Intimate Autumn Wedding at The Herb Garden in Almonte

I fell in love with Alyssa and Scott right away. They are the kind of people that feel like instant best friends, with perpetual genuine smiles and infectious laughter. We sat in a local cafe, chatting like old friends, as they told me all about the country wedding they envisioned.

The ever-loving, nature enthusiasts decided to spend some time off the grid over Christmas a few years back so the went to a remote cabin in the woods, to get away from everything and have some quality alone time together. It was there that Scott proposed to Alyssa. As they told me more about the aesthetic they pictured for their wedding, it was clear that this log cabin was incredibly reflective of their style. The wanted a very intimate wedding, only about 25 guests in total, out in the country, surrounded by beautiful nature, and a charming, rustic aesthetic. The Herb Garden in Almonte was the perfect choice with restored barns and acres of lush fields.

Alyssa and Scott wanted to play into the natural beauty of Fall, so we created a vibrant palette in shades of burgundy, taupe and brown and focused on organic wood details, including pieces that the couple themselves built. For florals, Alyssa told me that she liked anything "weird and textury" and gave me carte blanche to come up with something fun from there. We threw some crazy stuff into our proposal, like bell cups (we didn't even know what they were called and had never seen them in a local arrangement), proteas, which were just gaining popularity, astilbe and scabiosas, to name a few. We then begged Carla (Love in Bloom) to figure out where to source the bell cups and how to make all of those flowers work together in one bouquet - and holy hell, did she ever deliver!

We brought in oversized farm tables and wood crossback chairs for the reception, creating a large, U-shaped layout for guests to all be seated together. In keeping with the couple's relaxed, rustic style, we brought in simple white dinnerware and linen napkins. Love in Bloom filled the tables with an abundance of vibrant flowers in a variety of bud vases, paired with loose, organic greenery, spilling down the center of the tables. For those subtle, rustic details, we incorporated miniature wood slabs made by the couple, with small lanterns placed atop, and tiny wooden hearts scattered whimsically about the tables. Alyssa's mom made homemade jam favours to adorn each place-setting and Alyssa hand-wrote each guests placecard for an extra personal touch.

The pair made sure to infuse meaningful details such as a Gaelic hand-fasting during their ceremony as a nod to Alyssa's Cape Breton roots, and a old weathered piece of wood, which they chiseled their initials into as Scott's family had before him. And atop their cake, as a reminder of their cherished engagement story, sat the cutest little snowy ginger-bread cabin.

Want to plan your own intimate wedding? We wrote a blog all about how to plan an intimate wedding here. And then head over to our services page to learn all about our new planning services for all types of Micro Weddings from local elopements to intimate weddings, and even pop-up wedding elopements!

Design + Coordination: Bourbon & Bloom | Photos: Photography by Emma | Venue: The Herb Garden | Florals: Love in Bloom | Decor: Valley Tent Event Rentals | Hair + Makeup: Red Carpet Glamour | Dessert: Strawberry Blonde Bakery