A Fairytale Hidden in the Kentucky Woods

When my daughter Juliet got engaged to Justin, there was one place I couldn't stop thinking about. A little slice of Kentucky woodland tucked away at Strawberry Fields. In our family, we call it "the woods."

If I'm honest, I had to sell them on the idea. A wedding in the woods wasn't what they had envisioned. At first glance, it looks like little more than a beautiful clearing among the trees. But when we first visited the property, I could see what it might become.

As I thought about Juliet and Justin and the things they love most, a vision began to take shape.

Every Great Story Begins With Two People

Juliet and Justin first met in high school, but it wasn't until Juliet's final year of college that their story truly began. Since then, they've built a life around shared adventures. They love traveling to the mountains, skiing and snowboarding together, and spending time with their dogs.

But one thing that has always stood out to me is their love of stories.

Narnia. Harry Potter. Lord of the Rings. Stories filled with wonder, adventure, and the feeling that something magical might be waiting around the corner.

With that in mind, I realized I didn't want guests to feel like they were attending a wedding in the woods. I wanted them to feel as though they had stumbled upon a hidden world among the trees.

Creating a Sense of Wonder

From the beginning, the goal was immersion in the story. Guests followed a winding path through the trees to the reception space, where tables were nestled beneath the canopy. Beyond them, towering panels of custom drapery suspended between the trees revealed the ceremony space beyond.

I loved that guests couldn't see everything at once. The woods slowly revealed themselves as the evening unfolded, creating little moments of surprise along the way.

Throughout the space, we layered beauty into the landscape. Crisp linens, candlelight, and lush floral installations added a romantic, magical feel to the natural scenery. 

Designing for Someone Who Notices Everything

One thing I've always admired about Juliet is how much she notices. She has an eye for design and pays close attention to shape, color, texture, and scale.  Justin is much the same.

Because they both appreciate the details, I wanted to create a design that rewarded a closer look.

Throughout the florals, I played with contrast and movement. Sculptural allium alongside soft peonies, and one flower that felt especially important—dahlias. They’ve always been Juliet’s favorite flower, though they weren’t in season for this May wedding. After many conversations with my wholesaler and a greenhouse grower in Canada, we were able to bring them into the design. On the tables, their rounded forms echoed the allium, creating a rhythm of shapes that rose and fell throughout the arrangements.

Juliet and Justin's invitation suite featured a charming ski lift illustration inspired by their love of mountain adventures. Their custom menus included illustrations of their two dogs, along with ski-inspired details woven into the design.

Their love of desserts also found its way into the celebration. Beautifully styled and filled with some of the couple's favorite treats, it invited guests to linger a little longer and share in something Juliet and Justin genuinely love.

Cascading grapes spilled across gathered linens, creating a sense of abundance that felt both elegant and a little unexpected. Beneath the trees, it looked less like a dessert table and more like something discovered in a hidden corner of the woods.

Letting the Woods Lead the Way

Because Juliet and Justin are drawn to experiences that feel immersive—from mountain adventures to the stories they love—we wanted the landscape itself to become part of the celebration.

We custom-painted the ceremony pedestals in a rich mossy green because bright white simply didn't feel right in the middle of the woods. 

I wanted every element to feel as though it belonged there. The custom-painted pedestals blended into the woodland landscape, while the florals echoed the movement and texture already present in the trees.

My hope was that guests would find themselves wondering where the forest ended and the design began.

Dreaming of drapery layered among the trees or woven throughout your celebration? Custom drapery is now part of our design offerings.

For One Evening, the Woods Became a Fairytale

Looking around that evening, it was hard to remember the hesitation we felt when I first suggested getting married in the woods.

The space felt exactly as I had hoped it would—romantic, welcoming, and just a little magical. More importantly, it felt unmistakably like Juliet and Justin.

Every flower, every detail, every thoughtful touch pointed back to the story they are building together.

And as friends and family gathered beneath the trees to celebrate them, the woods became something more than a venue. It became part of their story.