Working with my beautiful clients, Natalie and Jeremy, and wedding planner Erica España Lakin of Twine Events, we came up with a vision for their wedding day that centered around the feeling of being in a lush, fragrant flower garden. It would be romantic and beautiful while also feeling relaxed and effortless. Their wedding was being held at The Beverly Hills Hotel, so the trick was creating this organic flower garden experience for the reception, INSIDE the hotel’s ballroom.

With some purposeful design, creative touches, and of course, gorgeous florals, we produced a stunning celebration that delighted everyone in attendance from beginning to end. Here are a few of the ways we approached this wedding’s design in order to create the feeling of a flower garden indoors:

1. We incorporated botanical details throughout the event, not only in the floral arrangements. There were emerald vines on the dinner and salad plates, delicate floral watercolor illustrations on the bars as well as on the menus, seating cards, table numbers and other stationery, and even the dining chairs chosen had organic details in their design.

2. We enveloped the guests in a garden environment by decorating the space vertically and not just at table-top level. We used tall tree centerpieces decorated with floating single blooms for a whimsical, enchanted garden effect. We also welcomed guests to the reception with two much taller trees flanking the entrance to the ballroom.

Event Design Tip: always think through the guest’s experience from their point of view as they move through the event - what will they see, smell and feel as they arrive at each stage of the day? The first impression at each new point in the celebration will make a big impact on their experience!

3. We kept the floral arrangements loose and organic, like they had just been cut from a garden. I designed centerpieces that were overflowing with fresh garden flowers like cosmos, poppies, garden roses, spray roses, and tulips. Instead of trying to tame each stem into a controlled shape, we let them take their wild, curving, abundant form so that their natural beauty could speak for itself.

4. We used lighting that added dimension and atmosphere. The ballroom at The Beverly Hills Hotel already has a stunning floral chandelier in the center of the room, so we added to it with small accent lighting. We kept the overall light level low and romantic, and added flickering candlelight from small hanging votives and clear candelabras on the tables, plus warm up-lights along the walls around the perimeter of the room.