Finding your Wedding Style… The Series
For the past couple of months I’ve been giving you hints and tips on the various elements of planning and designing your wedding day, but I thought it would be a good idea to delve into how you would arrive at the style and theme for your day & the ways to achieve it, while giving the entire wedding a cohesive look and feel.
Encompassing everything from your colours & flowers to the cake & chair dressings, even your props, favours & venue styling, there is so much to look at, which is why I decided a series of blogs would be the best way to attack such a broad subject.
Let’s start with the basics… your Venue.
Most of the time you’re drawn to the Venue you book for your wedding because of the look & vibe. It’s important to choose somewhere that makes you both happy to be in, as some of your most treasured memories will be created in this space. Obviously, cost is a huge consideration in your choice, but let’s look at style as a stand-alone subject for the moment, as it’s always possible to produce your dream wedding style in any location.
Some venue types lend themselves easily to a particular theme & style, so let’s get down to the nitty gritty.
What styles are there?
Rustic
As soon as the words ‘Rustic’ are uttered, it’s usual to visualise log slices, jam jars of Gypsophila, naked cakes & bunting. But you don’t have to pigeon hole yourself in the lace & string department. Rustic can mean so much more.
By adding texture & hints of luxury, you can cross into what I lovingly refer to as ‘Glamourous Woodland’, where the flowers are wild & full, the accents are more refined & the whole room feels like the countryside inside.
The Rustic style is most suited to Barn style venues, as well as Tipi shaped or the normal style marquees.
Traditional
A traditional wedding style is centred around elegance, luxurious fabrics & classical touches. Elaborate floral centrepieces, ethereal drapes, iced cakes with lots of tiers just ooze the opulence a traditional wedding calls for. Suited to country house venues, with high ceilings & large windows, but transfers easily to elegant marquees, like the new ‘Clear Span’ styles that are becoming increasingly popular
Contemporary
This style covers so many ideas, but especially the trend for metal props mixed with fabric & flowers. Geometric patterns & shapes, copper or gold accents & terrarium containers fit perfectly into this genre.
If you are a fashionista, following the latest trends on Social Media & Pinterest, this style should be something to consider, as it’s bang on trend, whatever the new trend turns out to be at the time you’re planning your wedding.
Using foliage to soften hard edges gives the contemporary style plenty of scope for any type of venue.
Boho/Off Beat
Your wedding style should reflect both of your personalities & who you are as a couple, so if you don’t fit into a specific box with your lifestyle choices, let your own unique style shine through on your wedding day too.
Festival styling, floral crowns & a laid back feel to your day suits outdoor ceremonies, with wigwam style marquee receptions & relaxed catering.
Almost a Rustic theme, but with unique, more colourful touches, the Boho & OffBeat couple bring a special uniqueness to the occasion.
Films/Characters
There’s no escaping the advent of the truly ‘themed’ wedding. Lots of couples have a shared love of specific films, characters & franchises.
That love can spill into your wedding in lots of ways. From full bore Disney Princess mode, to the tiny hint of Marvel or DC (or beloved football team) a Bride will allow her partner to slip into the day, it’s your day, so celebrate what you love while celebrating your love for each other.
If your date is May 4th, then Star Wars the hell out of it. It is expected after all.
Tone the theme down by hiding references to your favourite films among the flowers, or as favours for each guest. It’s a brilliant ice breaker for people who are meeting for the first time at your wedding, as they’ll either know what the items mean, or will be taught all about the theme by the guests who do get your quirkiness
There’s nothing to stop you from blending any of the above styles, that’s the joy of it being your wedding, YOU get to pick!
Style is very personal. It’s something that you both should agree on, as it’s the first major event you host as a couple. Shared interests can easily be accommodated in your theming, even if it’s just a design element on your cake. Bringing your ‘youness’ to your wedding makes the planning even more enjoyable as it’s the little things that your guests won’t expect that makes your wedding day memorable for all who experience it.
The #icedandsplicedexperience has been developed to enable couples to speak to one key person who is able to supply several essential services needed for a wedding, but more importantly it allows the couple to unload their ideas onto the one person who can help them bring all the elements together, to perfectly reflect who they are as a couple ,weaving a thread throughout the style & theme, giving the entire day the consistency & cohesion your wedding day deserves.
The next blog will focus on one of the above styles, looking at different ways to achieve that look, hints & tips on what’s possible & how to thread the theme from your gown & suits to the cake, table dressings & every little piece that can make your day even more magical & memorable
See you in the next blog
