Enchanted Garden Wedding at The Cummer Museum

A place that feels like stepping into a fairytale, The Cummer Museum brings a romantic oasis to the heart of downtown Jacksonville. But this museum is used for far more than admiring art and gazing out along the St. Johns river.

bride and groom kissing underneath veil during twlight with gardens in the background

Enchanted Garden Wedding at the Cummer Museum

The Cummer Museum holds the most sacred of days, wedding steeped in romance and wrapped in filtered light from the oak trees and spanish moss hanging above.

This Enchanted Garden Wedding at the Cummer Museum was no exception.

Elle & Brandon are no strangers to The Cummer Museum. In fact, we did their engagement photos at this very spot 9 months prior. See more from their engagement session here.

An overcast, late February day, slightly cool and damp, but beautiful nonetheless. The building rumbled quietly with museum goers and vendors alike as we made our way to The Terry Gallery.

As soon as I got ahold of their details, I beelined it straight for the gardens. Painterly stationary, vow books, perfumes, and shoes strewn across the lawn. Sometimes the scenery of the venue is part of the details themselves, and this was no exception.

While Brandon got his formal portraits taken in the Tudor Room, Elle and her crew followed me into the museum’s private theater. This room is used as a backup ceremony space for inclement weather, and was the perfect space for Elle to get her dress on. Light filtered in from the windows, casting our bride in a gorgeous, dramatic haze.

Elle & Brandon decided to share a first look in The Italian Gardens of The Cummer Museum, and they couldn’t have chosen a more beautiful spot. The sun began to peak through and burn off the clouds as Elle descended the stairs. Brandon faced the river as his bride made her way to him.

Their reactions to each other were just the sweetest. Their shoulders instantly relaxed, and it was clear that their jitters were gone in that moment.

Here in North Florida, our regional flowers begin blooming in late February. One of the most abundant in the area, are Azaleas. Blooms of white, baby pink, hot pink, and purple begin sprouting and filling the air with the sweetness floral scent imaginable. The gardens were flush with them, so naturally we jumped right into their portraits.

One of my favorite things about these photos in particular, is that when they see Azaleas begin to bloom, they’ll think back to their wedding day. It’s forever immortalized to them.

Before we knew it, it was time for Elle and Brandon to walk down the aisle. By this point in the day, the sun had completely burned off any semblance of a cloud. The air was cool and fresh, and now the sky was the kind of vibrant blue that you only see in late winter.

Their ceremony sight was illuminated by the evening sun, the grass in the lawn ablaze in shades of gold and yellow as guests filed in and found their seats.

Their ceremony took place during sunset, the light shifted and brought a softness as they joined hands and proclaimed their love for each other in front of their loved ones. The Hattles shared their first kiss, and walked down the aisle and into the start of their new lives together.

The rest of the evening was just as fabulous, the air got a little cooler, the drinks began to flow, and Elle surprised Brandon with a surprise saxophonist during their cocktail hour!! As cocktail began to wind down, guests found their seats in the Terry Galley, where their reception took place. Elle & Brandon’s first dance was energetic and full of life, spins and twirls and dips were had as the crowd cheered on in awe.

Speeches were held after dinner, bringing tears to the eyes of everyone in the room (myself included). The lighting in the gallery was incredible, mirrorballs sparkled and filled the room with fuzzy dots of light, creating a romantic and cozy atmosphere. And the tablescapes? SLAYED!!!

Krispy Kreme was delivered while folks were on the dancefloor, colorful light up wristbands were handed out, and the DJ and saxophonist were lighting that dancefloor UP.

The night ended with an amazing bubble exit, and it was truly unforgettable. I’m so grateful to be the one who got to document this day for Elle, Brandon, and their loved ones.