An epic Yorkshire wedding with fabulous styling, colourful smoke and a magical, festival atmosphere. This glorious wedding brings back all the summer vibes and we LOVE it!
Wedding photographer’s website
https://www.johnhopephotography.com
The venue:
Skipbridge is a relaxed wedding venue full of unique charm. It’s an incredible place with quirky onsite accommodation and animals (llamas, donkeys, peacocks and more) on site, and makes a lovely Yorkshire wedding venue.
Alicia and Phil’s ceremony was held under the willow tree, such a wonderfully romantic little spot to say ‘I do’
Outfits
Alicia looks amazing in a white, full length boho style dress with blush under skirt from Yorkshire’s favourite – The Harrogate wedding Lounge
Phil’s classy suit was a full 3 piece, blue checked with a burgundy tie, teamed with Hugo Boss shoes and belt, from Moss.
Bridesmaids wore medium grey dresses from Milly Bridal, with wildflowers in their hair.
Floral amazingness
Summery bouquets with delicate pinks, blue green eucalyptus stems and delicately trailing ferns make for such a romantic summer wedding look. The willow bower has stunning arrangements framing the ceremony space, and all of the displays are breathtaking and perfect for a summer celebration.
The wedding cake
3 tiers of deliciousness by The Barn Bakery with gold leaf flakes, delicate florals and fern leaf fronds styled around a rustic log slice
Special personal touches
We love all the whimsical, festival themed flowers in home made rustic boxes
Alicia & Phil’s sloe gin wedding favour boxes were made by the couple
Skipbridge has a grain silo for partying with a fire pit and whisky bar.
Lawn games and Matt Stephens musician went down a treat!
Alicia & Phil’s favourite Skipbridge wedding suppliers
Venue https://www.skipbridgecountryweddings.co.uk
Wedding photographer https://www.johnhopephotography.com/
Dress from https://theharrogateweddinglounge.com/
Hair by http://www.lottiehaigh.com
Make up artist https://www.louiselunn.co.uk/
Bridesmaids outfits from http://www.millybridal.org/
Suits from https://www.moss.co.uk/suits
Wedding cake https://www.thebarnbakery.co.uk/
Flowers https://www.roseandspade.co.uk/
Stationery by https://www.rosepress.co.uk/
Musician https://matthewstephens.net/
Catering https://www.homegrownhospitality.co.uk
Inspired by our lovely member Luke Hayden – all images by Luke Hayden Photography
Earlier this month we featured Luke Hayden’s top tips for planning a garden wedding – a great guide to bookmark and save if you’ll be saying your I dos outdoors – and today we’re looking at styling tips for garden weddings.
An outdoor space is basically a blank canvas, especially if you’re hiring a sailcloth marquee, tipi or Sperry Tent as cover for your wedding reception. It’s amazing to have total free rein on styling your outdoor space – but it can be a little overwhelming too. We’re here to help!
1 Create a welcoming space with signage
It’s nice for your guests to know they’re in the right place, as well as where the ceremony will be, where to grab a drink, where the loos are…
2 Use flowers, leaves, grasses, branches and trees for impact
Seasonal floral styling makes a big impression. Choose dried flowers for late summer and autumn weddings – you can gift them to people after the big day. We love a russet autumnal colour palette for September onwards, or vibrant colour for summer celebrations. And use lots and lots of foliage to bulk out your displays wherever you can!
If you’re getting married in a family garden, you can have lots of fun planning all the planting the year before – fill borders and containers with colour (and of course, bee- and butterfly-friendly native flowers)
3. Create paths with bunting, lighting, lanterns and (eco conscious) balloons
The entrance to a wedding always makes a huge impression, so think about what your guests will see before they even arrive at your ceremony space. This all-white theme with bunting and paper lanterns is effective – and adding fairy lights to sparkle when the sun sets makes it even more special!
