Why You Should Create a Design Board for Your Wedding (and How To!)

Are you one of those “visual” people?

So many of my clients come to me saying, “I’m a really visual person and I’m having a hard time picturing the wedding.” And a large part of me wants to say “you don’t need to visualize it; I can, and it’s gooood.” But obviously that is completely unhelpful to you 😝

So what do you do? How can you communicate to your vendors what it is that you want your wedding to look and feel like to make sure you’re all on the same page? 

A mood board, also called a design board, is the perfect tool for you.

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Before we get too far, please know that I don’t expect you have to have a multi-page document outlining every single element of your wedding. That only works for a small segment of the population (I’ve noticed that most of them seem to be teachers!). And to be honest, sometimes those multi-page docs can actually stifle your vendors’ creativity if you’re not leaving any room for our ideas or suggestions (though one of my clients this year created the most incredible multi-page doc to share with vendors as well as her family and wedding party, and it’s essentially everything that a person could need to know about the wedding, including the timeline, contact info, wedding party attire, and so on, along with her design inspo boards!). 

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Instead, I’m going to suggest you create a single page visual reference to get everyone on the same page. Rather than getting nitty gritty, think of this as a high level overview that communicates a few things: 

-colour palette 
-level of formality
-overall vibe and atmosphere you want to create
-descriptive words

I always ask clients, “how do you want the wedding to look and feel?” and they often pull up a few images that show a certain design or they use a few buzz words. That’s not really what I’m asking. 

I want to design BEYOND what you’ve seen on Pinterest, because that wedding was designed for someone else. If you can find a way to communicate how you want to feel while you’re sitting at your own wedding, that’ll go a lot farther in helping your vendors to get to know you and creating something just for you. 

That being said, you’re going to include some images from weddings in your mood board. But take this advice as you do: notice patterns in what you’re drawn to and edit out what no longer is interesting to you! This can be a living document.

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A FEW TIPS:

-Canva is so great for mood boards! This is what I build all my client design boards on. Pinterest also has that new collage/shuffle feature which could be very cool for you.

-Turn off AI generated images on Pinterest. Some of them aren’t bad, but I don’t want you to fall in love with a flower that isn’t real (this is becoming SO much more prevalent) or with the scale of something that literally isn’t possible. 

-Get specific with the wording of your Pinterest search terms. Sometimes I’ll even add in “2025” to it: “outdoor wedding ceremony with pastel flowers 2025” to get something more recent. 

-Look at things other than weddings to inspire you: hotel lobbies or great restaurants are always a go-to for me. Is it art that sparks something in you, or editorial fashion shoots? Locations from your travel bucket list! The dream sunset! These types of images often help to convey the emotions and feelings more than a typical wedding photo.

-Include some colour swatches, knowing that we will likely make additional suggestions for adding depth and visual interest. I also like to talk with my clients about the amounts of each colour that we’ll use — maybe the bulk of the flowers are mauve and lavender, with 15% peach, 10% coral, and 5% chartreuse added in to amp it up.

-I’m a words person, but I generally find it so helpful when people can communicate their style or ideas with a few descriptive words. Often I’ll pull a few threads during our conversations, asking questions to get you there, but if you can have that prepared, that’ll get us where we need to go!

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Here’s an example of a design board I created in Canva, based on the most gorgeous church I saw in Rome, Sant’Ignazio of Loyola. The moment I walked in, I was in awe — and that’s saying something, because obviously we were in Italy and every single building is gorgeous.  

I started with a photo I took of the interior, which inspired the palette of moody blues and greys, with touches of golden caramel and burgundies. I imagined designing this wedding with velvet linens, in a rich, historic style setting. Then, I added a few images of flowers that I knew would work, this gorgeous light fixture that I’m drooling over for my own home, and a few inspiration images that set the ambiance that I would be going for, if this were my wedding.

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once you’ve got your design board, what do you do? 

Share it with your creative vendors AND OPEN YOURSELF to their ideas. Let them have some time to think on how they can add to and further your design, tweak elements that may not be realistic in your venue or within your budget, and ask them for their best advice and creative ideas on how to achieve it. 

