Huntsville Botanical Garden – Through The Seasons

Huntsville Botanical Garden Wedding Venue // Wedding Photographers in Huntsville, Alabama

Back in 2018, we launched what ended up being a really neat 3-year project for Huntsville Botanical Garden. Today I want to give you a little peek into the fruit of that project! When brides book Huntsville Botanical Garden as their wedding venue, they very often fall in love with the picturesque garden grounds and botanical aspects of the venue. And for a good reason – the Garden is gorgeous! Some of our all-time favorite images have stunning pops of Garden color or serene lake views.

As a bride touring the Garden in June, how do you describe what the Garden will look like in October? That was a dilemma the thoughtful ladies in Huntsville Botanical Garden’s facility rental department wrestled with. The Garden literally changes week by week as aspects of nature ebb and flow through their natural cycles.

The solution? Their brilliant idea to photograph the outdoor Garden venue spaces each month for a year! What better way to give brides a glimpse into how the Garden will show itself off for her wedding day?

“I’m So Glad I Live In A World Where There Are Octobers” – LM Montgomery

And so the journey began. I headed to Huntsville Botanical Garden one happy August morning. This was pre-Josiah, so I had all the time in the world to soak in the marvelous beauty of what the Garden had to offer. Most of our Garden visits are on wedding days, so we don’t often have a chance to meander. It’s all about lighting and location on those days! I saw the Garden in a different light (literally and figuratively!) as I looked at the empty venue spaces. thought about all the wedding ceremonies these spaces would see in the future. What a privilege!

Each month for a year, I ventured over to the Garden about mid-month to photograph the changing of the season. It. Was. Spectacular!!! Even if I had visited each month just for fun, I don’t think I would have noticed the intricacies of the delicate changes. Being responsible for capturing the essence of the Garden’s seasonal offerings, I took note of where the colorful leaves might be and when the first green leaves appeared. I experienced the grass turning green and the space of time where trees flowered their fullest.

Can’t Stop, Won’t Stop

A 12-month project turned into 3 years for two main reasons. First, I loved being so intentional about watching the seasons unfold in nature. In my busy life, I don’t slow down nearly as often as I should. Being surrounded by nature in the Garden reminds me that I need to do it more! The second reason is more practical: there were a few months during that first year where special exhibits were set up. Remember the Chinese Lantern Festival? Super cool, but I wanted the project to be timeless. I also updated any cloudy months to more sunny days, especially in the winter. Covid also landed in there, which halted the project updates for a few months.

The Crowning Moment: The Seasons At The Huntsville Botanical Garden

The result is something I absolutely love!! We created a webpage called The Seasons At The Huntsville Botanical Garden. (Definitely click that link to check it out! You also don’t want to miss our Huntsville Botanical Garden Weddings feature for some great wedding inspiration!) Even if you’re not a bride planning her wedding, it’s so fun to browse through the seasons! It reminds me that winter has its own kind of serene beauty that you only get with the simplicity of nature’s restful season. I get excited about pops of vibrant color and the robust blue skies contrasting with the glorious white columns of the Grand Ballroom. Each ceremony spot brings back memories of weddings photographed and anticipation of weddings to come.

God is a marvelous artist. He gifts us with a world that’s ever-changing and ever-beautiful. Watching the cycles of nature is such a special reminder of His eternal care and attention to the tiniest of details.

If you haven’t popped over to The Seasons At The Huntsville Botanical Garden page, you should do that! Until then, here’s a little glimpse of the Garden through the seasons!

*hugs*
Amber

One of Josiah’s very first photoshoots was a trip to the Garden when he was less than 3 weeks old. Sweet baby!