La Paris Estate Wedding Flowers, Franschhoek

Their story

La Paris Estate wedding flowers in black, white and gold

Fabulous Flowers & Gifts, the Cape Town wedding florist founded by Josie van Aswegen in 1999, did the wedding flowers for Laura and Michel Somwe's wedding at La Paris Estate in Franschhoek on Saturday, 21 December 2024. The day was black, white and gold, and the flowers were white and green from start to finish: a white rose bridal bouquet with gypsophila, white flowers down the aisle and over an iron dome in the garden, and a reception hall of tall centrepieces on slim black stands.

Laura and Michel were married on the lawn with the Franschhoek mountains behind them, and white paper parasols kept the December sun off their guests. The reception was in a white hall hung with crystal chandeliers and draped fabric, where the flowers had to hold their own against a great deal of white. Lily Madison Photography photographed the day, Weddings By EB looked after the planning, and Laura shared the gallery with all her suppliers, us included, in April 2025.

I · The ceremony

A garden ceremony under an iron dome

Laura and Michel said their vows in the garden at La Paris Estate, on a lawn closed in by a tall clipped hedge, with the mountains of the Franschhoek valley rising behind. An old iron dome stands at the far end, and that is where the ceremony flowers went: white blooms and greenery climbing both sides of its opening, enough to frame the couple without hiding the ironwork.

A frame like this does half the work for you. The dome already draws the eye, so the flowers only need to soften its lines and give the photographs a point to settle on. White reads cleanly against green hedging and a blue December sky. From the back row it still looks like a doorway of flowers.

Guests under white parasols facing an iron dome arbour dressed with white flowers and greenery, with the mountains behind, at La Paris Estate in Franschhoek — The dome arbour, dressed in white

Laura walking down the aisle toward the dome arbour between white chairs and low white flower arrangements, with the Franschhoek mountains ahead — Down the aisle, toward the dome

II · The aisle

White flowers down a mirrored aisle

Low arrangements sat at the ends of the rows all the way down the aisle: white chrysanthemums, white hydrangea and clouds of gypsophila, with loose greenery tucked between. The runner was glossy enough to reflect everything beside it, so each arrangement appeared twice.

Aisle flowers are a quiet piece of planning. They sit at knee height, so the people who see them best are the ones walking past: the bridal party, the family and the bride herself. Chrysanthemums and hydrangea give that low line some weight. The gypsophila keeps it soft, and it picks up the gypsophila in Laura's bouquet.

III · The reception

Black, white and gold, with the flowers held high

The reception hall is white: white walls, white fabric swagged across the roof trusses, crystal chandeliers and a pale marble floor. The round tables were dressed in white linen with black chairs, black napkins and gold-rimmed chargers. In a room with that much white, flowers need height to register. Each table had a full arrangement of white roses and greenery raised on a tall, open black metal stand, with candles in glass gathered underneath.

Raising the flowers is one of the most useful tricks for a big room. The arrangement sits above eye level, so guests can see each other across the table, and the stand is slim enough to vanish in photographs. Seen from the door, the room is a field of white flowers floating above the tables. The black stands also tie in with the black chairs and napkins, which keeps the whole scheme tidy. Our guide to wedding flowers for tables has more ideas for round tables.

A round reception table set in white, black and gold beneath a crystal chandelier, with white roses and greenery on a tall black stand above candles — Table flowers on slim black stands

The black top table at La Paris Estate with a cascading garland of white roses, gypsophila and asparagus fern, black stands and pillar candles — White flowers to the floor

IV · The top table

A top table that spills to the floor

The top table was dressed in black, in front of a black panelled wall with arched recesses. A deep garland of white roses, cosmos and gypsophila ran along it, laced with asparagus fern that tumbled over the front and down onto the floor. Smaller arrangements stood on black stands at either end, and pillar candles in tall glass were grouped among the flowers at its foot.

Black helps white flowers. Against a black cloth they look brighter than they would against white, and the fern shows every leaf. Running the garland all the way to the floor turns the table into one piece, which matters when this is the table everyone photographs.

V · The welcome

A gold mirror crowned in gypsophila

Guests found their seats on an arched gold mirror leaning against a white wall, with black table cards fixed in place by gold wax seals. Across the top of the frame and down one side ran a crown of gypsophila and white roses with trailing greenery, the same flowers that were waiting inside.

Repeating the reception flowers at the seating chart is a small thing, and it makes a wedding feel planned as a whole. Guests see it first, usually with a drink in hand. It sets up the room before they walk in.

An arched gold seating mirror with black table cards, crowned with gypsophila, white roses and trailing greenery, against a white wall — The seating mirror, crowned in white

The white reception hall at La Paris Estate, Franschhoek, with crystal chandeliers, a draped ceiling, black chairs and tall white flower centrepieces on every table — The hall, set for the reception

White cosmos, gypsophila and asparagus fern in the top table garland at Laura and Michel's La Paris Estate wedding

White roses and greenery on a tall black metal stand above candles at a reception table at La Paris Estate

White chrysanthemums, roses and gypsophila among pillar candles in glass at the foot of the top table

Garland of white roses, gypsophila and asparagus fern trailing over a black top table onto a marble floor, with pillar candles, at La Paris Estate

The flowers

Laura and Michel's wedding flowers, piece by piece

Bridal bouquet: Cream and white roses with gypsophila, the stems bound in white.
Ceremony arbour: White flowers and greenery up both sides of the opening of the garden's iron dome.
Aisle: Low arrangements of white chrysanthemums, white hydrangea and gypsophila at the ends of the rows.
Guest tables: White roses and greenery on tall, open black metal stands, with candles in glass below.
Top table: A garland of white roses, cosmos and gypsophila with asparagus fern, trailing to the floor, and an arrangement on a black stand at each end.
Floor pieces: White chrysanthemums, roses and gypsophila grouped with pillar candles in tall glass.
Seating mirror: A crown of gypsophila and white roses with trailing greenery over the gold frame.

