Petal power with Bree and Hollie

Petal power with Bree and Hollie

From pretty posies to spectacular bespoke wedding blooms, The Petal Sisters know how to say it with flowers.
Bree Wainiqolo and Hollie Burridge
The Petal Sisters, Kincumber

Soul sisters Bree Wainiqolo and Hollie Burridge met when they had market stalls selling flowers and candles across from each other. Both mums of three the two women connected instantly and soon combined forces. At first they sold posies out of the back of their car but when they found people waiting on the roadside to buy their flowers before they’d even arrived they decided to set up shop. After their first small store in Ettalong they moved to their forever Petal Sisters home in Kincumber.

Bree sat down with us to share some of her favourite things to do – and wedding vendors to work with – on the Central Coast.

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Photo: James Horan
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Photo: Liam Jon

What do you love most about the Coast?

“I love the sense of community on the Coast because there is a real sense of belonging. There are so many talented local creators opening new restaurants, cafes, clothes shops and meeting like-minded people doing what they love, is inspiring personally as well as from a business perspective. 

What brought you to the Central Coast?

I’m originally from the Northern Beaches in Sydney but my mum moved up here when I was about 15, so I grew up between here and Sydney.

What do you love most about the Coast?

Definitely the sense of community, especially with local business owners and our customers. There’s a real sense of belonging on the Coast when you meet your like-minded people.

What does a typical day or weekend involve for a florist on the Coast?

Our weekday mornings are spent prepping fresh flowers straight from the Sydney Flower Markets, arranging posies and delivering them all over the Central Coast, from Pearl Beach to Summerland Point and everywhere in between.

With more than 40 weddings this year our weekends usually consist of wedding setups at various stunning locations on the Central Coast.

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Where do you go for brunch?

Kincumber Post Cafe is right next door to our store and I’m sure we are their best customers! We're both food obsessed and everything they do at the café is perfect.

I always go to the specials board because there’s always something a bit different and choose yummiest or juiciest thing of the day.

What's your favourite activity to do on the Central Coast?

Taking the kids for a bike ride along the Kincumber to Davistown walk then lunch at Kincumber pub. I love the views and how peaceful it is along the walk.

As soon as you get onto that pathway and look out over Bensville and Empire Bay you just forget the world exists.

Where do you shop for amazing local produce on the Coast?

The Avoca Markets. They have local fruit and veg growers, local clothing and dog treats and all sorts of local businesses down there. It's a great market. And the food trucks are my favourite. They’re all your regular kinds of trucks with Mexican and gozleme and dumpings and more but it’s all done really well.

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Post Office Cafe, Kincumber
Photo: James Horan
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Brisbane Waters, Saratoga
Photo: James Horan

What top three things do you highly recommend on the Coast?

Lunch at Patonga Boathouse, dinner and cocktails at Shady Palms, and a trip up to Norah Head Lighthouse.

What's your favourite place on the Coast to enjoy dinner and a drink?

Oh that’s a tough one! Swells Terrigal is always a beautiful meal with really good service. So that’s more next level dining.

What’s one of the most special things about living on the Coast?

The exciting new businesses that are popping up on the Coast. We’ve had our business now for about six years and in that time so many new cafes, restaurants, florists and clothing stores have opened with people doing what they love and making a business out of it. The growth is so motivating for us as a small business.

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The Boat House Hotel, Patonga
Credit: theboathousehotelpatonga
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Shady Palms, Kincumber
Credit: girlsgetaways

What venues would you recommend for someone planning a wedding on the Coast?

For something a bit fun, Shady Palms at Avoca. For an intimate wedding, The Cottage Terrigal. We also love The Ridge Estate at Peats Ridge.

Are there any other local creatives in the wedding industry who you would recommend for someone looking to add a special touch to their wedding?

There are so many wonderful wedding vendors on the coast! We love Jennifer Burch Photography, Bonnie from Everlong Events Styling, Jen from Madden & Co Styling, Under a Treehouse Photography, Bec Bond Photography and Tara Merillo Life Celebrant. And for a cool wedding band, Emerald Hour play jazz and soul tunes with a twist.

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Emerald Hour Band
Credit: emeraldhour_band
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Madden and Co Events by Jen Madden
Credit: maddenandcoevents

This article was originally authored by Amanda Woods, with photography by James Horan and Liam Jon, as part of a Love Central Coast grant project brought to you by Destination Central Coast, jointly funded by the Australian and NSW governments under the Bushfire Local Economic Recovery Fund. To maintain accuracy, some editorial changes may have been made since publication.