Have an epic festival style wedding

There are so many ways to have an epic festival style wedding. There really isn’t any right or wrong answer, but I’m going to share with you now some of my top ideas and recommendations to ensure your day goes with a BANG!

CELEBRATE WITH A CELEBRANT

First top tip…there are so many reasons you NEED a celebrant for your festival wedding. You have so much more freedom of choice and a celebrant will be able to give you everything you want and more. The right celebrant for a festival wedding will be able to share their ideas and give inspiration as well, perhaps bringing to light some wondrousness that you never knew existed.

Celebrant led ceremonies are so incredibly individual. You can share stories of how you met, how you fell in love, and all the fun stuff that has happened up to the moment you’re there in all your gear.

Just make sure you choose the right celebrant that matches you and the vibe you’re going for.

It is important to note here that you will need to do the legal bits before or after the ceremony with your local council. That’ll be the paperwork done.

There is so much a celebrant can offer. Which brings us nicely to…

UNITY ELEMENTS

The wonderful world of unity elements within a ceremony can open a plethora of doors. There are a few that are absolutely wonderful and would be highly recommended to use during your ceremony.

The ancient tradition of handfasting (that’s where ‘Tying the Knot’ comes from by the way) is something that is one that would work wonderfully just before you say your vows to each other.

Fancy a bit of a boozy one? Of course! Let’s look a Mojito. The ingredients of which could mirror aspects of your relationship. The mint, to keep things fresh, the lime to represent that sometimes things may get a bit sour but by adding the sugar it balances things out and then (most importantly) the rum. It was once used as a currency; this boozy bit represents the value that you hold for each other. Next up, drink up! You could even have miniature shots of Mojito where your guests are sat or stood.

The options for unity elements are endless. There are no rights or wrongs. Be inventive with it.

VIVACIOUS VENUES

Where to even begin with this?! There are lots of wedding venues around that will offer you the most wonderful setting to bring your festival to life. Popular venues can get booked up a year in advance, maybe longer, so it’s beneficial to get in early.

You can find barns, tents, teepees, farms, fields. Think about having your festival wedding somewhere different than just the usual hall or house.

If you are going with somewhere that isn’t a venue already, try to have think about access to facilities, and if there’s enough accommodation on site or nearby for wedding guests.

It’s all in the theming, whether you’re going for Boho, Glastonmarry, Hoopla, Circus, shabby chic; this will determine entirely the sort of venue that you’ll go for.

Maybe have a think about hiring a campsite. The options are endless.

WEDDING WEEKEND

We touched briefly upon campsites, but these really lend themselves perfectly to a weekend wedding. Your guests can pack a tent, bring a motorhome or if they want to brave sleeping under the stars then why not?

Day one, the guests arrive and perhaps your celebrant could give you an opening ceremony to welcome everyone into what is guaranteed to be an incredible few days.

Day two will bring the Big Day, the wedding and the after party. Create a pyramid stage of your own and be the headline act.

Day three, most people will be ready for a comfy bed and some time to relax after partying with you for all that time.

Dotted between the three days, why not hire local bands, tribute acts, anything to really create the buzz of a festival.

FESTIVAL SET UP

The beauty of a festival wedding is all the little details that make your day memorable.

Some festival wedding ideas include:

• Wellies or flip-flops for guests, or indeed using them as centre pieces, or something to line the aisle with.
• Lanyards with wedding timings on – at least everyone knows exactly who, what, where, when and why!
• Themed photo booth. There are so many Photo Booth hire companies that have AMAZING and novel mobile units. A personal favourite was an old Waltzer cart inside a vintage caravan.
• Local beer and wine served in a keg
• Hay bales, beanbags or bring-your-own for seating
• Instead of signing a guest book, you could ask your guests to sign a wedding poster or a poster of your favourite band.
• A glitter bar! Most people love a glitter bar, and it will top the night off whilst dancing away to your favourite songs.
• Venue/Site permitting, a mini fireworks display would make the day memorable for all attending
• Wrist Bands! Get some personalised and have your guests wear them for the weekend. It’s also something to keep as a moment.
• Perhaps one activity could be having a silent disco. The kits are available for hire and should there be a music curfew, this covers all bases.

There we have it, 5 key points on how to have the most amazing festival style wedding day(s). There is no right or wrong, the options are endless, and Pinterest will be your best friend.

Referring back to point one, it really is so important that you choose the right celebrant for the occasion. Each one will offer something different, but not all of them will be the right fit for you.

Happy Planning!