Tips for planning a country house wedding

As a luxury wedding planning company based in the Cotswolds, there’s nothing we love more than an elegant country house wedding. From historic stately homes to stunning estates in the rolling countryside, we’ve planned celebrations in some of the most beautiful settings and locations you can possibly imagine. But it’s so much more than just the backdrop – it’s the styling, the décor and the little details that reflect your personalities that really help to bring a country house wedding to life. Here are our tips for planning the perfect country house wedding…

Venue

So, first things first. Let’s start with your wedding venue. There are various reasons to tick this off your to-do-list; it of course means you can send out your save the dates and start booking suppliers, but it also means you can really start thinking about how you’re going to style the space. From the ceremony to the reception, and even the events in-between, you’ll be able to evaluate the rooms and settings on offer so that you can really make the most of them! For instance, if your chosen venue has a striking fireplace, you may want to consider asking your florist to create a gorgeous floral garland to adorn the mantelpiece – just as an example!

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Styling Plan

Once you’ve got the venue booked, it’s time to get the ball rolling. As experts in planning country house weddings, we recommend creating your very own ‘styling plan’. Consider your colour palette (head over to our Pinterest page for oodles of inspiration) and the overall theme or ‘vibe’ that you’d like to achieve. You’ll also want to think about…

• Floral Design: Oversized, elaborate and statement arrangements are a wonderful fit for country houses. We’re talking ceremonial archways, hanging installations and more!

• Tableware: You’ll want to go ultra-luxe with your place settings, centrepieces and table lay-outs. Gilded cutlery teamed with golden-rimmed charger plates will instantly elevate your wedding design. 

• Lighting: Often overlooked, lighting can have a huge impact on the ‘feel’ of your country house wedding. We recommend using soft lighting and plenty of candles throughout your celebration, including tea lights, tapered candlesticks, pillar candles and hurricane lanterns to name just a few!

• Fabrics and Furniture: Ensure your hired items match up to the elegance of your décor and colour scheme. Opt for fabrics and furniture in neutral, light shades with soft, sumptuous fabrics. 

• Décor: You want your country house celebration to remain light and feminine, so be aware of this when choosing your décor. Mirrored table plans, golden vases, silk table runners, dainty napkin holders – you get the idea!

Elegant & Understated

Your country house wedding venue should do a lot of the talking and you want to embrace every element of it, so try to refrain from going overboard on the décor front. It’s about working in harmony with the spaces on offer, such as adorning the entrance with an archway, or standing two oversized urns overflowing with flowers at the door. If your wedding venue boasts a magnificent staircase, you could ask your florist to entwine the bannister with beautiful florals and foliage in pretty, subtle hues. Everyone adores a sweeping staircase and you’ll be spoilt when it comes to your wedding photographs!

Don’t forget to head over to our Instagram page where you’ll be immersed in even more country house wedding inspiration! If you’re thinking of planning a fine art or country garden wedding but you’re feeling unsure where to start, drop us a note here and say hello. We’d love to offer our help!