Your wedding day is the perfect time to express your inner nature and indulge in your personal taste. Many people are inspired by the outdoors–a wild burst of vibrant flowers, a canopy of lush green foliage…
If this is you, there are so many creative ways to bring the outdoors into your reception room and weave a natural theme into the decor. A side benefit of accenting your venue with a garden like or woodsy feeling is that it doesn’t have to be costly.
Inspired by the recent royal wedding, trees are a trending accent choice. Don’t be afraid to use tons of green in your decor. Gorgeous greenery and floral arches enhance the romantic feel of the wedding venue.
Whether you want to bring the forest feeling indoors, or want to have a family-style banquet under the trees, the woodsy trend can be embraced by indoor and outdoor favoring brides alike.
Eco-aware brides may opt for floral arrangements that can even be replanted by the couple and other guests as a living memory of the beautiful day.
Potted fruit trees, like lemon trees, are not only gorgeous to look at, but also smell heavenly and are easily transported. Choose one that’s special to you and your spouse to plant at home for a wonderful reminder of your wedding day.
Tall, majestic, potted trees also make the perfect barriers or covers for unsightly spaces. They can break up empty space and make a statement. Tree stumps make great candle holders, side tables, cake stands, and if sliced thinner, a lovely tray.
Bringing the outdoors in can also be accomplished by accents and lighting that compliment the natural plant beauty. Fairy lights hanging from the ceiling add a bit of sparkle and dusk to enhance the green and white of the leaves and petals. LED lights can also provide that twinkly evening vibe.
Beautiful lanterns are another option for lighting that add to the atmosphere of an indoor/outdoor wonderland.
Another way to add a bit of natural flair is to drape wild grasses along the ceremony site and dancefloor and place mirrors under the centerpieces to make them appear more lush.
Think about the season and how you can incorporate natural seasonal elements (wildflowers for spring, for example) into your decor. Place flowers in vases and fruit in baskets. Consider using local items, like shells if you live by the sea and local flora.
Hang a trellis of blooms above a reception dance floor to envelop your guests in a flowery embrace. This overhead installation adds fresh accents that provide a garden-like escape feeling. Vibrant wreaths can also be hung overhead wafting a heady floral scent throughout the room.
Centerpieces provide another opportunity for incorporating the outdoors into your wedding. You can use glass bowls with floating flower petals. Mossy bark wood displays offer a creative way to add texture and outdoorsy feeling to your place card tables. Multicolor scattered fall pumpkin centerpieces add a tasteful natural element. Floral centerpieces can be monochromatic or seasonally colored depending on your overarching theme.
Consider using mason jars, milk glass vases and other recycled glass bottles and jars as wonderful candle holders that can be painted in pastels to match your themed color scheme. Tall elegant bottles accentuate long stemmed roses and wider bowls showcase custom bouquets to your unique taste.
Here are some specific ideas for seasonal flowers you can use for bouquets, centerpieces and overhead decoration:
Winter
Showcase some amaryllis which make a striking table centrepiece and holly which can be incorporated into a Christmas wedding flower decoration. Although cymbidium orchids are available year round, the best selection and prices are to be had in the winter season. Pussywillow stems and vibrant red dogwood stems make a spectacular background for your flowers.
Spring
Spring is the time when nature bursts into life, and treats us to a spectacular array of colors. Flowering bulbs come into season now such as tulips and the wonderfully fragrant hyacinths. Peonies are a popular choice for spring bridal bouquets and forsythia bears its yellow flowers in spring for a touch of brightness.
Summer
Summer offers you a wide variety of flower choices. These include beautiful blue delphiniums, gladioli, and columbine (aquilegia). Irises have their season from late spring through to summer. Mixed bouquets of roses with a touch of green chrysanthemums are a beautiful choice for a summer wedding. Snapdragons (Antirrhinums) arrive in summer and hearken back to sunny childhood days as well.
Fall
More important than the species, in autumn the vibrant seasonal colors make their signature appearance. Rich reds, fiery oranges and beautiful yellows are the order of the day. Crab apples, pumpkins and other autumn fruits spice up the crisp, fresh feel.
Even wedding dresses can tie into a floral theme using floral bodices and floral inspired tulle trains, if you want to take it all the way. And wedding cakes can be decorated with leaves or flowers.
There are endless ideas for bringing the outdoors into your wedding without breaking the bank. Whatever your particular taste and budget, our team can help you create a breathtaking feeling of being in nature in any venue you choose.
Give us a call to discuss your ideas and let us together make your reality a dream!
Love Notes
“Sherri is absolutely the best. She made wedding planning easy for me – a long distance, not detail oriented bride, and on the wedding day all my family and I had to do was enjoy ourselves. Throughout the planing process she was prompt and attentive, sending me weekly “homework” emails that broke down the steps into very manageable pieces. She was ever patient with my sometimes less than timely replies, and never had to be asked to do anything- Sherri is always five steps ahead. Sherri worked so hard for us, and the result was an absolutely beautiful wedding day that I could never have imagined. The best example: Sherri had her husband cut down two trees to decorate our tent, which was spectacular, and then had coasters made from the trees and sent them to us as a gift. Sherri truly does think of everything. Hiring Sherri to help with our wedding was the best decision we made (other than getting married of course!). I would highly, highly recommend Sherri for any and all events you may be planning. Thank you Sherri!”
-Beth
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