Rather than a ballroom or a fancy venue, Kathy and Andy chose their own garden for their Colorado backyard wedding celebration. Their home and the people they love became part of the day. Most importantly, the intimate wedding felt like them: relaxed, joyful, and flower-filled.
A Flower-Filled Gathering Place
Friends and family helped Kathy and Andy add the final touches as guests arrived. Their impressive flower garden provided the backdrop while overflowing flower baskets brought more color around the deck and throughout the yard. Under the trees, a dark wood arbor draped loosely with soft pink fabric framed the ceremony.
One long table and several small rounds filled the lawn, each dressed with white linens, purple gauze runners, and wildflowers. Kathy arranged the table flowers herself, wrapping the vases with vintage handkerchiefs that belonged to Andy’s mom. She knew the pretty hankies needed to become part of their wedding somehow, adding another personal touch to the garden tables. Pink and white fringed umbrellas offered shade and a little insurance against Colorado’s unpredictable late-afternoon weather. Kathy and Andy’s small sweetheart table against the deck faced the guest tables.
As evening approached, white lanterns, landscape lights, and overhead string lights began to glow. A small dance floor and DJ station on the deck completed the transformation from backyard garden to wedding celebration.
Garden-Inspired Attire
Carrying the garden theme into her attire, Kathy chose an ivory wedding dress with colorful pink and green floral embroidery scattered over soft tulle. True to Kathy’s style, the dress made a romantic and distinctive statement and felt at home among the flowers.
She started in gold-heeled shoes, fitted with protectors to keep them from sinking into the grass. The calf-length dress also gave her the flexibility to switch to pretty beaded flats later in the evening. During dinner, though, my camera caught her barefoot beneath the table, relaxing after the ceremony.
Tequila, Rings, and Pre-Ceremony Traditions
The day included wedding traditions, but Andy and Kathy brought some of their own, too. Kathy, her sister Janet, and nephew Austin shared a family tradition of taking a tequila shot before the ceremony. Andy’s son, Keith, also helped me arrange the wedding rings on Andy’s family Bible, opened to Proverbs 3. Later, Andy carried that same Bible to the arbor and spoke about his faith during the vows.
Under the Trees: The Ceremony
Mature trees in Kathy and Andy’s backyard created a naturally framed space for their ceremony. Austin, Kathy’s nephew, walked her down the aisle and presented her to Andy. The men shook hands, and Andy walked her to the arbor where Wayne MacKirdy, the Old West Preacher, waited to marry them. Kathy’s sister Janet and her best friend Rick stood beside her. Andy’s son Keith and Keith’s best friend Ben, whom Andy considers a second son, stood beside him. Kathy and Andy laughed, wiped away tears, shared personal vows, and exchanged rings during the ceremony.
A Backyard BBQ Dinner
BBQ from GQue made for a relaxed and tasty dinner as guests settled around the tables, talked, and enjoyed the garden. As dinner wound down, the microphone made its way around. Friends and family shared memories, stories, and their happiness at seeing Kathy and Andy finally married. Their sisters get the credit for arranging Kathy and Andy’s first date, but Kathy told me their paths almost crossed several times before that. As teenagers, they even worked at businesses on the same block without meeting.
At Last
Maybe that’s why “At Last” by Etta James felt like an appropriate choice for their first dance. As they danced, the evening sun slipped away and the garden began to glow under lanterns and landscape lights. DJ Bo Jaxon added washes of blue, pink, red, and amber as the dance floor filled.
Frosting and Final Business
Kathy and Andy moved to the memory table, where their cake waited alongside photographs of their parents and other loved ones. For dessert, they cut one of their favorites, a Berry Chantilly Cake from Whole Foods Market, topped with fresh flowers arranged by Kathy’s sister, Janet. A short time later, Kathy and Andy gathered for one last piece of business: signing their marriage license.
Growing Together
Beautiful gardens take time, care, and patience, and a little help along the way. The same could be said about a great marriage. Kathy and Andy, may your love continue to grow deeper with every passing season, and may you always remember this special day surrounded by the family and friends who helped it bloom. Cheers!
