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.

Lori & Randy April Wedding

This wedding turned out great. The weather was perfect and all of the guests seemed to have a blast! I plan to post a few more pictures of the event. Encore Catering provided the catering, Reflections Photography took some amazing pictures, and the bride's aunt made a beautiful cake!!

Tanya & Jason Fall Wedding

This wedding was really beautiful. The couple was going for a green wedding. When possible they used LED lights and they had natural centerpeices that the bride made herself.

Beautiful Blooms

Many people ask what types of flowers we have at Harmony Gardens. Here are some of the blooms that you might expect to see while strolling through our gardens. All of these beautiful pictures were taken here in the gardens. Aren't they beautiful!?!

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!!

Pictures and Date for Flavors of West Volusia

On April 29th, Harmony Gardens will be hosting the second annual Flavors of West Volusia. This annual event brings together fine quality restaurants from the west Volusia area and guests from all over Central Florida for a restaurant tasting event designed to support the Mission to Costa Rica sponsored by Oasis, Deland. Last year 16 restaurants, including the very best that our area has to offer, participated by bringing samples of their cuisine to be tasted by over 100 people from the area. Most of our restaurants have said they wish to return again this year. We are hoping through the efforts of our volunteers to more than double the number of guests while holding the number of restaurants about the same. In addition to the restaurant tasting we will also have a silent auction. Items from last year’s auction included gift certificates from restaurants, golf courses, spas, attractions, and items from local art galleries and artists.

The date for this year's Flavors of West Volusia is Thursday, April 29 at 7:00 pm. Please mark it on your calendar. If you would like to participate or attend, please call 386.804.8404 or email info@harmonygardens.org for more information.

Here are some pictures of last year's event.