Botanical Garden Wedding by Hay Alexandra Photography

I love a dashing groom in a uniform and a stunning bride in a breathtaking gown surrounded by lovely bridesmaids in pink dresses!What was the inspiration for your wedding decor? I just went with my favorite colors. I knew I wanted a botanical garden wedding, so my centerpieces were simply to accent the beauty of the atrium itself.

Everything in my wedding was DIY, and honestly (advice wise) that’s not always the best avenue to take. Sometimes pinching the pennies is worth it, but the hours you put into making everything can be quite overwhelming. If you DIY, have it all done weeks in advance. For me, since my wedding was out of state, I was squished to 10 days before the wedding to get everything done.

Can you tell us about your wedding planning? I did most of the planning by myself over the course of a year and a half. I would get opinions from my bridesmaids and my mom, but I had the final say on everything.

Any advice? Realize sooner rather than later that the wedding is more about your guests than yourself. The ceremony is you and your husband, and you should rejoice in your love. The reception, on the other hand, is all about your guests: running around all night greeting everyone. You have to make sure there is enough food and drink. Thanking your guest for coming is a must and so is introducing yourself and my husband to new family members and friends you have not met before. Make sure to take a moment for yourself, one with your parents, your husband, and your MOH. They all know you the best, and you deserve some of your own fun, too. You just planned a wedding. Enjoy it to the fullest. Photographer: hay alexandra photography | Makeup Artist:Andrea Nicol | Hair Stylist: Andrea Nicol | Dress Store: David’s Bridal | Cake Designer: Edibles Incredible Desserts | DJ:Entertainment With Class | Hair Stylist: Katherine Leon | Officiant: Sandi Evans Rogers | Reception Venue: The Atrium at Meadowlark Botanical Gardens | Submitted via Two Bright Lights