4 Have fun with DIY wedding signs – and make your guests smile!
Signage is a lovely project – you can make your own, hire or buy wedding signs depending on your budget. This upcycled crate makes impressive use of stencils – ideal if your signwriting skills are a little wobbly! It’s super cute and we love it.
5 We love picnic baskets… not just for picnics!
Baskets are lovely for proper country garden wedding style. You can serve a picnic meal to your guests, or use baskets for cards, dance floor flip flops, photo booth props, games, cosy throws for the evening… even in the loos for spare toiletries for your guests. Use them around your home, gift them or resell them after your wedding.
7 Make the most of outdoor vibes with open sides to your marquee, tent or tipi
Choose a garden space with a beautiful backdrop: a field or hedge, or the flower beds in your garden. If the forecast is good for your wedding day, have the sides of your tent or tipi open! This creates a feeling of space, and allows nature in – always a win! If a Sperry Tent fits in with your budget, these can come without the sides, or with clear sides just in case it rains!
8 Use relaxed and playful styling – photos make lovely informal place settings
Garden dining should never be overly formal. Bring a smile to your guests’ faces when they sit down to eat… it’s harder than you’d expect finding the perfect pic of every guest, but so worth it!
9 Hire garden furniture for little display areas, like this photo guest book
… or borrow little bits of furniture from friends and family if it fits your garden wedding theme!
Did you know lots of marquee and tipi hire companies have furniture for you to hire as well – everything from a dance floor to chairs and tables and cushions to style your garden wedding. Sometimes it’s nice to have everything coming from one supplier… and hiring is really sustainable of course!
10 Hire lovely wooden benches and use foliage for a naturally beautiful look
It’s all about the nature. Wood & leaves…. you really can’t go wrong!
11 Don’t be too formal – gardens are for playful weddings so have fun with it!
Bring your personalities into your day with signage, stationery and little personal styling touches.
12 Hay bales make cheap and characterful seating – add throws and cushions for comfort (ladies with bare legs will appreciate the softness!)
Hay bales are brilliant – but if you’ve ever sat on one in a dress or shorts, you’ll know about the scratchy. Cushions and throws really aren’t optional!
13 Glitter stations are fun for a festival vibe wedding, and great for kids of all ages!
Bonus tip – have your glitter station next to your photo booth.
14 Hire a mobile bar with character – this one’s so cute!
These little horse box bars are popping up all over the place! Find one at a wedding fair near you.
15 Don’t forget the outdoor games…
Jenga is a great wedding ice breaker, and another of those little touches that never go out of style!
16 Even if your tent or marquee is your plan B, make it as beautiful as you can afford
Wedding marquees have come a LONG way! If you’re a boho couple, choose a tipi. For an elegant outdoor wedding, Sperry tents look amazing and are really versatile. If you’re having a DIY wedding at home, buy or hire whatever you can afford and decorate it with colourful bunting and fairy lights.
17 Think about dusk… lighting comes into its own as the sun sets, and you get double wow factor come evening!
I promise: lighting will come into its own at the end of the day. Think strings of warm festoon lighting, twinkling fairy lights in trees, little clusters of candles on tables, even fire pits for toasting marshmallows and patio heaters for keeping your outdoor space cosy.
Luke Hayden Photography is an alternative London wedding photographer and an English Wedding member
Web: https://www.lukehayden.co.uk
This lovely article and all images are by London wedding photographer Luke Hayden Photography
I’m always amazed by the stuff wedding photographers know. It figures – they’ve been to countless weddings and seen it ALL – but it’s only on the day itself when you realise the value of everything they’ve learned along the way. With intimate outdoor weddings a really popular choice now, I’m delighted to share our lovely English Wedding member Luke Hayden‘s tips for planning a garden wedding. He has advice on everything from landscaping to catering, what to wear and of course, having a plan B for the weather!
Planning a garden wedding is usually more hectic in comparison to planning an indoor wedding due to the numerous variables that you must consider when planning an outdoor event. Whether you are being assisted by a wedding planner or you are doing it alone, here you will find some simple but effective tips for planning the best garden wedding.
