Boise Botanical Gardens Wedding

This Idaho wedding shot by Andria Lindquist is that of a couple with two main priorities: comfort and fun. Isn’t that how it should always be? We love the mix of having a ceremony in a garden setting then moving to a reception in an industrial building!

From the bride, Kristin: The majority of our relationship has evolved through shared experiences and memories of being outdoors; from camping trips into the Sawtooth Mountains of Central Idaho to a surprise proposal while hiking the Na’Pali coast of Kauai. In this light, we realized early on that an outdoor ceremony would be perfect for us. The Botanical Gardens stole our heart from the first visit. It offered an intimate, natural setting and had just the right mix of qualities we were looking for.

Together, we decided what was important to us and weren’t afraid to break away from tradition. We wanted every aspect of our wedding to be personal and a reflection of our relationship. During the planning process, we went through the details of the wedding ceremony together and tailored them around things that were significant about our relationship. It was more important for us to involve the people and things that have touched our lives than to conform to conventional standards. We dressed our Miniature Schnauzer, who we absolutely adore, in a bow tie and he accompanied the ring bearer and flower girl down the aisle. We had close friends perform the music for the ceremony, which included the bridal processional, an original acoustic composition of Coldplay’s “The Scientist” instead of the customary “Bridal March.” For an officiant, we had one of Blake’s friends from grade-school perform a ceremony that we all prepared together. The day was pulled together with the help and support of friends and family. Ultimately, it was very intimate and incredibly special to both of us. It was a perfect representation of who we are together and a reminder of how far we’ve come.

Although the entire day was absolutely amazing, there is one particular moment that will hold an extra special place in our hearts forever. Shortly after the ceremony, we managed to sneak away with our photographer to capture a few more pictures as the sun started setting and the lighting was in its prime. As the photo session began to wrap up, my anxiety started to build. I knew we were headed strait to the reception, and shortly after we rejoined our guests we would have our first dance together. I was not only anxious about our performance, but also lacking confidence in the ability of my dress to cooperate with all the twisting and spinning. To calm my mind and ensure there would be no major wardrobe malfunction, Blake pulled out his iPhone and turned on our song. He grabbed my hand and we danced with each other on a cracked slab of concrete in front of an rustic old barn with the sun setting behind us. In that moment, everything slowed down. We looked around and there were no guests, no timeline, and no pressure. It was just the two of us, my new husband and I sharing a moment together that was sweet, improvised, intimate, and unforgettably perfect.

Advice to future brides: Don’t rush the planning process and really take the time to truly enjoy each step. Take the opportunity to have fun, learn more about each other, and explore what it is that makes your relationship so special to each of you. Appreciate the little moments that occur as you work with each other to customize your big day. For me, some of my fondest memories were made while planning; going through all of our favorite songs together and choosing which one to dance to, coming to tears as we wrote our wedding vows, working together to find the right shade of pink for the ties, and stumbling through our first dance practice in the middle of the living room. Those little moments are now just as significant as the actual wedding day.

View all images from this wedding in the gallery

Wedding Vendors (Boise, Idaho):

Ceremony Venue: Idaho Botanical Gardens / Reception Venue: The Linen Building / Wedding Photographer: Andria Lindquist / Wedding Dress: Jasmine Bridal Couture / Bridesmaids’ Dresses: Ann Taylor / Wedding Flowers: Hope Blooms, Eagle Idaho / Wedding Caterer: Open Table Catering / Wedding Cake: Pastry Perfection / DJ: Vince Cavanaugh, VCI Audio