Weddings
A wedding in the countryside offers so many options when it comes to style, to venue and to vision. A countryside celebration could be rustic or it could be modern, it could relaxed or it could be formal. The countryside can bring grandeur or it can bring intimate garden elegance. A countryside wedding doesn’t even need to be outdoors. I will always have a soft spot for relaxed garden party vibes with gin and tonics flowing and canapes in abundance, but my favourite thing about planning a rural wedding is the variety that is available. It is this variety that brings with it delight and surprise and makes every one of my weddings different.
Below are a few examples of the sorts of wedding magic we could create together. If you like what you see, do get in touch.
Barn Weddings
Whether you choose a rustic barn or a modern barn, the very nature of this type of wedding venue means that you are surrounded by picturesque views and photo opportunities galore before you even begin. Both types of barn provide a perfect blank canvas for styling too. I love the clean lines and, usually, white walls that the modern buildings offer as it really allows us to work with any colour scheme. We can go whimsical with our vision (think bunting, bud vases and lanterns) or we can go chic (white drapes from the beams and greenery adorning the tables). With a rustic barn we still have a neutral canvas to build upon but the character is already in place for you. We can bring in furniture and props to bring a vintage feel or we can use lighting to add glitz and glamour. I challenge anyone to get married in a rustic barn without using gorgeous, twinkling fairy lights!
For inspiration, take a look at J&L’s Modern Barn Wedding at Hyde Barn in the Cotswolds →
Country House Weddings
What’s great about a country house wedding is that, if you’re really not that into design, the styling has all been done for you. Country houses are already decorated to perfection and although you are often welcome to dress them to suit your day, you aren’t obliged to. The other wonderful thing is that they usually have a lot of rooms available for use, meaning that you are quite literally covered should our unpredictable British weather let you down. As a lover of the countryside, I particularly enjoy the stunning grounds that often surround country houses as they not only make for the most beautiful photos, but they give your guests something to explore as well. If you opt for a country house on an exclusive-use basis then many of your guests will be just steps away from their beds once it‘s time to leave the dancefloor.
Take a look at J&T’s Country House Wedding in the Cotswolds →
Marquee Weddings
My favourite thing about a marquee wedding is that it is the ultimate blank canvas. Not just in terms of styling, but also location and even suppliers. Whereas some venues insist you use their caterers or their stylists, with a marquee you really do have free reign, even down to the marquee itself (I personally love a tipi). Now, don’t be fooled into thinking that a marquee wedding is the easy option. Many of my couples start their marquee wedding journey only to realise they hadn’t even thought about a power source, water supplies, toilet hire and other such glamorous details, but this is where I can step in and help. If you want full flexibility of your day then this type of venue may just be perfect.
Get inspired by the photos from E&J’s Autumn Marquee Wedding in Surrey →
Micro Weddings
A smaller guest list doesn’t have to mean a less spectacular wedding. It also doesn’t mean you have to organise the whole thing yourself. What it does mean is that we have more time and sometimes (but not always) more budget to dedicate to the detail. This might mean indulging your guests with truly magnificent food and drink, it might mean going to town with flowers and the aesthetics, or it may simply mean ensuring you have time to chat to each and every one of your guests on the day. Whatever ‘micro’ means to you I can still offer my full and partial planning services to help you turn the small details into the big ones.
Perhaps photos of this Intimate Wedding Picnic just outside London will fill you with micro wedding inspiration →