Berry and Black Garden Style Wedding

We love the deep rich colours in this inspirational wedding photo shoot. But what stands out the most as incredible and unique? The black wedding cake is sure to inspire!

Black plates add to the decadence and the berry coloured bouquet is the kind of floral display every bride dreams of. Throw in an enchanted garden and the theme is complete. Read on for inspiration.

Details for a Berry and Black Garden Style Wedding

A berry and black garden style wedding is all about creating an intimate, luxurious, romantic experience. From choosing the venue to coordinating the reception décor and tasting decadent cakes, the theme should evoke lush blooms in wine and berry colours with a pop of metallic sparkle for interest and shine. Consider a venue with a private courtyard or lawn so that you and your guests can feel surrounded by your own secret garden.

The berry element also allows you to have a bit of fun with food and beverages – colourful cocktails, wines and cordials, a bright berry-flavoured filling for the cake and even berry-inspired main courses. Black accents such as rich fabrics, lace, table décor and even black roses add an air of mystery, sophistication and interest to everything from the wedding party’s attire to the stationery and favours.

Colour Palette for a Berry and Black Garden Style Wedding

While some may shy away from using rich, saturated colours for a garden wedding, Brittany and Mark’s gorgeous style is an example of how to use them to their greatest benefit. Both the outdoor and indoor spaces are decorated with flowers – central to a garden party theme – in deep hues of red, magenta and black, while sprays of white and green set off the colours beautifully.

The venue itself is fairly neutral, but adds a lot of texture to the palette in the form of warm woods, stone walls and slate-tiled floors. While the colours themselves are dark and moody, the overall wedding colour palette is luxurious, cosy, and bright, thanks to the brilliant use of white and gold accents.

What to Look For in a Venue for a Berry and Black Garden Style Wedding

The location you select for your wedding venue will generally depend on how many guests will be attending and whether you plan to serve a sit-down meal. For a dark, enchanted garden style wedding, consider an outdoor venue if at all possible, especially one that has a garden, courtyard or landscaped lawn with a variety of plants and flowers. If you’ve chosen an indoor venue to accommodate a large number of guests, try to find ways to break up the space for a more intimate feel.|

Brittany and Mark chose a garden venue tucked away in a California hillside – the space gives an air of a mysterious secret garden draped with greenery and full of hidden paths and trellises perfect for wedding photos. The venue also has an attached building with space for dining and dancing – the rustic charm fits perfectly with the theme and adds some needed texture and masculinity.

Wedding Invitations for a Berry and Black Garden Style Wedding

The first impression most of your guests will experience of your special day is tidily tucked into an envelope – the wedding invitation. Whether you choose simple or elaborate, a single card or a seven-piece suite, the wedding invitations are a great way to let your guests know what to expect in terms of theme and formality.

Because the wedding décor itself can be so dramatic, thanks to the use of vibrant-yet-deep colours, the invitations can be simple with just a taste of the ubiquitous flowers. Brittany and Mark chose to keep the invitation design itself subdued, using a simple white card with splashes of red and pink flowers. The look is elegant and classic, but with a modern flair in the abstract flowers.

Ceremony Decor for a Berry and Black Garden Style Wedding

One of the most important aspects of a garden style wedding is the flowers. With a berry and black theme, there is a large variety of options, including roses, dahlias, peonies, carnations and more. Focus on berry shades like dark reds, magenta and deep purple – you can even add some black flowers, such as black roses, for a dramatic effect. A few metallic accents, in this case gold, adds a little sparkle and keeps the dark colours looking luxurious instead of harsh.

There has never been a more fitting place for a beautifully-decorated trellis than a garden style wedding. Whether draped with flowing fabric or coordinating flowers and greenery, a trellis or archway is a beautiful frame for the wedding vows and is the perfect backdrop for stunning wedding photos.

Table Setting Style for a Berry and Black Garden Style Wedding

A beautiful table setting can be as simple or as complicated as you desire, and since florals will play a big role in your overall décor, why not use some to brighten your table? Coordinating flowers in shades of berry, wine and even black add to the richness and coziness of a secret garden party. Contrasted against crisp white linens, the result is a stunning pop of colour set off by a neutral palette.

The elegant floral centrepieces chosen by Brittany and Matt bring the garden into the dining room, and they aren’t lost in the middle of the berry coloured linens. To set the tableware apart, the bride and groom chose both black and white plates and glassware rimmed with shiny gold. The result is a dark, cosy look without being over the top.

Wedding Cake Ideas for a Berry and Black Garden Style Wedding

One of the centrepieces of the wedding reception is an eye-catching wedding cake, and a garden theme with bold colours and sparkling accents begs for something extraordinary. While a pure white cake would look stunning in the midst of dark linens, flowers and fabrics, brides can definitely take this opportunity to think outside of the box.

