What is a wedding day just a page out of the fairytales? The world of secret gardens and majestic castles and prince charming who will slay dragons to get to their princess! No matter how much we grow up, a bit of fairytale still manages to stay alive in us and our wedding day is the closest we will ever get to that fairytale. It is the perfect platform to design out and execute our most enchanting far-out ideas that we have been clutching close to our hearts. Mary and Gary’s beautiful Los Angeles wedding gives us a peek at how sometimes even real-life can look enticing and magical. It might not be in the land of far far away, a land full of dragons and forbidden forests and magic potions and sleeping princesses woken up by the true love’s kiss, but is a short drive away from the glaring city lights and blaring horns. But it is just as magical. Just one look at this lovely couple and their idyllic wedding pictures and you know- they have a happily-ever-after waiting with their name on it!

A Los Angeles wedding can go a thousand different ways, but this one speaks of stoic mountains and a crisp chill in the air and the tinsel town living and breathing just a drive away. Los Angeles is a city where dreams come true, a foster home of every aspiring talent and a playground of artists and canvas for art. A city filled with promises and experiences, Los Angeles is known for its Mediterranean climate resulting in year-long summertime feel and iconic tall palm trees. With bursts of creativity and diversity, LA makes quite an interesting texture to add to the fabric of your love story. Lying in the cusp of different terrains, LA gets the best of different worlds! With the Pacific Ocean lapping adjacent to it and beautiful mountains and deserts within easy reach, LA is a treasure trove for a couple in love. From the Disneyland Park to Hollywood Sign, from the Griffith Observatory to the Universal Studios, everything is out of the world in Los Angeles! Whether you want to shoot an urban engagement or do a pre-wedding shoot, or you want to take the more scenic route for a dreamy post-wedding photo session, LA adds drama to your frames without breaking a sweat! There are many amazing backdrops in this city, it is no surprise that every picture of Mary and Gary’s wedding came out looking like an absolute dream.

Starting with Mary and Gary’s engagement photo shoot, we loved the harmony of colors that every photo manages to bring forth in the most effortless manner. The session started with some cute shots of the love-struck couple and their adorable dog, giving the captures a family-like feel. Mary looked cute and comfy in a periwinkle blue crop top and a pair of high-waisted light wash denim shorts. A pair of sneakers added a laid-back spin to her look. Open wavy hair and natural makeup completed the look. Gary looked cool in his tan joggers and a navy long-sleeved t-shirt. He mirrored Mary by wearing a pair of sneakers to complete his look. The refreshing greenery and the sheets of water in the background brought the frames together in an adorable ‘taking their dog on a hike and being caught in camera’ look. The Los Angeles engagement photographer did the perfect job of capturing the closeness of the trio in the most stunning captures.

Mary and Gary’s second look was adequately dressy but went along with the same blue white and black color families. Mary looked as pretty as picture in her flowy dress which seemed to be created for twirling! The white dress with bold and fun blue floral prints looked stunning, while a pair of tan heels and minimal glowy makeup completed the look. Gary dressed up for his lady and looked handsome as ever in his blue formal trousers and powder blue button-down shirt. Tastefully selected brown belt and tan shoes added to the look. The timeless mountains in the background posed perfectly and added to the allure of the pictures. We loved the couple photography shot in the middle of the road, as Gary twirled Mary around and the gorgeous mountains peeked through from behind! Some stunning silhouette photography against the blazing sun completed the engagement shoot with quite a flair. We loved the easy chemistry and playfulness of the duo and the peek of nature on each frame.

Mary and Gary chose the beautiful Hartley Botanica as the destination for their dream wedding and we couldn’t be more delighted. The venue looked like the perfect choice for this couple who seemed to have a special place in their hearts for nature. Hartley Botanica, being the gorgeous family-run name since 1971 seems to fit the requirements perfectly. A natural oasis that seems to belong in a different altogether, a world that has no blaring car horns. A magical garden designed originally for their daughter’s wedding, Richard and Kate Hartley created this stunning garden paradise complete with hand paved walkways, beautiful waterfalls, and romantic vine-covered archways. The love for plants and greenery that this venue represents is unmatched, second only to the love of family. So it makes perfect sense that this place will find a way to merge a nursery and a wedding venue into one. Known for their amazing garden weddings and the ethereal vibe, it is no surprise that Hartley Botanica is popular among engaged couples.

Hartley Botanica comes with two enchanting garden settings for your wedding reception to be held. While there is the Paliuli Garden which can easily accommodate 100 to 375 people for an evening event, making it a perfect fit for wedding receptions, the Lotus Tea Garden can accommodate 25 to 100 guests for the morning half, making it the perfect place for a wedding ceremony. With over a massive 3 acres of sprawling landscaped grounds and renowned specifically for their stunning garden weddings in all of Southern California, Hartley Botanica is surely one of Ventura County’s best-kept secrets. As you and your love take a walk through the garden, the smell of jasmine will waft through the air like a gentle breeze and you can hear the chirping birds and you will be captivated by the enchantment of this place for sure, as Mary and Gary were!

