Planning a wedding is stressful. Since I’ve been in the industry for over ten years, I’ve seen my fair share of couples caught in decision paralysis. Which is why, when a couple takes a few beats to look at all their options and find what works best for them and not everyone else, the wedding day always ends up being such a great experience for everyone. Your wedding doesn’t have to look like anyone else’s, and it definitely doesn’t need to be played by someone else’s rules. So, when Caitlyn and Jeremy decided to do a backyard wedding with whimsical florals and decor, I was so excited!
The Decision to Opt for a Backyard Wedding
Instead of opting for a traditional wedding venue, Caitlyn and Jeremy put all their time, effort, and money into transforming their own garden into a wedding wonderland. Not only was the choice beneficial to their own home, but it also allowed others to join in on their beauty and hard work. It was such a deliberate decision to forego traditional wedding venues and create a personalized space. For the whole year, they put all their love into the garden preparation. They didn’t want to risk a public park or the mountains in case we missed the wildflower season.
Choosing Lavender for your Wedding Day
Caitlyn decided that she wanted to be surrounded by lavender on her wedding day to help keep her calm. She created bushels of lavender and had them sit in baskets around the property. Also, lavender got incorporated into the florals on the arch at the ceremony, the bouquet, and the table settings. It helped fill the whole garden with it’s sweet smell. My tip for picking the florals for your own wedding day is to think about not just aesthetics, but take Caitlyn’s lead and figure out what will make you happy or calm or has some significance to you. If you like lavender yourself, check out this lavender farm shoot I did!
In addition to lavender as a flower, Caitlyn incorporated the color into her dress. She called it “blurple” which was a fun mix of purple, grey, and blue. I loved this unique color for a dress which blended with the stunning garden around them. MYWONY is a shop that does custom colors for wedding dresses!
In addition to the dress, they got rings that were incredibly special and unique to them from Moon Magic and Vintage Gentlemen.
Value in Honest and Expertise from your Wedding Photographer
When couples find me organically, it’s usually because one of my blogs has piqued their interest! For Caitlyn and Jeremy, they found me through my piece on flower fields guide as they were considering outside of their home. Part of what I go over in that post in how some locations are better than others at certain times of year. Of course, the thing about wildflowers is that they’re unpredictable. Caitlyn and Jeremy appreciated my expertise and honesty when it came to locations, and that is how I helped them eventually decide to have their event in their own backyard which turned out so perfectly!
If I can offer any advice to couples planning their wedding day, it’s to go with the decisions that feel right to you and accomplish what you want from your wedding day. There will be so much input from others, and some of that will end up being conflicting. So, go with what you want. Get the lavender! Go with the purple dress! The options for your wedding day are endless, and I’m here to help capture it.
Planning your own backyard wedding and need a photographer? Let’s connect!