Then? Step away. When you’re confident that everyone is on the same page and working together to create something amazing, hand off the reigns to your creative vendors. Let us work our magic. 

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LOOKING FOR A WEDDING FLORAL AND EVENT DESIGNER IN WINNIPEG?

If what you’re looking for is a designer to guide the vision for your wedding, come and ask me any questions you want — I might just be your girl. I offer custom designs, creative and unique design boards that communicate the vision, have countless testimonials that speak to the creative trust the client had in me, and I also just love what I do.

Reach out to check your date!

2026 and 2027 Wedding Flower and Design Trend

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Every year for the last 12 years, I’ve written an annual trends forecasting blog post. I always enjoy it but to be honest, this year I’m not feeling it. Why? Good question.

It might be that the trend cycle seems less interesting to me than ever before. Rather than obsessing over trends, I would love to see you plan a wedding and celebration that is unique, interesting, and fits your vision instead of just replicating another thing you saw online. I’m feeling this way with my personal style, with the renovation I’m planning for my home, even just feeling super tired of Instagram itself.

The best designs are never going to be replicating what we see someone else has done.

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Now here’s the thing: Despite my current disillusionment in all things trends, I nevertheless work in an aesthetics-based segment of the wedding industry. And I LOVE making your weddings beautiful. But here’s a good quote for you: “You can’t please everyone, so please yourself. Trying to make every family member and guest happy can lead to a wedding that doesn’t reflect you two as a couple. Focus on what makes you happy.” In other words: You do you. Make your wedding the greatest it can be, for you.

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Trending Colour Palettes

Blue

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I LOVE blue. Much of my wardrobe is blue. It’s flattering on every skin tone, it can be calming or energizing, and of course, there’s such a huge range of shades. I think we’ll be seeing pastel, baby blues (paired with chrome for a chic feel!) as well as bolder cobalt for couples who aren’t afraid to make a statement.

When it comes to flowers, there really aren’t that many naturally blue flowers, so when blue is a strong component of a colour palette, I often suggest that the planner or couple finds other ways to incorporate it; stationery and linens are excellent places to layer in more blue.

Chartreuse

Wedding pros have been petitioning Pantone to make Chartreuse the colour of the year for a few seasons now, and I think we’ll keep it seeing it play into high end weddings in a major way. It’s a fun way to add a modern flair to a classic white and green palette, but I’d love to do a citrusy palette like Brides and Minted have collaborated on.

Burgundy and Olive

It’s not new, but it’s still going strong. Burgundy and olive green will continue to be a popular choice, and for good reason! It feels very rich and luxurious, and is a natural base for an elevated design. This palette fits really well with velvet textures and over the top drapery, and I think you could easily layer in rich browns, taupes, and magentas to add more depth and visual interest.

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Unconventional Seating Layouts

This one’s quite a lot of fun! We’re seeing unique seating layouts all over Pinterest and Instagram, for both ceremonies and receptions. Below are a few images that caught my eye, but one word of caution: pretty much all of these ideas require either a smaller guest count, or a large amount of space — or both!

To tie back to the beginning of this post, these are all excellent examples of having fun and getting creative. Do something unique, because you like unique — and not just because you’ve seen it on IG.

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An amazing floor plan is like a love language to someone who works in events. A plan that creates visual interest in the room and allows for multiple different design elements, at the same time as allowing for excellent flow, is the absolute dream.

We’re talking differently shaped and sized tables, mixed cocktail and full size tables, introducing interesting seating elements (as long as they’re still comfortable!) and you have got yourself one heck of a good base for your event design. Just also know that you may not be able to count on the standard 8-10 people per table so your numbers will be a bit different!

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Major Ceremony Focal Features with Scaled Back Reception Tables

In my books, this is a great combination: amped up florals and decor at the ceremony, and scaling it back on the guest tables at the reception. Here’s what works about this wedding design trend:

-When you go big in one area, it doesn’t look like you chintzed out in the other area. Meanwhile, if you go kind of medium everywhere and try to spread your budget equally without creating any design focal points, then it does feel like you chintzed out (not that other people’s perceptions of your wedding budget should have much bearing on reality…but keep in mind I’m speaking from a designer’s perspective here).

