From a stint working with renowned wedding stylist Anna Wang, to now opening her new Culburra Beach flower shop, Hazel Hau proves that dreams come true.
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Ready to enter a career after having children, Hazel's entry into floristry began after asking her psychic sister for advice.
"Not to sound spooky, but my sister is a medium," the South Nowra resident said.
"I told her I was ready to go back to work and she told me, 'I can see you working with flowers'.
"After 19 years of being a stay at home mum, that was the first step for me going down this direction."
In 2020, Hazel started her business, Martha's Flowers, named after her beloved late nan.
Hazel would make weekend trips to the Sydney flower market and practised making bouquets under the guidance of YouTube tutorials.
During one of her Sydney trips, Hazel spotted Anna Wang.
It was at that moment she decided she would one day work alongside her.
Hazel bravely asked for a photo, and not long after, her dream came to fruition.
"I think I was over excited and I said to her 'one day I'm gonna work for you'," Hazel said.
"She asked for my name and said to send her an email right away. She was taking internships.
"Then the next weekend, I started an eight-week internship with her in Sydney. I learnt everything from her."
Hazel expected to be running coffees, but the hands-on experience had her mastering buttonholes, corsages and delivering bouquets to brides in the first two weekends. Her and Anna remain friends.
It was a once in a lifetime opportunity.
- Hazel Hau
Hazel continued to make bouquets from home, but recently moved into her first shop at Weston St, Culburra Beach after eyeing it off for a year.
Being a single mum, Hazel said she wouldn't have been able to do it without the help of her family, but wants to show others anything is possible.
"I'm a big believer that you can have anything you want. But being a single mum, I wouldn't have been able to do it without the support of my parents to help the kids," she said.
"My dad helped me set up the shop and paint the floor. We did it all in our spare time because he has work and I've got kids in school.
"But if I can do it, anyone can."
Martha's Flowers is open Tuesday to Friday from 9am to 4pm, and Sunday from 8am to 12pm. It is located at Shop 2 Weston St, Culburra Beach, and Hazel encouraged people walking past to pop in and say hello.
"I want anyone to know they can come in and have a cuppa while I work on flowers," Hazel said.
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Grace Crivellaro
Court reporter for the Illawarra Mercury.
Court reporter for the Illawarra Mercury.
