Is there anything better than a garden wedding? Spring and summer weddings are made for gardens, filled with lots and lots of candles, greenery, flowers, and dreamy wedding decor that could be right out of a fairytale.
Garden wedding venues are some of my favorite in the world, and allow for so many great ideas for your ceremony and reception. The beauty of a garden-themed wedding is that you can adapt so many wedding themes. From a Tuscany wedding theme to an Alice in Wonderland or Secret Garden-inspired wedding…you can even create a super modern wedding theme for an unexpected contrast.
I went searching through Pinterest for some of the best garden wedding ideas out there. From whimsical table settings and signature cocktails to shoe valets and ceremony aisles fit for a garden nymph, I wish everything could look as gorgeous as these garden wedding photos in the gallery above. Or maybe as the sign says, if you look in the right way you will see the whole world as a garden.
As you start to plan a garden themed wedding, be sure to keep these tips in mind:
What is a Garden Wedding?
OK, we know this may seem obvious, but there is more than one way to have a garden wedding. While it would of course help to have your wedding in an idyllic garden, you don’t have to. You can encapsulate the spirit and mood of one with decor alone.
To help you visualize, you can think about Bridgerton or A Midsummer Night’s Dream. You can even picture yourself in the middle of Monet’s lily pond. Imagine lanterns and vines, and lush rose bushes. The point is that you can surround yourself with nature, whether you’re inside or out.
When it comes to the best venues for a garden theme, you can really choose any one that works for what you are envisioning. It could be a blank-slate loft, a glam ballroom, barn, even a medieval castle. However, if you really want to go all-in on the theme, you can of course look for a botanical garden venue, orchard, or historic mansion with lush outdoor spaces. Some of our favorite garden wedding venues include:
WGM Says: If you are having an outdoor wedding, be sure to make a backup plan in case of inclement weather. Many outdoor-only weddings require a tent depending on your location, which can add several thousand dollars to you budget. Be sure to read about How Much Wedding Tents Cost before you book your venue.
What are Garden Wedding Colors?
When it comes to choosing your color palette, a quick Pinterest or Google image search for “Gardens” will bring up a ton of inspiration. You will quickly see that you can go as muted (blush) or vibrant (fuschia) as you want with your wedding colors, and it will depend on what you’re most drawn to. Our suggestion for helping you figure out which colors you like is to save images on a secret Pinterest board, searching for broad terms like “Monet Garden” and “Gardens in Spain.” Then, after you’ve pinned a ton, take a break. After a couple weeks, go back and look at which colors stand out to you. By choosing 4-5 colors you’ll have a good palette to choose from. Read more about how to choose your wedding colors here.
Garden-Themed Wedding Ideas
You can begin to put together a garden wedding theme by thinking about your various wedding categories. In addition to the inspiration in the gallery above, you can think about how to incorporate a garden vibe throughout using these prompts, below:
Invites:
Look for wedding stationery that has calligraphy and other flourishes, as well as greenery and florals. Watercolor invites are also a beautiful option, as are paper goods featuring pressed florals (real or printed!). And don’t just stop at the invite itself! You’ll want to carry the theme throughout your wedding day with matching ceremony programs, escort cards, and menus.
Decor:
If you’re getting married in a garden setting, you can let your surroundings lead the way when it comes to your wedding decor. You’ll want to accentuate what’s already there, bringing in flower arrangements that are an extension of that garden itself.
For an alfresco ceremony, consider moss balls hanging from each chair as you come down the aisle. You ceremony arch can also serve as a beautiful focal point whether you’re getting married in a loft or garden, and it can often be repurposed as a photo backdrop or to dress up a blank wall at your reception later on.
A bohemian vibe also works well in non-garden wedding venues. Think beaded chandeliers, flowing drapery, and flower arrangements accented with pampas grass. We also love moss table runners with lanterns on top for a romantic, flowerless look for your reception tables.
Attire:
There are so many possibilities for fun attire at a garden-themed wedding, including floral prints for your bridal party and oversized blooms for the groom and groomsmen’s boutonnieres. When it comes to your wedding dress you have a ton of flexbility, from a slinky silk slip dress to an embroidered ballgown. Just remember to add a pop of color whenever you can. For instance, a light blue shoe or bold pink lip will be a great way to pick up some floral-inspired color in pictures. The same goes for the groom: a bright pocket square, floral tie, or even socks can work perfectly with a garden theme.
Food:
Let your caterers creativity shine with appetizers and entrees adorned with edible flowers. You can even have garden-inspired drinks served from a lemonade stand for cocktail hour. And don’t forget the wedding cake! You can dress up a simple, white-frosted wedding cake with roses or lilac, even greenery!
Are you planning a garden wedding? Let us know your plans in the comments section below!
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