Planning a backyard wedding definitely has its perks: no venue fee, plenty of time to prepare for the big day, and having a personal backdrop right at your fingertips. But it definitely has its tricky aspects, too, and Heidi + Joshua handled those challenges like pros, as you're about to see firsthand in their magical backyard wedding celebration!

They worked with designer, Tara Garcia, to pull together an evening that had a casual + comfortable feel, but still incorporated a sense of elegance + charm by way of some very thoughtful details. Heidi wanted flowers that felt as though they were picked right from her mom's flower gardens and The Nature of Things provided the most beautiful bouquets that captured the essence of that perfectly. Throughout the decor, Tara used natural feeling elements on the tables like kraft paper and fresh eucalyptus from the neighbor's trees, and borrowed vases from Heidi's friend that were filled with taper candles instead of flowers to provide more lighting in addition to the market lights that were strung above the reception area.

We could go on and on all day, but the photos definitely speak for themselves, so let's check out the images by Josh Elliott Photography below...

Heidi is a super talented hair + makeup artist, so it's not surprising that she looked absolutely amazing on her own big day! We are l-o-v-i-n-g her lavender hair so much and Danielle Ryan did such a beautiful job with her makeup, too!

For their ceremony, Heidi borrowed an arch that she covered with free tree branches found on Craigslist. Such a creative + affordable idea!

We just love these dreamy golden hour portraits of the newlyweds!

The reception had such a sweet + rustic feel, and you'll notice that H + S opted for disposable tableware + cutlery, but the pieces they chose look so stylish + chic we're pretty sure no one minded at all!

What a beautiful + perfectly executed occasion!

Big congrats and best wishes to Heidi + Joshua!

photography: Josh Elliott Photography // venue: Bride's parents' back yard in Riverside, California // event design: Tara Garcia // florals: The Nature of Things // dress: Theia Couture from Love and Lace Bridal Salon // makeup: Danielle Ryan // hair accessories: My Olivia Nelson // veil: The Veiled Beauty