A wedding is a very significant event, and you often want to celebrate it in such a way that the memories will warm your soul for a long time, and with photographs you can easily surprise those who did not attend the celebration.
Many people rent huge halls of expensive restaurants for this event, but what to do if you want something special that goes beyond the usual stereotypes? Perhaps a forest wedding is just what you need. The right place can make the celebration unforgettable, surrounding you not only with happiness from the long-awaited event, but also with the beauty of nature, adding romance to the event. However, if you are worried about the weather, this option is no worse. After all, the atmosphere of the forest can be recreated indoors by selecting decorations and details, which you can learn about from this article.
Forest wedding: where to arrange it
Needless to say, an outdoor wedding primarily depends on the season you choose. Of course, some may like the idea of holding a ceremony surrounded by snow-white snow or colorful leaves, but most couples prefer the summer months.
In the process of searching for a suitable place, do not forget that the more difficult it is to get to it, the more difficulties will arise when organizing the celebration. Wild nature, however, is unpredictable and often not as beautiful as we would like, and therefore the best choice is considered to be well-groomed corners: country cottages in the middle of the forest, parks or restaurants in nature.
When you're done with choosing a location, you can start decorating. Remember that to organize a good and memorable holiday, you will have to bring some necessary supplies to a suitable corner. For example, a screen can isolate your forest wedding from the outside world, adding coziness to the atmosphere.
Well, those couples who want to recreate the atmosphere of a forest indoors will certainly be interested in a banquet hall that already has natural materials as decorative elements. Muted natural tones are ideal, bringing you as close as possible to the colors of the forest. Plants, berries, fruits and wood and leather products will fit perfectly into the atmosphere as decorations.
How to organize
Brown, green tones or a bright berry palette? Any options are appropriate for the color scheme of the celebration. The magic of the forest kingdom should be atmospheric, so you should think through the palette of the holiday in advance.
Fruit and berry motifs, flowers, natural materials (laces, pieces of leather fabric, wooden blanks, dried twigs) will help recreate the picture of a forest festival for any setting.
A spacious meadow, an equipped tourist base, a country or country house, a restaurant where a forest-style wedding will be held is also suitable - choose a place according to your preferences and capabilities. The area, which is as close to natural as possible, simplifies the organization of the event.
Tables can be decorated with flowers and wooden compositions. Potted plants are preferred, but traditional bouquets are also suitable for decoration. When a forest wedding takes place, it is better to do the decoration using floral compositions; a wedding is an excellent opportunity to show your imagination. For other cases, you can use the services of professionals.
The advantage of natural materials is their availability and a huge number of options for use. You can use moss to lay out a path to the registration table, decorate a guest area, decorate armchairs and chairs. Wooden cuts and cones are a good basis for place cards and holiday menu decor. You can also use wood as a stand for a wedding cake and candles. When a forest-themed wedding takes place, traditional decorations can be used.
Attention! The main condition is compliance with the color scheme, which includes all shades of berries (blueberry, red cranberry, cloudberry-orange, lingonberry), sea blue, green, brown natural colors.
Does a forest-themed wedding take place in a real clearing? Feel free to settle down right on the grass - a wooden screen will hide you from prying eyes and the bustle of the city. To emphasize the theme of the celebration, create forest wedding decor in the form of small forest birds, baskets with mushrooms, butterflies, and fairy-tale elves. An extraordinary wedding can take place in a country villa surrounded by forest, in wooden houses on the river bank that you rent for your friends and relatives.
A forest fairy tale wedding is often held at an outdoor event. It will be remembered for a long time for its unusualness and beauty. Picturesque places and landscapes independently suggest the style in which you need to decorate the space. At the same time, traditional accessories (wedding arch, carpet, registration table, etc.) and natural decor are often combined, creating a unique design.
Bridal outfits
The calm atmosphere of the forest corresponds to the gentle, airy image of the bride.
Light carelessness, soft curls, flowing dresses, wreaths, bracelets made of flowers or leaves, comfortable shoes. In part, a dress for a forest wedding may have something in common with the rustic style. A simple outfit in the empire style or straight cut is ideal for such an occasion. Avoid complex details, pretentious decor, and overly strict silhouettes.
Choose high-quality natural materials, preferably matte shades. A simple lace fabric is acceptable. It is better to use neutral makeup, not bright colors. The exception to the rule is the predominance of berry themes in the design. For this occasion, the bride will suit bright blush and rich lip color.
