1. Real Weddings

A Natural, Botanical Garden-Inspired Wedding at Millwick in Los Angeles, California

Angela Lewis (a teacher) and Clayton Metcalfe (a teacher) envisioned an eclectic, organic style combined with natural elements for their wedding day l

Angela Lewis (a teacher) and Clayton Metcalfe (a teacher) envisioned an eclectic, organic style combined with natural elements for their wedding day look. They told this to florist Carissa Jones of JL Designs, who ran with the idea and shaped a botanical garden theme through an array of decor and florals. Angela and Clayton held their natural nuptials at Millwick in Los Angeles, California, which embodied a cozy atmosphere that felt like home. Their ceremony took place outside in the garden courtyard, where Angela and Clayton shared their first kiss in front of a wall covered in succulents, ferns and ivy. Their main colors of whites and greens organically formed as the planning progressed, which ended up blending in nicely with the industrial look of the venue at large. Inside the main hall, guests sat at long wooden dining tables under green garlands draped from wooden beams. The family-style dinner included arugula salad with burrata cheese, fresh sea bass and gnocchi with butternut squash, plus a dessert table filled with mini baked pies and naked layered cake that looked like heaven. Beyond the actual meal, we loved the wood-framed chalkboard sign displaying the menu that Clayton sanded and stained himself, draped with garland on top that incorporated the day's botanical feel. "We kept the menu as a memory, and portions of it are hanging on the wall next to our dining room table," Angela says. Check out more natural elements that made up this botanical garden wedding, below.

Angela didn't have a specific look in mind for the wedding, but knew that she didn't want it to be too traditional. She picked out a stunning dress covered in a lace overlay, with cap sleeves and a V-neck contributing to the overall elegant look.
Carissa from JL Designs arranged a beautiful, natural-looking bouquet filled with ivory roses and veronica, mixed with an abundant amount of greenery. "Actually, I didn't see or know anything about the bouquet until the wedding day," Angela says. "I told Carissa to do what she wanted, and I loved how the bouquet turned out."
Angela wore a pair of emerald green velvet heels that added a pop of color to her ivory look. She stood next to Clayton, who was wearing brown leather dress shoes—both embodied a natural look that blended well with the day's colors.
Clayton's boutonniere had a mixture of ranunculus, anemone and eucalyptus—an organic arrangement that matched Angela's natural-looking bouquet.
The ceremony took place outside in the garden courtyard at Millwick, where ivy walls, lush ferns and large succulents covered the wall where Angela and Clayton shared their first kiss.
This bridesmaid walked down the aisle, wearing a bright green floor-length dress paired with a white cardigan. Her look blended in with the natural decor that decorated the day wonderfully.
In the garden courtyard, red lounge furniture and wooden tables let guests relax by the stylish fireplace. This setup, among many others scattered throughout the space, incorporated modern detail that Angela and Clayton envisioned for the wedding day.
Angela and Clayton leaned into each other during the outdoor ceremony—which a close friend conducted, making the service extra special. "We knew we wanted our officiant to be a person who understood us and our relationship, so we chose one of our best friends, Emily," Angela says. "She and Clayton wrote the ceremony together, and took elements of traditional wedding ceremonies and combined them with elements that were uniquely ours, capturing the essence of the love we share."
The Grand Hall embodied an industrial ambience through the brick walls and wooden beams, plus green garlands that added a natural feel to the environment. Guests sat at long wooden dining tables where they enjoyed a family-style dinner, allowing conversations to flow easily.
Metal coins made up a hanging horseshoe decoration, which had a glowing outline. The piece hung on the brick wall of the venue, right above the bar stocked with alcohol and lined with votive candles.
Glass lanterns in different shapes and sizes hung from the wooden ceiling, adding soft touches of color to the ceiling decor. These hung next to the green garland draped from wooden beams.
Black-painted wooden slabs had white numbers spelled out, marking each dining table at the reception. These table numbers stood next to gold candelabras with tall white candles, plus arrangements filled with green and white blooms.
Clayton sanded down and stained a long plank of wood to create their menu board. The top of the display had a garland that hung down the sides, incorporating a natural touch that went along with the botanical garden theme.
At each place setting, a set of silverware was tied with yellow ribbon, which included a brown escort card with a wooden design that had guests' names written in white. The arrangement sat on top of a single fern leaf, displayed on a white dinner plate.
Angela and Clayton stood outside, surrounded by the woodland in Los Angeles, California. Angela and Clayton wore apparel that blended in nicely with the natural environment, knowing they wanted to steer away from the typical wedding day look. "We weren't exactly sure what we wanted, but we knew we didn't want the traditional wedding," Angela says.
A dark wood table surrounded by overflowing greenery had a guest book displayed for friends and family to leave personal messages. The album had votive candles, candelabras and wooden decor surrounding it.
Millwick in Los Angeles, California, has an indoor-outdoor setup that was perfect for Angela and Clayton's bohemian garden-themed wedding—from the lush landscaping outside in the garden courtyard to the Grand Hall with brick walls, wooden beams and a natural look.
The variety of desserts at the reception sat on a sparkly emerald green tablecloth. From cake pops to mini baked pies and a naked cake drizzled with sauce, each sweet tooth left satisfied.
Among the many delicious-looking desserts, the miniature baked pies displayed on a mirror platter was one of our favorites. Green and brown foliage surrounded the sweet display, never losing sight of the day's natural ambience.
A sweet naked cake drizzled with sauce made quite the statement on the dessert table, displayed among the cake pops, mini baked pies and other sweets.
Angela turned as Clayton let out a laugh, sporting his soft purple and gray tie in a plaid pattern. The tie added a nice touch of color to his charcoal gray suit, adding a nontraditional accessory to his wedding day look.