Some of our favorite weddings never leave home. This one was held in a backyard in Cambridge, under an oak tree big enough to shade the whole wedding party at once, and the whole day had the ease that only comes from getting married somewhere that already means something to you.
Airelle and Javon wanted white and green, clean and full, with the color coming from the powder blue their bridesmaids were wearing rather than from the flowers themselves. It's a restrained direction and it takes more from the field than people expect, because when you take color out of the equation, everything rests on shape and texture instead. We leaned on white and a lot of soft greenery to keep it from reading stiff.
Bouquets built to read against powder blue
That's really the whole design problem in a bridal party this size, and it's a nice one to solve. White flowers photograph beautifully against pale blue, but only if there's enough contrast in the greenery to hold an edge, otherwise everything goes soft and the bouquets disappear into the dresses. We built these with plenty of movement, a mix of leaf shapes, and blooms in a few different scales so each one still had structure from across the yard.
A ring of blooms behind the sweetheart table
The circular arch was our favorite piece to install. We kept the flowers asymmetrical, clustered low on one side and reaching up along the curve, so the shape stayed a shape instead of getting buried. Against the light blue linen it framed the couple all evening without taking up any of the room.
Blue napkins, gold frames, and hydrangea on the tables
Inside the tent, the tables carried arrangements of hydrangea and garden blooms in soft pinks and lavender, warmer than the bouquets on purpose so the reception felt like its own moment rather than a repeat of the ceremony. Family photos in gold frames went out among them, a daisy sat on each napkin at the place settings, and the candlelight did the rest once the sun went down.
These are just the first frames from Tiffany Caldwell Photography, sent over while the full gallery is still being finished. We'll be adding to this post as soon as we have the rest, so check back in a few weeks!
Planning a backyard wedding on the Eastern Shore? Home weddings are some of our favorite work, and they take a little more planning on the floral side than a venue does. Tell us about your day, or take our quiz to see which service fits how you're planning. If you'd rather arrange things yourself, take a look at our DIY wedding flowers.
Vendors
Florals: Winters Farm Florals
Photography: Tiffany Caldwell Photography