Ink blackIvory whiteAntique goldLeaf greenGypsophila

In the mix

Bridal bouquet: cream and white roses with gypsophila; Aisle: white chrysanthemums, white hydrangea and gypsophila; Guest tables: white roses with soft greenery; Top table: white roses, cosmos and gypsophila with asparagus fern; Seating mirror: gypsophila and white roses with trailing greenery.

The garden ceremony lawn at La Paris Estate, Franschhoek, with white chairs, a clipped hedge and an iron dome arbour below the mountains, during set-up

The place

La Paris Estate, Franschhoek: flowers for a La Paris wedding

La Paris Estate is a farm in the Franschhoek valley near Wemmershoek, below the Hou Moed mountains. It dates to 1699 and was refurbished in 2019. Its largest event space, the Lyceum, takes up to 450 guests and opens onto the lawns, and the grounds have old oaks, a rose garden, a poplar forest and a lake with an island. A wooden signpost in the garden points the way to the pool, the dam and the arbour.

Franschhoek is a little over an hour's drive from our Claremont florist studio, so the flowers travel in water and are checked again on arrival. In December that matters. The valley is hot by midday, and an outdoor ceremony asks for flowers that can stand some sun: roses, chrysanthemums and gypsophila are forgiving, and hydrangea needs careful conditioning first.

We have done the flowers for other weddings in the valley too, including Els and Shaun's at Rickety Bridge. For more places to marry, see our guide to wedding venues around Cape Town and the Winelands. Fabulous Flowers travels to weddings anywhere in the Western Cape, and travel for our team is quoted separately.

FloralsFabulous Flowers & Gifts, Claremont (Josie van Aswegen, since 1999)

VenueLa Paris Estate, Franschhoek

PlanningWeddings By EB

PhotographyLily Madison Photography

Planning notes

Planning black, white and gold wedding flowers: what this wedding taught us

Lift white flowers in a white room
In a hall with white walls, white drapes and white linen, low white centrepieces can disappear. Lift them on slim stands and they are seen from every corner, while the table stays clear for conversation.
Use black to make white brighter
A black cloth, black stands or a black wall behind the top table make white flowers look whiter and greenery look greener. A little black goes a long way.
Plan for the December sun
For an outdoor summer ceremony, choose sturdy whites such as roses and chrysanthemums, keep everything in water until the last moment, and think about shade for your guests. At La Paris, white parasols did that job.
Repeat one recipe from start to finish
The same white roses, gypsophila and greenery appeared at the seating mirror, down the aisle, on the dome and in the hall. Repetition is what makes a wedding look designed.
Let the top table reach the floor
A garland that trails over the edge, with candles and flowers grouped at its foot, turns the top table into one piece. It is the most photographed table in the room, so give it the most flowers.

Gallery

Laura and Michel seated under the flower-dressed dome during their garden ceremony at La Paris Estate, shaded by a white parasol

Walking down the aisle between low arrangements of white chrysanthemums, hydrangea and gypsophila at La Paris Estate

The reception hall at La Paris Estate by evening, with candlelit tables and tall white flower centrepieces under the chandeliers

Good to know

Frequently Asked Questions

Can a Cape Town florist do the flowers for a La Paris Estate wedding in Franschhoek?

Yes. Fabulous Flowers did the wedding flowers for Laura and Michel's La Paris Estate wedding on 21 December 2024 from our studio in Claremont, a little over an hour's drive from Franschhoek. The flowers travel in water and are checked and finished on site. See our wedding flowers page to start.

What is La Paris Estate like as a wedding venue?

La Paris Estate is a farm in the Franschhoek valley near Wemmershoek, dating to 1699 and refurbished in 2019. Its Lyceum event space takes up to 450 guests and opens onto lawns, and the grounds include old oaks, a rose garden, a poplar forest and a lake. Laura and Michel held their ceremony in the hedged garden under an iron dome arbour, with the mountains behind.

What flowers suit a black, white and gold wedding?

White and green flowers suit a black, white and gold wedding best, because they leave the black and gold to set the tone. At Laura and Michel's wedding the flowers were white roses, cosmos, chrysanthemums, hydrangea and gypsophila, with asparagus fern and soft greenery, on black stands and a black top table.

Are tall centrepieces a good idea for round wedding tables?

Tall centrepieces work well on round tables when the flowers sit above eye level on a slim stand, so guests can still see each other. At La Paris Estate each round table had white roses and greenery raised on an open black metal stand, with candles in glass below.

Which white wedding flowers cope with December heat in the Cape?

Roses, chrysanthemums and gypsophila are among the more forgiving white wedding flowers for a hot December day, as long as they stay in water until they are needed. Hydrangea is lovely but thirsty, so it needs careful conditioning before an outdoor ceremony. Ask us which white flowers are in season for your date.

Your wedding

Tell us about your day

If you are planning a black, white and gold wedding and want white flowers that hold their own in a big room, tell us your venue and your date, and we will plan the flowers around both.

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