A wedding at Hornbaker Gardens is beautiful anytime of the year but especially so in the summer when everything is lush and green and all the shade plants are fresh and thriving. It was a gorgeous, sunny day for Alejandro and Elizabeth when they were married in an outdoor ceremony on June 29, 2019. We are excited to share these beautiful wedding photos by Agnes Rasek Photography.
How did you two meet? – We met at school/ through my cousin who was friends and had classes with Alex. Alex saw a photo of me on my cousins social media page and he had classes with her, so he asked her about me. We exchanged phone numbers through my cousin and the following year we attended the same school & within a few months, we began dating!
Hornbaker Gardens is famous for it’s collection of shade plants,especially the large collection of hostas. We always love a chance to deliver a wedding to The Barn at Hornbakers and save time for a stroll through their beautiful gardens.
How did Alejandro propose? Alex proposed to me during a vacation in Santorini. We were in Greece for 5 days before he proposed. He acted like we were going to take a photo (but in reality he had discussed his plan with the concierge at our hotel, so we got it all on video!) He were on balcony over looking the Aegean Sea. It was perfect.
Elizabeth told us she was fascinated with “Farm Girl Flowers” when we first consulted together. We also love to follow “Farm Girl Flowers” and knew were would be a good fit to work together! She chose bright shades of peach and crimson with white accents to coordinate with the bridesmaids crimson dresses, and all the floral decor except for her bridal bouquet which was shades of white.
What did you enjoy most about wedding planning? I enjoyed spending quality time with Alex, my mother, sister and niece. We toured venues together, attended bridal expos and so much more together. These are memories I will never forget and are once in a lifetime.
What did you find most difficult about wedding planning? I’m extremely indecisive and over think every little thing. I made wedding planning difficult for myself because I never knew how to make a decision within a timely manner or without stressing myself out over it, even though I already knew my answer. I felt that before I could make a decision, I had to “think about it” for weeks.
We took the time to explore all the options with Elizabeth as she thought about each one, what she really wanted, and how to get the most for her budget. She decided she wanted the bridal bouquets to really stand out and she wanted to have a ceremony arbor floral spray to be a grand focal for the wedding. We kept the table centerpieces simple with bottles of blooms and candles.
What advice would you give to newly engaged couples? I would say it is NEVER too early to begin planning. We were engaged for two years and I saved a good portion of planning for year two. I wish I wouldn’t have! Start right away! You will have so much more time to make things special and unique.
Where to begin! Nancy is amazing. She completely brought our floral vision to life, with not much help from me at all. I showed her a few photos, gave her our wedding colors and told her my likes/ dislikes. That was all Nancy needed and she was SPOT ON with what we wanted. When I first saw all of the flowers, it literally brought tears to my eyes because it was EXACTLY what I envisioned. Nancy you are truly the best and I am so thankful we found you. – Elizabeth Sandoval Ramirez
Take Elizabeth’s advice and start planning today! If you are looking for a florist who offers highly personalized service and lush one-of-a-kind bridal bouquets, beautiful ceremony decor and flexibility, call, text or email us today 309-212-6570 or fancyfloralsbynancy@hotmail.com
Vendor credit – The Barn at Hornbakers, Fancy Florals By Nancy, Agnes Rasek Photography