Whimsical Backyard Wedding | Divya & Nicholas

There’s something so intimate and magical about a backyard wedding, and Divya and Nicholas’s was no exception. Held at Nicholas’s family’s property in Massachusetts, the wedding felt deeply personal and family-forward. Various Indian traditions were included throughout the day to honor Divya’s culture, and Nicholas’s daughter Smokey was an integral part of the wedding—making it clear that the day wasn’t just a celebration of two people but the solidification of a family. With Smokey and other children being such a wanted and considered inclusion in the wedding, the day exuded an air of joy and whimsy that could be felt at every moment, from getting ready to dance floor.

Getting Ready

While the bridesmaids helped each other squeeze their hands into stacks of colorful bangles, Divya began to get dressed in her wedding outfit aided by some of her family members. Her mother brought her custom made wedding lehenga (long skirt and cropped blouse) from India, which meant Divya wasn’t able to try it on until right before the wedding. Luckily it fit like a glove!

Bride putting on her earrings in the mirror

Bride smiling while getting ready surrounded by loved ones

Child's Indian formal attire for a wedding

Bride getting dressed in her lehenga with help of her family members

Groom's Indian formal attire under suit jacket

Polaroid of bridesmaids putting on bangles

The Ceremony

Nicholas and Divya’s ceremony was held in a sunny nook of the backyard, surrounded by lush greenery. Alongside a few wooden benches, brightly colored blankets were laid out on the grass for guests to sit on. With Smokey as flower girl, Nicholas’s father as officiant, and various loved ones reading poems and blessings for the couple before the “I Do’s,” the ceremony felt intimate and deeply personal.

Ceremony space at a whimsical backyard wedding

Altar space at a whimsical backyard wedding

Memory table at whimsical backyard wedding

Flower girl / flower children at a whimsical backyard wedding

Bride and groom exchanging Indian wedding garlands

Close up of groom smiling during wedding ceremony

Bride and groom sharing their first kiss as a married couple

Bride and groom walking back down the aisle after getting officially married

Bride walking down the aisle at a whimsical backyard wedding

Wedding guests sitting on blankets in the grass at a whimsical backyard wedding ceremony

Close up of bride smiling during the wedding ceremony

Bride and groom walking back down the aisle after officially getting married

Portraits

Bridal outfit portrait in lehenga and veil

Bride and groom and child laughing together

The Evening

Bride and groom laughing while children throw flower petals on them

After the ceremony, everyone migrated to the tented reception space in the backyard, which was decked out in Nicholas and Divya’s whimsical purple color palette. While the adults drank signature cocktails and mingled under the tent, there was a kid’s station in full swing out on the grass, complete with blankets, giant drawing pads, and a makeshift tent fort!

Before dinner, Divya changed into a white top and lightweight floral skirt. Her ceremony skirt, while beautiful, was very heavy (it broke the hanger when we tried to take dress shots). Her second look was definitely more practical for the dance floor!

Whimsical backyard wedding tented reception space with purple color palette

Wedding guests laughing and talking during the reception

Child sitting outside during a whimsical backyard wedding

Bride smiling with her arms wrapped around the groom's neck at a whimsical backyard wedding

Close up of bride holding a baby during the reception

Close up of a reception table at a whimsical backyard wedding

Custom wedding branded purple napkins and matchboxes

Bride hugging a friend during the wedding reception

Children playing outside during a whimsical backyard wedding

Bride hugging a wedding guest during the reception

Bride laughing with wedding guests during the reception

Groom getting ice cream during the wedding reception

Tented reception space with wedding guests at a whimsical backyard wedding

Cake Cutting

Nicholas and Divya’s colorful and funky cakes were made for them by a friend, who covered each layer in fruit, petals, and sprigs of flowers sticking out high above the frosting!