The Garden Theme Wedding
For most brides, the Garden Wedding's siren call seems loudest in the spring and early
summer, when it sings of flirty colors that soar from subtle to subtler pastels.
Pink and green seem to draw brides like hummingbirds to honeysuckle. But you'll also see romantic combinations involving mint and lilac or plum and baby blue, to name just a few.
Popular themes? Butterflies and dragonflies, herbs and lavender, gerbers and glowing table lanterns. Super-chic brides clamor for bird & twig motifs, and lucky ones blessed with great geography and timing sometimes get to marry under the apple or cherry blossoms.
History & Tradition
Brides drawn to garden weddings often place great importance on personal and family histories. For these brides, "something old" is more than just a saying!
If this rings true, then even something as central as your engagement or wedding band is likely to have a history ... like a stone or setting that once belonged to a grandmother.
Some brides pin a piece of their mother's gown to their own, or weave a number of referrals to relatives throughout the day: a romantic photo table, for example, where grandparents and great-grandparents smile out from sepia photos. Or a bride might choose one of her mother's favorite flowers for her own bouquet ... or Grandmother's china pattern for the table.
Timeless Reminders
Photography's a wonderful way to express your love of times gone by, and many Garden brides have found great pleasure in vintage-style wedding snaps — either post-processed in black-and-white or sepia tones, or actually taken with antique equipment for a style you just can't duplicate with the usual editing techniques.
Belle in the Blooms
Here's what a garden bride might wear on her big day: an ivory gown touched with delicate floral embroidery. Or one graced with lace, ranging from an overlay to a luxurious all-Alençon style. Perhaps there'll be a petticoat with a touch of pink, or a pair of sandals with some sparkle at each toe.
As for jewelry, chandelier earrings are perfect. Or how about a gorgeous cameo for you and your girls alike. Don't flip for cameos? Pearls are always so comme il faut. And a sparkling brooch at the neckline or sash is the best of both worlds: vintage and all the rage.
Pink, of course, is popular for bridesmaids ... but yours might look even more glorious if each girl wore a shimmering silk dupioni gown in a slightly different pastel, mirroring all those subtle shades in your flowers.
As for the men? A black tux is never amiss, but the men might also don lighter dress when the wedding's outdoors ... such as gray or tan.
Simply Sweet: The Perfect Florals
Flowers, of course, are the super stars of any garden wedding (after the bride!). They should be abundant, but not overstyled. Think of Cupid's natural habitat and you're well on your way: roses that blush at the tips, fluffy pink peonies, and above all, ample amounts of the Garden theme's signature flower, Amaranthus (also poetically known as love-lies-bleeding).
Rose petals are another workhorse, toiling overtime for romance when you sprinkle them in bubbling fountains, pockets of tulle, or down the grassy aisle.
Want to add a little sparkle to your bouquet? Swarovski butterfly brooches and bouquet picks are sweet and traditional, whereas dragonfly pins are the height of chic.
And here's a sweet floral splurge: some brides have wowed their guests with a gossamer cake table overlay sewn with live loose orchids, or even an entire blanket of pavéed roses.
Adding in Atmosphere
Fortunately, setting the stage is easy when you've picked a venue ripe with such natural beauty. Prepping for a garden wedding can be as simple as hanging clusters of festive paper lanterns from the ceiling and lashing small trees or ivy and twinkle lights to the tent poles. Or if you're outdoors, try tabletop lanterns and votives hung from tree branches, plus plenty of ribbons to flutter in the breeze.
A Centerpiece That's a Snap
Brides tend to agonize when it comes to these decor decisions, but once again, simple is sure to charm. Birds are popular motifs, so you often see birdcages romanced with fillers like ivy or roses, surrounded by individual favor nests filled with Jordan almonds.
Rustic wooden bird houses are popular too. So are galvanized watering cans serving as vases. Individual potted plants are well-loved as well: they look marvelous clustered around a taller focal point, and double as sweet favors. Try growing African violets or savory herbs in terra-cotta pots or stylish metal pails. Or, for more whimsy, bright green wheat grass ... and plant a lollipop "daisy" in each.
Simple English-garden style urns or pedestals (rent these!) make wonderful bases for flowers. Surround with silver mint julep cups filled with a single peony: again, these double as favors your guests won't forget.
Dialing Up the Decor
Want more tips for instant, inexpensive romance? Cluster hot-pink parasols in the open grass wherever you need a burst of color. Place pink
silk fans at every setting, weaving in a small slip of paper calligraphed with your guest's name or a personal note of thanks.
Instead of an ordinary signature frame, have your guests sign die-cut flower cards and glue the individual blooms to the matte for a more whimsical look. Send your ringbearer down the aisle clutching an enchanting pillow made of sheet moss (ask your florist). And use satin ribbon in your colors to lend a personal touch to small yet meaningful details, like bottles of bubbles.
Serving Up Tiny Temptations
Be sure to pique the palette with treats that sing "spring": flirty petits fours, tea sandwiches, fruit kebabs, and tiered cupcakes topped with fondant butterflies.
