5 building blocks for styling the perfect wedding

You’re getting married! YES!

Suddenly, life is swirling around your head in a blur or romance and possibility.

Which is great.

But you’d be well advised to wait until your head clears a bit before getting down to the serious business of styling your special day.

Otherwise, you risk getting carried away on whims of blooms and bling.

In fact, as one of our favourite event stylists Liz Ewing knows very well, the main ingredients of a successful and magically styled day are actually quite straightforward. Follow her five simple steps and you won’t go far wrong:

1. Chair covers

These are one of the most fundamental elements of any event or wedding, and yet one that many people get wrong.

Liz says: “It’s worth considering paying a bit more for linen chair covers. It’s true that they are higher maintenance than the stretchy, elasticated kind, for example. However, depending on the style of your event, they could add that extra luxury feel. Alternatively, you can use stretch-to-fit covers for a more contemporary feel, and usually at a slightly lower cost. With these, though, make sure the fabric is of a good quality, so that it doesn’t let down the overall impact of the room you are dressing.

“If you’re buying an event package, make sure you ask specifically what kind of chair covers are included, so that you can make the right choice and know exactly what you’re getting and how it will look on the day.

“Once you’ve chosen your covers, you have a range of options for making sure they are beautifully dressed. Depending on the look you want to create, you could choose organza or taffeta for a luxurious feel – or lace or hessian for a more rustic nuance. You then have the option of displaying them in bows or rosettes, with or without blooms woven in.”

2. Aisle runner

It’s amazing how many couples spend hours researching and planning how their venue and wedding breakfast will look, but pay little or no attention to their wedding ceremony itself. Yet how you dress this part of your day will colour your lifetime memories.

Liz says: “It might only last 20 or 30 minutes but your wedding ceremony is the focal point of your day and the thing you and all your guests will remember forever. Therefore, it’s important to create a magical scene around it. I always recommend having an aisle runner. Cream is a beautiful colour to choose for this because it is clean and crisp, and can be beautifully augmented with candles or LED lights and petals.

“If you are getting married in a church, you can also dress the ends of the pews with flowers or ribbons, to add an extra touch. Bay trees at the entrance to your aisle are also a really nice way of defining the entry point to what is ultimately a short but significant stroll towards the rest of your life.”

3. Tables

Your table displays are one of the first things guests will notice on arrival at your wedding. Therefore, it’s important that they have the ‘wow’ factor, without being over the top.

Liz says: “Your table decorations are important, but ‘keep it simple’ is my mantra where they are concerned. Once you’ve allowed for all of your cutlery and glasses, there isn’t a huge amount more room. Either have any displays low or tall. Your main mission is to make sure your table displays support the mood you want to create, and the way you want your guests to interact and enjoy your event.

“I’m finding more and more couples are moving away from clutter like wedding favours on their tables. They are focusing instead just on the ‘impact elements’ such as candelabras or simple-but-striking floral displays and, perhaps, table runners.”

4. Nic nacs

These are the small, personal touches that exude your personality and make your event truly memorable. They are also the things only you can really choose, because they are so individual to your experience so far as a couple.

Liz says: “To choose your finishing touches, have a think about what you want to remember most about your day. The kinds of things I’ve seen, which had real impact, included having a wooden tree with wooden leaves instead of a guest book, with every guest capturing their message on a leaf. This could then be transformed into wall art afterwards, for them to keep forever.

“I’ve also seen people have a special table with votives and photographs of loved ones who could no longer be there in person, which was a really heartwarming touch.

“Table plans are also a really great way of creating a bit of flair – from the names you choose, reflecting some element of your personality as a couple, through to how they look. You can create beautiful table plans out of all kinds of materials, including wood, and again, these can serve as a piece of art and a lasting reminder of your day long after it is over.”

5. Creating the personal touch

Beyond the fixtures and fittings, what you do and how you do it can also have a lasting impact.

Liz says: “The best weddings are those which really celebrate not just the relationship between the bride and groom, but also the bond they have with their guests. You can bring this to life in the form of activities or fun packs for the children attending, by involving pets like dogs as ring bearers or just well-dressed guests, or having birds of prey like owls deliver your rings.

“I’ve even seen brides and grooms take singing lessons for months before their wedding, so that they can serenade each other – guaranteeing not a dry eye in the house!”

After several decades in the events industry, we’ve seen a thing or two, and have a few ideas about making events extra special. If you’d like to tap into some of that experience, we offer a free, no obligation consultation. To arrange, just call us on (01262) 468160, or email info@villagefarmmarquees.co.uk.