A rustic wedding combines an inviting, homey charm associated with countryside gatherings with a touch of timeless elegance. Less formal than most wedding aesthetics, this visual style relies on a mix of organic shapes, rough textures, and found objects.
A rustic wedding and reception is a popular choice for those who want a more intimate romantic get together that maintains a touch of charming vintage elegance while still retaining a relaxed, casual atmosphere ideal for intimate gatherings with good friends and family. Rustic weddings often evoke the simple, timeless appeal of the countryside and rely on textures and aesthetics found in old farmhouses and barns.
Achieving this look requires a careful selection of visual elements ranging from backdrops to accent textures. These must be balanced to create a pleasant contrast between easy-going, down-to-earth informality with the appropriate touch of simple sophistication.
Make the Most of Your Backdrop
Settings are a key component in bringing the aesthetic to life. Rather than dressing up an existing location, it is far better for a couple to seek out an appropriate rustic wedding venue to achieve an authentic ambience. One doesn’t need to go far from the city to find the appropriate venue in the English countryside. Barns and other venues in rural Kent are just some of the many options available just outside London.
Farms and barn venues represent one of the best places to achieve a rural, rustic aesthetic for an event. When selecting barn venues, one should look for a focal point—a visually interesting centre for guests to converge. Plan the seating arrangements of the wedding to immerse the guests in the aesthetic of the area fully.
A Touch of Texture
Flowers and wood are a staple part of the rustic wedding aesthetic. The contrast between the rough texture of the wood and the elegance of the flowers are central to achieving the rustic ambience. Both elements must be balanced with one another to create an inviting aesthetic that’s both informal and refined.
Wood accents can be used extensively in decorating and should ideally also come in rough-looking textures or organic or irregular shapes to create complementary visual accents. Items made with rough or irregular wood would often include the wedding arch, tables, and chairs.
Flowers can be used extensively to decorate the rustic space. Rather than sticking to formal floral arrangements, flowers and greenery can be arranged to create all sorts of organic, eye-catching designs.
Accessorize Appropriately
A key difference between rustic weddings and the visually similar vintage themed weddings is in their details. Both aesthetics brings with them the charming beauty of a much simpler time; vintage weddings, however, tend to be more genteel, requiring actual speciality items. Although antique-looking items have their place in rustic weddings, most of the time, this aesthetic is instead achieved by using visually interesting found objects such as mason jars.
Rustic events have a personal touch to them, evoking the appearance of intimate family gatherings held down on the farm. This can be further emphasized through tiny personal mementoes based on actual things of significance to the couple and their love story.
Keep it Country Fresh
To keep with the theme of down-to-earth rural charm, the food for the wedding reception should ideally include items that were drawn from the surrounding area. Fresh, farm-to-table specialities from the nearby farms and dairies should be prominent menu items; vegetables used should be favourites currently in-season.