Greenery is Pantone’s 2017 color of the year. If you have spent any time at all on Pinterest, you know that it has exploded in popularity. We adore greenery because it is versatile, it can be used in any season and it is affordable. We’ve found 10 items on Etsy that will inspire you to use greenery in your wedding.

You can’t go wrong with this gorgeous woodland bouquet from MagaelaAccessories.

Greenery and blush is a match made in heaven! Enhance your bridal look with this breathtaking flower crown from LoveSparklePretty.

Want to look like a goddess? This Arianna floral hair garland from LoveSparklePretty is created with eucalyptus, baby’s breath and lily of the valley for an exquisite piece that will make you swoon!

Sometimes simple is best. This green flower crown from NoonOnTheMoon created with boxwood and baby’s breath proves that!

Having an outdoor wedding? This rustic dried flower crown from OhDinaFlowerCrowns would be a lovely addition.

If a forest wedding is in your future, this beautiful, dark flower crown from missstevimarie HAS to be part of your bridal look.

Are you deeply connected with nature? If you are, you want your bridal look to reflect that. This eucalyptus hair wreath from CORILYNNCO is handmade from natural materials.

Now, something for the guys. This dapper bout from HeirloomandOak is elegant and sophisticated.

Decorate your venue from top to bottom with this fresh bulk eucalyptus from TemeculaGardens. From tables to DIY headpieces, eucalyptus is an easy, affordable way to jazz up your wedding day.

*This post contains Etsy affiliate links

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Want to make your own gorgeous rose flower crown for your wedding day? You have come to the right place! Today, we are going to show you how easy it is to make a floral garland for  you and your ladies to wear on your big day. It will look stunning in your wedding photos!

You will need:

• Fresh roses (we used Fourth of July climbing roses)
• greenery (we used ivy)
• wire
• wire cutters
• floral tape
• measuring tape
• scissors

Measure circumference of model’s head.

Cut wire the length of head’s circumference. Bend wire to form a circle and create a loop on each end of wire, joining the two ends together as shown in the photo.

Cut flower stems, leaving only an inch of stem.

Wrap stem with floral tape around the wire until the flower is secure.

Add greenery using the same technique.

Continue wrapping the flowers and greenery, alternating them until the entire wire is covered.

Voila! Your garland is complete!

Your pets will also look fabulous sporting the floral garland!

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Becky and Sean decided that a Paris elopement fit them to a tee. When planning their elopement, IW was a big source of inspiration.

“Intimate Weddings was very helpful to us.  It allowed us to view many real weddings and elopements in Paris, as well as providing information on local vendors.  That is how we found French Grey Photography and Events …  It was great to find everything we were looking for in one vendor, including flowers, hair and makeup, photography, and car service.  It made the whole process a breeze,” explains Becky.

Thanks to French Grey Photography for the stunning photos!

Becky, 34 & Sean, 32

Location: Paris, France

Wedding date: September 1, 2015

Number of guests: None

Wedding cost: $8,500 (not including air travel & wedding attire)

Wedding ceremony location: The terrace of our hotel room at the Shangri-La Paris

Wedding reception location: same

Why did you have an intimate wedding?

When discussing what we would want in a wedding, we both agreed that we would want something smaller and more intimate.  However, we knew it would be almost impossible to narrow down the guest list without leaving out many family and friends.  When the idea of elopement came up, we both became very excited about it.  The relaxed and simple nature of it all was very appealing to us.

What are some of the challenges you faced planning an intimate wedding?

To be honest, it was far simpler than we would have imagined.  Intimate Weddings was very helpful to us.  It allowed us to view many real weddings and elopements in Paris, as well as providing information on local vendors.  That is how we found French Grey Photography & Events.  After viewing Brian’s beautiful photographs and Kasia’s tasteful wedding planning services, we knew it would be a wonderful fit.  Their website made it easy to choose the perfect wedding package for us.  It was great to find everything we were looking for in one vendor, including flowers, hair and makeup, photography, and car service.  It made the whole process a breeze.

Was it difficult to pare down the guest list?

The difficulty in paring down the guest list was what led us to deciding to elope.  And in deciding for it to be just the two of us and keeping it as a surprise, we felt that no one would feel left out.

Did you have any “issues” with the small guest list from friends and family?  If so, how did you address them?

