WEDDING BLOG

An Enchanted Forest Wedding Full of Moss and Ferns in a Historic Tobacco Warehouse

May 16, 2026 | justine

What if the person you were meant to be with was there all along, just waiting for the right moment to come back into your life? For Morgan and Jesse, that moment came years after high school, when they found themselves reunited in their best friends’ wedding party. Somewhere between rehearsals, conversations, and the wedding day, something shifted. “We realized we had a spark on their wedding day,” they shared.

That unexpected second chance set the tone for everything that followed, including their enchanted forest wedding. Inspired by their shared love for fantasy (and a mutual appreciation for all things Twilight and Lord of the Rings), they set out to transform a historic tobacco warehouse into something entirely different—a soft, moss-filled space that felt like stepping into their own version of a storybook forest.

What We Love About This Enchanted Forest Wedding:

The moss-lined aisle and tables that made the space feel like a real forest floor
A choreographed ballroom dance routine that doubled as cocktail hour entertainment
Meaningful nods to family, from heirloom cake stands to handmade treats
Fantasy-inspired details like a sword cake cutting and medieval mini toppers
A venue with a personal connection to the bride’s childhood

Featured Vendor:
East Elm Photography

Turning an Indoor Space Into an Immersive Forest Setting

Morgan and Jesse didn’t just choose a theme, they built an atmosphere. Their enchanted forest wedding centered on shades of green and ivory, with moss taking the lead as the standout design element. “We wanted to have it seem like the forest was brought indoors,” they shared.

The transformation came to life inside The Lageret, a historic tobacco warehouse that naturally carried an industrial, rustic feel. With the help of their florist, the space softened into something entirely different. Moss lined the aisle and ran along reception tables, while ferns and herbs added texture to the space. The result felt less like decor and more like stepping into another world.

Bringing Personal History Into the Wedding Venue

The Lageret wasn’t just visually aligned with their vision. It carried years of personal meaning. The building once housed a dance studio where Morgan spent over a decade growing up. Choosing it as their venue added a layer of nostalgia and connection that no other location could replicate.

That history blended seamlessly into their enchanted forest wedding, grounding the whimsical elements in something real and familiar. It’s a reminder that the most meaningful venues aren’t always the most obvious ones, they’re the ones that already hold a piece of your story.

Incorporating Non-Traditional Moments

While the ceremony itself was filled with emotion—especially the moment Jesse saw Morgan walk down the aisle—the couple also made space for unexpected, joyful moments throughout the day.

They shared private vows at home before heading to the venue, giving themselves a quiet moment together before everything began. Later, during cocktail hour, they surprised guests with a choreographed ballroom routine. “We have been doing ballroom dance for going on six years now, so we knew our first dance had to be choreographed.” Their three-minute performance combined five different dance styles and became one of the most talked-about moments of the day.

Finding Vendors Who Bring Ideas to the Table

Instead of booking quickly, Morgan and Jesse took time to connect with each vendor. “We tried our best to either have Zoom calls or in-person meetings prior to booking. We were looking for vendors that were passionate about what they do, and willing to work with our ideas while also introducing their own artistic flair.”

That approach paid off. Their florist met with them multiple times to refine the design, and their coordination team stepped in 45 days before the wedding to help tie everything together. It created a sense of trust that carried through the entire planning process and into the wedding day itself.

Balancing Budget Priorities Without Losing What Matters Most

Like most couples, Morgan and Jesse had to make thoughtful decisions about where to spend and where to save. Their advice is simple and practical: “Exploring a range of quotes gave us clarity on where to invest, while still making sure our top priorities stayed intact.”

For them, photography was non-negotiable. They wanted images that would last but also reflect the emotion of the day. “We wanted to look back and get a clear image, pun intended, on what went on that day.” At the same time, they found ways to stay budget-conscious by working with a local restaurant that impressed guests without stretching their finances.

Layering Personal Touches Throughout the Celebration

From the beginning, Morgan and Jesse looked for ways to make their enchanted forest wedding feel unmistakably theirs. Some details were sentimental, like daisies in the bouquet inspired by the bride’s grandmother’s wedding dress, or heirloom cake stands passed down through generations.

