Romantic Garden-Inspired Wedding: Jackie + Keith

flower crown bride

Jackie + Keith’s romantic garden-inspired wedding, held at the iconic Hotel Bel-Air, was so magically unique in so many ways! The hotel is like a hidden garden with long green lawns, a sleepy pond and sprawling bougainvillea everywhere you look. But despite it’s quiet surroundings, you can still very much tell that you’re LA. To build upon an already gorgeous setting, Jackie + Keith brought in just the right amount of whimsy and you can really see bits + pieces of them throughout the design. And since the flowers are the most breathtaking part of this beautiful wedding, I’ll let Jackie share more about them:

Growing up with a garden at home, I wanted lots and lots of flowers, especially peonies. I’ve always been inspired by English gardens and wildflower bouquets for the relaxed and colorful look they provide. I wanted it to feel as though we picked a handful of flowers before walking down the aisle. From the get go, I was deeply moved by jewel tone flowers so I knew I wanted those to be the central color along with wild greens. I’ve also seen several photos of flower crowns and I knew I wanted to have one for the wedding! Rachel and Laurie, at Botany, took my ideas and created a breathtaking crown and disheveled centerpieces…they really helped capture the look of a wild garden in every way.

Big thanks to Adrienne Gunde for sharing these gorgeous images with us today + congrats to Jackie + Keith!

getting ready

dress

red bouquet

flower crown

flower crown bride

bridesmaids


Loving the bridesmaid’s plum-hued lace DVF dresses, which Jackie sourced through Bloomingdales

bouquets

flower crown

bridesmaids

bridesmaids

red boutonniere

groomsmen

ceremony

ceremony

Our Favorite Memory From The Wedding

My favorite moment from the wedding was walking down the aisle towards Keith. Though I saw several faces in the crowd, his was the only one that stood out. The entire day was full of love and laughter!

ceremony

ceremony

Our Musical Choices

Processional: Bridal Party: Fools Rush In – Elvis Presley; Bride: Clair De Lune – Alain Planes

Recessional: Don't Worry Baby – The Beach Boys

First Dance: Moonbeams – Family Band

ceremony

bride and groom

bride and groom

bride and groom

bride and groom

flower crown

bride and groom

bride and groom


I wanted the place to feel magical + intimate — like a forest with faeries + nymphs. To continue with is theme, we had tarot cards with artwork from The Wild Unknown and a set of deer antlers. I also incorporated unicorns from my love of Legend and foxes from our engagement. (As seen in our Fox Groom and Unicorn Bride cake topper, found on Etsy.) The tomato, slate and green place cards were decorated with stamps ranging from sugar skulls, mermaids and sparrows. Most of the crafting I did myself with several trips to Paper Source…

seating cards

reception

table arrangement

chair flower decor

wedding cake


And absolutely loving their sweet wedding video by Joel Vanz!

Our Advice To Those Planning Now

I know it seems impossible, but do not stress. Think day to day. It's hard not to get overwhelmed by future details, but I would just focus on the tasks needed to be completed at the moment. Making a calendar with all your upcoming dates really helps. I think a wedding planner is great when it comes to figuring out the schedule and helping with vendors but try to do as much as you can yourself. It makes the wedding more personal and inviting, the more you do yourself. When it comes to finding a wedding planner, really go for someone who suits your personality and is local to your venue/home. It really helps if your wedding planner knows vendors that are close to you and/or your venue. Also, personality is a big thing. If you're going to spend a lot of time working with her, make sure you two are able to communicate well.

Get a photographer and/or videographer that you love, you'll enjoy having the memories. It's important that you go with a photographer that fits your style from the get-go. If you go with a photographer who shoots "journalistic" type shots and you're into more fashion shots, you're not going to get what you want. They shoot what they offer. Don't forget to snack throughout the big day--it makes a big difference when it comes to hours of photo-taking and socializing with the guests. Lastly, don't point out anything that happens to "go wrong" on the day, just smile and feel loved because at that point, there's nothing you can do. The guests won't know anything is wrong if you don't react to it.

photography: Adrienne Gunde // venue name: Hotel Bel-Air, Los Angeles, California // event design: Kimberly Bradford Event Planning and Design // planning: Kimberly Bradford Event Planning and Design // wedding dress: Vera Wang // bridesmaid dresses: Diane von Furstenberg Lace Dresses // videography: Joel Vanz // florist: Botany // rentals: Classic Party Rentals // cake topper: Melabo Wed // bridesmaid cutouts: First Snowfall

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