We honestly did not have any issues.  We kept our elopement a surprise and shared the news with our family and friends when we returned home.  Our family and some friends initially seemed a little disappointed that they didn’t get to be there, but ultimately have told us they feel that what we did was perfect for us.

What were the highlights of the ceremony?

The relaxed and intimate atmosphere because it was just the two of us.  While researching where to have our ceremony, we found that many venues (whether private gardens or small chapels) would cost over $2000 (USD) to reserve.  So instead we decided to upgrade our hotel room for that day to a room with a terrace.  The terrace, which had a wonderful view of the Eiffel Tower, served as our ceremony and reception site.  It made the day so easy and enjoyable having everything in one location.  The ceremony felt so intimate and pressure-free.  It alleviated any usual worries of messing up our vows or details not being perfect because it was just us.  And the champagne toast was pretty fun, too!

What were the highlights of the reception?

After our ceremony, we were driven around Paris in a beautiful vintage car with a very charming driver to take photographs all over the city.  We then returned to our hotel and had a tasting menu served on our terrace.  We both really love good food and the meal was amazing.  We played music and danced in between courses and then ended the night sipping champagne on the terrace and enjoying the view of the hourly light shows of the Eiffel Tower.

What was the best thing about having an intimate wedding?

Overall, the stress-free nature of the entire process.  Our photographer and wedding planner made the process of planning our elopement from abroad so simple.  We emailed back and forth a few times and Kasia even went to the hotel where we were planning to stay to talk to their wedding planner about ceremony site options.  And since it was just the two of us, we were thoroughly able to enjoy the day.  The opportunity to go all over Paris and take amazing photographs (in the garden, at a cafe, down by the Seine) was truly wonderful and we were really able to enjoy every moment of it!

What advice do you have for couples considering an intimate wedding?

If it sounds like a nice idea to you, then go for it.  Make your wedding what you both want it to be.

Vendors:

Photography: French Grey Photography

Celebrant and wedding planner: French Grey Events 

Flowers: French Grey Events

Hair and makeup: Allison Depriestre, arranged by French Grey Events

Dress: Martina Liana, Jacket: lesAccessoires Barcelona

Shoes: Bride: Jimmy Choo, Groom: Allen Edmonds

Tuxedo: Groom’s own, Joseph A. Banks, Bow tie: Charvet

Hotel: Shangri-La Paris

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Like many of the couples we feature here at IW, Rachel and Trager wanted to be fully present with a smaller group of close family and friends, so they opted for an intimate wedding.

“We wanted an intimate wedding because we are intimate people and appreciate and value our friends and family who have grown along with us and our relationship…We wanted our wedding to be more of an intimate party with our closest family and friends versus a traditional wedding, and have it reflect what we value,” explains Rachel.

As beach lovers, they chose to say their vows with a breathtaking view of the pacific ocean.

Special thanks to Tracy from Pine & Sea Photography for capturing their heartfelt big day.

Rachel, 29 & Trager, 30

Location: Malibu, California

Wedding Date: April 8, 2017

Number of Guests: 65

Wedding Cost: $30,000

Wedding Ceremony Location: Private Beach Front Estate in Northern Malibu

Wedding Reception Location: Same location

Why did you have an intimate wedding?

We wanted an intimate wedding because we are intimate people and appreciate and value our friends and family who have grown along with us and our relationship. We also know this is one day (a really great day) but we wanted to save money for our life together after the wedding. We wanted our wedding to be more of an intimate party with our closest family and friends versus a traditional wedding, and have it reflect what we value.

What are some of the challenges that you faced planning an intimate wedding?

It was definitely hard to make those involved with helping to plan our wedding see our vision and agree with what we wanted to do. We chose to do most of the planning ourselves and some of the coordinating on our own, as well as creating our own website and invitations. We wanted total control of what our wedding would be but it proved to be a lot of work, mostly convincing family members of each decision as we made them. Our Day of/Month of planner definitely helped alleviate some of the stress when she took over to make sure everything went as planned.

Was it difficult to pare down the guest list?

It was more difficult than we had thought it would be! Our original guest count that we had planned for was 50, so you can see we did increase it. We chose to invite only those we felt made an impact on our relationship and who we knew would want to be there to celebrate with us. Of those we invited, only four were unable to attend.

Did you have any ‘issues’ with the small guest list from friends and family? If so, how did you address them?

