My niece and her fiancé are considering having an outdoor wedding. Since I love gardens I thought I might find one that would meet their expectations.

I found the Storrier Sterns Japanese Garden located in Pasadena, California.  Their website has lovely photos of the garden and selected private events that were held at the garden, but I wanted to see it for myself.

The entrance to the Storrier Sterns Japanese Garden was both inviting and enchanting. 

Upon entering the garden, I felt a sense of tranquility.  Perhaps it was the sound of the leaves on a breezy day or the sound of the chimes — either way, it was the perfect end to a hectic week.

Since I believe “A picture is worth ten thousand words” as stated by Fred R, Barnard, I will let the photos taken with my iPhone tell the story.

Because the garden was not set up for a special event, it might take some imagination to visualize a wedding ceremony.  I am hoping that these videos will express the possibilities for a wedding ceremony. The first video Bride Walk  is where I imagine the bride would walk to meet her groom.  Where the table is now, is where the groom and the officiant will be standing as the bride approaches.  Depending on the size of the wedding party, they could also be standing in this area.  Family and friends would be seated across the pond at a slightly lower level and would be able to view the ceremony.

The second video,  Guest Area is the view from where family and friends would be seated, with a clear view to the ceremony.  The garden also has a small building that appears to be available for an indoor reception.  It was closed, so I was unable to take photos of it. I imagined that after the ceremony  guests would be allowed to walk around the garden or move on to the building for cocktails and hors d’oeuvres while the area where guests had been seated for the ceremony could be transformed for the reception.

I truly enjoyed my afternoon strolling around the garden and imagining a wedding.  I strongly recommend that anyone who is looking for an outdoor venue consider this garden.  The tranquil setting would be ideal for the joining of two hearts.