I caught up with newlyweds (and Rustic Love clients) Danielle and Mark after they celebrated their marriage at the stunning Devon wedding venue, Kingston Estate.
The goal for styling their big day? Create a modern, memorable and totally bespoke experience against a gorgeous backdrop of greenery and classic English architecture. I asked them for the best advice they could give around planning their big day. This is what they came up with.
1. Know What You Want (And What You Don’t) Out of Your Wedding Day
For Danielle and Mark, the whole weekend of festivities was carefully deliberated to be exactly what they wanted, and nothing more. With the help of their venue, suppliers and the wedding planner provided by the venue, they were able to create a memorable day to celebrate with their loved ones.
“Focus on what’s most important to you and prioritise your time, energy and budget on those things. We wanted everyone to have a good time, and no one is going to remember what flavour the cake was anyway!”
They want other couples to know that if anything goes wrong on the day, your guests probably won’t notice (or care). Do what you want as a couple, not what you think other people want. Your guests will feed off of your joy on the day.
2. Don't Be Afraid to DIY Your Wedding—And Enlist Help!
“As creatives, we were craving doing something ourselves – mostly to make it our own, and also to save costs where we can,” said Danielle. Every element of the day, from design to the ceremony, had some element of DIY. The groom designed all of the wedding stationery—from save the dates to thank you cards, to all of the signage on the day. We had a rule – any item that people would touch should be on a good card/paper-stock, everything else just go for the cheapest option!
A family friend who’d sewn the bride’s ballet costumes from age three contributed three beautiful hand-sewn chiffon table runners for the big day (all the way from Ireland, no less!). What started as a simple bit of decor became a really sentimental part of their day.
The couple also handmade little keepsake boxes for the bridal party. It helped make the day feel more personal. But they warned: “DIY isn’t always cheaper.” And most of the time, you can find some amazing local wedding vendors that hire items you might be missing.
DIYing your wedding day is great because you can keep the homemade bits as a memento. But if you’d rather not, see if you can sell them back to your suppliers. Rustic Love Hire purchased Danielle and Mark’s amazing neon sign that reads ‘til death do us party’ to use in future Rustic Love weddings.
And don’t forget, you can always donate your wedding decorations to charity, too.
3. Choose Good Wedding Suppliers
“Find suppliers who understand your style and vision and trust them. Challenge their creativity but listen to their guidance – they have done this a million times, and often at your venue. And they will be there when they say they will be there – and will exceed your expectations.”
Beside the decor sourced by Rustic Love Hire to complement their wedding day, the couple sourced cutlery and napkins from Unique Designs by Tina. They also had Holly Hocks Florist provide all of the greenery on the day.
“It sounds like a lot, but we kept it fairly simple – just a few excellent suppliers, well-coordinated, and a clear vision – and it all came together perfectly.”
4. Have a Vision Outside of Pinterest
While Pinterest might be every bride’s best friend, Danielle warns to use it sparingly. “I often found it overwhelming…you feel like you’re very behind planning a wedding that is ‘so last year.’” Her advice for future brides is to use it to validate your ideas but not use it as a strict rule book.
And this bride loves monochrome. So, naturally, Danielle and Mark’s wedding day included hues of grey, nude, black and white, with metallic accents against a backdrop of greenery. The wedding aesthetic of minimalist-but-modern elegance was brought to life with a cellist, a champagne reception and cocktail hour under festoon lighting and candles everywhere.
5. Take It All In.
Danielle and Mark also want to remind future brides and grooms to take a moment and soak it all in.
After the ceremony, the bride and groom snuck away from guests to enjoy a glass of champagne in the bridal suite, before being greeted by their DJ with a shot of tequila in Kingston Estate’s underground nightclub, The Undercroft. There were confetti cannons, glow sticks and fresh pizzas delivered to the dancefloor.
The couple also suggests visiting your venue when it’s all decorated before your guests arrive—and bring your wedding photographer along! You’ll get to revel in all your hard work and get some fantastic shots of you before the chaos of the day begins.
And to really take it all in, they said, “Don’t drink to the point that you forget the end of the day. You will regret it!” They enjoyed being the last to bed and ended the night sitting around a fire pit eating s’mores and pizza. "We enjoyed spending the time with guests and waking up refreshed and able to remember every moment of their day. "
Are you newly engaged or planning your dream wedding in Devon? Why not hire a supplier who cares? Check out everything we can provide for your big day.
Full list of suppliers below:
Photographer - Oxi Photography
Florist - Holly Hocks (Holly was key in bringing our vision to life from the ceremony through to the reception. We shared a moodboard with her and she worked her magic to make suggestions on how that would work to our budget. We left it all to her on the wedding day and were wowed from start to finish!)
Cake - Cherry Blossom Cakes
Caterers - all Kingston Estate - from Friday to Sunday!
DJ/Sax - Dj Freddy de Lorde
Arches, copper lanterns, candlesticks, menu holders and copper lights - Rustic Love
Invitations designed by groom, printed by Typoretum
Large signs printed at Printed
Hair and make up Ione Makeup and Hair Artists