Then, quench their thirst with Martha-esque rows of iced teas and fruity lemonades. Or for an extra-special treat, serve individual chilled Lorina lemonades in bright sherbert hues.
Rest assured: these treats will go down even easier with a string trio or a harpist to pluck sweet strains from the air.
Tried-and-True Ways to Say 'Thank You'
A few more popular garden wedding favor ideas: flower pins, with showy silk Gerber blooms; seed packets filled with sweet peas or wildflowers, or mini garden pails heaped with sweets and wrapped in tulle.
Terra-cotta pots can be made extraordinary, too: paint them to suit, then plant with some sweet flower or herb. Finally, use chalkboard paint to dash a "label" on the pot. Use colored chalk to add each guest's name, and tie off the pot with a ribbon.
Another idea for the crafty: paint beautiful flower patterns on wine glasses for a work of art your guests will savor for years.
Dish on Your Unique Spin
The garden theme comes in
so many different seasons and shapes, moods and colors. Share your plans and inventions below ... and upload some pics!
My wedding is June 16 2012 in Los Angeles. We’re getting married at my in-laws house. Small wedding….my sister as maid of honor, his sister as his best person and his other sister as flower person. He wants to wear a navy blue pinstrip suit. My gown is ivory. I like lavender (there’s lavender in the garden at the house), navy and plum. Not sure how to dress the ladies so you can tell they had different roles…don’t want them to look exactly alike, but want them to compliment one another and me, of course! Any help would be appreciated. Thanks!
VKelly,
I would have them pick out their own shade of purple, one that suits their skintone. Then have blue and lavender/purple bouquets with the MOH bouquet being all one shade of lavender. Or you can have the bridesmaids in a shade of purple, then have MOH in shade of navy.
This would be nice with girls in different colors…
Part 2…
Part 1, sooo pretty…
And last….
Stacey,
Thanks for the ideas! I don’t have any bridesmaids so do you think it would flow well if my MOH wore plum and my flower girl wore another shade of purple and finally my fiance’s best person (his sister) wore navy blue like him? I’ve also thought about my MOH wearing navy like his best person, but I’m afraid that would be too much navy and then my flower girl would stand out more than my MOH. This is all so confusing?!?
VKelly, I think having his sister in blue is a great idea. it shows what side she will be on and what her role is. I would have the MOH try on shades, since purple can be difficult to wear. Periwinkle is the most universally flattering and would really play off the navy. have the MOH in a lighter shade and the flowergirl in white with periwinkle or periwinkle with a plum or other purple color sash; ( for example) then pull in shades of blue and purple hydrangea bouquets etc. Here is a guide…
Stacey,
My MOH looks good in darker purples so I’ll give her a light colored bouquet. I like your idea of having the flower girl in white with a colored sash. I may have her try a lighter color purple with a dark sash….not sure. I really appreciate your help and am very happy to have found your site!
Stacey, I met with my family and discussed your color suggestions and they loved your ideas! Here’s what we’ve agreed to thus far:
Bride – ivory – my bouquet will be a mix of flowers (see attached photo)
Groom – Navy pinstripe suit
MOH – Lapis (purple color of a Davids Bridal dress she liked) – with solid lavender color bouquet
Best Person – Navy
Flower Girl – light blue with dark purple sash
One thing we couldn’t figure out. My aunt will be giving me away. What color should she wear? We discussed ivory or beige, but I want to be the only one in ivory or anything in that shade.
I’ve attached a few photos to give you an idea of the color scheme I’m going for (I think you sent me most of these
.
Thanks so much for your help!
VKelley,
She should not wear a dress in the white/ivory family. She could wear grey, pewter, or silver, which would easily compliment the color scheme. It depends on her skintone too. Think also about having her in a shade of lavender or the a shade of the blue family( which she may prefer). A light blue may be very nice on her. The dress should also match the formality of the wedding. Refer to the skin/hair color guide I gave you and see what will work best for your color scheme.
My wedding is June 16, 2012 and I’m having a hard time choosing colors. My fiance wants to wear a navy blue pinstrip suit. I’m wearing a simple ivory gown. My sister is my maid of honor and his sister is his best person (no bridesmaids). His other sister is the flower girl. How should these ladies dress to show their different roles without all wearing the same color? I love lavendar, plum, and navy blue, but not sure how to make it all work out. Any ideas??
I’m getting married May 25, 2013 and our wedding is at the Riverside Inn in Cambridge Springs. It’s perfect for a garden themed wedding. I can’t wait to see it in bloom. Just not sure about the color i chose for the bridesmaid dresse…
Amanda,
Do you have the dress color or a color scheme in mind? Do you have any fave colors or colors you lean to most? I looked at the fab venue, it looks like the curtains and walls are red or burgundy. It actually has alot of different colors that could work. For the bridesmaid dress, look to the skintone to find the perfect shade.
Look forward to your reply!!
I love all the spring wedding ideas so much I’m incorporating them into my November wedding!! Forget the fall theme, I’m going lilacs and daisies:) My only problem? I’d love to do centrepieces with old-fashioned metal watering cans but I can’t seem to find a place to buy them. Any ideas/advice??
