Descanso Gardens Wedding Photography With Sun & Sparrow
A Descanso Gardens wedding is a beautiful and magical day, filled with whimsey and an enchanted fairytale ambiance. Imagine yourself holding English breakfast tea while giggling with your friends about your romance, and then imagine that this is your wedding and you are having that garden party with all of those people you love the most. Sun and Sparrow specializes in fairytale and whimsical photography and would love to photograph your Descanso Gardens wedding.
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Descanso Gardens, A Botanic Garden In Southern California
Descanso Gardens is a gorgeous botanic garden in the heart of La Cañada Flintridge with beautiful views of the San Gabriel Mountains. This Garden is a timeless homage to nature; founded in the 1930s when “Elias Manchester Boddy bought 165 acres of undeveloped land (now Descanso) for a ranch and a new home, designed by “architect to the stars” James E. Dolena”. Over the years, Descanso has gone through several changes, including additions to its gardens and getting museum status.
The Venue has nine different sections of gardens, each featuring different types of plants. Many of my clients choose to use two different sections of the gardens. Many people get married in the rose garden and take portraits in the oak grove. Usually, my clients choose to have a Descanso Gardens wedding because of the garden’s whimsical and lush environment that brings in magic and fairytale inspiration.
Where Can You Have Your Wedding Ceremony At Descanso Gardens?
There are four beautiful locations at Descanso Gardens to hold your ceremony.
- Near the Gazebo
The Gazebo is located in the rose garden and features black wrought iron with a filagree design and climbing roses, this ceremony space has a small stage that lifts the bride and groom up which feels great. - Under the Willow Tree
This location is in the rose garden and features a large willow tree on the lawn next to a pavilion reception space. It feels slightly more whimsical and close to nature than the gazebo location but it does not have a stage. - The Oak Amphitheater
The Oak Amphitheater is located near the Japanese garden and features lots of large twisting oaks arching over the stage of the amphitheater where the bride and groom stand. This is the only location that comes with built-in seating as it is an amphitheater. - The Japanese Garden:
The Japanese Garden is a small space, designated for micro-weddings. This garden features a tea house as a ceremony space and a viewing patio next to the koi pond.
Four Photography Tips For Your Descanso Gardens Photos
Take your Descanso Gardens Photos in The Oak Grove if you can. There are some incredibly magical spots in that location. There is a special spot in the oak grove where the trees create a perfect arch around the sun at golden hour and you can put the bride and groom in front of the tree to create a beautiful moment
There is a special tree that I call the dipping tree where an oak dips down into a perfect seat. I always have the bride and groom sit and these often become some of my favorite photos from any wedding.
If you want to get a permit to take portraits at Descanso Gardens on a non-wedding day, they will only allow you to get a permit between 10 am and 2 pm. Unfortunately, that is when the sun is very high in the sky, creating harsher light, so I recommend that if you are going to have a non-wedding photo session at Descanso Gardens you try to have it in the winter
They don’t close down the gardens on wedding days! If you decide to arrive early to your wedding day to have portraits done, you should know that the rose garden is open to the public until about an hour before the ceremony and there are often guests walking around enjoying the beautiful scenery. This means you might have to wait a little while to get the shot that you want, or that your first look might not be perfectly private and quiet. Still, the gardens are one of my favorite places for weddings. A Descanso Gardens wedding always feels enchanted and magical.
Why You Should Choose Sun & Sparrow as your Descanso Gardens Wedding Photographer
The first thing anyone should know about me is that I have been photographing weddings at Descanso Gardens for nine years and I have been photographing weddings for over fifteen years. When you choose to go with Sun & Sparrow as your Descanso Gardens Wedding Photographer, you are choosing experience. My experience will help you have an easier wedding day.
I provide whimsical and dreamy photography for you, while also helping guide you through your day, starting with a full prep. We create a photo itinerary together and prepare for almost any hiccup we might run into. We especially allow ample time for wiggle room because your wedding is a real-life event.
My philosophy is that wedding photography is about people, moments, and experiences, so I focus on connecting with you to create a vision together of what your wedding can be. Then we create moments together that feel comfortable and joyful. The joy comes through your photographs so that you can remember the way that you see in those images. It’s not just a pretty picture, it’s a beautiful moment.
