In late July, we will be holding our daughter’s engagement party in our garden. Luckily when we bought the house over fifteen year ago now, we were conscious of everything we placed in the space. Whether it was metal sheds or a birdbath we took our time to find just the right shed and bath to suit our design. My mother advised me to do things this way, and if I were to pass on any words of wisdom to young families just moving into their family home it would be to be aware of the purchases you make, and do it with intention.
I think the truth of the matter for many parents is that once you have a little girl, you start to think about the day they will marry. Of course there are tons of other things that are held in the garden that come before that. Well, like her first tea party, graduation parties and birthday parties, but they all seem like mini rehearsals for what we all refer to as the big day for good reason.
Needless to say, we wanted the whole area to run seamlessly, and by having a vision from the start, this was rather easily achieved. It is a good thing too, because our daughter, being slightly untraditional sprung her engagement on us. Therefore, we are not left with much time to make any big changes in the garden, and with the forethought, and constant recognition that the day would sneak up on us we are not freaking out one bit. Um, well at least not about the engagement. The fact that the couple wants to move to Alaska right after their wedding is another story.
Over the years we have hosted several events in the space, and have found it to be a more than adequate area for both day and evening activities, along with cocktails, brunches and even impromptu dancing. But, an engagement party deserves something special, a romantic gesture. This is where the arbour comes in to the picture.
Actually, the idea for it came while glancing through some sample engagement photos that the photographer sent over. Several of the couples were in beautiful settings, but posed in uncomfortable positions on things like fallen tree trunks, and leaning against sharp fences. So, we thought that by getting an arbour we could also give our daughter a lovely, and comfortable, location for her engagement photos.
Knowing that we plan to live out the rest of our days in this home, makes it the perfect place to share important events. But, while that sounds nice, it still means we have to create and maintain a setting that makes those moments extra special. And because our garden is the spot we congregate the most in for these times, that means being diligent in what we plant and place in that space. And with an arbour, we will bring romance to the space for the engagement festivities, and to the garden for many years to come.
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