When you close your eyes and daydream, do you picture an ethereal wildflower wedding for you and your partner? 

If you’re more of a ‘dark and moody’ kind of couple, well, this blog probably isn’t for you. But if you imagine an explosion of color in one of nature’s finest landscapes on your wedding day, then you’re in the right place. We flippin’ ADORE colorful images, and wildflower wedding season is one of our favorite times of the year! We plan and photograph multiple every year, here in our home state of Colorado.

We’re going to walk you through how to plan the wildflower wedding of your dreams: from where to go and when, who to hire, and how to be sure you leave no trace.

*** This blog is intended for couples planning a wildflower wedding out in nature. However, even if you’re getting married at an indoor venue and planning more of a ‘wildflower theme’ you might still find some of the information and images helpful and inspiring. ***

Where To Go For Your Wildflower Wedding

Of course, wildflowers can be found all over the country (and world!) but here we’re going to share a handful of the very top places in the US for your wildflower wedding. These locations are simply teeming with dense fields of wildflowers, an absolute feast for the eyes and a delight for the senses.

Colorado Calls!

We live in Colorado and truly, without bias, we think it’s one of the best places for your wildflower wedding. Every summer, our mountain meadows explode with Columbines, Indian Paintbrushes, Bluebells and endless other beautiful species. There’s a reason the state is nicknamed ‘Colorful Colorado’!

Our No. 1 Choice For Your Wildflower Wedding: The San Juan Mountains

There are multiple places within Colorado that would make for a dreamy wildflower wedding setting: Crested Butte, for example, is often cited as the wildflower capital. HOWEVER, we think the San Juan mountain range in the west of the state is THE best place, thanks to its abundance of wildflowers combined with the sweetest quaint little towns to stay in, endless fun activities in the area and the ability to find absolute peace and privacy for your wedding ceremony. 

We’d suggest using Ouray or Telluride as your town base and exploring from there!

And the really cool thing about this area? It’s super accessible! If you WANT to hike ten miles to access beautiful wildflowers, then of course you can and we’re 100% in. However, if you’d rather rent a Jeep and disappear into the backcountry without breaking a sweat, then we’re all for that, too. You could even hire a private guide to take you and your guests to the site of your wildflower wedding: that way you can just kick back and enjoy the views.

Side note: all of the photos in this blog are taken in western Colorado. Pretty spectacular we think you’d agree? If you’d like to know more about getting married in Colorado, you can check out this blog.

Wildflower Weddings in Washington

Another beautiful location for your wildflower wedding is Washington state in the Pacific Northwest. Mt Rainier National Park, for example, KICKS OFF in the summer months! Just be aware that, if you choose Washington, you need to be more open to the idea of adverse weather on your wedding day. 

Or Does California Appeal?

Our last suggestion for your wildflower wedding is California. This is a great option if you prefer a milder climate!

Typically, when most people think of a wildflower wedding, they’re imagining vast green meadows bursting with colorful blooms, often with mountains rising up all around. 

However, if you’d like something a little different, a little more quirky, then how about a desert landscape instead? Joshua Tree National Park’s array of flowering desert plants, such as prickly pears, offers a great alternative.

Believe it or not, even the harshest desert regions – like Death Valley – can be host to the most astounding display of wildflowers. If you get really lucky, you might even get to witness a super bloom with swathes of yellow flowers carpeting the landscape, though this doesn’t happen every year by any means. 

Or maybe you prefer the coastal landscape for your wedding day? In that case, you might want to consider hopping over to the Channel Islands.

When’s The Best Time For A Wildflower Wedding?

So, if you want a wildflower wedding, what kind of date should you aim for?

Well, here’s the most important thing to know and accept: it varies from place to place and year to year.

So, do your research on the place you’d like to get married (you can read blogs like this one to gather info) and then ideally pick a date right in the middle of the most common period. That is going to give you the absolute best chance of having the colorful day you dream of! 

But, ultimately, you must also accept that Mother Nature reigns supreme and she does what she wants, when she wants. There’s always a chance you won’t get the wildflowers you’re imaging. So, our best advice is to pick a location you’re going to love REGARDLESS and consider colorful wildflowers the absolute icing on the cake!

It’s also important to know that peak wildflower season varies from location to location. And it’s not always when you might imagine!

In mountainous Colorado, for example, our peak season – and the time we’d suggest planning your wildflower wedding for – is typically not until July and into early August! A lot of people assume flowers appear in the Spring months, but ‘Spring’ at the higher elevations is actually still full-on Winter and tightly snow-packed still.

If you’d like an earlier wedding date – February to May, for example – you’ll want to consider a desert region, not mountains.

*** TOP TIP: work with a photographer who knows the area INSIDE OUT. We can help you narrow down the date and location based on our experience over the last few years. If you’d like to know more about what we offer, you can check out our packages here. ***

What To Wear For Your Wildflower Wedding

Choosing outfits for your wildflower wedding is SO. MUCH. FUN. Oooooft, just imagine both of you all dressed up, frolicking to your hearts’ content out in nature! What a dream.

