And the bride wore...wellies! Farms are the hip place to wed
THE traditional wedding is under threat as couples increasingly choose more relaxed ceremonies.
Many are opting for relaxed, bohemian celebrations and some are even swapping church bells for cow bells by exchanging their vows in a barn.
John Lewis says couples are ditching formal church weddings and glitzy hotels for alternatives that look good on Instagram.
The store, popular for its wedding gift list service, reports a rise in ‘boho’ venues such as farms where brides wear wellies and there is glamping – upmarket camping – for guests. Formal wedding dresses are being replaced by floaty, natural designs, while formal suits and headwear for guests are considered old hat.
The number of weddings held in barns or on farms has doubled in five years to one in eight, according to data collected by John Lewis Wedding Insurance.
One in ten involves a marquee as couples embrace the great outdoors. The company has also seen a 35 per cent rise in sales of outdoor fairy lights, used to decorate marquees and gardens, compared with a year ago.
Billie Nicholls, buying assistant at John Lewis, said: ‘Weddings are becoming less formal. Guests are wearing more versatile styles from jumpsuits to silk cami tops and skirts, rather than always opting for dresses with a jacket and hat.
‘Even bridal styles have become more relaxed. Many women are opting for a more comfortable outfit for hitting the dance floor in the evening.’
However, couples are returning to traditional gift list requests, the store says. It found a shift from expensive hi-tech gifts to bowls, plates, towels and cutlery.
The growth in popularity of coffee means that, for the first time, cafetieres are more popular than teapots on the gift list.
Opting for the big outdoors, rather than traditional church plus hotel function room, is not without its pitfalls though, John Lewis Wedding Insurance warns.
It has helped couples recover their costs after a wedding barn burned down, flower pollen damaged a bride’s dress and a mother- of-the bride’s outfit was damaged when it fell out of a car roof box.