Co-founder of Togather.com, Hugo Campbell, unveils garden wedding ideas for the big day. As wedding trends evolve, couples may be seeking unique ways to celebrate their special day. For those looking to embrace a laid-back atmosphere and the shabby chic aesthetic, from Ottolenghi-style dining and Aperol carts, to enchanting fairylights and the perfect venue.
A festival theme Many couples are looking for maximum flexibility and the ability to perfectly match their food to the vibe of the day. This summer Togather.com is seeing many couples opting for a festival feel for their food, hiring multiple different street food trucks and allowing their guests a choice of handheld food rather than a sit-down meal. This means they can cater to all sorts of dietary requirements and preferences as well as give their guests a more relaxed feel.
Venue If you aren't able to hire a big piece of land or don't have a family member or distant relative with an unfeasibly large garden, don't worry, you can still have an outdoor wedding! Many wedding venues, especially rural ones and local pubs, will let you jazz up their beer garden for your wedding. If you've found the outdoor space, why not stretch your nuptials over a weekend and have your guests camp on site, dancing around their yurts until the sun comes up.
Ottolenghi style dining Couples this summer are also looking for big sharing-style plates with plenty of fresh produce and bright colours. Salads are taking centre stage, and even when couples are opting for meat dishes, they are still looking to serve them "family style" alongside plenty of vibrant sides.
Custom menu items Couples have been looking for very specific menu items that are personal to their relationships - for example, Togather.com had one couple looking for an orange and rosemary sorbet as it's a special flavour combo for them from the day they got engaged. The great thing about booking via Togather is that customers can chat directly with suppliers before booking to ensure that these requests are possible, unlike booking via a preferred supplier at a venue.
Aperol carts Move over champagne trays: Aperol carts are taking over. They make a great option for drinks receptions as they double as a photo opp, and that distinctive orange provides a perfect pop of colour for a summer wedding.
Decor If you're working with a big space, then hiring tents, tipis and marquees is a great idea and offers the perfect place for speeches, meals and your first dance, not to mention somewhere for your guests to take shelter should the heavens open. Once you've got these structures set up, it's really easy to decorate and make them totally your own. For a shabby chic festival wedding, think oversized pastel coloured balloons, bunting, bright ribbons tied into trees, festival flags, enormous wooden lettering for your guests to take photos in front of, and lots and lots of flowers! Lighting is the absolute key and bad lighting will really make itself known when the evening comes. It needs to be moody and atmospheric, created using fairy lights and lanterns... no industrial lighting allowed.
Bye Bye Sweet Caroline: The Classic Anthems BANNED From UK Weddings
The era of the predictable wedding singalong is officially dead, according to new data from entertainment agency Jonny Ross Music. New figures have revealed that Britain's couples are ruthlessly blacklisting the nation's favourite party anthems from their big days. A shocking analysis of playlist requests shows that legendary floor-fillers are being banished to the 'Do Not Play' list. Modern couples are ordering DJs to completely snub overplayed staples like 'Uptown Funk' and 'Mr Brightside'. But Brits are not turning their backs on the dancefloor. Instead of relying on default reception cheese, millennial newlyweds are demanding authentic club vibes that replicate a proper night out.
READ ARTICLE
Yorkshire Wedding Ideas: How to Bring Yorkshire into Your Wedding Day
When it comes to planning a Yorkshire wedding, it is often the personal touches that make the biggest impression. From favourite family traditions to meaningful locations, weaving elements of your story into your celebration creates a wedding day that feels personal, memorable and completely unique to you as a couple. And with Yorkshire Day taking place on 1st August, there is no better time to celebrate everything that makes this wonderful part of the world so special, by adding Yorkshire wedding ideas to your big day. Whether one or both of you grew up in Yorkshire, you met here, or you have simply fallen in love with Yorkshire's beauty and heritage, there are lots of ways to nod to the region on your wedding day.
READ ARTICLE
Why more Yorkshire couples are heading south for luxury weekends in the Peak District
Hope Valley hotel says more guests from across Yorkshire are choosing the Peak District over longer countryside breaks as shorter escapes grow in popularity. Around 20 million people live within an hour's drive of the Peak District, making it one of Britain's most accessible national parks. Yet for many people across Yorkshire, planning a luxury countryside break has traditionally meant heading north to the Yorkshire Dales, the North York Moors or even further afield. Now, one Peak District hotel believes more people are beginning to look in the opposite direction. Losehill House, an independently owned boutique hotel nestled in its own secluded valley near Hope, says it is welcoming growing numbers of guests from across Yorkshire who are choosing shorter countryside breaks.
READ ARTICLE
Find the most cost effective hen do in Hull
A new study by hen party supplier Smiffys has revealed the cheapest UK cities to host a hen do, with Yorkshire's Kingston upon Hull crowned the most affordable destination. Scoring the 50 largest UK cities based on six affordability factors, the city achieved 92.06 out of 100 thanks to its budget-friendly nightlife and low-cost drinks. Nearby Yorkshire locations also performed strongly, with Wakefield and Sheffield securing places in the top 10. With hen do searches peaking between April and June, the findings highlight the best-value UK destinations for brides-to-be planning a memorable celebration without overspending.
