.
Photography: Ashleigh Haase Photography and Splendid Wedding Photography.
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