Others leaned into their shared love of fantasy and creativity. They cut their cake with a real sword, used custom-made medieval miniatures (complete with their cat, Crisp) as toppers, and worked with Morgan’s aunt to create handmade invitations.

Even their favors felt personal. Guests left with bags of homemade puppy chow made by the bride’s grandmother, a small but meaningful way to share a piece of family tradition.

Keeping the Focus on What Matters Most

Through all the planning, details, and surprises, Morgan and Jesse kept coming back to one core idea: staying present with each other. “Take time for yourself and your partner. The day is about the two of you.”

They also strongly recommend investing in support where it counts. “Hiring a day-of coordinator is a literal godsend. It took so much stress off of us.”

Looking back, what stands out most about their enchanted forest wedding isn’t just the setting, but how intentionally they shaped it. They leaned into what they love—from fantasy-inspired design to meaningful family touches—and trusted their team to help bring it to life. The result was a day built on real memories, with details that brought their vision to reality from start to finish.

The Wedding Team:

Photography – East Elm Photography
Venue – The Lageret
Reception Venue –
Floral Design – Flora by Jamae
Catering – Wendigo Catering
Cake – Craig’s Cake Shop
Coordination + DJ – Carter Events and Entertainment
Makeup Artist – Makeup by Francesca-Agata Marino
Hair Styling – Hair by Liv
Wedding Dress – Vera’s House of Bridals
Bridal Accessories – Olive and Piper
Groom’s Apparel – Indochino
Rings – Kessler’s Diamonds
Rentals – Event Essentials

Rain Canceled the Helicopter, But This Costa Rica Jungle Elopement Was Perfect Anyway

May 14, 2026 | justine

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Some couples dream of a big wedding surrounded by family and friends. For Maggie and Bobby, it looked completely different. They wanted something quiet, intimate, and fully centered on the two of them, which led them to plan a deeply personal Costa Rica jungle elopement filled with rain-soaked scenery and meaningful rituals.

Their story began years earlier in a college biology class, where Maggie immediately noticed Bobby sitting beside her. Timing never quite worked in their favor then, but years later they found their way back to each other. After reconnecting, Bobby admitted he used to pray every night that he would one day marry her. Not long after, he surprised Maggie with a Vizsla puppy for Valentine’s Day, moved in shortly after, and the rest unfolded naturally from there.

When choosing where to get married, Costa Rica felt right almost immediately, even though neither of them had ever been there before. The idea of arriving during the middle of rainy season didn’t intimidate them either. If anything, it made the experience feel even more aligned with what they wanted from the start.

What We Love About This Costa Rica Jungle Elopement:

How the rain completely changed the wedding plans but led them somewhere even more beautiful
The deeply personal cacao ceremony during their vows
The quiet post-ceremony dinner and spa experience built into the celebration
The symbolic seed planting ritual they continued back home after the wedding

Featured Vendor:

Papaya Wedding

Trusting Local Experts When Planning an International Elopement Without Visiting the Location First

Planning a wedding in a country they had never visited could have easily felt overwhelming. Instead, Maggie and Bobby leaned heavily on trust. After discovering Junebug vendor Papaya Weddings on Instagram, they booked photographer Maceij almost immediately. That decision ended up shaping nearly every part of their experience. “He became so much more than just our photographer,” Maggie said. “In a place we had never been, he essentially stepped into the role of our entire wedding planner.”

Beyond photography, he helped them narrow down locations, connected them with trusted local vendors, coordinated flowers, recommended a cacao ceremony officiant, and even visited potential ceremony spots himself to send videos back to the couple. For couples planning a destination elopement from afar, having someone locally connected and deeply invested can completely change the experience.

Their original plan involved taking a helicopter to a waterfall ceremony site hidden deep in the jungle. But on the morning of the wedding, heavy rain made flying impossible. Instead of forcing the original plan, everyone adapted quickly. That flexibility ended up becoming one of the best parts of the day.

