Backyard Wedding

Brides and grooms to be are always looking for the ideal venue for their dream wedding. What about an intimate backyard wedding? You may have or know someone who has the perfect backyard for your big day. What better way to save money and incorporate beautiful outdoor elements this summer? Stephanie & Ron's wedding is a perfect example of an informal, ideal, comfortable, intimate wedding. Their vision came to fruition on May 17th, 2008. As the guests entered through the garden gate, adorned with a hydrangea and calla lily heart shaped wreath, they were greeted with lemonade and enjoyed a “pre-social” of appetizers and chilled fresh fruit. As guests mingled, they were asked to write their wish for the couple and to hang the note card by pretty ribbons from the Wish Tree.

Stephanie and Ron wanted an informal feel to their wedding, so the 80 guests stood through the ceremony and encircled the couple as they exchanged their vows. At the conclusion of the ceremony, the guests were asked to make a private wish for themselves as a stunning Monarch butterfly release took place.

Centerpieces were in keeping with the garden theme by using galvanized tubs and Mason jars to hold flowers of rust hued astromerias, calla lilies, orange gladiola blooms and gerbera daisies. The arrangements nestled on a bed of moss with polished stones for accent. Orange “glads” were a favorite of the bride’s grandmother, so individually wrapped orange gladiola bulbs (freshly dug from the fields in Wisconsin) were given as favors. Garden pathways were lined with candles in varying sizes of Mason jars. The wedding cake was definitely another show stopping focal point. Stephanie worked with the baker by providing the wedding invitation, so that a pearlescent vine and leaf pattern could be replicated onto the cake. A few colorful silk butterflies were added as accents to this piece of art.

As the evening grew darker, the setting twinkled with candlelight and guests thoroughly enjoyed dancing under the stars and celebrating all the many wishes bestowed upon the newlyweds.

Coordinator: Lora Ward, A Day to Remember
Photographer: Allison Stahl Photography
Caterer: All Seasons All Reasons Fine Catering
Florist: Katie Edwards w/Ambience Floral Design
Bakery: Ettore's
DJ: Brian Gibson w/Encore Entertainment
Garden Accent Lighting - STL (Sacramento Theatrical Lighting)
Invitations: Kendra Pfeiffer-Wershing w/Pfeiffer Event Planning
Butterflies: Swallowtail Farms
Officiant: Honorable Talmadge Jones