Styling

Set the mood with décor that says it all. Let this step- by- step guide help you on your way.

CONSIDER YOUR VENUE

Letting your venue guide your décor style will not only result in a more cohesive look, but will also save you some coin. It would take a lot of lush greenery to give a slick hotel space a wild, romantic feel – in the same way polished, smart furnishings would look out of place in your auntie’s rustic barn. Let yourself be guided by noticeable features of your venue. Are the walls a deep midnight blue? There’s no use valiantly sticking to your colour palette of orange and pink – you’ll achieve greater impact by working with a scheme that makes the most of the navy, instead of trying to ignore that it’s there. Think of your venue as the foundation of your wedding design.

USE YOURSELVES AS INSPIRATION

When settling on a wedding style, it makes sense to look at yourselves: your relationship, what you both enjoy doing, and your personalities. If there is a special memory or hobby you share, then it can be a nice personal touch to incorporate this into your wedding vision as well. For example, if you have fond memories of travelling the south of France together, why not allow this to be part of your inspiration with sprigs of French lavender at place settings?

CREATE A VISION BOARD

Whether it’s a Pinterest board, torn out photos from a bridal magazine, or a phone album filled with Instagram screenshots, gather all your inspiration together in one place and look for common themes. You might notice a consistent colour palette, certain textures or patterns that continue to reappear, or an overall ‘vibe’ that shines through, fitting your description of the perfect day. Your vision board will also give you an overall sense on if your ideas are working together harmoniously, or if there are some elements clashing.

SETTLE ON A STYLE

There’s no need to choose a particular “theme”, but deciding on a few key words that sum up the feel of your day will help you communicate your vision to vendors. For example, you might look at your vision board and say ‘Okay – the hues here are quite light and natural. I can see lots of rustic textures and details are made of materials like foliage and timber. All of the florals seem to be unstructured, with lots of green and apricot throughout. There are a lot of candles and warm lighting, and the overall feeling seems to be relaxed and fun.’

GET A SECOND OPINION

If your vision board isn’t quite coming together but you can’t seem to put your finger on where the clash is coming from, ask someone you know for a second opinion or put it aside and revisit it after a couple of days. If you’ve been concentrating on it for too long, it can be easy for everything to blur together so it’s helpful to have a fresh set of eyes to look back over your ideas.

FIGURE OUT WHAT YOU NEED

Finding the right people to help pull together your vision can make all the difference. Perhaps a hire company whose product line really suits your style, or a stylist who can help pull together all the perfect little details. Spend time, too, researching cake designers and florists, and take time to communicate your perfect vision so everyone understands what you want.

PREPARE AND PLAY AROUND

With plenty of time to go before your wedding day, gather all your accessories, décor, DIY and props together, and practice arranging them so you establish how you want them to look. Keep basic styling rules in mind, for example: objects look best when grouped in odd numbers, and tallest objects should be placed in the middle of groups to create a balanced pyramid effect.

ASK FOR HELP

On the big day, you don’t want to be stressing about any of the details. Find a planner or stylist who can help you, or recruit a close friend or family member to lead the set-up charge on the day. Give them clear instructions, and all the essential equipment they might need such as scissors, cellotape, matches, and floral wire, so they aren’t caught short at show time.