Choose Your Starting Point
Do you want some ideas for your outdoor wedding aisle? Then you’re in the right place! As well as showing ways that real couples have styled Higher Holcombe’s woodland ceremony spaces, this blog also features a styled shoot (used on the front cover of WED Magazine – Issue 54) (it was totally fab) (!) themed on the vibrant blues of an African bird – the Abyssinian Roller by Natalie from Hyland Weddings and Events. What I love about this is the simple idea that Natalie zoomed right in on the colours of the bird to theme the whole shoot. The result is timeless romance!
Got your own ideas? Then you are ready to go! Read on and check out how some of our free-spirited couples have decorated the gorgeous natural aisles here.
Our Natural Outdoor Wedding Aisles
Higher Holcombe’s unique silver birch ‘church’ features rows of elegant white bark trees that form a natural outdoor wedding aisle. It has a romantic and somehow secret secluded feel. Just perfect, don’t you think – for nature-loving coupes who want to get married in the countryside. We also offer the unique willow ‘cathedral’ with a hilltop position from which you have gorgeous views of rolling Devon countryside.
Here you can see how Rosie and Rod used borrowed macrame hangings for the guests’ chairs and rented dream catchers to make a stunning boho-style focal point in the birch church.
Aaron and Vicky, who were also married in the silver birch church, chose traditional bunting made with Tanzanian ‘kitenge’ cloth to make a feature of their love for Africa for their own outdoor wedding aisle.
And here, you can see how Tracey and Wayne used foraged twigs of April spring blossom for an understated but simply gorgeous walkway for their hand-tying ceremony in our willow cathedral.
Another fave of mine is the way that Soph and Si used their collection of galvanised watering cans and filled them with foraged cow parsley. I love all that frothy exuberance!
As well as decorating the ceremony chairs with brightly coloured ribbon – they used the watering cans to line each side of the aisle in the hilltop willow cathedral aisle.
All you need are some willing foragers – as well as lots of watering cans!
Back to the Bird-Themed Styled Shoot
For the African bird shoot – blues, caramel and toffee shades were used to represent the bird’s plumage. Beautifully wafting translucent drapes (suggesting movement and flight) are accentuated with a stunning floral ‘bird of paradise’ wing sculpture. I know! It’s gorgeous, isn’t it! By hanging drapes behind the flowers, it really makes the whole floral display stand out. Imagine walking up to this on your wedding day! A stunning way to make a big statement with gorgeous flowers.
The whole gorgeous display is anchored with lanterns on either side which adds to the romantic atmosphere. The casual bench seating for a special outdoor ceremony fits well with the woodland setting. An added touch of floral luxury comes from the aisle-side arrangements with the same blues, blush-pinks and candy-tuft colour gypsophila. So dreamy! There’s so much for your guests to admire and enjoy while they wait for your entrance at the start of the woodland wedding aisle. So, what will you both be wearing?
Co-ordinating Couple Outfits
Picking up on the blues – the groom’s suit and tie are the striking blue that tones with this wedding’s décor. It’s a masculine colour that anchors the scheme’s softer blues and is a perfect contrast to the toffee and caramel colours of the bridal gowns featured in this shoot. I love the voluminous skirts and the lace bodice of the toffee gown. Don’t you think it’s the perfect surprise (not being white or cream) and goes perfectly with the colours used here?
Which of these dresses do you prefer?
Intimate Woodland Wedding Table Décor
During the shoot, the woodland wedding aisle was later transformed into an intimate alfresco dining space under the gentle shade of the birch canopy.
Pops of blue are repeated in the linen napkins, candles and glassware and are a gentle contrast to the naturally neutral tones of sand, cinnamon and caramel. Different delphinium blues punctuate the flower centre pieces making a fabulous statement along the length of the table. It looks truly sumptuous, don’t you think?
Are you planning on inviting a smaller number of guests? Fewer guests at your wedding could mean that you have more in your budget for extravagant floral displays like this. Simpler jam jars filled with cornflowers and love-in-the-mist would also look really pretty – and you could use velvet ribbons for luxury or sisal string for rustic tactile texture.
This kind of table décor reflects the amazing attention to detail that the stylists Natalie and Stacey paid to the set up. Gold cutlery toned with the sand colours and both the tea light glasses and water tumblers provided gorgeous deep colours that sit perfectly alongside the rich blue napkins and darker blue candles on metal stands. And don’t you love the varying heights of the candles? This is one of my favourite elements! A lovely contrast to the low-lying flowers and another way to add drama and stature to your designs.
Although this post is mainly to inspire you with inspo on how to decorate your outdoor wedding aisle, I can’t resist sharing ideas of how it can also link with other elements of your own amazing day.
Woodland Themed Cocktails and a Stunning Wedding Cake
No styled wedding shoot would be complete without a luxurious wedding cake! This one by Peboryon in Cornwall, is simply decorated with restrained elegance in the shoot’s colours and looks absolutely gorgeous, don’t you think? What a fabulous Insta-worthy photo that would be!
As well, the Fizzy Pheasant bar experts prepped elegant glasses with soft brown sugar and flavoured this personalised cocktail with sweet maple syrup and delicious bourbon. I got a bit carried away with this and went on a quick forage for maple leaves in the woodland to accentuate the woodland setting. It was late September, and the leaves were just beginning to turn. Ahem. Yes – that bit was down to me!
All About The Details
Nothing to do with an outdoor wedding aisle – but do remember to bring samples of your stationery (the menu would be my fave) for your photographer to take some ‘flat lay’ shots. A few spare blooms (maybe a button hole or a few petals) would look nice as well as your rings and any special jewellery that you are planning to wear.
Your wedding day, and everything about it, is all about making memories. Taking special photos to help you remember and highlight the gorgeous details that went into your planning will bring you pleasure for years to come. Which brings us back round. Have you been inspired? And have you chosen your starting point?
Please remember that Natalie was the creative soul who came up with the idea for this shoot. She is a local wedding planner and I highly recommend her as well as the whole of the wonderful team who contributed to the ‘Bird of Paradise’ shoot – and here are all their details:
Photography and Videography: kathrynclarkemcleod.com
Venue: Higher Holcombe (that’s us)!
Concept, Styling & Coordination: hylandweddingsandevents.co.uk
Props, Tableware, Styling & Coordination: glasevents.com
Flowers: emmahewlett.co.uk
Silks: lancasterandcornish.co.uk
Cake: peboryon.co.uk
Crockery, Trays: everystory.co.uk
Cutlery: abbotseventhire.co.uk
Hair: aprilnataliehair.co.uk
Make-Up: nicolaredmanmakeup.com
Dresses: wardrobebydulcinea.com
Jewellery & Rings: millymaunder.co.uk
Table Linen: linenforhire.co.uk
Stationery: besotteddesign.co.uk
Hair Pieces: theluckysixpence.co.uk
Groom’s Outfit: shariftailoring.co.uk
Candles: ester-erik.dk
Cocktails: thefizzypheasant.co.uk
Catering: lapfoodandbars.co.uk
Draping & Lighting: ritualeventdesign.com
Models: Instagram.com/clarabondsongs