A Guide To Traditional English Country Weddings

 

The English countryside is one of the most picturesque, idyllic and peaceful locations to inspire the most important day of you and your soon-to-be spouse’s life. When you imagine the English countryside, scenes of rolling green hills, beautiful wildflowers and ancient stone walls are instantly conjured into your mind.

 

Flowers

Seasonal flowers and foliage in multi-tones and textures are the perfect theme for your bridal party’s bouquets and groomsmen’s buttonholes. Bring the beauty of nature inside your wedding reception venue by displaying wildflowers or native British flowers as the table centerpieces. Keep the color theme together by using just a couple of focal colors.

Your wedding gown should match your location; beautiful, enchanting and finished off with intricate lace detail. Inspired by the natural beauty of the countryside, a vintage veil will top off your romantic bridal look. English countryside weddings are full of charm and sophistication, but that does not mean you should not inject some fun into proceedings; a beautiful option instead of a veil would be a bridal flower crown made from wildflowers

 

Afternoon Tea and Wedding Cake

Afternoon tea is quintessentially English and a perfect motif for your wedding day luncheon, seamlessly enhancing your countryside themed wedding. Charity shops and second-hand markets are a fabulous place to find vintage tea sets and ornate cake stands; design your own hand-crafted name place signs for a cost-effective and highly personal element. Decorate your venue with deliberately mismatched patchwork bunting and antique tablecloths. Another fabulous and truly nostalgic option is to have your music decadently playing through a highly polished, gramophone. Provide a variety of specialty teas, including English breakfast tea and Earl Grey, and ensure Champagne or Prosecco is freely available. Essentially, the menu will follow a traditional English tea party, with delicate finger sandwiches, cream cakes and scones and plentiful hors d’oeuvres.

A rustic, nature themed cake is the perfect talking point of a countryside inspired wedding. A classic tiered wedding cake with a white iced base can be transformed into an artistic masterpiece by adding sugar flowers, in the same color theme as your bouquet, gold leaf for some sophisticated glamour and smaller sugar flowers cascading over the edge.

 

Transport and Décor

English countryside chic is surprisingly simple to incorporate into your wedding day and evening décor. Understated glamour and decadence are the aim of the game here and what better way for the bride to arrive at the church, and the happy couple be transported from the church to the reception, than by classic vintage wedding cars.

The English countryside aesthetic is nature-focused, so begin with the incorporation of wildflowers and sunflowers into table decor and room trimmings. Source old glass jars and repurpose as table numbers and homemade jam or marmalade will work beautifully as wedding favors, with brown paper labels displaying your wedding details.

Although expensive, an old-fashioned wagon parked outside your reception venue will really provide that quintessentially English countryside wedding vibe you both desire.