1. Real Weddings

A Bohemian Desert Wedding at Springs Preserve in Las Vegas, Nevada

rn For their fall wedding, Las Vegas locals Jenna Hyams (27 and in advertising) and Brett Lusk (27 and in insurance) wanted to cele

rn For their fall wedding, Las Vegas locals Jenna Hyams (27 and in advertising) and Brett Lusk (27 and in insurance) wanted to celebrate the natural beauty of the Nevada desert. “We really wanted our wedding to have that botanical garden feel—the natural elements were really important to us,” Jenna says. “For our theme, we were really going for a boho, natural style.” Early on, Jenna and Brett were taken with Springs Preserve, a botanical garden 10 minutes from the Strip. “It had the botanical garden feel we wanted, and we knew the weather would be perfect in October.” After exchanging vows in front of 96 guests in the preserve's lush arboretum, Jenna and Brett released dozens of butterflies. The on-site, indoor reception boasted plenty of flowers in the day’s vibrant colors: plum, orange and burgundy. “I just wanted our florals to take over the wedding, I wanted to have bright, beautiful colors and the arrangements needed to be big,” says Jenna, whose bouquet was a large, wild combo of air plants and blossoms. “Although the first half of the day was mostly full of nerves, our favorite part by far was meeting at the end of the aisle and saying ‘I do.’ ” As for advice, Jenna reminds brides to take their time if they can. “Have a longer engagement, and take your time with your planning. That was the best thing we did.” —Carolyn Meers

The day's rich palette of plum and gold was reflected in the invitation suite, which had a soft watercolor theme.
Jenna and Brett exchanged vows at the arboretum at Springs Preserve in Las Vegas, Nevada, near its butterfly habitat. After the ceremony, the newlyweds released butterflies into the air.
Florist Layers of Lovely crafted Jenna's vibrant bouquet, which was a wild, lively combination of air plants and colorful blossoms.
For her gift to Brett, Jenna had a watch engraved with "love you more." She wrapped it in a vintage box and had it delivered to him before the 5 p.m. ceremony.
Jenna's father sported a pair of custom silver cuff links for the wedding day. They were engraved with "Father of the Bride" and the wedding date.
Brett wore a dark blue tux without the vest, as did the rest of the groomsmen. Brett stood out by donning a dark purple bow tie, while the groomsmen wore regular dark purple ties.
Jenna's Amsale bridesmaid dresses were long and elegant, matching the look of her gown. "My dress had beautiful beaded detailing at the top, with delicate lace sleeves, a low back and a cathedral-length veil," Jenna says of her Anna Campbell gown. The flowers in her hair matched the bouquets.
"We knew the Springs Preserve was the place our wedding needed to be the moment we walked in," Jenna says. "It had the botanical garden feel we wanted, and we knew the weather would be perfect in October." The ceremony took place at the arboretum under a greenery-rich arch.
In keeping with the natural vibe at the Springs Preserve in Las Vegas, Nevada, after the ceremony guests found their names on lists posted to a large wooden board. "I made a large wooden board and stained it a darker color to match the wooden sign with our names on it," Jenna says. "It had at the top 'Find your seat' written in calligraphy as well."
Jenna's hair and gown fit the naturally beautiful, flower-rich setting. "My dress had beautiful beaded detailing at the top, with delicate lace sleeves, a low back and a cathedral-length veil," Jenna says.
At the indoor, on-site reception at Springs Preserve in Las Vegas, Nevada, candelabras were placed around the floral centerpieces to add ambience. Wooden, free-standing numbers were placed on each table for guests to find their seats.
Tables were topped with colorful floral centerpieces in fuchsia, yellow and plum. Guests were given homemade rosemary olive oil in corked glass bottles with personalized stickers.
A custom made sign with Jenna's and Brett's initials faced the dance floor at the indoor reception at Springs Preserve in Las Vegas, Nevada.
Las Vegas Custom Cakes crafted Jenna and Brett's three-tier dessert. "Our cake was ivory for the top and bottom tiers and had a gold middle tier. We only had florals at the top, to match the florals throughout the wedding," Jenna says.