Center News

Beautiful Ideas are Blooming at Schlitz Audubon

The breathtaking natural surroundings of Schlitz Audubon offer the perfect backdrop for couples to proclaim their love and begin their journey together. Each season offers a unique palette of color and splendor. We love autumn’s jewel-toned leaves floating gracefully onto the Pavilion grass, the icicles glistening on branches in the winter’s sun, the painted turtles alerting our visitors that spring has sprung, and of course the lush full trees and fluttering butterflies indicating summer has arrived.

Couples often want to know how to bring the incredible beauty of Schlitz Audubon into their ceremony and celebration. So, let’s explore the natural color palettes of each season on the beach, prairies, forests, and ponds of our 185-acre Nature Center. Learn how experts complement that beauty through floral décor while you explore past wedding celebrations.

SPRING

Photo Credit: Front Room Photography

While the lily pads surface with their showy white lily flowers on Mystery Lake, great white trillium spread color throughout the prairies and marsh marigolds capture the sunlight on their yellow petals. During this season, couples may consider a light fresh feel with a breezy color palette, including flowers that are yellow, blue, and white.

Consider table centerpieces standing tall with strong yellow forsythia stems, accented with soft pussy willows popping around the design around a delicate touch of cymbidium orchids. This combo could be a lovely way to bring a garden look into our picturesque Great Hall.

Perhaps your favorite first sign of spring is the Virginia bluebells or the sweet lavender spring beauty blooms. Incorporate that look into your wedding party bouquets with blue delphinium and light pastel garden roses – add pink to round out the perfect trio.

“Spring is such a fun, fresh time to design! Our team loves to create the perfect plan for each couple, like Teri and Colin. Their floral vision was natural in beauty with calla lilies in cylinders accented with candles.”

Kelly from Jane Kelly Floral

For more ideas, explore our Spring Gallery.

SUMMER

Photo Credit: Matt Zamaitas Photography

When things heat up on our 6-miles of trails and the wildflowers burst with color, the painted canvas of Schlitz Audubon blooms!

While it’s difficult to pick the best accent, black-eyed Susan’s classic look is always eye-catching, while the purple of the blazing stars and Culvers roots are quite a surprise.

With such an expanded range of colors, couples’ imaginations are able to go wild! While some may choose a wildflower mix of blooms for their bouquets and accents in the summer, others may keep their décor simple with a monochromatic feel and let the Center’s property take the lead in color.

“When clients express to us that they are planning around a seasonal theme for their wedding we embrace that theme with floral and décor. Sarah loved the idea of bringing a bee theme into her décor so we suggested a honeycomb suspension piece to hang among the guests during the reception, pairing their seasonal theme and a tribute to the season at the nature center.”

Kelly from Jane Kelly Floral

For more ideas, explore our Summer Gallery.

FALL

Photo Credit: Belle Photography

It’s true we can’t predict the exact day that the leaves are going to peak with yellow, orange, and red, but we can guarantee that every fall will be beautiful!

When it comes to fall décor, anything goes! From orange pumpkins and ginger colored gourds to colorful leaves spread out on tables or bouquets made of deep red roses and orange gerberas, the jewel tones are the perfect way to showcase fall in florals!

On our land, our guests find New England aster bursting with their bright purple flowers, while the goldenrod blows in the wind.

“I selected dark maroon florals with variegated orange roses for my bouquet to play off the beauty of the Nature Center’s colors. My favorites were the bursts of yellow, green hydrangea and red hypericum berries.”

Lindsey Juchea, Schlitz Audubon Bride October 2021

For more ideas, explore our Fall Gallery.

WINTER

Photo Credit: Heather Cook Elliott

The fires are blazing orange, yellow and red in the Hearth Room, while the snow gently falls on the tall grasses of the prairies outside the windows of the Great Hall. The sun shines on the glass-like icicles, holding steady to the branches of the trees.

Couples warm up their winter weddings with bold red roses in table centerpieces complementing the fires and symbolizing eternal love. Or perhaps they select timeless color choices bringing their event to life like Shannon and Jack.

“Being in touch with nature and keeping as many elements of our wedding natural was so important to Jack and me. I selected subtle and soft white blooms with red hypericum berry accents, but the important addition to me was the evergreens.  Evergreens are some of the few green you’ll see in a forest or hiking in winter, so it was a natural fit!”

Shannon, Schlitz Audubon Bride

For more ideas, explore our Winter Gallery.


No matter what the weather brings to the Center or the exact timing of the seasonal transitions, it’s always wedding season here. All of us, our members and the families and friends of our wedding couples are so lucky to see the beauty here in the early mornings, the afternoons, and of course, partying into the night at our special events!

To reach out to the special event department or inquire about venue rentals to make your seasonal vision come to life, contact Bridget Carlson at rental@schlitzaudubon.org.