-I would love to see this as multiple pieces grouped around your ceremony altar, whatever that may be: an arch is always good, but I am seeing more interest in multiple sizes and styles of vases and ground-based floral pieces styled together. Then, we’re seeing long reception tables lined with minimalistic bud vases or petite floral frog arrangements, or round tables with 3x petite floral pieces with candles.

-Ideally, the ceremony focal florals are pieces that can be utilized at the reception (*note, you’ll need to talk this through with your floral designer so that she can plan it all out in advance. We design different pieces in different ways, and we want to make sure it looks phenomenal in each location). So, perhaps those ceremony arrangements become ground-based pieces that find their new home at the front base of each long table.

-Note that we still have a beautiful collection of vases on the guest tables, perhaps featuring interesting vessels themselves, or allowing the florals to have a lot of height and interest.

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Portraits Are Getting a Glow Up

Paris Hilton’s wedding; show a photo of Michael and Melanie backdrop

Very editorial portrait style

Bonus points if this can also be set up as a grown-up alternative to a photo booth. I know I would be THRILLED as a guest if your photographer (or their second shooter) was taking high quality portraits of guests with a gorgeous setup that didn’t include cheesy props.

Michael & Melanie Photography

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Bold Lighting Design

Lighting is taking a major step forward in design priorities this year. "Lighting sets the tone before anything else. Step into a room, and you feel it instantly. It guides the eye, shapes the space, and creates moments that linger. It’s no longer just functional—lighting is part of the décor. Seamless when subtle, bold when dramatic, it elevates the room, the entertainment, and the mood. Every glow and shadow tells a story. We are loving where this has taken our events, and possibilities are endless. The right light doesn’t just illuminate—it transforms. It’s how an event becomes unforgettable.” —Xin Huang of Le Petite Privé

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Silver and Chrome Accents

We’ve been seeing silver and chrome accents trickling into fashion and home design, and slowly but surely making its way into weddings as well. As Junebug reports, “Silver is replacing gold, bronze, and warm metals in wedding fashion and décor. Expect to see silver tableware, silver-accented attire, reflective details, and chrome-adjacent finishes. It feels fresh, cool, and timeless.”

One thing to note, it does take a while for some of these types of design trends to become accessible in our market. It’ll take some time and investment on behalf of rental companies to be able to purchase inventory and get it into circulation. I just brought in some SUPER cute chrome vessels that I’m really excited to style at weddings and events this year!

Image Source - this is the vase collection I purchased!

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So now that I’ve finished this post, I’m finding myself much more interested in thinking about trends than I was when I started — so that’s a good thing! I think all of these ideas can be highly customizable and be pushed to really create something that’s interesting and personalized to your style, your venue, your vibe.

I also thought I’d share my personal 2026 inspiration board!

I always like to start off with a delicious colour palette, and this is actually the palette that I’m focusing on in a branding refresh this year. You’ll be seeing more of this soon :)

I was thinking about what gets me really excited, what leaves me feeling invigorated and refreshed, and that’s always joyful colour, sweet pea, and pansies. I have had so much fun with dahlias the last couple of seasons and when they’re in season, there’s really nothing that beats them.

So, if you’re unsure of what you want, no worries. I KNOW WHAT I WANT and I can just do that for you! I’ve got ideas for every season that I want to accomplish this year.

All images curated from my Pinterest boards.

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looking for a wedding floral designer in winnipeg?

We can design an incredibly beautiful wedding for you, trendy or not.

Flowers are the best way to make a statement at your wedding. Whether you already have a specific vision or want me to dream up something custom just for you, reach out to Stone House Creative for stunning bridal bouquets, truly unique ceremony backdrops, and beautiful floral centrepieces to create the perfect ambiance for your wedding!

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How Much Does A Bridal Bouquet Cost?

Some PRicing Transparency for 2025 Weddings

Photos by Kate Elizabeth Photography

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I remember what it was like to be engaged, attempting to plan an budget for a wedding when I had ABSOLUTELY no idea  what anything could cost. I have a specific memory of sitting at my fiance’s (now husband’s) computer and googling “wedding photographer in Winnipeg”, opening up every single website on the first 5 or so pages of Google, and sending a form submission to every single one. Because NONE of them had any pricing information available (and I only heard back from about 5 of them!).

