What goes into an outdoor wedding I hear you ask? Side-stepping the muddy shoes, Creepy Crawly’s, and “hypoallergenic” guests, see Askham Hall’s top tips for putting on a rustic wedding worthy of a barn dance celebration.
Let the sun shine…
A barn wedding in the countryside is all about embracing nature. Don’t be afraid to embrace the outdoors, come heavy rain or glorious sun the natural beauty of your venue will always shine through and once you’ve accepted that the English countryside can be a little unpredictable, all your worries will flutter away. No longer will you fear the windswept photos and soggy socks but you will feel fully relaxed knowing that your rustic barn and beautiful surroundings will make for stunning photos and the perfect day, whatever the weather.
Just don’t forget to pack some cute umbrellas!
Too many cooks…
Keep it simple. Each countryside barn has its own special uniqueness that can be found through every creaky door to the uneven cobbled floors and that, is character. Let the barn speak for itself, whether you need to decorate to the nines or not at all, your rustic barn will guide and help you make the important decorating decisions. Askham Hall’s little secret…we love a good tree trunk centre piece!
Down at the bottom of the garden…
Picking your floral theme can be as easy as 1, 2, 3. All you have to do is look around you. Keeping within the season, draw inspiration from the flowers surrounding your barn. Choose the flowers that complement your theme! Keep within your colour scheme and it’s as easy as that! If you’re looking for a simple flower to give your wedding the perfect rustic feel go with gypsophilia. Also known as ‘baby’s breath’, gypsophilia are beautiful meadow-looking flowers that will give your barn a sweet countryside feel.
Go Naked!!!
Don’t panic, we mean the cake! Naked cakes are all in this season and we just love them. Not only are they mesmerising to look at covered with fresh fruit and flowers but they always taste unbelievable!!! Who doesn’t love a good Victoria sponge with lavishes of juicy jam and velvety buttercream??? Don’t get us wrong we also love the intricacy of a traditional fruit cake with smooth rich icing; there is just something about the naked cake that we find so fun! Not only does it keep things rustic but will appeal to many of your guests as you won’t need to worry about any fruit and nut allergies or dislikes.
Yum!
It’s a kind of Magic…
Nothing says rustic barn wedding like the magic of fairy lights! Fill your barn with twinkling lights and plenty of candles to give the already existing character just a touch of charm. Using plenty of lighting will help when decorating your barn; use the original beams and stone walls for that enchanting rustic allure. For that little extra special twinkle, supply sparklers for your evening do and let the magic glow!
A boy scout is always prepared…
Be prepared!!! Let your guests know everything about your big day. Tell your guests about the venue’s parking, tell your guests how to find your barn and in particular, tell your guests about the barn’s conditions from flights of stairs to uneven flooring and even where to find the bar! Many barns including ours have cobbled floors; great for that rustic look, not so great for high heels! By informing your guests on these important details they will feel involved and most importantly comfortable on the day. You can even provide special wedding flip flops for the ladies, therefore you can boogie the night away in comfort and style!
Trust in me…
…and in yourself! Let the barn you choose represent you, trust your first instinct and this will make all your huge wedding day decisions so much easier. But also trust the venue, let the wedding team guide you and help you. We want to make your big day just as special as you do, so allow your venue to take lead trusting that as wedding team they know what they are doing! Once you do this, any wedding stresses will drift away and your big day will run smoothly without a glitch! And remember we love weddings!!!
Just one more thing, find out if your venue are hosting any special events such as wedding fayres, summer fete’s or even group show arounds that you can attend and take your friends and family to have a look! These kind of events will really help you as you not only get to see the venue in action but also experience some great suppliers that your venue recommends!
So, there are our very own perfect top tips for a rustic barn wedding in the countryside. Relax, have fun and most importantly enjoy it! Dont forget to pay Askham Hall a visit at The National Wedding Show this Autumn on Stand E41 at Manchester Central #TNWS
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