Yorkshire wedding planner Chloe Hought of Hart Country Weddings shares her tips on dressing a rustic barn wedding venue

Credit: Emily Green Photography

Yorkshire wedding planner Chloe Hought of Hart County Weddings shares her tips for styling a rustic barn venue...

For the perfect barn wedding, make sure that you have a good lighting supplier on board - we can recommend the best if needed! Lighting can transform a venue, it really is where the magic happens and is key for setting the mood, feel and tone of your entire wedding. Experiment with delicate copper fairylights, drape swags of festoon lights from beams and style it out with some statement neon signage!

When I think of barn weddings, three major themes spring to mind: boho, luxe and vintage.Your props and colour scheme will reflect your theme, so choose these accordingly. If you want a fresh, modern look, stick to chrome and pastels; use rustic wood for vintage; and for boho, add plenty of macramé! Invest in rustic signage, cut glass votives and candelabras in hand-painted white, chrome or antique brass to match your theme - boho, luxe or vintage respectively.

For a cosy, relaxed atmosphere, choose takeaway-style catering, such as pizza horse box, Thai street food and an ice cream cart. Outdoors, construct a haybale or pallet sofa for guests dine on. For the interior, use low pallet tables, surrounded by cushions and blankets in soft, muted tones. Or, for a more formal affair, have your favourite sit-down meal served at trestle tables set with vintage china crockery and wooden bench seating.

Create quirky wedding favour alternatives, such as...
- a box of blankets "to have and to hold for when you get cold"
- a slipper or flip flop box "if your feet are tired and sore, grab a pair and dance some more"
- a Wheelbarrow or tin bath filled with glass bottles of your favourite drinks

Make sure that you have a key place planned out for your cake to stand like a rustic barrel, wooden cable drum or an antique dresser; you invest a lot of money in your cake and it should take pride of place in your wedding scene!

Finally, frame your theme with appropriate florals. Choose from delicate wild flowers, bold bright blooms or subtle pastel shades. Ensure that your floral design is uniform throughout the scene - forming table runners, nestled among props, adorning beams and door arches, and above all, in your bridal accessories, bouquets, confetti and floral headbands.

Visit www.hartyorkshire.co.uk