​The Magic of a Greenhouse Wedding:    A Celebration Surrounded by Nature’s Beauty

Weddings come in all shapes, sizes, and settings, but few locations can match the charm and enchantment of a greenhouse. Picture saying your vows surrounded by lush greenery, colorful blooms, and the natural beauty of plants and flowers—whether it's in a botanical garden, a converted greenhouse, or even a DIY backyard space. A greenhouse wedding offers an intimate and unique atmosphere that blends the indoors with nature, making it the perfect setting for couples who appreciate the environment and want a celebration that’s both elegant and laid-back.

Why Choose a Greenhouse for Your Wedding?A greenhouse wedding can offer a variety of benefits, depending on your style and vision. Here are a few reasons why it might be the perfect choice for you:

1. Breathtaking Ambiance: The sheer beauty of a greenhouse is hard to beat. The glass walls allow natural light to flood in, creating a soft, romantic glow. Sunlight streaming through plants can create magical moments, especially during golden hour. Plus, the surrounding greenery can help set a tranquil and peaceful tone for the event.

2. A Built-In Floral Backdrop: One of the best things about getting married in a greenhouse is that you’re already surrounded by a stunning array of flowers, plants, and greenery. It eliminates the need for extensive floral decorations, as the natural setting takes care of much of the decor. Whether you’re planning to add a few extra blooms or go full boho-chic with a mix of wildflowers and greenery, you’ll already have a beautiful base to build from.

3. Year-Round Flexibility: While many venues are weather-dependent, a greenhouse offers a fantastic solution for weddings any time of the year. Whether you're dreaming of a winter wonderland wedding with twinkling lights and snow outside or a summer celebration surrounded by vibrant greenery, a greenhouse provides a versatile option. It offers shelter from unexpected weather, while still letting you feel connected to the outdoors.

4. A Personal Touch: Greenhouses are often more intimate and personal than large, traditional wedding venues. Many couples opt for smaller guest lists, allowing them to have a more personal, relaxed experience. Whether it’s a local botanical garden or a DIY greenhouse on a friend’s property, it provides a space where you can truly make the event your own. The uniqueness of the venue also adds a touch of personalization that will leave a lasting impression on your guests.
Decorating Your Greenhouse WeddingEven though a greenhouse provides its own natural beauty, you can still personalize the space to make it your own. Here are a few ideas for adding those extra touches:

1. Greenery Galore: Embrace the natural surroundings by adding more greenery, such as ivy garlands, hanging plants, or potted succulents as centerpieces. You can also wrap greenery around arches, beams, or chandeliers for a lush, romantic vibe.

2. Fairy Lights and Candles: To enhance the magical atmosphere, add strings of fairy lights around the space or hang them from the ceiling to create a soft, glowing ambiance. Candles, lanterns, or a fire pit can add warmth and a touch of elegance as the sun sets and evening approaches.

3. Wooden or Vintage Accents: A greenhouse wedding pairs beautifully with rustic, vintage decor. Think wooden tables, vintage chairs, and mismatched china to add character. Wooden signage with calligraphy can also lend a personal touch to the event.

4. Seasonal Touches: Embrace the season your wedding falls in and enhance the greenhouse with seasonal flowers, fruits, or elements. In spring and summer, you might have peonies, lavender, or citrus fruit adorning tables, while autumn weddings could feature pumpkins, foliage, and apples.
Greenhouse Wedding Catering & FoodOne of the most beautiful aspects of having your wedding in a greenhouse is the opportunity to pair the organic vibe with fresh, locally sourced food. Consider working with a caterer who can offer farm-to-table dishes that incorporate seasonal ingredients. An outdoor cocktail hour with fresh juices, craft cocktails, and finger foods served from rustic wooden bars or farm tables can add to the atmosphere.

If your venue allows it, you could even have a signature herb garden cocktail, featuring rosemary, basil, or thyme picked straight from the greenhouse itself. The unique setting provides so many possibilities for creatively connecting your food and drink to the natural surroundings.

The TakeawayA greenhouse wedding blends the beauty of nature with the elegance of a carefully planned celebration. Whether you want a modern boho affair, a rustic barn-inspired event, or a sophisticated celebration with plenty of greenery, this type of venue can cater to many different styles. You get the best of both worlds: an enchanting, garden-like atmosphere indoors, no matter the season. And, when you tie the knot surrounded by nature’s beauty, you’re bound to create memories that last a lifetime.
​
If you’re looking for a wedding that feels truly one-of-a-kind, a greenhouse might just be the perfect venue to say “I do.”

