PHOTOS: Gown, Venue, Bridesmaid Dress, Flower and Cake IDeas For a Philadelphia Garden Party Wedding


PHOTOS: Gown, Venue, Bridesmaid Dress, Flower and Cake IDeas For a Philadelphia Garden Party Wedding

Below, find ideas for a gorgeous garden party wedding in the Philadelphia area.

Not that we think you should put your wedding in a box, of course. But chances are you at least have a feeling when it comes to your Big Day: Will it be a swanky formal affair in a candlelit room with a marble rotunda? An airy soiree where your guests sip cool drinks from mason jars with fields of wildflower-dotted wheat in the background and cotton-candy clouds overhead? Whatever your vision for your wedding day, we’re here to help you plan it. In the following pages, you’ll find ideas for five different types of weddings—not just for gorgeous venues in the Philadelphia area, but for your flowers, gown, cake and bridesmaids’ dresses, all from local vendors and shops. Just find the one that feels like you, and you’re on your way.

{This article originally appeared in the Spring/Summer 2013 issue of Philadelphia Wedding.}

Click here for PART ONE: City Ballroom.

PART TWO: Garden Party

Frilly and feminine and pretty in pink …

 

Be perfectly girly with a ladylike twist. Legends by Romona Keveza off-the-shoulder gown made of re-embroidered lace, with a flowing circle skirt with chapel train made of French net, $3,500, and beaded gardenia belt, $750, at Bijou Bridal, Ardmore. PARIS by Debra Moreland Peacock Alley leather and crystal flower hair ornaments, $344 for a set of three at the Wedding Shoppe, Wayne. Annette Ferdinandsen mammoth ivory flower petal earrings with keshi pearls, $800 at Egan Day, Philadelphia.

 

From dreamy fabrics to feminine silhouettes, romance is the word of the day. From left: Peter Langner Waking Up gown with a cotton macramé bodice, illusion tulle neckline and full organza skirt, $7,900, and Jim Hjelm Occasions blush chiffon A-line bridesmaid gown with draped one-shoulder neckline, natural waist and flower detail, $280, both at the Wedding Shoppe, Wayne. WHITE by Vera Wang bobbin net dress with illusion neckline, ruched bodice and asymmetrically draped bubble skirt (dress comes with black taffeta sash; stylist’s own green ribbon sash shown), $168 at David’s Bridal, multiple locations.

 

The flowers you carry should be as bright and cheery as the day you say “I do.” Bouquet of ‘Upstar’ tulips,  ‘Aphrodite’ garden roses, ‘Sweet- heart’ stock, pink spray roses, ‘Skyline’ ranunculus, lisianthus, freesia, phlox, bouvardia and snowberry, around $350, created by TableArt, Wayne.

 

Pomander of pink pompon dahlias, freesia and ‘Carmine’ gomphrena, around $200, created by TableArt, Wayne.

 

Boutonniere of pink pompon dahlias, snowberry and ‘Carmine’ gomphrena, around $25, created by TableArt, Wayne.

 

Originally part of a land grant from William Penn, today Appleford is maintained as a 24-acre arboretum and bird sanctuary on the Main Line. The building itself can hold a cocktail reception for up to 140 people—but the real draw here is the lush, sprawling gardens. The terrace, just off the house, has a customized tent permanently erected between April and November and can accommodate up to 200 for a celebration, while the nearby walled Perennial Garden can fit up to 110. The bordering Rose Garden, which features a lily pond and an iron arbor, can host smaller weddings. The Woodland Garden is ideal for ceremonies, with its small waterfalls, ponds, and shade from the Norway pine, weeping willow and oak trees. Appleford has a list of caterers to choose from, as well as approved entertainers for music.

 

Bartram’s Garden sits on a portion of land that was settled in 1648 by the Swedish, from whom famous naturalist John Bartram purchased 102 acres in 1728. He gradually gathered the most varied collection of North American plants in the world and published the first-ever nursery catalog in the United States, and today, the John Bartram Association works to inspire people to explore and care for nature and plants. You can hold your wedding for up to 60 with a seated dinner in the Coach House, in the old Bartram Barn for a cocktail reception of 40, or in the Courtyard for up to 200 guests. (A tent is required for outdoor celebrations with more than 80 guests.) During the ceremony and cocktail hour, you also have access to the 45-acre Common Flower Garden. The venue has an approved list of both caterers and tent rental companies to choose from.

 

Once the Morris family purchased the property in 1817, the circa-1787 main building of the Morris House Hotel was used by men such as Thomas Edison and Thomas Jefferson for events and meetings. After seven generations, the Morris family sold it, and today it’s a restored hotel with a restaurant, library, and 4,800-square-foot court- yard garden (pictured), all available for weddings. The garden fits 120 for a sit-down dinner or 200 for a buffet and cocktails (a tent can be erected for weatherproofing) and is catered by the hotel’s M Restaurant, though cakes can be brought in from outside bakers.

 

The only problem with a beautiful confection is that it seems too pretty to eat. Peach orange blush pound cake with hazelnut praline filling, iced in buttercream and accented with fondant ribbons and gum-paste flowers, $7 per person (or $1,400 for a 200-person wedding), created by Bredenbeck’s Bakery, Chestnut Hill. Ceramic slab from artist Jason Green; price upon request through Styled Creative, Philadelphia.

Styling by Lauren Kozakiewicz Hair and makeup by Dora Salgado. Model: Lauren Bedford/Ford Models. Assistant Styling by Avery Osborne. Cake Styling by Styled Creative.

RELATED: PHOTOS: Gown, Venue, Bridesmaid Dress, Flower and Cake Ideas For a Philadelphia Garden Party Wedding

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