Yes. It was difficult to let our parents know there would be some family and family friends who would not be invited, mostly those we haven’t seen or spoken to in years. It was tough to not invite longtime friends, but when we decided to have an intimate wedding, it became clear who would be invited. It took some time, but eventually our family understood what we were trying to create for our wedding. With larger weddings, it is hard to have the time to speak to all guests who attend, and we really just wanted to be able to spend time celebrating with our close friends at our wedding.

What were the highlights of the ceremony?

Definitely the location and view. We are beach people and wanted a wedding overlooking the ocean we love. Our officiant also gave us the tools to customize his script to reflect who we are and what we are hoping for in a marriage. We also wrote our own vows and included a sand ceremony.

What were the highlights of the reception?

We loved that we were able to spend time with all of our guests. We had a cocktail style reception with tray passed hors d’oeuvres so that no one was forced to sit at a certain table and encouraged to mingle throughout the property. The food was amazing! Our chef prepared all of the food in the kitchen inside the Estate making it entertaining and interactive for our guests. And everyone was raving about our music duo, they created a perfect backdrop.

What was the best thing about having an intimate wedding?

It turned out exactly how we wanted. With a smaller guest list, we were able to spend more money on the things we felt were important: great food, fun music, and a ton of alcohol.

What advice do you have for couples who are considering an intimate wedding?

Do what is right for you. Spend money on the things that are important to you, and don’t waste money on things that you don’t need just because it is traditional or expected. 

Vendors:

Event Planner: Pink Sparrow Events

Florist: Brooke’s Flowers

Photography: Pine & Sea

Website & Invitations: Trager Acker Design

Rentals: Choura Events

Hair and Makeup: All Dolled Up Beauty Bar + Lush Sculpting Lounge

Wedding Gown: Grace Loves Lace

Catering: Malibu Seaside Chef

Music: Zacc West Music + Lisa Ritchie

Officiant: Marrying Marc

Chalkboard Signage: Pine & Sea Lettering

Cake: Torrance Bakery

Venue: Private Estate

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Cacti are EVERYTHING when it comes to having a party in the summer, or in the desert. Whether you choose to include a few cactus accents, or go all out and make everything cactus themed, you’re bound to fall in love with some of these items.

First, you need to get everyone invited to this party, and of course you’re going to have cactus invites. These gorg fiesta invites from FrankieBearDesigns will have your girls SWOONING. Want to make them even more fabulous? Have them printed with metallic foil.

Want a more simple design? Choose these cute invites from PaperCanoePrintables.

Do you LOVE pastel shades? We sure do! This fiesta invite from papermeblossom

Planning a girls only weekend in sunny Palm Springs? Then you HAVE to include these chic invites from primprettyprints. While you’re at it, include the matching itinerary.

Once your gals see the fun filled itinerary, the will RSVP with a great big YES. This printable desert invitation and itinerary from LittleCottageStudio is a must for any desert lover.

Everyone will enjoy wearing these stylish cactus necklaces from CreBijoux.

Looking for favors that are adorable and functional? This set of petite cactus soaps from seventhtreesoaps will make your bridesmaids squeal with delight!

Snapchat Geofilters may be one of our fave 2017 trends. They are the perfect way to share your fun bash on social media. This pretty watercolor geofilter is from PaperAnchorCo.

No one will be able to resist snapping your party with this neon cactus Geofilter from ThaSnapShop.

How fun is this fiesta Geofilter from PaperAnchorCo? Snapchat will be abuzz with cute pics from your final fiesta!

Mini cactus pinatas from LulaFlora? Yes please! Fill them with sweet treats and watch your girls gleefully break them open.

Is it possible to make sitting by the poolside sipping drinks even better? With these glittery cactus straws from CouronneBoutique, it sure is!

Remember the fun themed party plates used at childhood parties? Well, a slightly more sophisticated cactus version exists, and you need it! Get these fabulous plates from ConfettiCrownDesign.

And of course, you need some cute napkins from ConfettiCrownDesign to match those plates! While your at it, you can buy matching paper cactus cups.

Satisfy everyone’s sweet cravings with cupcakes! And make sure to top them with these sparkly cactus toppers from tenderlovecardstock.

Fill these glittering saguaro cactus favor bags from becollective with treats for the ladies!

*This post contains Etsy affiliate links

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