Although 2020 has thrown many weddings off track, the wedding industry is only going to be bigger and better than ever when it booms back next year. I for one have had to put my own wedding back to 2022, which means I’ve pressed paused on any plans and preparation. When I think about planning it again, I get a warm, fuzzy feeling – just thinking about having everyone there and spending a day filled with love and happiness is just truly magical.
Our venue is slightly on the rustic side, so a rustic themed wedding is something we’re considering. Somewhere between barn-chic and rustic-modern seems to be a more sought-after choice when it comes to popular wedding themes. Especially for those who want a cool, relaxed vibe on their big day. I’d say we’re quite a laid-back couple, so we want to reflect this on our big day, along with a few authentic touches.
But where do you start when it comes to planning a rustic wedding? Or, even just getting into the planning stage after 2020 and the pandemic? Of course, the venue and location plays a huge part. You don’t have to opt for an old barn, although this is a sure fire way to get that rustic feel. But you can also find something with a whimsical backdrop. Have a look at a particular area you’re drawn to and the venues around the area, like Niagara on the Lake Wedding Venues for example. You’ll be able to compare and contrast the different venues.
I’ve highlighted below some steps I’m going to be taking for planning my own rustic themed wedding, which can be applied to any type of wedding out there, but tweaked slightly if you like!
What exactly is a rustic wedding?
Firstly, it’s best to fully understand the actual definition of ‘rustic’ when it comes to the wedding industry. A rustic themed wedding relates to the great outdoors, bringing that touch of country vibe combined with the modern feel of a barn. Think of everything from wild flowers, pastel blooms and beautiful views, to gentle nods to the countryside, wooden finishing’s and textured fabrics.
Rustic wedding venues are becoming more popular, with people rennovating old barns or country houses and turning them onto desirable wedding venues. There may be some country houses in idyllic locations near you that you didn’t even know were venues. Have a look online first, searching in the area you want to get married, like wedding venue azle tx, can show you some hidden gems you may not have discovered.
It’s a great theme to choose because your options are endless. If you both love landscapes, scenery and creative backdrops, it’s a brilliant theme as just think if how stunning your photography will be! Even if your wedding is in a barn, a field, a marquee, a hotel or hall, a rustic wedding can be easily created with the right accessories and decor. We’ll ideally be filling the two modern barns of our venue with organic textures, personalised quirky details and heart-warming momentous.
This way, the photographer we choose will easily be able to capture a beautiful rustic feel no matter which room they are in, whether inside or outside, or focusing on close up detail shots. When you put a little effort in across the decor of the room and little touches around the venue, the photographer will be able to capture that rustic, country-esque feel, and will be able to lend themselves to shoot at certain angles to really give off that shabby-chic vibe.
Of course, it certainly helps to have a great photographer booked, who can understand your theme, colour scheme and overall wedding ‘vibe’, and take the creativity into their own hands throughout the day. You want to be able to trust them to make the venue look even more stunning in the shots than in real life! Whether you get married in the Scottish countryside and search for wedding photographers in Edinburgh, or you have a recommendation for a rustic and outdoor skilled photographer in Manchester, ask to see their work and make sure they will be able to work to your ‘brief’.
Finding a rustic venue
Weddings which take on the rustic theme tend to lend themselves to a country style, so the most popular option when looking for event venues is to go down the barn style wedding route. There weren’t too many around us, but luckily there are a lot more of this style of venue popping up around the UK, as people move away from the traditional hotel and ‘hall’ style wedding venue.
Over the years, many people have converted their farms, barns and even land they own to reflect a beautiful barn location, designed to host weddings. So there may be more new venues offering this quirky, fresh style next year than there has been before. Some people even take rustic weddings to the next step, and host outdoor weddings outside close to nature. This way, you can set up around the trees, decorating the great outdoors with bunting and lanterns. You can even have real wood chip! Just be careful with candles though! You can search in your chosen area for the Best Mountain Wedding Venues In Colorado or similar mountain wedding locations near you, to get some inspiration.
Our barn venue is more to the modern end of the scale. Although filled with stone walls and beams, it naturally looks picturesque and has that touch of class to it. Most barn venues are situated in attractive settings, surrounded by woodlands, scenery, lakes, quaint farm yards, or nestled into the quiet countryside.
Barns are an ideal venue choice for any season you wish to host your wedding, although they can offer a different vibe depending on the season. Winter weddings in barns can be made more magical with twinkling lights, roaring open fires and arming hay on the ground. But in the Summer, they can offer that farm-house style, summer day chic feel, with open doors letting the natural light flood in.
The more authentic and ‘real’ the barn venue is, the more it won’t need too much decorating. Barns like this lend themselves to be decorated in a rustic way without too much effort. If you can fill them with traditional wooden tables and chairs adorned with bunting, fairy lights, banquet tablecloths and hand-picked flowers, you’re onto a winner.
Extra features to consider
There are some extras you may wish to consider for a rustic style wedding. These can include having a crackling fire pit set up outside the venue, which can act as a gathering area for guests when the sun drops. You can add some cute additions here, like a marshmallow toasting pit close to the fire as a central point, long running wooden tables outside, and handmade personalised signs attached to the walls.
If the wedding is during the warmer months, consider decorating the walls outside with streams of twinkling lights to create pathways.
If you have enough outdoor space, consider setting up little tipis which can host entertainment or act as different ‘rooms’. Tipis always give off the wow factor due to how unique you can dress them up.
Rustic food and drink
You can be a little more adventurous with your wedding food and drink when you take on that rustic vibe. This is because you could go one of two ways. The first is to go with the whole barn type feel, with beers and ciders being served directly from old barrels, country themed cocktails being served on wooden logs with sprigs of flowers added to the glass, and old school gin and cocktail vans parked up to offer an alternative.
Or, you could go for a more ‘sharing’ feel, where waiting staff can serve up a country themed buffet or a delicious hog roast. How about offering homemade pies with a side of roasted vegetables and chunky chips? Or, if the weather is warm, a rustic BBQ outside? With this type of wedding, it does leave you quite open to be as exciting as you like!
Whatever path you decide to take when it comes to creating your rustic wedding, remember that careful planning, a bit of creativity and being slightly open minded will pave the way. And it all boils down to inviting the guests you really want to be there, and the best suppliers you can trust. 2021 and 2022 – the nation is ready for your weddings yo kick back in!
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