Intimate woodland chapel wedding in shades of blue and white

woodland wedding inspiration

This has to be the prettiest woodland wedding venue we've ever seen. Seriously, Mountain Metro Church with its open-air design, appears to have grown right out of the forest. Merrily Wed did an incredible job of incorporating the white and blue color palette throughout the entire day, starting with subtle hints of blue in the ceremony then accentuating the blue in the tablescape for the reception. We especially love how this couple incorporated their children into the ceremony. Keep scrolling to hear all about their love story, see more of these dreamy photos from Mike Larson, and see all of the details that came together to make this wedding design flow seamlessly from start to finish.

an engagement that was a long time coming

first look in the woods

Our engagement was a wonderful reflection of our life together. It was full of excitement, vulnerability, uncertainty, honesty, and, at the core of it, a deep love. Bill planned a romantic getaway in Carmel the first weekend of April 2020. Unfortunately, COVID-19 hit us all in March and he had to figure out another plan as Sacramento and much of California had a shelter-in-place order. He was uncertain of what to do, frustrated with the situation, and stressed (as all of us were) about what this would bring or take away from our lives. He was unsure of when and how to propose, and wanted it to be perfect. Except one day, on March 25, he realized it was already perfect. Perfect for us. We were hunkered down with our 4 kids, which is some of our most cherished times. That night, we were all tired. We decided to order pizza. While at the table, Bill turned to Rosemary and said "I think we need to really thank this lady right here, who has really gotten us through this, who holds us together and works so hard for all of us." He proceeded to get down on one knee and said, "Rosie, I love you with all of my heart. Will you marry me?" Rosemary jumped up and said, "Yes!" Bill slipped on the beautiful engagement ring and Rosemary hugged him with tears of joy and love.

woodland wedding with the bride in lace

what to wear to a wedding in the woods

strapless lace mermaid wedding dress

When styling your look for an outdoor wedding, the first thing to consider is fabric. Rosemary's lace gown was the perfect fit for this woodland wedding. Lace is surprisingly durable and doesn't show dirt as much as some other fabrics would. It also looks great in a natural setting. We love how Bill opted for a dark navy suit. That slight hint of blue perfectly complemented their daughter's blue dresses and brought out the blue in the reception decor.

close up of lace wedding dress

mom zipping up bride in wedding dress bride and daughter getting ready

blended family wedding ceremony

military wedding uniform

a forest-themed wedding design with earthy details

chapel in the woods

Bill and Rosemary's cabinside wedding was full of earthy and organic details that fit the forest setting, with a ceremony accented with towering pine trees, string lights hung above the al fresco reception, and tables topped with pine needle place settings and arrangements full of soft greenery and pops of color via dusty blue hydrangeas. Nature lovers unite: this wedding inspiration is for you!

pews in the woods

an intimate ceremony that blended two families

wedding ceremony at woodland chapel

The intimate woodland ceremony took place in a quaint wood and stone chapel in the woods–it really doesn't get any more scenic than that. Guests looked on from long wood pews as the two exchanged vows with their children by their side. They even incorporated a unique cairn (rock stacking) ceremony that represented each part of their blended family.

forest wedding ceremony ideas

rock stacking ceremony for woodland wedding

refined meets rustic at this outdoor reception

blue and white outdoor reception ideas

Twinkle lights dangled overhead as guests made their way to the reception. There was a mobile bar where they could gather their refreshments and a lovely al-fresco lounge set up for cocktail hour. Maple wood tables and matching farm chairs were decorated with low voluminous floral arrangements, by Holly Fleur Floral Design, with hints of blue hydrangea. Blue and white china place settings and crystal glasses popped against the natural wood backdrop.

yellow and acrylic escort display blue and white wedding reception with twinkle lights