Harmony Gardens is Unique

Harmony Gardens is a very unique venue.  There are not many private gardens of this size that are also full service wedding venues.  There are public gardens in which you can do weddings and there are wedding halls that have small gardens attached, but not many full blown "Garden Venues".  What does that mean?

Well, some of the differences between a banquet hall and Harmony Gardens are:

-We are all outdoors with several "venues" within a venue for ceremony, dining, dancing to be separate but still connected.  In other words everything flows and you have a lot of variation to your event rather than everything taking place in the same room or having to travel between two locations.

- Our gardens are very elaborate.  The gardens are our focus.  We have landscapers that work year round, designing, providing upkeep, etc. so that when your wedding comes around, the gardens look spectacular.

- We have a lot of flexibility in accommodating themes.  Each wedding looks different!

Some of the differences between a public garden and Harmony Gardens are:

-It is private.  You don't have to worry about sight seers "crashing" your party.

-You can have dinner and alcohol, be here into the night, and your DJ can play music that you can dance to!

-Our gardens are designed with weddings in mind and so each area accommodates the specific features of a wedding.

-We have everything in house.  Renting an off-site pavilion/tent alone can be an ordeal.  Most public gardens don't have those on site.  We have everything from pavilions, tents, tables, chairs, and linens to a photobooth right here!  Easier and less stressful for you!!

Some other unique differences:

-We only do one wedding per day.  This gives you plenty of time to get ready and not feel rushed.

-You have a wedding planner available to discuss ideas, give feedback, and help throughout the process.

-You can dance under the stars, with twinkle lights twinkling and torches blazing!!  How awesome is that!

"Best of Beauty Basket"

I'm sure you have heard the expression, Win-Win. Well this is definitely a win-win situation. You can look great and feel great at the same time.

I had the privilege of meeting an amazing woman a few years back. While my husband and I were in seminary, I kept hearing about someone named Casey. Awesome hairstylist - Casey, amazing photographer - Casey, artistic and talented - Casey, and an amazingly strong woman of God - Casey. She and her husband have two adopted children and are in the process of adopting two more from the Congo region of Africa. Here are the details of the upcoming adoption!




As a fundraiser to help with the insane expenses of international adoption, she is offering baskets of her favorite products in a specific category (i.e. baking, beauty, etc.) This month's basket is a bride's dream; all about beauty! Casey is a stylist and so she knows her products! In fact she reviews each of the products included, explaining why they are her favorites. She includes 30!!

Here is how it works:

For each $5 you donate toward the adoption of these two children, you will be entered to win this amazing basket. How cool is that? She does a new basket each month. Seriously, these baskets make me drool, because they are so cool. I hope this win-win idea has you just as excited. Good luck, hopefully I will get to see one of our Harmony Garden's Brides sporting some new beauty products!!

Let's help these two sweet children experience the joy of having parents and living in a stable climate and family!

Here is how to donate, to be entered into this drawing, and to read about some amazing products!

Letterpress Invites & Coaster Favors

Here are a couple of blogposts about the invitations and coaster favors that one of our Spring Brides designed for her wedding! She drew the image herself based on a picture of the groom and her and then had it printed utilizing a letterpress by G. Johanson, Printer. How awesome is that!?!

http://gjohanson.blogspot.com/2011/04/finishing-touches-for-reception.html
http://gjohanson.blogspot.com/2011/02/annas-announcements.html

Professional DVD Slideshow Giveaway

Planning for a wedding can be a lot of work. It is really easy to stress out when it comes to deciding how you are going to capture the memories from the biggest day of your life. There are things to consider beyond the obvious questions of hiring (or not) pro photographers and videographers.

How are we going to get all of the photo and video files from our guests (grandma isn't on Facebook)? Are we going to miss out on many of the behind the scene moments? What are we going to do with my uncle's video footage? Wouldn't it be nice to combine our photos with the video of our first dance we spent months rehearsing?

Well we at Harmony Gardens are here to help! Our friends at Storymix Media provide services that help take away the stress and worry of those very questions. We are also going to do something a bit different and fun - a free giveaway!

