There is no other environment that offers such a serene and enchanting atmosphere as a garden. Discover garden wedding ideas and tips for a harmonious celebration.

Garden symbolism

Garden is a perfect wedding venue not only because of practical but also because of metaphorical reasons. Gardens often symbolize a connection with nature, peace, growth, and paradise, making them a deeply meaningful, beautiful and harmonious setting for weddings.

The garden allows the couple and their guests to experience the connection to nature and life. Gardens, with their cycles of planting, growth, and blooming, symbolize new beginnings and the journey of life that mirrors the couple’s journey as they start their married life together. Moreover, the natural harmony of a garden represents the balance and unity a couple seeks in their relationship, making it a fitting backdrop for vows of lifelong commitment.

When picturing a perfect garden, probably the first thing that comes to mind is the Garden of Eden. Gardens evoke images of paradise and Edenic Bliss, symbolizing an idyllic and blissful union. This creates a serene and heavenly atmosphere, perfect for celebrating love. What makes it fitting for such a divine celebration of marriage, is that the garden’s tranquil environment offers a peaceful refuge from daily life.

Speaking of aesthetics, the inherent beauty of gardens, with their vibrant flowers, lush greenery, and artistic landscapes, enhances the visual splendour of a wedding. It becomes memorable because gardens engage all the senses, with the fragrance of flowers, the rustling of leaves, and the soft touch of petals.

There are slight differences in the cultural symbolisms of gardens. For example, Japanese gardens represent peace, tranquillity, and the impermanence of life, providing a serene and reflective environment for a wedding and emphasizing the delicate and precious nature of love. English gardens offer romantic and nostalgic charm that adds an element of timeless elegance to a wedding, evoking feelings of classic love stories and fairy tales. 

Symbolizing paradise and eternal beauty, Persian gardens create a luxurious and opulent setting, making the wedding feel like a celebration in a royal garden. But reflecting the gardens of paradise described in the Quran, Islamic gardens promote spiritual reflection and a sense of eternal harmony, adding profound depth to the wedding ceremony.

When choosing garden wedding flowers, you can also consider their symbolism. Each type of flower carries its own meaning, such as roses for love, lilies for purity, and lotuses for spiritual enlightenment. Choose a garden with desired flowers or incorporate them in garden wedding decorations. In gardens, many other elements beyond flowers add to the ambience and symbolism of the venue. The presence of majestic trees like oaks and willows can symbolize strength, endurance, and the deep roots of family and heritage. While fountains, ponds, and streams symbolize life, purity, and the continuous flow of time, adding a dynamic and soothing element to the wedding environment.

Garden wedding planning guidelines

An outdoor wedding provides enjoyment for all senses – there are sounds, scents and beautiful views of the flowers and greenery. The environment is so rich that there is no need for extensive decorations. Additionally, the elements of changing seasons can add unique and beautiful touches to your wedding, whether blooming flowers in spring or colourful foliage in autumn. Not to mention, the natural light and picturesque scenery provide excellent opportunities for beautiful wedding photographs.

Speaking of the practical advantages of a garden wedding, outdoor venues often offer more space for guests to move around, dance, and participate in various activities, and you have the flexibility to arrange and customize the space to fit your wedding theme and vision.

When planning a garden wedding, it is crucial to choose a date with favourable weather conditions and have a contingency plan, such as renting tents or having an indoor space available in case of rain or extreme weather. Speaking of practicalities, check if you need permits for hosting an event at the chosen location and ensure that your vendors are equipped to handle an outdoor setting and coordinate logistics for setup and breakdown. Choosing a catering service experienced in outdoor events is especially important. Ensure they have the necessary equipment and facilities.

Speaking of guest comfort, provide comfortable seating for the ceremony and reception and offer shaded areas with tents or umbrellas to protect guests from the sun or provide blankets or heaters if it might be chilly. Inform the guests in advance so that they can dress accordingly. Ensure you have a reliable sound system that can handle outdoor acoustics and any potential wind interference so that everyone can be included and follow the events of the celebration.

As mentioned before, natural settings don’t require extensive décor. Thus, use the natural beauty of the setting to your advantage and complement it with décor to highlight the focal areas. However, plan for additional lighting for evening weddings, such as string lights, lanterns, or torches, as it is not only practical but also creates a magical ambience.

