AS FEATURED IN THE ENGLISH WEDDING BLOG
Today’s blog post isn’t just to share some stellar rustic luxe wedding inspiration (though there’s plenty of that to feast your eyes on, of course). It’s also real-life proof of the magic that can happen when like-minded wedding suppliers come together to create something.
Picking your team of suppliers well, is one way to stamp your personality all over your wedding day. Think of yourself as the curator, bringing your creative suppliers together to dream up something that suits you and your beau to a tee.
So let’s dive in, shall we?
Caswell House wedding venue
The inspiration for this photo shoot was a dreamy, rustic luxe wedding style that would bring French château vibes to the beautiful English countryside. (Looking for more French château wedding inspo? Check out Sarah and Alex’s wedding here.)
Caswell House was the perfect setting. It’s a renowned, historic Cotswolds wedding venue, and it’s easy to see why. Not only does it have the requisite beautiful buildings to both marry and party in, but it also has stunning walled gardens, an ancient orchard, and a picturesque moat. Oh, and its own natural spring, where they get all their own spring water from – as you do!
Now, I know what you might be thinking: The Cotswolds! I thought you were a Sheffield wedding celebrant? And, look, you’re right on both counts. I am a wedding celebrant based in Sheffield, but I will go wherever and whenever you need me to if you want me there for your wedding day. I see a lot of the country on my celebrant travels!
Rustic luxe wedding style
The inspiration for this fun shoot was to show that luxe, elegant wedding style and rustic wedding venues can not only exist together but also look epic. So often people think that rustic and luxe are polar opposites, but the brains behind the shoot Mel and Lauren wanted to show that that isn’t the case, as you can see by the gorgeous photos.
The shoot took place in the barn at Caswell House, which still has the original, 15th century honey-coloured stone walls. Mel and Lauren used this neutral tone as the base for the colour palette, and added to it with creams and soft pastel blues and lilacs. (Yes, I planned my outfit accordingly – you best believe no stones are left unturned when you book me as your celebrant!)
The loved up couple Beki and George were our newlyweds for the day. Not only are they totally gorgeous, but they’re a real-life couple too. Obviously, wedding shoots are staged, but I can assure you that the love you can see between them is 100% the real deal. I wrote vows for Beki and George to share with each other during the ‘ceremony’, so that glow-y romantic look is all authentic (it's such a joy to be around people in love!)
Soft blues and lilacs
The colour scheme was really brought to life in the incredible floral arrangements by Blue & Boheme. The overflowing, meadow-style arrangements were simultaneously wild and rugged whilst being elegant and refined: the perfect fit for the rustic luxe wedding vibe. Springing up from the ground behind Beki and George during the ceremony, and the table during the reception, the arrangements looked perfectly chanced upon; but the full blooms were romantic and flawless. This continued on the table, too, with bud vases filled with the gorgeous stems and Beki’s bouquet, which was finished off with a super soft baby blue ribbon.
Blue is such a great colour to incorporate into your wedding styling, even if you’re not fussed about following tradition and having your Something Blue specifically. (As a wedding celebrant I firmly believe you should only incorporate the traditions that feel significant to you – and if that’s none of them, then so be it! Let’s create something totally new that feels totally you!) For example, I loved the peek of it in Beki’s stunning suede Harriet Wilde shoes, with the gold and ivory vine detail that matched her headpiece.
Delightful textures and details
Another way to get the delightful rustic luxe wedding style across is using different textures. The Pretty Cake Company created a stunning baby blue cake with cascading fondant flowers to match Beki’s shoes and crown, as well as a delicate lace pattern on the tiers themselves.
On the table Mel had styled some super elegant tableware from Wren Ark, gold cutlery, and textured baby blue linen napkins from Northfields, as well as blue and white taper candles nestled in between the bud vases which cast everything in a soft glow. And, because she thinks of everything, Mel also chose some padded Louis-style chairs as the seating, for ultimate regal, romantic effect.
Lauren’s designs delved deep on the details and the textures too, resulting in a gorgeous stationery suite. She created a bespoke collection for Caswell House, including a brilliant venue drawing that perfectly captured the venue’s essence. But perhaps my favourite feature is the layers and curved corners on the invite and menu, which again speak to the rustic luxe wedding vibe so well: organic and not too formal, but still elegant and beautiful.
Finding your people
Naturally your choice of wedding suppliers is totally up to you...but if you're feeling inspired by the chic-ness of this shoot, I really recommend checking out the team. Not just because they're hella talented, but because they are also fire emoji, 100 emoji, chef's kiss beauties that are super sound to work with! When Lauren and Mel approached me about a Caswell House shoot, I jumped at the chance.
I spent all day with this team and can vouch that these humans are people you want to be involved with your wedding. Mel has such a calm way and an incredible eye for luxurious little details, while Lauren is the warmest, funniest human, with beautiful design skills. Together, they made the shoot an absolute dream, and it was my favourite non-ceremony day at work for a looooong time.
Here's a few more images for you to drool over...
You can check out all the brilliant people who brought this rustic luxe wedding shoot to life below. And if you fancy a wedding ceremony where your love for each other is plain to see and be celebrated too*, then I’d love to hear from you: you can get in touch here to tell me all about your plans so far.
(*this doesn’t have to mean a lovey-dovey super saccharine ceremony, if you don’t want one of those! The joy of having a celebrant wedding is it can be whatever you want it to be.)
Rustic luxe wedding shoot suppliers:
Planning/ Design: Your Story Events
Planning/ Stationer: Lauren Daisy
Photographer: Tanya Flannagan Photography
Venue: Caswell House
Florist: Blue and Boheme
Make-up Artist: Hair and Makeup by Beth
Hair Stylist: Pinned with Love Bridal Hair
Cake maker: The Pretty Cake Company
Dress: Butterfly Bridal Boutique
Suit: Dragonfly Groomswear
Hair Accessories and Jewellery: Fiona Lucy
Video: Dita Bowen Photography
Bride footwear: Harriet Wilde
Tableware: Wren Ark
Table Linen: Northfields