How a Rainstorm Led to an Unexpected Ceremony Location

Rain completely redirected their plans, but it also transformed the atmosphere of the day in a way that felt fitting for their relationship and surroundings. The couple ended up holding their ceremony at Origins Lodge, the remote jungle resort where they had been staying. “We hadn’t originally chosen Origins Lodge as our wedding venue,” Maggie explained. “But due to the heavy rain the morning of our wedding, we had to change plans.”

The resort team quickly prepared a gazebo space for the ceremony, and the entire property suddenly felt like a private world tucked inside the jungle. The weather added mist, depth, and a quieter atmosphere that matched the intimacy they wanted from the beginning. “I had always heard that rain on your wedding day is a sign of good luck, so I tried to embrace it rather than feel disappointed.”

Balancing Romantic Gothic Details With a Tropical Jungle Setting

While the setting leaned lush and tropical, Maggie’s fashion choices brought in a completely different layer of mood and personality. From the beginning, she knew she wanted lace and a dramatic cathedral-style veil with a slightly gothic feel. Against the deep greens of the jungle and the soft rain, the combination felt striking without overpowering the environment around her.

She also skipped a makeup trial entirely, something that felt risky in hindsight, but it paid off immediately. “My makeup artist absolutely nailed it on the very first try,” she said. Her beauty team created two separate hairstyles throughout the day. Maggie wore her hair down during the first look before switching to an updo for the ceremony itself. The change gave each part of the day its own distinct feeling while still keeping everything cohesive.

Adding Rituals That Made the Elopement Feel More Intentional

The emotional center of their Costa Rica jungle elopement came during the cacao ceremony led by officiant Grettel. As they exchanged vows, they shared traditional cacao together in a ceremony that felt grounding and intentional. “It added such a deep, intentional element to the ceremony. I truly don’t think our elopement would have felt as special or as meaningful without her.”

Getting there wasn’t easy either. After the last-minute venue change, Grettel drove four hours to reach the resort and even dealt with a flat tire along the way.

The ceremony also included one of the couple’s favorite personal details. Grettel gifted them seeds to plant both in Costa Rica and back home in the United States. “It felt symbolic, like we were planting something together in both places.”

Between the vows, the ritual, and the symbolic planting tradition, the entire ceremony became centered on building something lasting together rather than performing for an audience.

Planning an Elopement That Flowed Naturally Into a Honeymoon

After the ceremony, the resort arranged a private dinner for the couple overlooking the jungle. They followed it with a couples massage and spent the rest of their stay soaking in the quiet atmosphere around them. Because they scheduled the wedding a few days into their trip instead of immediately upon arriving, they were able to transition naturally into a relaxed honeymoon afterward.

Following the wedding, they drove through different parts of Costa Rica, stayed in Airbnbs, and explored the country together at their own pace. Maggie now recommends this approach to other couples planning a jungle elopement or destination wedding experience. “It felt like a built-in honeymoon after the elopement, with no more stress or pressure from the big day.”

Why Choosing to Elope Felt More Meaningful Than Expected

Maggie says she never experienced the regret some people warned her about when choosing to elope instead of planning a larger wedding. Instead, the experience gave them exactly what they had hoped for from the beginning: privacy and presence.

For Maggie and Bobby, their Costa Rica jungle elopement was never defined by whether the helicopter took off or whether the original plans worked perfectly. What stayed with them most was how intentional everything felt once they stopped resisting the unexpected and allowed the day to become what it needed to be. By the end of it all, the rain no longer felt like a disruption. It felt like part of the story itself.

The Wedding Team:

Photography + Event Planning – Papaya Wedding
Venue – Origins Lodge
Floral Design – Pacific Floral Events
Officiant – Grettel Gutierrez
Makeup Artist – Tamara Sabate
Hair Styling – Marietta Alfaro
Wedding Dress – Anthropology
Groom’s Apparel – Amazon

This Open Air Paphos, Cyprus Wedding Has Us Excited for Summer

May 12, 2026 | justine

light blue light pink orange yellow

A warm breeze, open skies, soft pink details, and guests moving from one outdoor space to the next under the Mediterranean sun—every part of Rebecca and Jamie’s wedding was designed to encourage conversation and a sense of ease. Their vision for a romantic garden party came to life through elegant black-tie fashion, thoughtful transitions between locations, and playful details that kept the entire day feeling personal and relaxed.