That was a long time ago, and pricing transparency has definitely improved in the Winnipeg market, but I think that now, more than ever, couples are anxiously seeking pricing information. Since covid, costs on a lot of things have increased and not gone down, and now we get the joys of all this tariff business. All that to say, I understand where you’re coming from and I’m here to give you some insight on wedding flower pricing!

I do need to give the caveat, of course, that flower pricing varies widely — what types of flowers you’re interested, what time of year you’re getting married at (stay clear of Mother’s Day if you’re on a tighter budget!), how many guests you have, how full and lush you want everything, and of course, what your personal priorities are.

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I know the internet loves to talk about “the wedding tax,” which is one of the most annoying myths out there. So, let’s talk about bridal bouquets and what they cost.

There are a few things that florists would love for couples to understand:

1) We’re not trying to rip you off.

2) We’re not interested in taking advantage of you.

3) We really do want you to have a beautiful wedding, but we’re not responsible for paying for your wedding for you.

And at the same time:

1) Flowers are a perishable, luxury item that are flown in from around the world. No one NEEDS flowers to get married.

2) The entire supply chain of the floral industry, from seed to stem, is costly. The amount of labour, of supply cost, of resources that go into growing your wedding flowers (whether they’re grown in Manitoba or elsewhere in the world!) is incredible.

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The voices who parrot the “wedding tax” conversation love to say that they could walk into a flower shop and pick up a grab-and-go bouquet and pay $50 for it, or they could order a bridal bouquet and be charged $350 for it. “That’s a rip-off!” they moan. And you could just walk in and buy that $50 bouquet if it’s what you want and what you can afford.

But there’s a very large difference between those two bouquets.

And if you’re coming to me and asking to order a custom bridal bouquet, then naturally I’m assuming that you’re looking for something far more beautiful and detailed than that $50 grab-and-go bouquet. I assume that you’re wanting premium flowers, carefully arranged by a designer with a certain skill level and knowledge base.

That $50 grab-and-go bouquet literally takes 5 minutes to plan and put together. The $350 bridal bouquet is carefully crafted in around 1 hour, not including all the time that I’ve spent mulling over your colour palette and texture preferences to select the perfect ingredients, order them from multiple farms or wholesalers, and conditioning them carefully so they’re at their absolute peak on your wedding day.

There’s nothing wrong with either of these options — they’re just very different, and therefore have a different price tag associated with them.

One last thing before I really get into the pricing: tariffs. To be honest, I’m still not entirely sure how these are going to impact us in Manitoba. During the summer, most of my product is sourced locally, so that’s great and relatively unimpacted. I do know that most of the foliages that we order come from the US, so those are going to have that annoying 25% addition (don’t believe the lie that greenery is cheaper!), and there are certain things that are popular for weddings that literally ONLY come from the US (like smilax, everyone’s favourite vine), which will sadly just end up being way more cost than it’s worth.

What I don’t quite understand yet it is how the shipping of items from other countries is going to be impacted. For example, most roses come from Ecuador, but they typically ship to Miami before heading up here. Does this mean we’re going to see the additional tariff? Or can the shipping routes be changed to accommodate? I feel like all of Canada should be a large enough market to justify changing a shipping route…but I guess we’ll find out. I think we’re going to see a lot of shifting back and forth over the next few months and just hope that it’s easy enough for us all to understand. You should prepare yourselves to either be flexible with your floral selections, or with your budget.

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How much do you think this bridal bouquet costs?

Bridal Bouquet Ingredients:

Sweet Pea
Pieris
Brownie Tulips
Muscari
And finished with hand dyed silk velvet ribbon from Stella Wolfe

BRIDAL BOUQUET COST: $385

The ingredient selection in this bouquet is minimal — there are just 4 varieties, and I normally include more than that, but I love the elevated feel that simplicity brings. Each of these ingredients is premium and higher priced, as is the Canadian silk velvet ribbon (hand-dyed here in Winnipeg, actually!).

