Image by Kitty Wursthorn
We love rustic styling because it provides endless opportunity to really focus on the things that are meaningful and beautiful, not just the things that are fashionable or trendy. Weddings are an incredibly emotional, personal time, and the styling creates the feel and atmosphere for how it is celebrated.
For decades the traditional ‘white wedding’ was the only option, complete with satin bows on the chairs, crystal chandeliers and every kind of ribbon and frill imaginable – not because that was the best thing to do, but because it was the only way a wedding was done!
Thankfully weddings have loosened up a lot and now more often than not we’ll hear from a couple “we just want it to be relaxed and fun” or “we want to have a big party with our friends and family where we happen to get married”. Opting to go for a ‘rustic’ style wedding is a great way to make this happen. A rustic look is a great to reflect the quirky things you love about each other and a couple of simple DIY projects are a lovely way to get excited about the coming day and connect with friends and family.
Here’s some tips for how to create a beautiful, relaxed rustic style for your wedding.
1) Pick a colour scheme. Once you’ve written the rules, you can break them! An overall colour palette will create a sense of cohesion, and then if you choose to include a splash of different colour here or there it looks intentional and adds vibrancy. Too many competing colours or tones can easily look messy. If you have a bright, bold palette of reds, oranges, blues and yellows, pastels will look out of place.
Image by Kitty Wursthorn
2) Opt for homestyle, simple food. Weddings are often a long day, so they are not the time for tiny plates of tiny food! Hearty, abundant fare that people can shares instantly creates a relaxed, family celebration feel. Nothing brings people together like love and a good meal.
Image by The White Tree
Image by Kitty Wursthorn
3) Save bottles and jars for flower arrangements. Try to choose mostly plain ones, as they will create a mismatched look, but also look for a variation of heights too! Little clusters of flower arrangements are incredibly effective as too are single flowers in little bottles; coupled with a few fuller arrangements, they look soft romantic and natural.
Image by Kitty Wursthorn
4) Include lots of flowers! On window ledges, to the side of doorways, on guest tables, in the bathrooms and everywhere in between! Flowers make the plainest of spaces look beautiful (and if you have plenty of small vessels this will be a lot easier).
Images by Kitty Wursthorn
5) Consider the lighting. Soft, warm lighting is the key to a romantic and inviting atmosphere. Candles are incredibly romantic of course, whether in little groups of tea lights or pillar candles down a long table. Festoon lights have a festive feel while being a little more rustic and industrial in style than fairy lights. Lamps can be used to great effect, and firelight, if an open fire is possible, creates a cost warm glow.
Image by Kitty Wursthorn
6) Go natural: raw cotton linens, natural wood, simple native foliage, stripped back metals and distressed surfaces. When paired with a few more luxurious details (full blown summer roses, crystal glassware, letterpress printed menus, French champagne – use your imagination!) it creates a contrast that is both relaxed and special.
Images by Kitty Wursthorn
7) Don’t be afraid to express your personality. The whole reason we have found a range of venues around Melbourne that suit rustic styling is that we genuinely believe it’s one of the best ways to be able to let the couple’s individuality shine, and that’s what a good wedding is all about. If you share a sweet tooth, why not have a whole selection of cakes for dessert? Or if you fell in love listening to an Abba cover band in a bar, having one play at your wedding and watching your guests on the dancefloor getting their groove on to ‘Dancing Queen’ will be a great moment.
Image by Timothy Marriage
Ms Chinoiserie Says: Fabulous tips on creating a relaxed rustic style; better start saving those empty jars!
About The Farm Cafe: We’re passionate about creating warm, welcoming and relaxed weddings in Melbourne; we love abundant feasts and gorgeous styling! We believe that sharing a meal is at the centre of every awesome celebration. Our menus are hearty, plentiful and simple, like a home-cooked family feast! We lay out a gorgeous graze table – and all you need to do is enjoy!
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