With the help of a local wedding planner and photographed beautifully by Junebug vendor Karina Leonenko, the celebration balanced timeless style with an easygoing energy that encouraged guests to settle in, enjoy the scenery, and stay on the dance floor all night long.

What We Love About This Cyprus Wedding:

The way each outdoor location created a completely different atmosphere
The soft pastel color palette paired with a formal black-tie dress code
The rooftop welcome party that brought guests together before the wedding day
Personalized details like the custom fans and oversized cut-outs of their dog
A reception designed around movement, flow, and keeping guests engaged all evening

Featured Vendor:
Karina Leonenko Photography

Designing a Cyprus Wedding Around Outdoor Spaces and Guest Experience

As they started planning, Rebecca and Jamie kept coming back to the same idea: creating a romantic outdoor celebration that felt relaxed, romantic, and easy to move through. Instead of keeping every part of the celebration in one place, they intentionally designed the day to unfold across different outdoor settings.

Their ceremony began at a monastery before guests moved to the golf course for cocktails overlooking the scenery. Dinner and the evening celebration later shifted onto the lawn, giving the reception its own distinct energy as the sun began to set.

Rebecca shared: “We wanted guests to be outside, enjoying the fresh air, blue skies, and scenery.” The setting became a major part of the experience, allowing this Cyprus wedding to feel deeply connected to its surroundings.

Blending Black-Tie Style With a Soft Garden Party Atmosphere

While the setting provided the backdrop, the design details helped shape the atmosphere Rebecca and Jamie envisioned. Their inspiration centered around a romantic garden party aesthetic with soft pinks and pastel tones layered throughout the decor.

They approached the decor with a refined style that worked beautifully with the setting. Elegant florals and subtle details complemented the landscape, allowing the outdoor scenery to remain one of the standout elements of the day.

The black-tie dress code added another layer of contrast to the celebration. It elevated the overall look of the day while still feeling light and appropriate for the outdoor setting.

To help communicate their vision clearly during planning, the couple worked collaboratively with their planner through Pinterest boards, WhatsApp conversations, and venue visits ahead of the wedding. That preparation helped ensure every element felt cohesive once the day arrived.

Using Personal Details to Make Guests Feel Part of the Celebration

Some of the most memorable parts of Rebecca and Jamie’s Cyprus wedding came from the smaller details guests interacted with throughout the day.

Customized handheld fans not only helped guests stay comfortable outdoors but also added a playful visual detail during the ceremony and cocktail hour. Personalized signage welcomed everyone into the celebration while reinforcing the relaxed tone of the weekend.

One of the biggest conversation starters turned out to be the oversized cut-outs of their dog placed throughout the celebration.

Rebecca explained that these smaller additions helped create an atmosphere that felt “fun, relaxed, and full of personality.”

Those choices also reinforced one of the couple’s biggest priorities: making guests feel comfortable and engaged from beginning to end.

Creating a Reception That Encouraged Guests to Fully Let Loose

The energy of the reception started building long before the wedding day itself. The night before, Rebecca and Jamie hosted a welcome party at a rooftop beach bar complete with dancing, music, and a DJ. By the time dinner and dancing began, everyone already felt fully part of the celebration.

According to the couple, one of the biggest highlights of the night was the dance floor itself. “Seeing everyone up and dancing throughout the night, fully embracing the celebration, was incredibly special and exactly the kind of energy we hoped for.”

Because the day had been designed with comfort, flow, and movement in mind from the very beginning, guests were able to settle fully into the celebration instead of feeling restricted to one formal setting.

For couples planning their own Cyprus wedding, Rebecca and Jamie’s biggest takeaway is simple: focus less on expectations and more on creating an experience that genuinely reflects who you are together. When the atmosphere feels natural and personal, guests feel it too.