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, of course. And then there's herbs and lavender, gerbers and glowing 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 a 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? Ablack 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!
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Tags: 
May 24th, 2008 at 4:11 am
I am getting married on 8/30. My wedding is going to be in a summer garden, but my dress is ivory with a Champaign ribbon around my waist, which would be far from garden colors, any suggestions for me. Am also trying to find table ideas and colors for the weddings.
May 2nd, 2008 at 4:40 pm
I am getting married on 8/16. I have a like front house with a Mt. Rainier view. My reception will be held lakeside. I’m looking for a some casual/smart table ideas (table cloth/centerpieces) with some type of lake theme…..any ideas for me
March 30th, 2008 at 2:29 am
Lauren, a few ideas for you! Grab a cup of coffee
Kay, I’m going top to bottom, L to R.
Starting w/ first row! The top 2 pics are from a shabby chic baby shower by Your Heart’s Desire party planning. Among the brilliant ideas here are PINK candelabras (spray paint your own). Awesome. Pic three, a brilliant party hat (made from wallpaper!) by DreamCreateShare. Not only is it a great decoration, I look at this and think of how lovely it would look holding all the bride’s ribbons from all the gifts. (Instead of, you know, her head.)
All of second row — a must-see shabchic garden party by Lucky Design Department. Everything about this is inspiring. Check out the invites, the lovely display of the fan favors, the containers for the flowers, the punch bowls, the lounge area. Perfect.
Third row! First pic, a one-of-a-kind shabchic card box by VintageArtiste. Second pic … and I admit it, this one’s for brides planning a shabby chic wedding! — a showstopper cake from Brides, which also features these heartbreakingly pretty linens.
Fourth and final row, a shabchic cupcake classic by Kylie Lambert. Anyone having a wedding should see everything Kylie does. Pic 2, a fascinating lace cake by Damselfly58. Pic 3, an interesting DIY sachet craft by SaveOnCrafts.
I hope this helps … personally, I also really love petal cones (I see these trimmed in seed ‘pearls’, hanging from chair backs and filled with fresh lavender, petals, or candy). Another cool idea is to collect those beautiful mismatched teacups from thrift stores and make them into candles for the event. Of course, I love those pink candelabras above. One last note is that big organza roses aren’t just shabchic, they’re very chic for 2008. If you’re crafty and can whip some up, you can tack them to table linens for a special display (like the bride’s table, or gift table), or from floating fabric panels (tree branches, porch rafters).
March 29th, 2008 at 8:41 pm
Hi!! Does anyone have any ideas for an outside bridal shower. I’ve looked online everywhere for ideas on shabby/chic slightly vintage bridal shower and haven’t found much. Our theme is shabby chic as the bride LOVES all things shabby chic. We have the place which is at a park with an outside picnic shelter.
The few ideas I have are as follows: For food only appetizers and such as mini quiche and mini sandwiches. For desserts there will be cup cake stands and cute stacked stands to put mini desserts on. Since it is going to be shabby chic I was thinking of having lace table clothes with flowers in vases and also candelabras. As for drinks I am thinking white wine spritzers and all different size wine glasses (to go with the shabby chic theme I want some things to be mis-matchy but in a appealing way).
The bride also likes Shabby Chic mixed with some vintage so I some how want to incorporate this as well. The shower will be for 25 max. I do not have a huge budget of money to spend on this so creative ideas would be much appreciated. I do however have another bm’s who is doing all the food and another who is doing all decorations and an aunt who offered to help so I guess we have a decent sized budget but we want to be able to stretch and have something really amazing, classy, and fun for the bride. Thank You all SO much for your help!
February 27th, 2008 at 9:48 am
I need a pattern for a flower I had seen years ago from another wedding. I remember floral tape taped on green floral sticks and silk material that was shaped like a tulip and was filled with birdseed and tucked into place andwhen the bride and groom took off for the car you would hold on to the stick and shook the the tulip at them and the birdseed fell towards them. no messy ribbon or bags to pick up off the ground. ant ideas on where to find it.
February 23rd, 2008 at 6:03 pm
Thanks, Blake! I appreciate it! GB
February 22nd, 2008 at 1:48 pm
Hi GB, I believe that event actually took place in Germany. I wrote the photog to see if he could narrow it down for us … I’ll post if I hear back!
February 21st, 2008 at 2:51 pm
Hi!
I was on your website a while back, and I saved a picture that inspired me… (it named itself “garden-mon2-sm” when I saved it…) The picture was under the subtitle, “Simply Sweet: The Perfect Florals”, and was from the page entitled, “The Garden Theme Wedding”, which I found at this link: www.favorideas.com/wedding-themes/garden-floral-themes/the-garden-theme-wedding/
Anyway, I saved the picture because the image on the middle left, (the one showing an all-white reception table with a formal garden in the background) really inspired me as far helping me visualize what my “dream venue” for my wedding would be. I dream of having my wedding in a formal garden similar in landscaping and privacy to the one in the background of this picture. However, I have been looking, and I haven’t found any venue in my area that looks like it would be anything close to this picture.
I was just wondering if you might happen to know where that picture was taken, as in the name of the garden or its location… but I realize that the picture is probably just a stock photo, and that you probably don’t have any idea which garden it was taken in… I just thought I would find out for sure! Thanks so much!