Here's how it works. Storymix will produce a 100 photo slideshow for the lucky winner to use at their rehearsal, reception, as a gift, or whatever creative use you have in mind. All you need to do is add a comment with where you intend to use it and your email address. We'll randomly select the winner and provide the coupon code to use on the Storymix site.

Entries must be made by September 7th. Make sure you tell your friends who are getting married about this great offer.

Animated Wedding Photos from Ariane on Vimeo.

De Leon Springs, A Destination

De Leon Springs is an amazing area full of rich history! Native Americans inhabited this area as long as 6,000 years ago, it was visited in the 1500's by Spanish explorers, and in the 1800's De Leon Springs became a very popular tourist destination known for its "Fountain of Youth" the natural sulfur and fresh water spring that gives the town its name. Historical significances include Spanish explorer Juan Ponce de Leon, Seminole Indians, Civil War battles, and wildlife enthusiast John Audubon expeditions.

In addition to the history there are also several notable attractions in town.

De Leon Springs State Park is right in downtown and has a swimming area that goes to depths of 30 feet at the boil and remains 72 degrees year round. The spring flows at a rate of 20 million gallons per day! The park also includes picnic areas, hiking, canoeing, kayaking, and paddleboat rentals. The Old Spanish Sugar Mill Restaurant is also located within the park, allowing tourists and locals to cook pancakes at their table all while enjoying the views of the park.


Lake Woodruff Wildlife Refuge is also located in De Leon Springs. It has almost 22,000 acres of swamp, forest, and wetlands, attracting deer, alligators, otters, and an insane amount of birds. There are miles of walking trails where visitors can walk right next to an assortment of wildlife.


In addition, Spring Garden Ranch, the largest training facility for Standard bred horses in the country is also located in town. The Ranch has a restaurant that is open for breakfast and lunch and overlooks the track. Diners are able to be spectators as world renowned horses train right in front of the restaurant which is enclosed by windows, providing a great view.


De Leon Springs is a quaint, small town located right in the bustling area of Central Florida. It is located 20 miles west of Daytona Beach, known for Bike Week, Biketoberfest, The Daytona 500, and of course the beach itself; an hour north of Orlando, and all of the attractions it has to offer, Disney World, Universal Studios, and Sea World to name a few.

Need a place to stay while in town? Check out Spring Water's Inn!

Embracing Nature on your Wedding Day

Planning an outdoor wedding does not have to be totally stressful. Sure there are weather conditions to contend with and because there so many more variables involved, than in say a banquet hall, there is always the chance of something unexpected happening. However if you don’t try to fight nature, but rather embrace it you will be less stressed and your wedding will be beautiful!

Here are some tips for embracing nature:

1. There are certain times of the year that are more prone to bad weather than others. For instance August in Florida is always hot and there are almost always rain showers; February is most often cold. Doing your research and making informed decisions will help you to book your wedding during one of those times in Florida that made you want to marry outdoors to begin with. Spring and fall are much more predictable. The temperature is generally mild and although it does rain, it is not as likely. Also check your Farmer’s Almanac, it can offer helpful trends.

2. During times of the year that the temperature is unpredictable, i.e. beginning and end of winter, budget for patio heaters or fans. According to www.weather.com , the average temperature high for February 13 locally is 71 degrees, with the record temperature high being 90 degrees. Today the forecast high is 52 degrees. That is quite a spread of temperatures. Budgeting for a heater would relieve some of the chill. Also, planning a date sometimes even a week or two earlier or later may make a huge difference in the predictability of temperatures.

3. Find a venue that can offer a covered area, even if you only use the tent/pavilion/indoor building as a backup you can rest easier know you will not need to scramble last minute to make alternate plans. As you plan your décor, seating charts, etc. also have a back up plan as to what décor you will use if under a tent, rather than under the stars! Also, please remember your vendors! For instance, a DJ, especially needs to be in a covered area to protect their equipment.

4. Find a venue that will work with you in the chance of severe weather. Even an indoor wedding can be problematic in the chance of hurricane (or a blizzard, depending on your location). A venue should work with you to reschedule your date if weather has prohibited your traveling guests from attending or the weather becomes a safety concern.

5. Last but not least, RELAX. At the end of the day you and your honey will be married and starting your life together, regardless of whether you danced under a tent or under the stars!!