“In May of 2010, we both found ourselves in a posh basement bar in Michigan,” Tyler Southwell says of first meeting his now-wife, Jasmine Smith. “Jasmine was with another guy, but I knew I had to meet her, even if my chances were slim. Our chemistry was incredible from the start, and before we knew it, the empty bar became crowded all around us.” Although he tried to gracefully slip away, the crowd around the pair made Tyler’s exit impossible, so he took it as a sign and stuck around to get her number. Two days later, Tyler and Jasmine went on their first date and have been inseparable ever since.
As a surprise for her 30th birthday, Tyler whisked Jasmine away to a local resort and told her to get ready for a fancy and intimate dinner. “When our table was ready, they lead us to the wine cellar where they had made a private space for us with roses and candles everywhere. I still had no clue, but Ty had arranged everything, including a hidden camera, among the wine bottles!” Jasmine says. Over dinner, he popped the question, and then further surprised his future wife by flying her mother in to celebrate.
With a backstory like that, it’s easy to understand how this couple pulled off one of the most romantic garden weddings we’ve ever seen. They focused on just two things — family and flowers — and invited 120 guests to join them at the groom’s childhood home for a low-key celebration that was meant to feel like an elevated dinner party. So, on June 13, 2015, everyone gathered in Lowell, Michigan, for a ceremony and reception packed with gorgeous flowers and lots of family touches. Hey Gorgeous Events brought their vision of a magical, organic outdoor bash to life, and Vienna Glenn Photography captured every perfect detail. Read on to see more!
Jasmine and Tyler loved their Smitten on Paper invitation suite, which fit perfectly with the vibe of their wedding day. Although simple and classic on the front, guests turned over the paper products to find a beautiful floral pattern on the back.
“We wanted somewhere outdoors and bucolic, but elegant, intimate, and special to us,” Jasmine says of the couple’s dream venue. “Tyler’s home was a sentimental choice for us, but on top of that, it was perfect. As someone who grew up in the city always wishing I could have been a country girl, this couldn’t have gotten any better.”
As the bride started looking for her wedding dress, she knew she wanted something classic with a full skirt. As soon as she tried on this strapless lace and organza gown from Hayley Paige, she knew she’d found the one. “The lace bodice gave me the classic feeling while the unique skirt made the dress feel special,” Jasmine says.
Jasmine knew she wanted peonies in her bouquet from the very beginning, a way to honor her late grandmother, who loved those pink blooms more than any other flower. While she wasn’t initially sure she’d be able to get them, the couple’s planner surprised the bride on her wedding day with freshly-bloomed peonies from her own yard. “She texted me and said, ‘Surprise! I think you’re getting your peonies!’” Jasmine says.
Her colorful arrangement also contained pink roses, a nod to the couple’s daughter, Eliana Rose, ranunculus, sweet peas, clematis, and jasmine.
Speaking of Eliana, how adorable was Jasmine and Tyler’s then-six-month-old daughter in her floral onesie? The fact that it fit perfectly with the wedding décor was a happy accident. “My mother-in-law bought her a pink dress that was a mini version of the bridesmaids’ dresses, but I put that onesie on her in the morning so she wouldn’t get it dirty,” Jasmine says. “We just never got around to changing her. It was a beautiful coincidence!”
Tyler looked dapper in his tuxedo from the Black Tux, which he paired with a lavender and scabiosa boutonniere.
Jasmine’s nine bridesmaids wore mismatched floor-length blush gowns from David’s Bridal and Lulus, and each carried a smaller version of the bride’s bouquet. The groom’s attendants matched his formality in their own tuxedos.
The bride and groom’s wedding party was rounded out by their two dogs, Charles and Via, who served as ring bearer and flower girl respectively.
Guests were welcomed to the ceremony with infused water, then took their seats on benches facing the property’s Tea House, which sits in an English-style figure-eight garden. Flower petals lined the aisle and string lights helped illuminate the space. “We used foraged greens from the family woods around the house, which we added to the hanging flowers we picked for the space,” Jasmine says.
The bride’s father walked her down the aisle to the sounds of ‘70s soul singer Bill Withers. Then, she and Tyler exchanged promises they wrote together and shared a reading from Captain Corelli’s Mandolin.
Following the ceremony, guests enjoyed cocktails and appetizers on the lawn, then found their escort cards displayed on an antique door.
Inside the reception tent, everyone was seated at round tables dressed with pale pink linens and lavender napkins. Since Jasmine and Tyler’s main goal was for guests to feel like they were at a relaxed dinner party, the couple used furniture from inside the house as décor and asked that speeches be given at intervals throughout the night. “It felt like a big family reunion,” the bride says.
Inspired by the estate’s gardens, the couple included foraged greens and flowers in their centerpieces. “The vintage dishes and gold cutlery helped us strike a balance,” says the bride. “It was outdoors but elevated.” The bride’s aunt sourced vintage salt and pepper shakers for each table, including two mini poodles for Jasmine and Tyler’s sweetheart table.
Garlands of greenery and fresh flowers — plus adorable signs reading “His Forever” and “Hers Forever” — graced the back of the couple’s chairs.
Dinner was a hit, but it was dessert, displayed in a vintage hutch, that stole the show. “We had so much fun when we went to the cake tasting,” Jasmine says. “We connected with the baker, he was really fun and we all laughed about everything.” So it’s no wonder that the couple skipped a traditional tiered dessert in favor of multiple mini cakes. The largest cake, which Jasmine and Tyler used for their cake cutting, was a marble of vanilla and chocolate. For their daughter, Eliana Rose, the duo chose a chocolate-ginger confection. And, for anyone who wasn’t tempted by the decadent cakes, the newlyweds also offered cake pops.
After dinner, the bride slipped away and changed into a party-ready dress from Katie May. “I wanted a dress that showcased my confident, sexy side for the dance party,” she says. “Something that I could easily move around in but still feel like a bride.”
And it proved perfect, as she was able to move freely during her first dance with Tyler to “Beautiful War” by Kings of Leon.
The couple’s DJ set up shop inside the Tea House, transforming the patio where the ceremony was held into a stunning dance floor.
As a surprise ending to the night, the pair treated their friends and family to an epic firework show.
Ceremony & Reception Venue: Private residence || Wedding Planner & Floral Design: Hey Gorgeous Events || Bride's Wedding Dress: Hayley Paige || Reception Dress: Katie May || Bridesmaids' Dresses: Lulus || David's Bridal || Groom's Attire: The Black Tux || Invitations & Paper Goods: Smitten on Paper || Catering: Christine Ferris Catering || Cakes: The Cakabakery || Music: Adrien Butler || Rentals: The Rental Company || Photographer: Vienna Glenn Photography
