Rustic Romance Meets Urban Elegance

This gorgeous late summer editorial shows off the Grand Oak Hall, where guests can host both their ceremony and reception, and the stunning walled garden and grounds. This contemporary barn wedding venue is the perfect example of where rural meets urban – and we’re just a little bit in love.

Laura says…

We wanted to create a look that felt both rustic and modern, showing how it’s possible to bring together contrasting elements in a harmonious way. To achieve this, we combined contemporary geometric shapes, marble, and industrial metallics with natural wood, loose florals and a dreamy ballgown.

The colour palette for this late summer shoot was coffee and peach tones with sage green and copper metallic accents.

The Allure Romance dress from Lily Jacobs Bridal Boutique was whimsical and romantic with a floaty glittered A-line skirt that sparkled in the sunlight. Gemma Souter kept the bride’s makeup very natural and understated and opted for a relaxed loose bun for her hair, accessorised with classic pearl pins.

For the ceremony set up we used cafe chairs without any fussy décor to let the magnificent floral aisle markers by Arabella Floral take centre stage. At the end of the aisle, the couple were framed by a copper arch adorned with asymmetric arrangements to create a statement backdrop.

The reception set up featured double width vintage tables provided by Co-ordination Event Hire that matched the grandeur of the venue and allowed plenty of room for table decoration. The tablescape running along the centre included dried flowers, copper geometric holders with marble pillar candles and floating candles set upon a softly ruched sage chiffon runner. The place settings comprised of simple white crockery, hammered copper cutlery, and casually knotted sage napkins styled with a piece of wheat.

Rose Gould Printing ensured the overall theme was carried through into the stationery with place names, table numbers and invitations referencing the geometric shapes and the peachy colour tones of the flowers with a modern calligraphy font.

We wanted to show how backdrops can be reused from the ceremony to the reception, as we are finding this is a popular idea with couples. The copper arch was therefore displayed behind the bride and groom on the top table and was also repurposed to provide a frame for the striking three-tiered cream and sage geometric cake by Birch House Bakery, set upon a rustic barrel.

The flowers were designed in a loose and natural style full of contrasting textures. Delicate peach-coloured carnations (which are often overlooked as worthy wedding flowers) worked perfectly to add a romantic vintage quality to the look whilst dried palms, pampas grass and exotic orchids brought a modern edginess. The asymmetrical shape of the hand tied bouquet accentuated the plunging neckline of the bridal gown, and the silk ribbons (from Silk and Purl) not only brought the bouquet to life with movement, but also paired flawlessly with the sage of the groom’s tie.

This shoot aims to provide inspiration for couples who are looking to add a modern twist to a rural venue. Mixing styles can be daunting, but as long as there is enough of a contrast between them and it appears purposeful rather than confused, it can lead to the creation of a truly unique and memorable style for your wedding day.