You’ve got so many beautiful options when it comes to choosing your outfits, but here’s a few suggestions for you:

• If you’re wearing a dress, we’d suggest either a gown that is super flowy, whimsical and romantic – think a light chiffon, for example – OR a gown that is very simple, clean and sleek. Both of these work really well in a wildflower environment. Personally, we would not suggest a very intricate lace design, as we find that aesthetic doesn’t compliment the ethereal environment so well. 

• If you’re wearing a suit, a bold color can look amazing, but a classic black also looks super stylish. Personally, we’d go one extreme or the other, and avoid something in the middle like a grey. 

• It can be really fun to add a little floral detail to your outfit to complement the environment. For example, a floral tie or pocket square looks amazing. We love these ones by Dazi!

*** Obviously this is opinion-based and these are suggestions only: ultimately, wear whatever the heck you want, whatever you feel AMAZING in! ***

Vendors You Might Want To Hire

You’re going to want some support to create the day of your dreams. None of these vendors are obligatory – you can pick and choose what matters to you – but here’s some people you might want to think about:

A professional photographer for your wildflower wedding

Ok, maybe we’re biased, but we’re going to say this one is kinda like 99% ESSENTIAL. Your day is going to be BEAUTIFUL and you’ll want all the magic captured. We strongly suggest hiring a local expert, someone who knows your location like the back of their hand. Not only are they going to know all the best places for your wildflower wedding, but they’re going to have the knowledge to have backup plans if needed, to know when the best lighting is at various locations, to advise on what permits you might need etc. etc. A good photographer is SO much more than someone who just takes pretty photos: they’re your guide to the whole experience.

Hair and makeup

This might be someone your local photographer can advise on! Make sure you let them know you’re going to be outdoors, so they can give you a look that is sun/wind/sweat-proof.

Florist

We looooooove fresh florals, and why not add even more color to your day?! We’d suggest a bouquet that is whimsical-looking rather than perfectly rounded, to fit in better with the natural environment.

Cake

Whether it’s a simple single tier for two, or something more elaborate, of couuuuuuuurse you want cake on your wedding day! You could even stick to the theme and have a cake with a wildflower vibe: with small pressed flowers decorating the edge, for example. Google ‘wildflower wedding cake’ and you’ll get some lovely inspiration!

Picnic supplies for your wildflower wedding

What could be more romantic than throwing out a blanket and tucking into a delicious picnic, surrounded by flowers and with birds singing in the background? We know amazing companies that will whip up decadent charcuterie boards full of yummy goodies for you to enjoy. There are even people who will set-up a lovely boho picnic for you with a blanket, cushions, a low table and tons of pretty decor: all you have to do is show up and tuck in!

‘Details’ For Your Wildflower Wedding

We love it when our couples bring a little bit of personality to their day, and often that can show itself through the ‘details’. This is a beautiful opportunity to have fun, express yourself and add some unique touches to your wedding.

BonhomieDESIGN On Etsy

We came across this shop whilst researching for this blog post and, ohhhhh my goodness, we feel like we’ve struck wildflower wedding GOLD!!

Their work is INCREDIBLE. From floral-themed vow books to table setting and stationary, you’re going to want it allllllllllllll. I mean, just LOOK at these custom personalized wildflower vow books, have you ever seen anything sweeter? Tap on the link above to see more of their work.

How About A Wildflower Wedding Veil?

If you chose a sleek, simple dress, a pop of color in your veil could look absolutely incredible!!

This one on Etsy is beautiful!

Wildflower Wedding Jewelry

There’s some really lovely options on Etsy, such as this pressed flower necklace. If you’re having bridesmaids this could be a really lovely gift

Wildflower Wedding Custom Sneakers

If you’re getting married outdoors, you really want flat comfortable shoes. We think this is a really fun way to ‘prettify’ them whilst staying ‘on theme’!

Leave No Trace On The Day Of Your Wildflower Wedding

Ok, so you’ve planned the wildflower wedding of your dreams and now your big day is here! There’s just one little thing left to think about before you dive right in and have the time of your lives. 

We’d ask you to consider Leave No Trace principles, to make sure you leave the incredible environment just as perfect as when you arrived. 

So, here’s a few things to think about:

• Don’t pick the wildflowers! It can be sooooo tempting, we know, but please DO NOT pick any wildflowers. In some places it’s actually illegal to do so! Many of these flowers are super fragile and rare and if everyone who visits takes even one they’ll soon be gone.

• Don’t trample the wildflowers. Be really careful where you’re stepping! As far as humanly possible stay on trail. If you DO come off trail, be sure to step onto grassy areas or onto rocks, nowhere that has flowers underfoot.

• When it comes to photography, use perspective to give the IMPRESSION of being deep amongst the wildflowers! This is another reason to hire someone familiar with the area. We know EXACTLY where to position you to create the most beautiful wildflower images without actually doing any damage! Allllll of the photos you see on this blog were taken with Leave No Trace principles in mind.

• Please pack out any waste! If you pop bubbles, for example, make sure to pick up the cork. Or, if you have a picnic, don’t leave food scraps lying around (doing so can alter wildlife’s behaviour and even be poisonous).

So there you have it, all our best advice to plan a magical wildflower wedding!

We hope this has been helpful and, if you have any questions or would like help creating YOUR perfect day, don’t be shy reaching out: we’d love to help!

Let’s do this thing!