I typically price my bridal bouquets around $350; I usually only increase the price if the client has very specifically asked for premium product or a very large bouquet. To be honest, most of my client bouquets should likely be charged more for, but I generally just make sure that pricing is made up for throughout the rest of the order and it works out just fine that way.

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Additional Wedding Flower Pricing Posts You May Find Helpful:

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(And to note: Stone House Creative is not really more or less expensive than any other established floral designers who specialize in weddings and use the premium quality product that I do. There are definitely companies who charge too little, but that doesn’t mean that I’m charging too much — there’s a big difference between the price tag associated with a company that undercuts or doesn’t charge industry standard markups and a company like mine that is built on solid business practises and isn’t interested in going into the red to pay for other peoples’ weddings.)

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I hope this is so helpful for you! I know that wedding flower budgeting is incredibly unsexy and also very mysterious. It’s not a world that you’re familiar with, and that’s okay. Generally speaking, online resources are completely useless and out of touch with reality, so that doesn’t help you either. That’s what we’re here for :) 

And many thanks to Kate Elizabeth Photography for these beautiful images from the recent portfolio builder I hosted with Vanessa Renae Photography! Much more to come from this beautiful day!

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Getting married in Winnipeg?
Flowers are the best way to make a statement at your wedding. Whether you already have a specific vision or want me to dream up something custom just for you, reach out to us for stunning bridal bouquets, truly unique ceremony backdrops, and beautiful floral centrepieces to create the perfect ambiance for your wedding!

How To Choose Your Wedding Florist

How to Choose Your wedding Florist

Every couple getting married has different priorities. And let’s be straightforward — weddings are typically expensive, and no matter what your budget is, we each care about different things and how we spend our wedding budgets are going to vary from person to person. I want to make sure that no matter how much you’re spending on your flowers, you’re spending it wisely (my husband is a financial planner…so we seek the balance between wise decisions with some fun expenditures around here!).

When it comes to weddings, I like to think that I know a little about a lot of things. But when it comes to wedding flowers, I know a lot. My experience in the wedding industry started in serving weddings at a golf course, and then I worked as the editor of a small, local (now defunct) wedding magazine. From there, I went on to manage the weddings for one of Winnipeg’s largest floral shops, followed by a couple of years working in sales and editorial writing for one of the largest fine art wedding blogs in the US. During this time, I started Stone House Creative, and we’re now looking towards year 11 in business! So yes, I know a fair bit. I also know that most of YOU don’t really know much about weddings. And how could you?! You probably haven’t done this before.

All that to say, let me help YOU make a wise decision on how to hire a wedding florist.

Photos by Aimee De La Lande Photography

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What to look for in a wedding florist:

The first thing is possibly the most basic, but often overlooked: ask yourself, what’s important to you? What’s IMPORTANT TO YOU needs to line up with the unique value that each designer offers.

For example, one of my unique values is my holistic design approach: attention to the overall and complete event design, to make sure that the florals seamlessly become part of the design. For example, I absolutely hate to see flowers placed on a cake by the baker that have absolutely no tie to the wedding flowers themselves. So I’m a proactive designer, communicating with the client and often the bakery directly what the plan is, so that your cake doesn’t stand out in a bad way. Or, you might be after the lowest quote that you can get because you don’t really care much about the flowers. Instead of inquiring with a designer like me, rather look for a florist who markets themselves as budget-friendly. The types and quality of the flowers they use are different, the design approach they take is different, and they will fill that need you have.

—Other things that may be important to you:
-a beautifully curated rentals collections that suits your aesthetic
-a focus on environmental sustainability within the florist’s business
-a small business or a larger team (*and note: all of the floral shops and studios in Winnipeg are considered “small” businesses so no matter who you choose, you’re supporting a small biz!).
-a dedicated wedding studio vs a large retail shop
-if you’ve seen their work first-hand at the wedding of a friend, that can be great!
-maybe you really need a designer to guide the entire process for you, and someone you can trust to take the reigns

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prior to reaching out to florists, here’s what you need to do:

-Take a good look through their portfolio. If they don’t have a lot of images of their work readily available on their Instagram or their website, or if they don’t have a lot of images showcasing the style of design that you want, then just move on.
-One of the most important ways that you can make sure you’re going to love the florals you get on your wedding day, is if your aesthetic and the designer’s aesthetic are aligned. If you don’t love your work, then don’t bother reaching out.
-Read through their FAQs or pricing information they have on their site, to find out what type of budget range you should be expecting for the designs that you want. It’s helpful to at least have an idea of how much you absolutely CAN’T spend on your flowers.