A beautiful fall wedding at Hazelmere Golf & Tennis Club.

One of my latest weddings I played for at Swaneset Bay Resort & Country Club.  It was such a beautiful event.

10 Ways to Use Live Harp Music

1. Real Estate Open House - Real estate agents and brokers: When you’re hosting an open house and want to move the property, the harp sets the tone better than the aroma of baked cookies. Serious buyers will be amazed that you took the extra step to make house-hunting a welcoming and relaxing experience.

2. To attract customers -   Live harp music is a publicity dream come true.
Restaurant owners: Live harp music holds the key to filling tables. Your dining guests love watching the harp being played as they request their favorite songs. Your dining guests will love the fact that they can hold normal conversations without the need to raise their voices over the music.
Live harp music is not just for Mother’s Day Brunch and Valentine’s Day Dinner. Smart restaurant owners know that the harp adds a special ambiance and class to their establishments. Regularly scheduled music has a snowball effect, creating loyal, repeat customers that bring their friends to introduce them to your dining experience.

3. As a romantic surprise- The harp and romance go hand-in-hand. Does the harp attract the opposite sex? Of course it does. It’s no secret that the harp is a well-known addition to weddings, so why not surprise the bride and have live harp music instead of a recording? Her heart will skip a beat when she discovers you’ve gifted her with the real thing as she walks down the aisle.

4. To add to your holiday festivities -  St. Patrick's Day, Christmas, Mother's day, Birthday's, Anniversaries, Graduation, Baby Showers.

5. To Relax -  Help your clients to enter the zone or chill out.
Live harp music is the gateway to meditation—Better than recordings because the harpist varies the rhythm of the music to accompany yoga, Pilates, and meditation instructions.
Live harp music attracts an atmosphere of calm in stressful locations, such as hospital waiting rooms, train stations, and airport terminals. Yes, live harp music. (Vancouver / Abbotsford International Airport & Langley / Surrey Memorial Hospital, are you reading this???)

6. As a romantic surprise - The harp and romance go hand-in-hand. Does the harp attract the opposite sex? Of course it does. Want to ensure a “Yes” to your proposal of marriage? Feature your intended’s favorite songs played the harp when you pop the question. Works every time. (I have a 100% track record.)
For just about anything you have up your sleeves, your sweetheart will melt into your arms when you include live harp music as a surprise

7. To wow your guests -  The harp has a visual impression like no other instrument. Seeing a harp up close and personal will be a first for many of your guests. Both children and adults often want to steal the chance to touch the strings.

8. Educational -  Many people have never seen a harp close up before. The harp has history. As an ancient instrument, live harp music gives you the opportunity to go back in history.
The folk harp dates back to early carvings on the walls in ancient Egypt and Mesopotamia in 3000 B.C., and first mention of the Celtic harp was in 541 B.C. in Ireland. The harps, and those who played them, went through a rocky history. Fast forward to the 1960s, when the music enjoyed a new resurgence, when traditional Irish and Scottish tunes no longer the sole repertoire for the harp. Schools, community programs, churches, seniors groups, social groups & libraries etc can have me come and do a mini lesson and speaking engagement. You will have opportunity to learn about one of the oldest instruments in the world – the harp.

9. For Healing -  Research studies reveal that listening to live harp music improve the quality of hospitalized patients (according to this Mayo Clinic study), and heals the person playing the harp (according to studies by Dr. Ron Price at Northern Illinois University (DeKalb) I’ve seen this with my own eyes. Amazing results are the norm in health care facilities that invest in live harp music for their patients.
As a harpist, I act as a conduit for the healing energy that comes forth from the instrument. Faces soften in the waiting rooms of doctors’ offices. Those suffering from memory loss and the inability to speak, brought on by Alzheimer’s disease and dementia, suddenly perk up in their chairs to clap, hum, and sing along. The serene tones of the harp soothe the atmosphere in hospital and hospice for both the caregivers and the ill.
The harp improves the person who plays it, too. Arthritis sufferers gradually find more pain-free movement, mild stroke victims regain more use of dormant fingers, and autistic children learn a new focus. No need to share studies here—I’ve seen these results for myself in my students.

10. What? No 10th item? You get to come up with this one! I can think of a few more items to add, but I’m stepping aside and letting you have at it.

On August 25, I played for a beautiful outdoor wedding in Maple Ridge, BC.
The wedding ceremony took place in the back yard of my clients home.

I had a birds eye view of all the excitement as I was situation on the balcony over head.  This is a unique placement for the harp.  The guest were amazed how the sound resonated.