From tumbling, statement florals to ambient candlelit stairways and grand reception tableware, we’ve put together some of our favourite styling ideas for a country house wedding. So whether you’re getting married at our Georgian stately home wedding venue or a historic house slightly further afield, we’ve got plenty of swoon worthy styling ideas just below – read on for more…
1. Assess the Backdrop of Your Wedding Venue
Before you begin country house wedding styling, it’s important to have a look around the spaces you’ll be celebrating in. Looking at things like whether the spaces are light and airy or slightly more dark and moody, or searching for large spaces which could accommodate statement florals, can help you to showcase the spaces to their best potential. Going to the venue itself can be a great way to do this, but if not, any online images on the country house wedding venue’s website or otherwise should be sufficient. Here at Pynes House, we’re happy to offer private show-rounds to all our couples – please get in touch here if you’re interested.
If you’ve chosen a country house as your wedding venue, be sure to ask your wedding venue coordinator about the history of the venue and its quirks too, as this can be a lovely way to incorporate bespoke touches during the day, which link to the house and its history. From literary associations with Jane Austen’s Sense and Sensibility to royal visits from Queen Victoria and Prince Albert, there’s a rich history behind the walls of Pynes House – click here for more on the history of our Devon wedding venue.
Read more: Pynes House – A prestigious Georgian Country house for high society
2. Compliment Your Country House Wedding Venue With Statement Florals
You need only watch a few minutes of an English period drama like Bridgerton to see the gorgeous statement florals adorning stately homes during events and celebrations. So what better an excuse than to opt for some statement florals, to truly set off your English country house wedding styling! The grandeur of country house wedding venues like Pynes House works incredibly well with statement florals, with large statement pieces holding their own in the grand rooms, really adding to the whole experience. We’ve included some lush images of the awe inducing floral arrangements at Lauren and Matt’s recent wedding, by The Rose Shed.
Given the countryside setting of many stately home wedding venues, it’s also worth mentioning how lovely it can be to incorporate the greenery of the English landscapes into the the country house wedding styling of the interiors, if the season is right. Be it using small potted plants dotted around the venue or more leafy foliage in floral arrangements, using seasonal and local florals can be very fitting for country house wedding styling.
3. Use Soft, Ambient Lighting to Enhance the Country House Wedding Styling
Think twinkling LED candles and soft lamps dotted around stately home interiors and fairy lights illuminating marquees. Soft, ambient lighting pairs works beautifully with country house wedding styling and can really set off the venue. Plus it can bring a beautiful atmosphere. Here at Pynes House, we’ve often seen couples choose to adorn our stone staircase in the front Entrance Hall with twinkling candlelight amongst abundant florals, which makes for a beautiful look.
4. Country House Wedding Styling with Tableware and Stationery – All the Details
From gold rimmed shutters to ornately decorated ceilings, details are prevalent wherever you look in a stately home. It’s for this that detailed tableware and stationery can pair really well with stately home wedding venues, linking beautifully with the original interiors. For tableware, you could consider hiring in gold-rimmed charger plates and glasses with a vintage cut glass look, alongside golden cutlery and shining candelabras. When it comes country house wedding styling with stationery, it’s hard to go wrong with classic colour combinations like regal gold on cream or royal navy on white, especially when it’s set against calligraphy fonts and deckled papers. For more ideas on country house wedding details, see our recent blog post here on Rich and Elisa’s Classic Country House Wedding.
Read more: your ultimate guide to choosing wedding suppliers
5. Opt for an Outdoor Ceremony
A lovely benefit of choosing a country house wedding venue is the stunning outdoor spaces available to you. To truly make the most of the beauty of the venue which you’ve chosen, it’s well worth looking into opting for an outdoor ceremony. Here at Pynes House, we’ve seen many couples choose to say their vows in the open air in the front courtyard, with a backdrop of the tree-lined driveway. For more on planning an outdoor ceremony, have a look at Josh and Sarah’s beautiful outdoor ceremony, here.
Read more: Tips and Advice for an country house wedding styling with an outdoor ceremony
See more: the House and Grounds at Pynes House
6. Maximise Your Indoor-Outdoor Flow with a Marquee Celebration
If you have a few more guests than the maximum capacity of your country house wedding venue, a marquee can be a great way to accommodate more evening guests, while also adding a lovely little touch of grandeur. These elegant tents can be set up on the lawn, providing a sheltered space for dining and dancing. With the freedom to dress the marquee with glistening chandeliers, regal furniture and floral arrangements, you can truly make your country house wedding styling your own.
Read more: country house wedding styling – Everything you need to know about planning a marquee wedding
7. Celebrate with Some Interactive and Traditional Entertainment
A country house wedding venue gives the perfect opportunity enhance your and your guests’ experiences with interactive entertainment which complements the luxurious setting. Lawn games like croquet, ring toss or giant Jenga can keep guests entertained during cocktail hour and for a touch of nostalgia which links with the history of the English country house venue, you could consider hiring a live band or a string quartet to provide classic tunes in the background. To add a distinctly English flair, you might also include a or a horse-drawn carriage ride.
Read more: some of our favourite outdoor country house wedding entertainment ideas
8. Enjoy Locally Sourced Culinary Delights
Last but not least, it’s worth talking about the wedding catering. Luxury English country houses are often based around local farms and artisanal producers, making them ideal for a farm-to-table dining experience. You could take the opportunity collaborate with your caterer to design a menu that features fresh, locally-sourced ingredients, truly making the most of your surroundings and linking your wedding celebrations to the local area. Here at Pynes House, we’re lucky to partner with award winning caterers, Pickle Shack. Underpinned by a team of Michelin trained chefs and centred around using sustainable and locally sourced ingredients, they provide a true culinary adventure for all our couples and their guests. Read more about Pickle Shack in our FAQs, just here.
“During our wedding at Pynes House, the connection with Pickle Shack was seamless, and they did an incredible job crafting a bespoke menu that catered to our every need. Food is very important to us, and they made it perfect for the day. Natalie was phenomenal, stepping up to support Pynes House and delivering exquisite food with impeccable timing. Everything went according to plan, and it was a true culinary delight”
– Nancy & Jacob
From florals to tableware, food and entertainment, we hope you’ve given you some useful inspiration for country house wedding styling ideas. For more on wedding styling, do head over to our real wedding series on the blog, where we speak to couples about their approaches to wedding planning, décor and suppliers. For anything else, please do get in touch here or via Instagram or Facebook, it would be lovely to hear from you.