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Questions to ask a wedding Florist:

*I don’t usually have couples asking me that many questions. I think that’s likely because as we talk, most of these questions are answered. It’s better to have a great conversation with your florist, rather than pepper them like it’s a job interview. You’re hiring a creative and you need to trust their process. But if you have any red flags, then ask the questions you need answered.*

-again, what’s important to you? If keeping strict to your budget is the top priority, be CRYSTAL CLEAR about that. I’ve always got floral design ideas swirling around in my brain, but if I know that you absolutely need to stick to a strict number, then I’m not going to fill our conversations with ideas of things that you cannot afford.

-what is included in their service fees (do they deliver and set up, do they offer 1 am teardown at your venue, can you pay them to stay and flip the ceremony flowers to the reception, can you pay them to re-deliver to their brunch the next morning, mileage, etc)
-Do they offer creative and personalized design plans? If the florals and overall event design are a priority for you, then it can be really helpful to hear them talk about their design process.
-What rentals do they have in inventory that will fit your style?
-Can they take care of candles, if desired?
-How large of a team will be needed for your particular wedding? (and don’t worry if the answer is 1-2 people. Most weddings in Winnipeg are perfectly well taken care of by a floral team of 2 people).
-What sustainability practises do they follow? (and if this is important to you, then specifically ask: do you compost? Do you use dyed or preserved flowers? Do you use floral foam? If the answer is no to composting and yes to the dyed flowers and foam, then this is not the florist for you).
-Have they worked at your venue before? (Note: it’s really not crucial that a florist has worked at your venue. If we need to go and take measurements of a fireplace mantle or consider how we’ll suspend a hanging piece, then we can do that. It doesn’t mean you can’t trust someone who hasn’t worked at your venue yet. BUT if the designer you’re interested in HAS worked at your venue, then it can be a bonus to be able to rely on their experience.)
-HOWEVER, if they have worked at your venue, they can often offer very valuable insight into what it’s going to take to create the look you’re going for, given the scale of the space. Someone might ask for me an arch corner piece, but if I know the venue’s arch is 10 feet wide, that corner piece is going to look like you spent $5 on it. We might need to go more. Similarly, I’ve had people ask me about doing fireplace mantle installations but I know that the mantle just doesn’t have the depth to actually add flowers to it, so it would be a waste.
-How long will it take to receive a proposal? and, what is the booking and payment process?
-Don’t ask if they offer packages. That’s a very 1990s thing. Pretty much no florist offers a set package anymore; we’re designing for you, and figuring out what you love and dream of. It’s going to be a custom quote, baby.

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When to hire A wedding floral designer:

There’s not really a wrong time to hire your floral designer, but generally: if you’re particular about your flowers and the florist you hire, then book earlier. If you’re not picky, then you can hold off a bit. My clients usually seek me out for my elevated approach and unique designs, and flowers are a budget priority for them, which means that my calendar is usually booked farther in advance. I typically book 6-18 months in advance of your wedding, with a lot more date flexibility in the off months (November through April).

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Bonus Question:

If you need recommendations on other vendors to hire, then don’t hesitate to ask your florist for referrals! Vendors have the inside track on which other vendors have similar work processes, or who they work well together with. You can usually trust a referral from a vendor a lot more than a referral from a past client.

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LOOKING FOR A WEDDING FLORAL AND EVENT DESIGNER IN WINNIPEG?

If what you’re looking for is a designer to guide the vision for your wedding, come and ask me any questions you want — I might just be your girl. I offer custom designs, creative and unique design boards that communicate the vision, have countless testimonials that speak to the creative trust the client had in me, and I also just love what I do.