Arya,
When planning your spring colors for a fall wedding, I would mix shades of purple from light to dark. I would try craft stores, home and garden stores. I would try ebay too. If you cant find them, you could use terra cotta “looking” pots or metal pails. If you luck up and find at least one water can-fill it with flowers and sit it on your cake or guestbook table. Also search flea markets and second hand stores.
* Try this …
hi! im from philippines and i gush at every wedding pic shown here. :) very nice!
im also planning for a garden wedding. and my original choice colors are WHITE (dominant) accented with tiffany blue and pink. but upon looking at your pics, im not sure anymore. both colors are light for a garden wedding, aren’t they?
what do u think? thanks!
Krisna,
Sounds stunning.
* see this
* marie antoinette-inspired
Krisna,
* see this
They are actually perfect for a garden wedding, even if you choose a pale pink with the tiffany blue. What you coudl do is varying shades of pink with the tiffany blue and white.
* check this out
Hi,
I’m getting married next June in Boise. It’ll be a garden wedding or perhaps by a lake or some kind of water body, but definitely one of these two ideas. I am thinking of blue/silver as my wedding colors. I’m not finding much on those combinations for garden weddings, any thoughts? Thanks!
Rose,
Blue and silver can work. But could you tell me some other colors you love? Natural colors work very well. White and lighter colors paired with green really show the setting off. Blue and green are perfect by water.
* try this
Thank you so much for your response Stacy…I do like certain kinds of green but blue is my favorite color and my fiance’s as well. I had thought of blue and white but it sounded a bit too boring and obvious..what if I had blue, silver and white then have just a bit of silver and a brighter blue? So hard to know what’s best but do think it best to stick somewhere around blue though definitely see how much easier it would be to do green. Thank you so much for your help, will look at the links keenly.
Rose,
Keep the green to the green, then pull in gorgeous shades of blue maybe fading to a tad of purple, example: hydrangeas.
Since both of your fave colors are blue, then I would go with blue hands down.
Look at this gorgoeus wedding, have the blues fade into the purples. Guys usually love navy so it sets it off perfectly…..
* caitlin and peter
Rose,
* la valencia inspiration
* cobalt blue
* electric love
Rose,
Pretty great…
* sweden and back
* true blue love
* cheers for the blue
This is really cool…have been so super helpful Stacey, I don’t know how to thank you!
Free June 23rd 2012? lol.
Thanks again.
Rose, Awww thank you!! My pleasure! I wish you all the best and I wish I could be there!!
nice pic n creative…love it sooo much…me n my fiance are planning a garden wedding theme early next year…but don’t know where to start…never attend a real garden style wedding,only watch in TV…any tips?
Stephanie,
* outdoor wedding
* garden ceremony
First do you have your venue? If so when looking at colors check out the colors that are in bloom. It always looks best when complimenting your existing setting.I always love finding a specific flower in a garden( ex: red roses and using that flower for the main wedding florals in that specific color, it makes it look like the garden grounds provided your wedding florals. Plus it makes it super simple in floral planning) Make sure you have plan b since it is an outdoor wedding, in case of rain etc. If it falls in teh summer months have fans, water, etc. available for guests, talk to vendors about flowers that withstand heat, cake icing which is best for the heat/outdoors. In cooler months renting outdoor heaters are helpful. In any season have food that works best for the season and with the proper equipment so it wont spoil. Fabrics are another thing that is seasonal, heavier for cooler months, lighter for warmer months. If you have more targeted concerns please write back, would love to help.
* another garden wedding
For a search by color at this site, cllick wedidng inspiration-photo galleries.
Hi – Im from the UK. My wedding is booked for bank holiday weekend next Summer 2012. I am loving the ‘shabby chic garden theme’ – very me! :-)
I am having bird cages decorated with fresh flowers and herbs hanging from the tree’s. I will also be having some with candles in them for the evening – placed on the garden tables. I love the wicker love hearts and the rustic love heart tin lanterns – with tealights flickering inside. I am also thinking of having an ice cream cart and vintage sweet stall for the kids (and the big kids)
I love everyone’s idea’s and I love how everyones weddings are so unique . Good Luck everyone!!
Hi!
I am getting married on 4/2/2011 and I’d love to have an outside wedding at dusk. Will it be too cold to do that?? I’m having it at my house due to a very tiny budget.
Thanks!!
Laurelyn,
Depends on where you live. Check with the local weather to see how cool it may be. If so, opt for a white sweater over your dress and have a reception indoors.
OMG!!!
i’m so amazed..really really beautifull colour..
but,i still confused which colour that i want to use for my wedding.
indonesia just have 2 seasons..
anyone help me, pls ?
lizzylovespiano@yahoo.com
tq
Lizzie,
Can i get a look at your venue? thanks!!
everything is so gorgeous o my GOOOOOOOOOOOOD
I’m having my ceremony at Centennial Gardens and it’s beautiful….but I have a problem with it’s location. It’s next door to an amusment park and we are getting married during labor day weekend. the garden is fenced off and i was thinking about putting something up against the fence but i’m not sure what. Please help me!!!!!
Denise,
Can I see a pic of what it looks like? I dont wanna give you the wrong choice if it wont work!