Identifying a suitable garden to hold your celebration is the first thing that you need to do. It is an important consideration that will have a major impact on numerous other parts of the celebration. For instance, the available space will determine the number of guests that you can invite.
If you are holding the wedding in a rented garden space, you need to ensure that you enquire whether any special permits are needed to use the space for holding a wedding celebration. You may need permits to congregate or put up decorations in certain areas.
Gardens are beautiful and scenic due to the abundance of Flora and Fauna. The wedding, however, is a once-in-a-lifetime event and is also the perfect opportunity to impress the guests that come to celebrate with you on your big day. That’s why it can be a good idea to bring in landscaping professionals or gardeners to spruce up the space a couple of days before the actual day of the wedding.
If you’re leaning towards holding the wedding outdoors, think about the season before you set a date. Garden weddings work best when it is dry, the sun is shining, and flowers are blooming. If you hold a garden wedding during winter, you risk the celebration being cut short by weather changes.
What you will wear is another important consideration. To choose the right wedding attire, take the season into consideration as well as the duration of the celebration. The attire you choose should ideally complement the prevailing weather conditions. Don’t forget sunglasses, maybe have a basket of flip flops and some cosy blankets for the evening. Think about your bridesmaids and groomsmen’s outfits too!
When you send out invitations, don’t forget to inform all your guests on the most suitable attire to wear so that they don’t come underdressed or overdressed.
Since it is an outdoor wedding, you need to be prepared for the possibility that there could be pesky insects such as wasps that may end up disrupting your event. To be on the safe side, you may consider having some insect repellent on hand to avoid being bitten. Guests will appreciate it if you have spare sun cream for them to use too!
To be sure that everyone follows the proceedings without missing anything, make sure that you engage an experienced sound technician who has quality equipment. Make sure that the sound system is checked and re-checked for clarity so that there aren’t any hitches as the ceremony is underway.
Make sure that you have sufficient beverages on hand, particularly if it is a sunny day. If your budget allows, hire a cute mobile bar! If not, a bathtub full of ice and bottled beers will do the job nicely. If you aren’t expecting too many guests, you can always cut back on the wedding budget by opting to cook for your guests.
Wedding planning can be stressful as stated previously, especially if you decide to go about it alone. To give yourself time for enjoying your special day, you should ask for help from your close friends and family members.
Alternatively, you could always consult with a professional wedding planner. Based on their vast experience in successfully setting up outdoor weddings, planners can help you set up an amazing and alluring space within your budget in a short period of time.
If you plan to lease an outdoor venue for your wedding, you can save a lot of money by booking the desired space beforehand. Outdoor wedding spaces tend to be expensive to lease especially during the peak summer season.
It is your big day and you obviously don’t want anything to come between you and perfection. To ensure that you have a successful event, it is always advisable to have a backup plan in case factors such as bad weather force you to reconsider the outdoor wedding plan. A tipi, wedding tent or marquee can provide much needed shade or cover, depending on the weather.
If you are leasing a space, make sure that the venue you pick also has an indoor space where you can hold the wedding in case things don’t go according to plan.
It can be daunting to create the perfect garden wedding, but if you follow the tips provided here, you will definitely be on your way to creating the perfect wedding of your dreams.
If you’d rather hire somewhere for a garden wedding, there are some amazing outdoor wedding venues around the UK. Have a peek at this Gibberd Garden wedding for inspiration, or this glorious tipi garden wedding.
Once you’ve got all the practical and logistical stuff covered, you can have so much fun decorating your outdoor space! Think bunting, festoon lights and outdoor candles, quirky signs and plenty of seating for your guests. There are some gorgeous ideas below to inspire you! Have fun planning your garden wedding – and do get in touch so we can share it on English Wedding after the big day!
Luke Hayden Photography is an alternative London wedding photographer and an English Wedding member