Reach out to check your date!

Best Tips for Small Weddings in Winnipeg

Lately I’ve been finding myself more and more drawn to small, intimate weddings. Possibly because the two weddings I’ve designed for so far in 2025 have both been for under 30 people, but also because there’s just SO much that you can DO with a smaller wedding.

Let’s get into it — if you’re thinking about having a smaller wedding, here are some of my favourite ideas!

WEdding Dinner Party

Photos by Tedi Jean

I absolutely love a good dinner party. Full disclosure: I am almost never invited to them 😂 But I love being with a small group of people (whether at a home or at a restaurant!) and eating amazing food. With a smaller group of people, you can really go for it with multiple courses, pairings, and a customized menu that feels a lot more interesting than the typical banquet fare.

Now even if you can’t host your entire group in your dining room (understandable!), we have SO many amazing restaurants and unique venues in Winnipeg, many of which can take on small weddings. Some of my favourite unique venues to work at are Smith, Pizzeria Gusto and Gusto North, and Cibo. These images are from a wedding I designed in summer of 2024 at Pizzeria Gusto, which was set up like a combo cocktail party meets dinner party. Such great vibes!

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Small Backyard Wedding Reception

Photos by Esther Funk Photography

A few years ago, we planned my cousin’s wedding. It was originally going to be a larger wedding, but scaled back to 15 people due to you-know-what, and we ended up in her parents’ farmyard. Let me tell you, it was PERFECT. With a small group of people, we didn’t need to worry about renting in bathrooms, or a rain backup plan (we would have all fit inside the house if we needed to!), and we could afford to rent in upgraded tableware items that they wouldn’t have been able to prioritize for a group of 150 people.

The florals were bright and colourful (which is always what I want, but I think the colour especially pops off all the green in the backyard!), the dinner was catered by a local restaurant and served out of the house kitchen, and the details were really quite easy to pull together.

View this entire, colourful wedding here!

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Garden Wedding Reception Outdoors

Photos by Brittany Mahood Photography

If you have a connection to a beautiful property or yard where you can host your wedding, then an outdoor garden wedding reception is truly unmatched. Shannon and David’s wedding was hosted a few summers ago on the property of a family friend, and it made for such a beautiful atmosphere. Not only was the yard beautiful, but the ambiance was made even more special because of the happy family memories spent on that very lawn.

They hosted about 30 people, all seated at one long table, and served an incredible multi-course dinner by Academy Hospitality. They had a raclette cheese, guys. Obviously I filled the table with as many florals and candles as I could, and it was set against the backdrop of the lush treeline. It was perfect.

view this entire garden wedding here!

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what if you don’t have access to a property for your small wedding?

There’s no reason why you can’t have your dream small wedding at a venue.

If you don’t have access to a property or garden, consider one of these spots: Wild Skies Resort, Elkhorn Manor if you’re up for a bit of a destination, the Manitoba Club Bonnycastle Garden or the Oak Room, or The Pavilion at Assiniboine Park.

Each of these locations offers a different vibe, so if you’re hoping for intimate but an elevated indoor spot, then the Oak Room at the Manitoba Club is the one for you. If you really want to disconnect from the world and celebrate in nature, there’s no better place than Wild Skies. You may not own the property, but there’s no reason why you can’t still have the small wedding of your dreams.

see more of this intimate wedding at wild skies resort here!
Photos by Megan Steen

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what about a good old elopement?

Photos by Kass Donaldson

When Vanessa and Richard began planning their wedding, they quickly realized that what they really wanted was to spend the day together, just the two of them, and then jet off to Europe for a honeymoon. So that’s what they did! They added 3 friends — one to marry them, and two to act as witnesses — and I added some flowers (courtesy of my a la carte wedding florals collection!) and the day was spent just celebrating them, with nothing else to think about.

They chose a beautiful nook in Assiniboine Park’s English Gardens, and just rolled on up.

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Looking for a Wedding Floral and Event Designer in Winnipeg?

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No matter the size of your wedding, I can design the florals of your dream that will take the ambiance from 1 to 100. Let’s get started!