Brittany and Mark decided to go with a bold cake in the unlikeliest of wedding colours – black. The cake itself is covered with jet-black fondant and accented with edible gold leaf and an array of flowers matching the rest of the reception décor. Because of the emphasis on berries – both colour-wise and in the food and bouquet, you can get away with a rich, decadent filling for the cake, such as blackberry or raspberry preserves, or even go with a rich dark chocolate cake.

Food for a Berry and Black Garden Style Wedding

Whether you choose to offer a sit-down meal, like Brittany and Mark, or simply want to serve hors d’oeuvres and wedding cake, there are endless options for fresh foods and decadent desserts. An array of small bites, such as petit fours, cupcakes, fruits and other individual items served alongside a few salty snacks is perfect for an early afternoon wedding in between standard meal times.

While most people associate berries with desserts, there is a wide selection of main courses and salads that can also incorporate berries, especially into light sauces and dressings. For a dessert-centreed spread, small offerings such as mini cheesecakes with berry topping, tartlets, mousse, fresh fruits and other sweets fit the bill. Brittany and Mark chose to incorporate berries into their cocktail selection, garnishing drinks with blackberries.

Wedding Photo Shoot Ideas for a Berry and Black Garden Style Wedding

A garden style wedding offers endless opportunities for the wedding photo shoot, both formal and informal. The wedding party can take advantage of the natural beauty of their surroundings, as well as architectural elements such as statuary, fountains, trellises and other garden décor. It’s also the perfect place to incorporate pets, doves or other wildlife when needed.

While flowers can appear busy in some cases, Brittany’s simple shots in front of greenery-draped garden walls is an example of how natural elements can make photos pop. The results are stunning and feminine. For more masculine wedding photos, the rustic yet elegant dining venue is a perfect complement to the decorative garden.

Budget for a Berry and Black Garden Style Wedding

The wedding budget for a garden style event depends largely on the season, the venue and the number of guests. If you’re able to secure an outdoor venue and flowers already in bloom, you can budget less for décor and more for essentials like food and beverages for you and your guests. If you have an indoor venue but would still love a lush garden theme, you may need to allocate more funds for flowers, especially if the ones you want are imported or not in season.

If you’re planning a microwedding or a small, intimate affair, you may be able to save some money by booking only a patio venue and hosting the entirety of the event outdoors. This can free up funds for items with more a party feel, such as an open bar, entertainment and food.

Some venues also offer a complete package, providing ceremony and reception space, food, beverages and décor for one price. If you plan to take advantage of a package deal like this, you may earn a few freebies, such as a bridal suite, upgraded meal offerings and more.

Dark Garden Styled Shoot

My oh my is today’s dark garden wedding, editorial from Milou + Olin Photography inspirational! It’s filled with lush details, sultry romance, and it all has a unique twist via a black wedding cake and a two-piece crop-top wedding dress that adds a sense of playfulness and delight.

From Milou + Olin Photography – “This dramatic shoot is full of rich colours and gilded details for the couple who prefers candlelight and romance. Raspberry, black and gold create a feeling of upscale elegance while a garden of delicate blooms keeps the design from feeling too heavy.

Decadent desserts, including a gorgeous black cake with gold-leaf detail, are the perfect addition to this enchanting setting. Our bride was edgy and stylish with a cropped two-piece wedding dress and berry-coloured lips to match her reception!”

From Creative Flow Co. – “An enchanted garden nestled in the beautiful Berkeley hills set the tone for this amazing inspiration shoot. Having a completely brick structure and hidden pathways graced with walls of greenery, this venue screamed mystery. We love the story of the majestic secret garden and all of the stories it holds which is why we took an outside of the box approach when bringing this amazing vision to life. Filled with a vibrant color palette featuring this year’s Pantone Color of the Year, Marsala, we highlighted this wine like hue to the inspire the Bride who wants to go bold on their big day.

We combined different textures like slate, velvet and silk to help accentuate the moody and dark feel. From the beautiful black wedding cake, vibrant blooms and scrumptious desserts to the unique fringe crop top Tara LaTour gown we set a new meaning to romance in the garden.”

Credits: Photography: Milou + Olin Photography // Makeup: Cimberly D Artistry // Design & Styling: Creative Flow Co. // Floral Design: Tango & Foxtrot // Cake: Pretty Please Bakehshop // Desserts: Lovely and Sweet Events // Lighting: Event Magic // Paper Goods: Forever Heyday // Rentals: Standard Party Rentals // Wedding Dress: Kinsley James Couture Bridal // Linens: Napa Valley Linens // Venue: Panoramic Hills, California.