By Tania Kanaan 

When a young girl thinks about her future wedding day she doesn’t just think of any flowers to decorate her dream day, she envisions the John Emmanuel floral vision. The majestic and magnificent type that only dreams are made of.

John’s floral design at the Curzon Hall

John Emmanuel Grima first fell into the flower industry after watching his grandmother at the young age of just thirteen. In addition to this, he would also help his cousins on a Friday evening with their small flower business. Soon after he started to realise that he had an interest in further exploring his inner creativity. This passion, therefore, instigated an inner creative floral journey for John. Soon after he began to realise that he had a particular passion for weddings.   

As time went by and his creative flame began to grow he decided to start his family-run florist in Penrith. “We started in retail in December 1997, opening up our first little florist kiosk in Penrith. It was an amazing little business.” This small florist then grew into 5 retail shops, which were responsible for creating some of Australia’s largest wedding events, with family being the core of his business, “for people who have family businesses, you know that your family always has your back and it’s always for your best interest.”

Today he is known as Sydney’s most renowned florists for all events, specialising in weddings and has since entered an international market. With clients in countries such as Dubai. John reflects “I remember when we had our first seven thousand dollars spend about ten years ago. The wedding was at Le Montage and I thought I had won the lottery!” Understandably a small example which manifests John’s level of immense growth in comparison to where he is today.

One of John’s past brides expresses her appreciation and joy saying “John… I don’t even know what to say to you. I was speechless. I’m not joking, you have no idea what I felt walking into that room filled with flowers last night. It was a dream come true. It was actually like a fairytale to me. I don’t know how you’re so gifted and what you do, but you deserve all the recognition and more.”

John is focused on providing a service of excellence and opulence. Although the flower industry has developed over time John has proved his level of resilience and adaptability to adjust his craft to suit a variety of special occasions. 

“The flower market industry has changed today, as now we have many specialists such as wedding specialists, event specialists, cooperate specialists whereas back then it was all about the brick and mortar florist shop front.”

In 2019 John launched a Master Class at The Grounds of Alexandria. An exclusive event which displayed both his student’s and his work to some of Australia’s leading wedding specialists (image displayed). Using hundreds of flowers and hours to prepare, it was indeed a flower event which truly displayed his unique ability to execute extravagance.

John’s floral design after a Master Class

held at The Grounds of Alexandria

With years of experience John can fulfil some of the most challenging briefs in such a short period “it is the best feeling when we see the bride’s reaction because it’s a relationship that we have built up with them for months. I remember when a client called me on her wedding night, it was so beautiful!”

John has a huge vision and goal to expand globally. Already sparking the interest of international clients from countries such as Dubai. “Some things are coming up in the future which I’m very excited about. I just want the biggest, most beautiful and most luxurious wedding flowers in the world.”  

Starting from a small florist shop in Penrith to attracting customers from across the globe, John explains that he will “never lose the fact that I’m an ethnic Australian boy from Western Sydney who is passionate, nothing more than that.”