Just as our gardens are full of peonies, irises and roses, we thought this was the perfect time to share this charming nursery wedding with you – filled with flora and atmosphere for a good time.
She did not want sand at her wedding (too sweet) Lindsey used her romantic proposal as an opportunity for an engagement by the sea. As soon as Deven said yes, the couple set to work to find the perfect place for the “I do” and ended up at Barrels & Branches, a garden nursery – although not used to weddings – perfect for their flower-filled wedding.
As the practical girl that I am, I’m all for the idea of finding a place that doesn’t need too much decoration and a crib, that’s just it! Full of greenery, cacti and flowers, Deven and Lindsey could focus more on the aspects that were most dear to them, such as good food and lots of dancing.
You want our tips on setting and decorating a raw wedding room (ie. no wedding venue)? Here is our expert guide.
Place
After saying yes to Lindsey’s proposal, the first things we had to decide were a date and a place. We wanted something non-traditional that reflected the atmosphere of our life in San Diego, which we found at an Encinitas nursery called Barrels & Branches.
Photography
We wanted a photographer who was really committed to capturing our story and that of our community during our wedding. We liked that Jasmine’s portfolios contain more candid photos than posed, and we had a lot of photos from guests who had as much fun as we did. In particular, there was a picture of the grandmother of a bride watching her granddaughter at the altar, which really left its mark on us. The love and emotion in this photo sealed the deal – we knew Jasmine was the one.
Colors and style
We chose the navy sapphire and gold palette because we liked the idea of a little touch of gold and thought that it would complement the outfits of our bridal parties. Lindsey’s wedding party wore olive shades, and Deven wore a collection of pink and gold shades.
Planning and suppliers
Since our venue was an active nursery, where there were no weddings as the main concert, we had to choose all the sellers – it was a difficult task. One of Deven’s friends suggested our caterer, chef Joann, and it was immediately a perfect fit. She had already done weddings at Barrels & Branches and had many suggestions for wedding coordinators, desserts, DJs, rentals, etc.
Favorite moments
Lindsey’s grandmother officiated our wedding and with her help we wrote our own ceremony. It was more work, but we ended up with a ceremony exactly the way we were supposed to love it. No additional bells and whistles (although we organized a short festive ceremony!), just a chance to say the important things in front of our loved ones.
Advice For other couples
Some tips I would give to other couples are to talk about your budget from the beginning and discuss aspects of marriage that might really interest you. Lindsey was really interested in finding the perfect photographer, so she took the lead and I’m so glad she found Jasmine!
Once you have settled with a provider, use their network as a resource – they are in the industry and often have excellent references. In addition, it makes everything smoother when your suppliers have existing relationships and can work together seamlessly.
Moon
We drove to Napa Valley for a few days and then crossed the coast to spend a few days in Mendocino, California. Everything was relaxing and beautiful – just what we wanted after a couple of hectic days of marital disputes with our families.
At the end of the trip, we spent two nights in San Francisco and rented a Vespa for a day to explore the city. This turned out to be a fun and effective way to get around and could have been the most fun on the whole trip. We highly recommend it!