Elegant outdoor wedding decorations

While the lush greenery and flowers provide a stunning backdrop, thoughtful outdoor wedding decorations can personalize the space and highlight areas like the ceremony space, reception, dining, and dance floor, creating focal points and guiding guests’ attention to key moments and locations.

You can prepare welcome signs, directional signs, and personalized messages to guide guests and set the tone. Additionally, decorate the entrance with floral arches, garlands, or draped fabrics. For a garden wedding ceremony décor, create a focal point with an arch, arbour, or gazebo adorned with flowers, greenery, and fabric drapes. You can also use a decorated tree as a natural backdrop. Enhance the ceremony space with chair decorations such as floral arrangements, ribbons, or personalized signs. For a fairytale atmosphere, use an aisle runner made of fabric, petals, or natural materials like burlap.

To decorate a garden wedding reception, use floral arrangements, candles, lanterns, or rustic elements like wooden slices or vintage books as table centrepieces. Mix and match heights and textures for visual interest. In outdoor areas, you often have more space to experiment with unique table settings. To enhance the reception area, incorporate overhead décor like string lights, fairy lights, chandeliers, or hanging lanterns that create a magical ambience.

Consider draping fabric or greenery from trees or structures. To enhance guest navigation through the venue, display signs for the bar, guest book, gift table, and seating chart. Use chalkboards, wooden signs, or mirrors for a personalized touch. Highlight the areas with a beautiful backdrop and floral arrangements, and consider a canopy or arch to frame these areas. For guest comfort, create cosy lounge areas with outdoor sofas, rugs, and cushions.

To create focal areas, remember that effective use of lighting, such as spotlights in the ceremony area or twinkling lights over the reception space, naturally draws attention. You can also use bold or contrasting colours in your decorations to make key areas stand out. For example, vibrant flowers or table settings can draw eyes to the dining area. In a lush green garden, white or monochrome decorations can create striking contrasts. Moreover, a mix of different textures and layers, such as combining delicate lace with rustic wood or soft fabrics with metallic accents, and decorations of varying heights, such as tall floral arrangements mixed with low candles, create visual interest.

Find your garden wedding inspiration

Finding your garden wedding inspiration can be as simple as stepping into nature and observing the natural beauty that surrounds you. Consider the types of flowers you find most enchanting, the colour palettes that nature itself has paired together, or the serene feelings evoked by a particular landscape. Look through garden and bridal magazines, explore Pinterest for outdoor wedding ideas, and visit local gardens to see what speaks to your heart. Whether the rustic charm of a wildflower meadow, the elegance of a manicured French garden, or the whimsical allure of a woodland retreat, let the beauty of nature guide your vision.

Garden wedding themes

An elegant garden wedding is sophisticated and refined, incorporating classic elements with modern touches. It emphasizes elegance, luxury, and meticulous details. For a colour palette, choose soft pastels, whites, golds, and metallic accents, but, as for florals, opt for lavish arrangements of roses, peonies, and hydrangeas. Use tall vases and elegant centrepieces. Elevate table settings with fine china, crystal glassware, and silver cutlery. Use silk tablecloths and elegant runners.

An intimate garden wedding focuses on a cosy, personal, and heartfelt celebration with a smaller guest list. It emphasizes personal touches and a relaxed atmosphere. Choose decors in warm neutrals, blush, sage green, and soft blues. Enhance the intimate atmosphere with small, romantic bouquets of wildflowers, baby’s breath, and roses. For table settings, use simple, elegant tableware with personal touches like handwritten place cards and small favours.

A rustic garden wedding incorporates natural elements, earthy tones, and a charmingly rugged aesthetic. It often features DIY decor and a relaxed vibe. Earthy tones like browns, greens, and burnt orange go very well with the rustic theme. As for decorations, choose wildflowers, sunflowers, and greenery in mason jars or wooden crates, along with wooden benches or mismatched vintage chairs.

A vintage garden wedding embraces nostalgic elements, antique decor, and a timeless, romantic feel. For a colour palette, opt for soft pastels, ivory, and sepia tones. Roses, lavender, and daisies in antique vases or teapots will go perfectly with the vintage theme. For the table setting, lace tablecloths, antique dishware, and vintage glassware will look charming in a vintage garden setting.

