A THEME COME TRUE

Chic Weddings & Events © jeffoliverphotography.com VENUE STYLING

The ultimate guide to styling your venue

Join us for a stroll through the wonderful world of wedding venue styling. It’s all too easy to get carried away, but when a simple idea is executed to perfection... well, that’s when you have a theme come true!

CHOOSING A THEME Settling on a theme can be a tricky business, so the best way forward might be to consider your personalities and common ground. Laurie Edwards at Chic Weddings & Events says, “Whether it’s travel, cocktails, or Disney this is the time to bring your interests into your wedding. Little accents like naming your tables after your favourite football teams or holiday destinations works wonders, and if you love being out in the country, bring the outside in by incorporating trees, wood, bark and moss into your styling.” Mercedes Gale at 4YaParty Weddings & Events agrees: “Is your partner a big gamer or into Marvel? Try to incorporate each other’s loves into your theme and your day will truly be all about the two of you.”

PICK A PALETTE There’s an easy-to-remember trick when it comes to choosing the perfect palette and that’s the rule of three. Mercedes explains, “When choosing your wedding colours, try not to exceed three, and let one of them be an accent metallic shade such as gold, silver or rose gold.” However, there’s an exception to every rule! Mercedes continues, “If you’re going for a more muted or a loud and bright theme then you can ignore the threecolour rule and have as many or as few as you want.”

Another key to picking your palette is the time of year. Laurie tells us, “Shades or tones of the same colour work beautifully together, as well as those that complement each other. For example, burgundy and blush for a summer wedding, or burgundy and burnt orange for an autumnal feel.”

Neutrals and classic white are wedding stalwarts for a reason, they’re totally timeless. Laurie says, “I hear couples describe themselves as boring and almost apologise for choosing a white and ivory palette – but don’t! Some of the most gorgeous weddings I’ve created are neutral and you’ll be able to look back at your wedding photos 10 years later, when your elegant theme will still look classic and gorgeous.”

THE VENUE SPEAKS VOLUMES It doesn’t pay to ignore the setting you’ll be styling, not only when deciding on a theme and palette, but practicality too is crucial. There are some important points to bear in mind. Laurie suggests some questions you’ll need to ask your venue together with your stylist in order to ensure the space looks its very best and nothing trips you up along the way: ❤ Are there any low points in the ceiling that will mean we need a smaller centrepiece? ❤ Do you use the same chairs for the ceremony and wedding breakfast or do we need to dress two sets? ❤ Is there a candle policy in place? ❤ Will the venue team move décor from the ceremony to the reception, or does my stylist need to do it? ❤ Are there any time constraints on setting up and collection?

Roxanne Thomas at The Little Wedding Warehouse also has some more suggestions when quizzing your venue: ❤ Do you have a list of recommended suppliers and if so, are you allowed to hire suppliers outside of this list? ❤ Are we allowed to attach décor to the ceiling, beams and/or walls? ❤ How long do you get to set up in the space – the day before or just the morning of the wedding? In fact, the venue has such an impact on the theme and palette that stylists will often suggest they carry out your consultation on site – Mercedes certainly does. She explains, “The venue is such a huge factor in choosing the look of your big day. If you’ve booked somewhere with grand high ceilings, ornate tapestries and huge chandeliers, a rustic theme may not be the best option! Work with what you have already and this will keep your décor costs low too.”

Chic Weddings & Events © jeffoliverphotography.com

“Work with your venue’s character and charm. Some fusions work brilliantly, others not so much. If you’re unsure use existing features as a foundation and add your own style bit by bit.” – Roxanne Thomas, Little Wedding Warehouse

LOOKING AFTER THE PENNIES “There’s a common misconception that getting a professional venue stylist is going to cost more than going the DIY route, but this isn’t always the case and the pros of getting a stylist far outweigh the perceived savings in costs for DIY,” Mercedes tells us. When it comes to setting yourself a realistic budget, she advises, “Look around and get quotes from a few different stylists. My clients tend to spend between £600 and £900 on their décor for a wedding of about 75-100 guests, but this will be different for every venue stylist.

Laurie advises that you over rather than under budget. After all, it’s easier to reduce than increase. “Work with your stylist to create a wish list and try to prioritise what’s important to you,” she says, “A centrepiece may seem expensive, but this is what will create the wow factor in your venue. Go for impact with focal pieces that will leave an impression.”

One way to make the best use of your funds, making the pounds stretch further, is to choose ceremony décor that can be used in your reception styling later... or vice versa. “For instance, a table centrepiece can be used to dress the aisle in your ceremony by standing it on a pillar, and a top table arrangement can be used on your registrars desk,” Laurie says, “A moon gate, arch or backdrop used to dress the altar can be moved behind your top table or transformed into a selfie station for evening guests.”

4YaParty © www.sirobinson.co

“Keep it sustainable and cut down on waste. Book your florist to stay after the ceremony and break down a big arrangement into small bouquets for your guests to take home as wedding favours.” – Roxanne Thomas, Little Wedding Warehouse

THE COMMON PITFALLS 1. THE PINTEREST RABBIT HOLE Roxanne says, “We all do it, trawl through Instagram and Pinterest for hours looking at gorgeous weddings and, as lovely as they are, it can be quite overwhelming. You want your day to reflect you, so take inspiration, create a couple of mood boards, then pick out a few elements that really stand out to you both and work from there. That way, the end result will feel more personal than just aiming for the picture-perfect Pinterest wedding.”

2. THE COVER UP Laurie says, “If there’s something you really don’t like in your venue such as a bar shutter or picture, don’t fall into the trap of thinking that decorating it with fairylights or flower garlands will disguise or enhance it – it’s completely the opposite, as the eye will go straight to it. If you can’t cover it completely with a backdrop or drapes, just leave well alone and give your guests something else to look at like a gorgeous table centre or top table design.”

3. LOST IN SPACE Roxanne says, “A large venue with lots of different rooms or areas may sound appealing, but there are a few reasons why this may not be ideal. Firstly, you don’t want your guests to spread out too much, ideally you want them to all stay in one room if possible. If there are lots of spaces, your nearest and dearest are more likely to wander off when you’d rather they were with you on the dancefloor!”

4YaParty © www.tomjeavonsphotography.co

Chic Weddings & Events Little Wedding Warehouse © pierragphotography.com Little Wedding Warehouse © pierragphotography.com

▲ “It’s all about the greens for 2022. Dark forest greens and sage greens are proving very popular. Pair them with ivory and gold accent tones and it’s no wonder!” – Mercedes Gale, 4Ya Party Weddings & Events

Chic Weddings & Events © jeffoliverphotography.com

▲ “Foliage with dehydrated materials and pampas grass are huge this year for rustic weddings when teamed with sage green and gold accents.” – Laurie Edwards, Chic Weddings & Events

Chic Weddings & Events © jeffoliverphotography.com

▲“With Bridgerton making a return to our screens in 2022 we’ve seen couples opting for a modern Regency look. Throughout this period large flower arrangements adorned side tables and fireplaces, arranged informally they almost jumbled together to create a mass of colour and variety. Heavily-scented English country garden flowers combined with herbs, ivy and sage were picked from hedgerows and still complement this theme beautifully today.” – Laurie Edwards, Chic Weddings & Events

“Blush and neturals are still popular for the classic look teamed with lots of glassware and twinkly candle light.” – Laurie Edwards, Chic Weddings & Events

CONTACT OUR EXPERTS 4YaParty Weddings & Events, www.4yaparty.co.uk Chic Weddings & Events, www.chicweddings.co.uk The Little Wedding Warehouse, www.thelittleweddingwarehouse.com