February 15th, 2008 at 4:05 pm
Oh my goodness! you are a life saver! that is excatly what i have been looking for! thank you so much!
February 15th, 2008 at 3:27 pm
Meghan, how sweet! Good luck! These are not easy to find; I know of these:
wind chimes @Jean M
Maybe someone else knows some other sources … that is wonderful of you.
February 15th, 2008 at 2:56 pm
so my sister is getting married in april in a backyard wedding in northern california. She doesn’t have a lot to spend on the wedding so she said not to do wedding favors, but being her sister and her maid of honor, i thought it would be a great surprise to get the wedding favors for her. My sister is very classy and i thought silver wind chimes with ribbons in her colors would be perfect. except i don’t know where to find 50 mini chimes.
any help would be great!
thanks!
January 29th, 2008 at 4:38 pm
I ran across this dream garden wedding, with a soft Asian spin — everything was over-the-top perfect. The couple turned the setting into a fairyland.
Some highlights … that gorgeous butterfly cake, the table decor — don’t you love the strings of pearls, the abundance of petals, the strawberry-red water? Doesn’t that remind you of hummingbird feeders … so perfect for a garden feel?
January 14th, 2008 at 2:55 pm
October 30th, 2007 at 12:04 pm
I am going to have an old-world / garden themed wedding. All of the girls are going to be carrying feather fans accented with flowers - instead of the traditional bouquet. Their dresses are all pastel (different colours or shades) and the bouquets are garden flowers with emphasis on the colour in the gown worn by the bearer.
October 25th, 2007 at 10:04 am
Hi! I am planning an outdoor garden wedding thats set for Aug. 16th 2008. I’m asking anyone for any advice for colors and decor..actually anything would be great! I love flowers and outdoors..but I’m trying not to go too froo-frooey with it, ya know? Any advice or ideas would be awesome!!
July 13th, 2007 at 11:58 pm
Outdoor wedding locations — contact your local historical society or city parks department. They should both be a good source of outdoor locations. Arrange for a tent as back up. Keep things simple and let the outdoors do the work as a back drop for you.
July 13th, 2007 at 10:50 am
Herlene - Not knowing where you live… Why don’t you look for an arboretum or green house to rent out. You can have the outdoors without getting wet.
June 28th, 2007 at 4:32 pm
hi, im planning A wedding for june 29th 2008 and i have no clue where to start i wanted to have a outdoor garden wedding, but it always rain in june i dont know what to do i need some ideas, but i know i want something wether its an inside garden or something ith a lot of flowers
June 12th, 2007 at 1:00 pm
I Love the info on this site!
…It had given me some great ideas about how I would like to have my soon tobe husband and mine’s wedding!…If any one has any idea’s of where to find any info on outdoor weedings or anything such as that. we are wanting to have one while either like dogwoods,apple,or peach tree’s are in full bloom. if anyone knows where we could find pic’s of places like this please me a e-mail and i would be greatful!, thanks! my e-mail address is emmaj_32@yahoo.com..Thanks!
~Em~
June 11th, 2007 at 3:15 pm
I’m having an outdoor country wedding and looking for low cost ideas. We are going to keep it simple. The bridal party is going to wear pantsuits and maybe a dress of their chioce. The groomsmen will wear a white long sleeved shirt with a tie and the groom wants to wear a suit. I really dont know what kind of dress to get.
June 7th, 2007 at 8:45 pm
Hi, I am planning my wedding on Dec. 30, 2007 same as my parents anniv in a golf and country club. I only want simple and intimate wedding. For the 50pax guests, how would i fit in to my small budget? so i wanted some help and tips. I will have my reception inside the golf reception hall and i wanted my ceremony to be outside in a grassy area, i dont know wht are the colors to match w my gown, invitation and even flower arrangements! Thanks
May 29th, 2007 at 3:36 am
Hi, my wedding is scheduled for 30th July 2007 and i would prefer a garden wedding because we are operating on a very tight budget. wedding planners in this region are very expensive and i would therefore appreciate any ideas, suggestions and comments from you. kindly assist me.
thank you in advance.
May 15th, 2007 at 10:29 am
I am having an outdoor wedding in August. This is my second wedding so I want it to be a bit simple but elegant. Money is an option. I want to know how to not be seen until it is time. This is the one thing I cannot figure out. Thanks so much for any help.
April 24th, 2007 at 5:12 pm
March 20th, 2007 at 2:09 pm
Lisette - I attended an outdoor wedding with a western theme. The bridal party arrived at the ceremony location, out in a field under a tent, in a horse drawn wagon. The bride and her bridesmaids arrived the same way from another direction - her wagon was a white carriage - decorated. She carried sunflowers and other warm colored flowers - she was gorgeous - white dress. she had on cowboy boots - the groom did also and so did his party. They played Sweet Home Alabama after exchanging vows - there was a bluegrass band playing on an old hay wagon. It was great.
March 7th, 2007 at 11:27 am
I’m planning my wedding on Sept. 8th 2007 and would like any ideas for a garden wedding. My brother has a beautiful ranch. Please HELP
March 3rd, 2007 at 8:34 pm
I’m planning to have a garden wedding theme on December this year. But i want to have a simple wedding garden being setting up in a clubhouse. Can you help me how to do it? By the way, we don’t have a wedding planner either and since we only make sure that it goes with our budget. Thank you so much!
from: michelle- Bacolod, Philippines