A spring garden wedding highlights the fresh, vibrant colours and blossoms of the spring season, creating a lively and joyful atmosphere. Bright and pastel colours like pinks, yellows, lavender and mint, along with tulip, daffodil, cherry blossom, and lilac floral arrangements, will highlight the spring theme. A summer garden wedding captures the vibrant, sunny, and warm spirit of the summer season, often incorporating bright colours. Summer is the right time to choose bold colours like bright pink, coral, turquoise, and gold. Take advantage of the many seasonal flowers available, like sunflowers, roses, peonies, and tropical flowers.

A bohemian garden wedding embraces a free-spirited, eclectic style with a mix of natural and artistic elements. Rich, earthy tones like burgundy, mustard, deep greens, and turquoise suit this theme. For decorations, consider wildflowers, pampas grass, succulents, and macramé details. For the ultimate bohemian atmosphere, choose floor seating with rugs and cushions or mismatched vintage chairs and wooden tables with lace runners, boho-chic plates, and candles in glass holders.

A tropical garden wedding embraces vibrant colours, exotic flowers, and a relaxed, island-inspired vibe. This theme is perfect for a destination wedding. To achieve a beach garden wedding aesthetics, choose bright colours fuchsia, orange, teal, and lime green and have hibiscus, orchids, palm leaves, and bird of paradise flowers. For seating, bamboo or wicker furniture with colourful cushions will match the tropical theme perfectly.

A Mediterranean garden wedding features warm colours, rustic charm, and a relaxed yet elegant ambience. To achieve Mediterranean aesthetics, choose warm earth tones, blues, and whites. For floral arrangements, have olive branches, lavender, citrus fruits, and sunflowers. Embrace the cordial atmosphere with long wooden tables, terracotta pots, and ceramic plates.

A modern minimalist garden wedding focuses on simplicity, clean lines, and a sleek, contemporary aesthetic. To achieve a contemporary look, opt for neutral tones like white, black, grey, and metallic accents. Choose simple, monochromatic arrangements with greenery, along with modern, minimalist chairs and simple tableware with minimalistic centrepieces.

The many possibilities for garden wedding venues

Choosing a garden wedding venue involves several key considerations like access to transportation and accommodation, as well as the availability of a parking space or transportation options for guests. When selecting the garden wedding venue, make sure the venue can comfortably accommodate your expected number of guests and evaluate if there is enough space for both the ceremony and reception, including areas for dining, dancing, and other activities.

To ensure your celebration goes smoothly, check if there are any time restrictions for events, especially for noise levels and limitations on decorations, such as the use of candles or confetti. Also, the availability of amenities is crucial for choosing the garden wedding venue.

Types of garden wedding venues

Private estates provide an intimate atmosphere for your wedding and allow for personalized decorations and setups. They are perfect for organizing a backyard wedding. This type of wedding can offer a unique, relaxed, and personalized atmosphere that is often difficult to achieve at more traditional venues.

Botanical gardens offer diverse plant collections and beautifully manicured landscapes, and the variety of plants ensures the garden looks beautiful year-round. They are perfect for a wedding ceremony and photoshoot.

Public parks are typically more affordable, compared to other venues and are usually easy to access. While not being completely private, they offer open spaces with lush greenery and picturesque views of the park and city.

Hotel gardens are a convenient choice as they offer on-site accommodation and facilities for guests, as well as professional staff.

Historic villas and gardens add a sense of history and grandeur to the event. They offer a private, intimate setting and are perfect for a majestic celebration.

Vineyards and wineries provide rolling hills and scenic vistas. Also, guests can enjoy local wines, enhancing the culinary experience. Depending on the chosen wedding destination, you can also consider having a wedding in an olive groove or a citrus orchard.

Urban rooftop gardens offer a blend of greenery and urban skyline. They are perfect for contemporary and stylish weddings.

Celebrate a wedding in your private paradise

It’s clear that choosing to host your special day in a garden setting is akin to celebrating in your very own private paradise. Garden weddings naturally fuse the grandeur of nature with personal, intimate touches that make a wedding not just a ceremony but a celebration of shared love and a new beginning in a setting that feels like a secluded part of the world.

Author: Renāte Berga

Photographers: Stefano Santucci, Bertie Watson Photography,  Kurt Boomer

Wedding planners: Sara Tusset, My Lake Como Wedding, Simona Parisi Brilliant Wedding , Barcelona Wedding