"When the green woods laugh with the voice of joy, And the dimpling stream runs laughing by; When the air does laugh with our merry wit, And the green hill laughs with the noise of it."
~ William Blake
A woodland wedding in the forest… what could be more enchanting? Nature lovers, Annalesa and Nick, felt it was the perfect place for them to say "I Do." They tied the knot under the green grandeur of the majestic redwood trees in Saratoga Springs, nestled in the Santa Cruz mountains. Their wedding color palette of white and soft dusty gray, was purposely subtle, as bride Annalesa pointed out, "With all the foliage, all we needed was a clean crisp white to set the tone." The bride's and bridesmaids' bouquets consisted of white blooms (roses, peony, ranunculus) and green fill (seeded and gunni eucalyptus). Charleton Churchill Photography captured the mysterious, fairy tale charm of the day, including the dramatic rays of light sneaking through the tree branches.
![Bride and groom cross a stream | Charleton Churchill Photography](https://static.wixstatic.com/media/010eef_7a3bb5c70a40488ab72f6ce8d5165c41~mv2_d_6016_4016_s_4_2.jpg/v1/fill/w_147,h_98,al_c,q_80,usm_0.66_1.00_0.01,blur_2,enc_auto/010eef_7a3bb5c70a40488ab72f6ce8d5165c41~mv2_d_6016_4016_s_4_2.jpg)
![Bride and groom next to stream in forest | Charleton Churchill Photography](https://static.wixstatic.com/media/010eef_5c05bcc0b2bd4cb9846e0b08e1d37f5d~mv2_d_4579_3057_s_4_2.jpg/v1/fill/w_147,h_98,al_c,q_80,usm_0.66_1.00_0.01,blur_2,enc_auto/010eef_5c05bcc0b2bd4cb9846e0b08e1d37f5d~mv2_d_4579_3057_s_4_2.jpg)
![Bride and groom photographed in the forest | Charleton Churchill Photography](https://static.wixstatic.com/media/010eef_2994bafd2fd44572a449b2482d4caa4c~mv2_d_6016_4016_s_4_2.jpg/v1/fill/w_147,h_98,al_c,q_80,usm_0.66_1.00_0.01,blur_2,enc_auto/010eef_2994bafd2fd44572a449b2482d4caa4c~mv2_d_6016_4016_s_4_2.jpg)
![Bride with bouquet in the forest | Charleton Churchill Photography](https://static.wixstatic.com/media/010eef_19a6987f1251450aab6e6a0c102aea15~mv2_d_3041_4555_s_4_2.jpg/v1/fill/w_147,h_220,al_c,q_80,usm_0.66_1.00_0.01,blur_2,enc_auto/010eef_19a6987f1251450aab6e6a0c102aea15~mv2_d_3041_4555_s_4_2.jpg)
The large white blooms of roses, peony and ranunculus created a crisp contrast to the dark forest backdrop, while the texture and soft green of the eucalyptus tied in with the surrounding foliage.
![Wedding party photographed in the forest | Charleton Churchill Photography](https://static.wixstatic.com/media/010eef_e6414177f206402abb70938cfa698da5~mv2_d_4016_6016_s_4_2.jpg/v1/fill/w_147,h_220,al_c,q_80,usm_0.66_1.00_0.01,blur_2,enc_auto/010eef_e6414177f206402abb70938cfa698da5~mv2_d_4016_6016_s_4_2.jpg)
![Wedding party pose on bridge over stream in the forest | Charleton Churchill Photography](https://static.wixstatic.com/media/010eef_e39576adadea477d9e36105936725e46~mv2_d_6016_4016_s_4_2.jpg/v1/fill/w_147,h_98,al_c,q_80,usm_0.66_1.00_0.01,blur_2,enc_auto/010eef_e39576adadea477d9e36105936725e46~mv2_d_6016_4016_s_4_2.jpg)
![Bride and bridesmaids | Charleton Churchill Photography](https://static.wixstatic.com/media/010eef_7507c5f3c94e49d58f957f06b8bb145a~mv2_d_5223_3487_s_4_2.jpg/v1/fill/w_147,h_98,al_c,q_80,usm_0.66_1.00_0.01,blur_2,enc_auto/010eef_7507c5f3c94e49d58f957f06b8bb145a~mv2_d_5223_3487_s_4_2.jpg)
![Bridesmaid | Charleton Churchill Photography](https://static.wixstatic.com/media/010eef_52c49ade6a1440c3b9de3568a9e0d5b1~mv2_d_3658_5480_s_4_2.jpg/v1/fill/w_147,h_220,al_c,q_80,usm_0.66_1.00_0.01,blur_2,enc_auto/010eef_52c49ade6a1440c3b9de3568a9e0d5b1~mv2_d_3658_5480_s_4_2.jpg)
![First look bride and groom | Charleton Churchill Photography](https://static.wixstatic.com/media/010eef_4cd0497734704aaf8ad9fc493112337c~mv2_d_5215_3481_s_4_2.jpg/v1/fill/w_147,h_98,al_c,q_80,usm_0.66_1.00_0.01,blur_2,enc_auto/010eef_4cd0497734704aaf8ad9fc493112337c~mv2_d_5215_3481_s_4_2.jpg)
![Exchanging vows | Charleton Churchill Photography](https://static.wixstatic.com/media/010eef_57a4ef3b626a41f182e1db12cd62f4c0~mv2_d_6016_4016_s_4_2.jpg/v1/fill/w_147,h_98,al_c,q_80,usm_0.66_1.00_0.01,blur_2,enc_auto/010eef_57a4ef3b626a41f182e1db12cd62f4c0~mv2_d_6016_4016_s_4_2.jpg)
![Bride and groom embrace | Charleton Churchill Photography](https://static.wixstatic.com/media/010eef_86b08973ee3c42139f9f46527c20f44a~mv2_d_4016_6016_s_4_2.jpg/v1/fill/w_147,h_220,al_c,q_80,usm_0.66_1.00_0.01,blur_2,enc_auto/010eef_86b08973ee3c42139f9f46527c20f44a~mv2_d_4016_6016_s_4_2.jpg)
Annalesa and Nick's wedding was featured in Our Wedding magazine. Click here to see the story, on pages 50-51.
Vendors
Photographer: Charleton Churchill Photography
Floral Designer: Visual Impact Design
Gown: Second Summer Bride
Makeup: Carina Martin
Menswear: R. Douglas Custom Clothier
Desserts: Whole Foods Market, CREAM