A garden party wedding is all about whimsy, romance, and elegance blending together to create the wedding of your dreams, and I’m literally obsessed! If you’re planning your own garden wedding, you have to see all the inspiration from Tori and Antonio’s stunning day that I had the honor of capturing as their California wedding photographer. I can’t wait to show you these ideas! 

Garden Party Wedding Ideas

Florals Everywhere

Because, honestly, nothing says garden party wedding like flowers. My best advice is to incorporate florals everywhere you can to really nail that garden vibe! I’m talking huge floral arrangements for the ceremony and reception, floral-printed tablecloths, bridal bouquets in pastel colors, floral installations from the ceiling, flowers on your wedding dress or veil, signage with floral motifs… Girl, give me all of it!!

Incorporate Elevated Decor + Details

Garden parties feel elegant by nature, so a huge part of throwing a garden party wedding is to make sure that your details of the day are elevated. A good way to do this is to really hone in on a certain color palette (usually pastels!) and make everything follow that, from your florals, to your bridesmaid dresses, to your table decor! It creates a cohesive look that gives whimsical luxury. 

Have an Outdoor Wedding 

I mean, a garden party outside in nature only makes sense, right?! Having the soft light hit through trees framing the two of you, surrounded by blooming flowers and a soft breeze… I can’t!! 

Best Time of Year to Have a Garden Party Wedding

Speaking of an outdoor wedding, you’ll need to plan the best time of year for your garden party wedding! As a California wedding photographer, I know that California weather can be crazyyy. I usually see garden party weddings in the spring or early summer here, and the long days, jaw-dropping sunsets, and mild temperatures make those the perfect times of year. 

Garden Wedding Venues in Northern California

I’ve shot weddings at a ton of venues that make for an amazing setting for garden party weddings, but I’ve got you; here are some of my favorites!

• Cavaignac, A Country Estate for a garden princess castle feel. Check out a wedding I shot at this stunning California wedding venue when you click here! 
• The Gardens at Heather Farm for the most lush gardens and gorgeous florals ever.
• Bernardus Lodge and Spa, if you want to feel like you’re having an Italy destination wedding without having to deal with a pesky TSA line.
• Kunde Family Winery for if your dream wedding is like a fairytale come to life! 
• Black Walnut Estate for a forest garden vibe. This is where the gallery you’re seeing throughout this blog was shot! 

Garden Party Wedding Dresses

When I think of wedding dresses for a garden party wedding, I picture a few things: 

• Lace-all-over wedding dresses, because they have such a whimsical, timeless, and garden-esque feel, are perfect for any garden wedding! I love Melrose by Milla Nova, because it literally feels like a vintage garden became a wedding dress.
• A dreamy, flowy skirt that can flow through the wind, because, duh, but also because it allows me to get some of those super cute, blurry running-through-the-garden pics that I’m obsessed with. One of my favorites? Hazel Gillian by Jenny Yoo. You’re welcome! 
• Floral motifs always. The more flowers, the better! Sakura by Alena Leena is a fave for this style!

Garden Wedding Bridesmaid Dresses

Nothing says garden party wedding like pastel colors, and that’s where your girls come in! Mismatched pastel bridesmaid dresses have been all the rage for a while now, and honestly, as they should! No matter your color palette, having your bridesmaids in a few different shades (and even throwing a few patterned dresses in there) will bring a gorgeous palette to your ceremony (and your photos, of course). 

I would seriously love to see Lennox, Livvy, and Rayne by Revelry paired together in a wedding!  

Wedding Guest Dress Codes

One wedding trend I can’t get enough of is creating a dress code for your wedding guests, and for a garden party wedding, your opportunities are endless! I can picture a garden party wedding with every guest wearing a shade of green or blue, and the pictures that would give me would be incredible. 

Tori and Antonio’s Garden Party Wedding

This wedding is giving whimsical, dreamy, pastel garden vibes to the max. The garden wedding color palette was a 10/10, and every single detail from their day flowed together so beautifully. Like, the pastel pink phone?? You’re joking. The couch at their sweetheart table? SO luxe. 

Aside from the aesthetics and the details, which we obviously all love, these two were absolutely adorable. Their love shows through every single photo, whether it’s a hand touch they snuck, a single teardrop, or the love in their eyes when they look at each other. And yes, I cried behind the camera, taking some of these.

Grace Thao | Northern California Wedding Photographer

When you book me as your Northern California wedding photographer, you don’t just get me for your wedding day. I’m there with you every step of the way! Your 2:00 am brain dumps about your flowers?? Fill me in, girl! Can’t decide between two wedding dresses? Real AF, I’ll always give you my opinion! 

And then when it comes to the day of, you get a hype girl all day who will cry when you cry, dance when you dance, and capture your special moments in a way that you’ll treasure forever. If that sounds like what you need for your wedding, you can inquire about booking right here. I can’t wait to meet you!!

Don’t miss out on extra wedding inspo while you’re here: 

How to Plan a Luxury Wedding That Still Feels Like You, From a Northern California Wedding Photographer

A Hawaii Destination Wedding Feel (Without All the Travel Fuss)

Everything You Need to Know About Planning a Wedding at Scribner Bend Vineyards