This Gorgeous Greenhouse Wedding Was A Coastal California Dream

Prepare to totally fall for the ocean views and lovely blooms of Gillian + Clark’s beautiful Bay Area wedding.

“We didn’t want a big traditional wedding,” says the couple, “but knew we wanted something that still felt special for us and our guests.” That meant finding a venue that could feel intimate and breathtaking at the same time. And since bride Gillian is a photographer, she had an artistic eye on all the reasons that Shelldance Gardens—an orchid nursery just south of San Francisco—would make the perfect spot for them to tie the knot.

“Being a photographer myself the photos and overall ambiance felt really important,” says Gillian. “The location of a greenhouse offered nice diffused lighting and lots of beautiful greenery that I knew would make for great photos. It helped that it was located right along the coast also because a beach wedding would probably have been our next choice.”

Together with Hand + Heart Weddings & Events, the couple created a beyond-romantic day with an effortless Californian elegance. There was a cliffside ceremony with an eclectic, bohemian feel that overlooked the Pacific. There was a greenhouse dinner reception full of glorious, mossy greenery. And thanks to Gillian’s photography-based planning perspective and Ashley Carlascio, who was there behind the lens capturing it all, the whole thing was absolutely picture perfect. 

Let’s take a look!

So in love with the timelessness of Gillian’s gorgeous baguette cut engagement ring.

A Moment Alone

Our Favorite Memory
The first look was really special just because we were able to be fully present with each other before seeing everybody. That and sitting at dinner thinking “holy crap!” this is really happening. We were blown away at how pretty everything looked and how everyone we cared about was there to support us, we just really felt the love and wanted to soak it all in.

A Coastal Ceremony

“We had been to Shelldance years before and we felt like you get the best of both worlds being perched up on a cliff with awesome plants and overlooking the ocean,” says Gillian. “I dreamed of having vintage rugs, rustic mismatched chairs and pretty florals all with a beachy coastal feel.”

Rae + Rose Floral Co. was behind the celebration’s organic-yet-elevated floral creations. Totally obsessed with the way they filled the arrangements with greenery + texture native to the beachside setting.

That mismatched ceremony seating really did so much to create the eclectic + effortless vibe.

How sweet are these matching embroidered sage green flower girl dresses!

Loving the silhouette of Gillian’s lace bodice wedding dress as much as we are? Check out our list of the best long sleeve wedding dresses!

“Clark is an avid surfer and spends many of his days surfing at Rockaway Beach, just down the road from the orchid garden,” says the Hand + Heart team. “The view from their ceremony was a direct, unobstructed view of Rockaway Beach, a nod to Clark’s favorite past time.”

Our Musical Choices
Processional
“Harvest Moon” by "Neil Young
Recessional
“Sky Full of Stars” by Coldplay 
First Dance
Didn’t do one!

Dreamy Post-Ceremony Portraits

Stella Stevens Hair Design created Gillian’s brilliant half-up half-down hairstyle, which paired perfectly with her timeless makeup look from Makeup by Adelle.

Loving the idea of a lush + flower-filled wedding like Gillian + Clark’s? Explore our collection of the coolest greenhouses to get married in!

“It was important for Gillian and Clark to keep their wedding small and intimate, not only because their venue was quite small, but because they wanted to spend time with each and every one of their guests,” remembers the Hand + Heart team. “To them, their wedding was about celebrating with their closest friends and family, and making the most of the time they had with them.”

Loving Clark’s boutonniere and all the unique blooms that added so much character to the day’s florals! “We wanted to pay homage the fact that we were at an orchid nursery,” says the couple, “so we made sure to have different types of orchids too.”

A Greenhouse Reception

Very into the classic, feminine look of Gillian’s pale pink wedding nails!

What makes a celebratory glass of bubbly even better? Edible flowers, of course! Moonraker was on had creating beautiful wedding cocktails like these for Gillian + Clark’s guests all evening.

Rentals from borrowed BLU, Abbey Party Rentals, Found Rental Co. created a modern, organic, and refined setup that fit easily into the dreamy vibes of the greenhouse.

“Though we’re not typically huge on color we really want things to pop especially with all of the greenery in the background so we went with reception florals that were shades of oranges, yellows and pinks,” say Gillian + Clark. “It felt summer-y and tropical which is what we wanted, but not too cliche.”

Foxtail Catering & Events was behind the unforgettable reception feast that Gillian, Clark, and their guests enjoyed.

Each place setting was decked out with gold flatware, dusty blue crinkled cotton napkins, and personalize menus created by Gold Dust Designs.

Gillian + Clark put their own spin on the usual reception timeline by moving the celebration to a second location: “We kept things simple by skipping a dance floor and just doing the ceremony, cocktail hour and dinner followed by cake and drinks at a restaurant down the street.”

“We really don’t like all of the attention on us so this flow felt like something we were comfortable with – we knew we would enjoy ourselves – and that felt the most authentic to us,” says the couple. “That being said we really wanted to hone in on the little details to make our guests feel special like having a nice welcome drink and beautiful food and table presentation.”

Our Advice
Really do what feels right to you! Everyone will always have an opinion but at the end of the day everyone is there for you and wants to see you be happy and that’s all that matters. Also, if you can hire a wedding planner even if it’s just for help the day of. There are so many little details that can feel overwhelming so having a planner who can really take the lead will make the whole process feel way less stressful and help you to really enjoy the day.

Some final wisdom that Gillian + Clark: “The day goes by so fast! Try to take a step back and really take it all in. The next morning we woke up wanting to re-live it all again.”

Congratulations, Gillian + Clark! Your coastal California wedding day was an effortless, elegant dream! GWS wishes you both all the best!