Leila and Philip
The Sunnyside Conservatory is hidden away in a weird spot near the Glen Park Bart, and for decades it looked like nobody cared about it. I grew up just up the street, and I always thought there must be ghosts (or, at the very least, giant raccoons) lurking in its overgrown depths. A few years ago it was renovated, with spectacular results. The conservatory building is immaculate, with rich wood paneling all throughout the inside, and the plantings around it are interesting and very well-maintained. (My husband, who is a bit of a palm tree nerd, wouldn’t forgive me if I didn’t mention the rare Chilean wine palm that’s part of their collection.) Anyway, this is all to say that we did a lovely wedding at Sunnyside a few weeks ago, on a rainy Saturday in March. It was so cozy and intimate inside the conservatory, with the rain battering on the glass. The light that day was beautiful but kind of tough to work with for a (very very) amateur photographer like me, so the photos below do not do the flowers justice. I hope to share some professional shots when they come in!
We made a couple of tall mossy branch arrangements for the ceremony. Together they suggested a kind of archway as a backdrop for the couple’s wedding; I didn’t get a good shot of both together, but I’m hoping to pass on some professional photos when they come in. Here’s a bit of a close-up, with some mosses on the windowsill…
And Leila’s bouquet:
I was so excited when she told me she wanted a lush cascade, down to her knees. We used ranunculus, some leucadendron, and berzelia, and for the vines there is passiflora, jasmine, and asparagus plumosa, with Spanish moss and “old man’s beard” lichen. Julie models here, but I can’t wait to see the bridal portraits with lovely Leila in her gown.
More sprawling vines for the centerpieces! In the antique shop, surrounded by chandeliers and oversized armoires, they had a kind of “Alice in Wonderland” feel, perfect for early springtime.