The day of the wedding dawned bright and sunny and the couple soon started getting ready for the most important day of their lives. Mary looked like the perfect blushing bride in her stunning silk robe in white with delicate flowers printed on it. Her bridesmaids were wearing matching blue robes to compliment her and they looked stunning together. The Los Angeles wedding photographer captured the girls as they were hanging out for a while as they leisurely god ready for the ceremony ahead. Mary’s makeup was fresh and minimal and her hair was done up in cascading waves with white flowers pinned to her hair in a beautiful array. Mary soon changed into her wedding gown, the prettiest white wedding dress with off-the-shoulder details and prettiest intricate detailing in the bodice as well which faded into the skirt of the dress. The flower details of the hair perfectly complemented Mary’s beautifully detailed dress, giving her an ethereal look of that of a garden princess. We love the way the Los Angeles photographer captured the picture of the bridesmaids fussing over Mary’s dress as looked into the mirror! The bridesmaids are dressed in the perfect assortment of dresses, with some blue and cream floral dresses, some in periwinkle blue, and some in pastel Pista green, making them each look different in their own unique way, but perfectly aesthetic as a complete picture. Gary looked sharp in his gray blazer and cobalt blue trousers. The white button-down shirt and the white and blue printed tie and pocket squares completed the dashing picture with quite a flair, as the brown belt and shoes accessorize the look perfectly. The groomsmen dressed up identically to groom, the only exception being the tie, which is in a plain blue color in their case. We love the way the groom and the groomsmen showed off their funky socks, making it a cute bonding act as well as an adorable addition to the candid shots. 

The ceremony commenced soon and Mary looked like an angel with her flowy wedding dress and the long train which was perched on her head in the most delicate way. The bridal bouquet she carried was a simple cascading bunch of white roses and foliage arranged perfectly. Both her mom and dad walked her down the aisle, both looking amazing in classy gray ensembles. The aisle was decorated with white rose petals strewn all along the way and long cascading white flowers hung over them as they walked, making it a stunning sight. The ceremony took place under the same steamers of white flowers and this was the perfect opportunity for the wedding photographer from Los Angeles to capture the precious moment forever. The white dress, the white flowers swaying in the breeze, and the burst of green in the backdrop, everything worked together to create a picture that we can’t forget. And as they said ‘I do’ and leaned in for the first kiss, the celebration in the air was almost tangible.

After the ceremony was over, this was the perfect window for the newlyweds to be captured in some stunning captures, some of which will grace the photo frames of their home for years to come. From gorgeous couple portraits to group wedding photos, from single portraits to the photos with the furry friend, there were a lot of pictures that needed to be clicked, and the venue provided the perfect backdrop for the captures. The lush green of the pruned grass to the tall trees and the strings of fairy light strewn across the garden, the setting was perfect and was the natural playground for the wedding photographer to work with and being an outdoors setting, it had ample natural light to take advantage of.  

The reception area was laid out in the most classy manner. Lush greenery played the perfect backdrop as the assortment of round and rectangular tables were arranged and dressed up with white linens and gold details. The bride and groom had a separate sweetheart seating, with the most charming table setting! Layered candle arrangements and a touch of green gave the set-up a garden wedding charm with a touch of glam. The wedding favors were laid out in the most charming way and the thoughtful signage delivered the message with convenience and humor, giving the wedding a personalized feel. We love the details captured by the wedding photographer, from the minutest of decor to the wedding party captures. The wedding cake looked the perfect addition to everything, all in its white glory, with the sweet monogrammed cake topper along with the charming white roses arranged most romantically. The florals undoubtedly seemed to be a running theme in this wedding and the result was clearly fitting and beautiful, given it was a garden wedding. 

As we said before, some moments of our real-life are more magical than a fairytale. As the sun dipped, the celebration took off under the canopy of sparkling fairy lights. From sharing a beautiful moment as the newly-married couple swayed for their first dance, to the series of toasts and the big finale of being sent-off under the arch of sparklers, every moment is a little more beautiful and perfect than the last. This is a real-life fairytale and as the couple rode off into the night, we know they have a promising life and 'happily ever after waiting just around the corner! A stunning LA wedding wrapped up in nature, a beautiful couple who is so obviously in love, a venue to steal your breathe away, a bunch of well-wishers with the best of wishes in their hearts and a wedding day which looked like it could have been in a Disney movie. Aren’t those all signs of a wedding well celebrated?