Redwood Forest Fairytale: A Joyful Wedding Reimagined with Color & Swans

Happy bride and groom posing with a donkey on their wedding day

After having to postpone their wedding because of COVID-19, this couple decided to re-imagine what their dream day looked like. They always knew they wanted an outdoor ceremony in the redwood forest, but their original design was minimal and subdued. After weathering the storm as a family, they decided that their wedding should be more joyous and decided to add in a bunch of bright colors in the florals and some real-life animal friends, like donkeys and swans, for their outdoor fairytale wedding. The final result was a vibrant gorgeous day, full of love and family.

De Joy Photography captured every special moment between the couple and their nearest and dearest. Nancy Liu Chin took the cheery floral note and ran with it, including oranges, yellows, peach, and bright greenery in each arrangement. Nestldown has a beautifully manicured ceremony space surrounded by a breathtaking backdrop of redwood trees that have been around since the beginning of time. Check out the full gallery to see even more from this beautiful wedding. Keep scrolling to read more from De Joy Photography about all the details that went into making this special day just right.

Wedding invitation and floral arrangement with rings and perfume

Engagement rings with flowers, a romantic wedding flatlay

Bride and bridesmaids looking at the mirror on wedding day

Bride in lace wedding dress smiles, bridesmaid helping adjust dress

Smiling bride holding wedding bouquet in beautiful floral tones

Bride in elegant wedding dress stands by floral arch

Groom in a navy blue suit with bow tie buttoning his jacket

Groomsmen helping groom get ready for the wedding day

Bride in a stunning wedding dress meets groom in a forest wedding ceremony

Bride and groom share a happy moment on their wedding day

THE LAST SWIPE

Outdoor wedding ceremony with floral arch in a serene forest

Eric and Jamie swiped right for the last time in early September 2017! After exchanging a few messages about hiking spots on The League, they arranged to meet for drinks at Churchill, a neighborhood bar. Little did they know that they lived only a few blocks away from each other in San Francisco! They immediately clicked. After Eric walked Jamie home, he ended the night with a kiss and proposed a second dinner date. The rest is history! Jamie’s parents were in town on the eve of her 30th birthday and her mom lured her out of the house for just long enough for Eric to set everything up. Upon returning, her parents suggested a quick visit to the roof deck at their place, where Eric was waiting with flowers. He popped the question and she said yes!

A beautiful floral wedding arch in a lush green forest setting

Close-up of a stunning floral arrangement with roses and greenery Floral arrangement with transparent chairs in a garden setting

A MAGICAL PLACE

Two flower girls walking hand in hand at a wedding ceremony

Eric and Jamie love nature and being amongst tall trees, so the starting point for their venue search was in the majestic redwoods in Northern California. The moment they found Nestldown, they knew that it was the place they’d get married. It had the beautiful redwoods backdrop for the ceremony and felt reminiscent of Jamie’s upbringing in Oregon. At the same time, it also felt like an ode to their shared love of fairytales and reminded them of being at Disneyland. With the meticulous attention to the grounds, it truly felt like the most magical place to get married.

Bride walking down the aisle with her father on wedding day

Groom awaits his bride at a beautiful outdoor wedding ceremony

Wedding ceremony with couple under floral arch in a forest

Wedding ceremony in a forest with bride groom and wedding party

Bride and groom share a kiss under a floral wedding arch

Newlyweds celebrating joyfully with arms raised high at their wedding

A COLORFUL CHANGE OF PLANS

Elegant champagne glasses and floral arrangement in a bright setting

Jamie knew she wanted to go big on florals with an elegant but whimsical feel. Originally Jamie wanted blush to be one of the primary colors, with a softer and muted feel, but things changed once COVID-19 hit. After enduring a personally somber 2020, Jamie decided that the florals should be bright, joyful, and less subdued. It felt like celebrations were long overdue, and Jamie wanted the florals to express this special time with COVID restrictions finally lifting. Working with the amazing Nancy Liu Chin made the whole concept come to life with the softer shades of pink complementing coral peonies and bright ranunculus, which are Jamie’s two favorite flowers.

Wedding welcome sign with names Jamie and Eric, floral design Champagne flutes with name tags for a wedding event

Two beautiful swans swimming in a serene pond with lily pads

BRING ON THE SWANS

Outdoor wedding reception tables set up on a lush green lawn

Jamie grew up watching the movie Father of the Bride and fell in love with the idea of having swans at her wedding. In addition, her mother loved birds as they have always represented something special to her family. The imagery of the swans from Benays Birds And Animals set the stage for many of the details for the rest of the day, from the feather pens to sign the guest book, to their cake topper featuring redwoods trees and a pair of swans.

Elegant wedding table setting with fresh flowers in a garden