Opulent Romantic Marquee Wedding Inspired by Dutch Still-Life

Located in West Sussex and available for the wild and whimsical or elegant and traditional, this new blank canvas wedding venue with sprawling grounds is certainly impressive and one to watch. Today’s opulent editorial complete with wild, seasonal florals and decadent details is the perfect showcase of everything Woodmancote Place has to offer; space, flexibility, creativity and a more than a little sprinkling of magic.

Hannah says…

Woodmancote Place is a new venue and the styled shoot was organised to launch the venue with creative industry professionals that are like-minded, modern and unique. The shoot was designed to showcase the flexibility of our venue and how it is the perfect blank canvas for engaged couples to create their dream day at a historical manor house like Woodmancote Place.

The inspiration for this editorial was based on Dutch still-life interpretations of beauty and symbolism within the natural world. The abundance of deep colours and opulence was at the heart of the styling whilst also incorporating a modern feel throughout.

The colour palette was jewel tones: pearl, berry, coral, blush and rose. It was set in winter, showcasing the rugged beauty of our grounds’ natural surroundings while still bringing a low-key opulent feel.

In hopes of highlighting pre-loved fashion, we used my (Hannah) own Pronovias dress worn last in 2017! The feathers were an ode to our vibrant landscape which is often home to many feathered beings and the long-line veil added a drama and elegance that tied in nicely to our theme. The groom’s suit was a Gresham Blake tailored three piece suit with knitted berry tie, accenting the wintery tones as well as local British craftsmanship. Hair & makeup by Ellie Nightingale was inspired by the Renaissance paintings: rose tones, dewy glow and natural beauty.

We heavily leaned on The Dutch still-life depiction of beauty and symbolism within natural surroundings. The low-key opulence, rich jewel tones and nature’s abundance of colour allowed us to play around and create our own version of a 17th century still-life… except with a modern twist! We focused on found objects: our venue’s stylist’s collection of shells, filled to the brim with floristry, fruits and the opulence of vintage crockery, glassware and modern cylinder candlesticks. Practical but beautiful!

Tigers to Lilies was our florist. We worked with Emma to create an abundance of drama and elegance within the florals. Beautiful blooms spilling out of shells, vintage urns and vases with foliage and jewel tones added a wealth of luxury to the tables and styling. The florals included: tulips, berries, honesty, Icelandic poppies, hydrangeas, dried florals and foraged foliage from the land.

Couples can interpret this shoot into their big day plans by taking inspiration from wild natural surroundings, rich colour tones that bring vibrancy to the colder seasons and incorporate found objects that carry sentimental value into their day, elevating their styling in likening of the Dutch still-life we love.

Woodmancote Place is a venue with unrivalled flexibility to use the grounds of the manor as you wish. Parkland, green lawns, tucked away nooks of woodland and a private deer park all available for the wild and whimsical, or the elegant and traditional. We hope couples will see that a blank canvas venue, even in less popular seasons such as winter, does not mean compromising and can still be the perfect backdrop for their wedding day.