Hidden Garden Wedding

Simplicity and nature go hand in hand. A bouquet of varying shades of pink, pretty macarons in a cute dessert set up, and of course, a beautiful bride ready for her big day.

This is a fun photo shoot; take the ideas that suit you and add them to your special wedding ceremony!

What to Look for in a Venue for a Hidden Garden Wedding

When you’re looking for your dream hidden garden wedding venue, the key is in the theme title. You’re going to want to find a wedding venue that is full of beautiful foliage and flowers that bring to mind a secret garden paradise that you can get lost in.

Wedding venues that you might want to consider include conservatories, walled gardens that are on the grounds of stately homes or hotels, wildflower meadows and more. There are a lot of options depending on how tropical you want your flowers to be and the location that you want to be in. The more foliage, the better!

Colour Palettes for a Hidden Garden Wedding

Fundamentally, when you’re trying to work out your colour palette for a hidden garden wedding, you’re going to be leading with green. If you only choose one colour, however, your wedding theme might feel a little bit flat and one dimensional. Make sure to use different shades and tones of green to bring depth and points of interest.

Depending on the type of hidden garden that you’re working with, you’ll also be able to bring in different colours and textures from the floral elements. Choose pops of colour and shapes that will help adorn the space in a natural and cohesive way, rather than bringing lots of external colour in.

Budget for a Hidden Garden Wedding

Really, if you’re centring your wedding around flowers and foliage it can get pretty expensive, pretty quickly. Anyone who’s been to a florist can tell you that fresh flowers and plants are pricey. The way around this is to find a venue that’s already filled with flowers and will be looked after by gardeners up to your big day.

This might mean that your initial wedding venue costs might be more, but it means that you’ll be saving your budget on flowers, decorations, and detailing. It’ll all equal itself out in the end, but it’ll also save you the stress of having to coordinate and organise it all!

Wedding Dresses & Accessories for a Hidden Garden Wedding

There is something really romantic and fun about a hidden garden wedding theme. The secret nature of the venue makes the whole affair seem more intimate and mischievous. With this in mind, you’re going to want a dress that’s fun and romantic. Floaty dresses that bring a bit of whimsy are a good place to start.

The movement of these kinds of dresses also has a natural kind of flow that mimics the natural surroundings that you find yourself in. Bring in those romantic details with lace flowers or foliage on your dress or in your accessories. Not only is it cute and softening, but it also ties everything together.

Bridesmaid Dresses for a Hidden Garden Wedding

As with the bridal look, the bridesmaid dresses need to have that natural flow and romantic whimsy to them. What you don’t want to do is make a beeline for the green dresses. With so much green in the decor and wedding venue, your bridesmaids will just blend into the background.

Instead either go with a completely different shade of green – either much lighter or much darker – or pick out one of the colours in the flowers themselves. This might be a light pink or purple, a sunflower yellow, baby blue from baby’s breath. There are a lot of options depending on your garden style.

Menswear for a Hidden Garden Wedding

If you’re having your hidden garden wedding in a conservatory or greenhouse, it’s going to be super warm and humid. With that being the case, there is no way that you want your groom sweating it out in a three piece suit. However, if you’re in a walled garden where it’s cooler, you can afford the extra layers.

It’s all a case of how formal you want your wedding to be. If you want a secret, more elopement kind of vibe, then your menswear look needs to be less formal than if you want a bigger, garden wonderland atmosphere for your wedding.

Bouquets & Boutonnieres for a Hidden Garden Wedding

With a wedding theme that pretty much solely revolves around plants and nature, it can be difficult to bring external flowers and floral arrangements into the scene and make it look cohesive.

If you do have a specific floral colour palette or vibe that you’re looking to bring to your wedding, it’s best that you find a wedding venue that already has these flowers or are sympathetic to them. If you speak to the landscapers at the wedding venue they’ll be able to advise, as there might be some flowers you can’t bring in for cross contamination purposes.

Wedding Photo Shoot Ideas for a Hidden Garden Wedding

With such a beautiful, natural backdrop, you’ve got the perfect stage set for some truly gorgeous wedding photos. Whether you’re planning solo shots, couple shots, or group images, there are a lot of things that you can do with this theme.

Depending on how muddy or how soft the soil is, you might want to get lower to the ground so it looks like you and your new spouse are surrounded by nature. If you’re in a walled garden, perhaps find a secluded corner for an intimate moment that looks romantic, without being overly staged. The key is to balance structured shots with candids.

Wedding Invitations for a Hidden Garden Wedding

For your wedding invitations, you’re going to want to subtly let your guests know what to expect from your big day. As well as detailing the logistics of your wedding, the invitation is where the theme should begin, giving guests a subtle hint of what’s to come.

Take inspiration from the botanical prints made popular in the regency and Victorian era. This way you have some beautifully illustrated graphics that are both romantic and related to your overall garden theme. Also, be sure to mention the level of foliage so that any guests can be sure to take hayfever medication before they arrive. No one wants to sneeze throughout the vows!

Wedding Cake Ideas for a Hidden Garden Wedding

With such a florally inspired wedding theme, it may be a good idea to tie the flavors of springtime into your wedding cake. Deliciously fresh tastes of lemon and elderflower will help your entire wedding become a multisensory experience, capturing taste, smell, sight and touch.

In terms of design, you might find that you want to go fairly minimalist. After all, there is quite a maximalist approach everywhere else in your wedding with the overflowing foliage. Opt for a plain white tiered cake and decorate them with lightly coloured macarons for some delicate and romantic whimsy. It’s all about balance.

Hidden garden bridal inspiration

There are so many delightful details in this hidden garden bridal session editorial shoot Maru Photography. Confetti pops, macarons, and an oversized balloon with tassels – there is plenty to inspire!

Bridal sessions are such fun, especially with an array of sweets and props to bring it all to life. Every detail in this bridal portrait inspiration shoot is so cute. The cookies, the confetti, the bride’s flawless hair and makeup – and of course those blooms! I love the little charm on the bridal bouquet; it’s a thoughtful detail to commemorate a mother or grandmother and include them, whether they can be there or not, in your bridal session.

Credits: Photography: Maru Photography // Makeup, Hair and Wardrobe Styling: Red Carpet Ready by Christina // Décor & Styling: A Day To Remember Weddings & Events // Floral Design & Styling: Celsia Floral // Cake & Sweets: Cake by Nicole Mceachnie // Paper Goods: Bean Cards & Stationary // Furniture: Spruce Collective // Bridal Gown: Isabelle’s Bridal // Hair Adornments: Powder Blue Bijoux // Bouquet Pendant: Whisper Jewels // Model: Jessica Fader // Videography: Premier Love Videography // Balloon & Confetti: Confetti & Co. // Location: Hycroft Manor in Vancouver, BC.