If a fairy-tale character is taken as a basis, any options for the stated theme are possible. Everything is limited only by your imagination and the budget of the celebration. The groom can dress in lightweight “classics” and appear before the guests in an informal style. You can wear a hat, a leather vest, complement the look with a denim or plaid shirt, or use an unusual tie, appropriate for a forest party. Cowboy boots, Cossack boots, casual shoes, lace-up boots, and moccasins are acceptable. They are convenient to participate in various competitions and competitions.
Note! A touch of business style and sharp color contrasts are unacceptable for festive outfits in a forest style.
Guests of the event
The general direction of the celebration is observed in the images of the guests. Invited ladies wear airy dresses, wreaths and festive bracelets. Comfortable ballet shoes, woven ribbons in natural tones, knitted handbags, baubles and custom jewelry - a forest wedding can contain elements of boho, hippie, rustic and other “freedom-loving” trends.
For cool weather, consider capes or boleros - they can be made from faux fur, wool, or knitted fabric. When going outdoors, it’s good to have warm blankets with you. Designate the appropriate color scheme of outfits in advance, paying special attention to the dress code of the bridesmaids. The images of forest nymphs in floor-length translucent dresses look interesting. You can choose the same dresses, or provide some differences - in details, color of fabric.
The male half will feel free in casual style outfits. The ease of the atmosphere is emphasized by trousers made of thick natural materials, comfortable moccasins, boots and shirts. No discomfort, complete fusion with nature!
Invitations
Forest themed wedding invitations call for simplicity and naturalness. Drawings can be done by hand or using a stencil. Possible motifs are animal figures, leaves, forest landscapes, fairy-tale characters.
Interesting! A good solution is to make invitations in eco-style. Their design is in harmony with the forest theme.
If the invitation card is made like a scroll, take care of a beautiful box, or simply wrap it with twine or ribbon.
Festive table
An unvarnished table is the best solution for a forest wedding. The smell of freshly cut wood, hastily fastened parts – this table is very similar to a camping or summer cottage version made by hungry travelers. You can install a roof above your head in case of rain, and place benches next to the table. Does the space resemble a forest parking lot?
Complete the space with a hunting lodge, a fishing boat (if the wedding is taking place near a forest pond), stylized bee houses, from where delicious honey “appears,” as well as other sweets. Play with forest motifs for an interesting presentation of dishes, use ceramic and wooden dishes instead of crystal or porcelain.
Festive treats can be served in several stages - organize gatherings at a common table, then a buffet in a free area and, finally, mark the end of the holiday with gatherings around the fire. There are a lot of menu options. A buffet, a picnic by the lake, a traditional lunch in a country restaurant - a lot depends on the wedding setting. Add charcoal-grilled meats, fruit desserts to your list of dishes, add plates of herbs and vegetables, cheese and cold cuts. Let guests try what they like. A forest wedding should be nourishing and varied!
Wedding in a forest style: images of the newlyweds
How to fit into the created surroundings without losing the wedding luxury? It’s all very simple: even without using fluffy hemlines and luxurious dresses, you can highlight the beauty of the bride using straight-cut dresses. You may be interested in styles such as rustic and empire. Light translucent and lace fabrics will go well with wreaths and decorations made of flowers or wood.
With hair, everything is no less easy. Natural hairstyles, such as braids or buns, will look good when combined with makeup made up primarily of colors suggested by nature. Golden, green, brown and other soft tones. All of them will definitely suit the forest atmosphere.
The groom can afford to be a little informal. Agree, a formal suit does not fit into a relaxed forest setting at all. Give free rein to your imagination and allow yourself to look like the atmosphere. A vest instead of a jacket, a denim shirt instead of white collars, boots or boots instead of shoes - don’t be afraid to experiment!
Choosing a theme for a wedding in the forest
Holding a wedding celebration in the forest is an original idea in itself, but you don’t have to stop there and think about some related theme for complete immersion in the atmosphere.
Fairy forest
An interesting idea is to decorate a celebration in a fairytale style. Almost every fairy tale, one way or another, involves a forest or clearing. You can decorate the venue with “magical” shining accessories, add colorful lights, and the bride can try on the image of a magical fairy or fairy-tale princess.
Robin Hood
Stylizing a wedding to ballads about Robin Hood is quite popular. The bride should take a closer look at a simple vintage dress and wear a wreath of wildflowers on her head instead of a veil. The main attribute of the groom should, of course, be a bow and arrow. Friends can be asked to dress up as bandits, Friar Tuck, and Little John. And the fabulous decor will look more welcome in the forest than ever before.
Eco-stylistics
Recently, eco-friendly style has been gaining immense popularity. More and more people are thinking about preserving the planet. The idea of celebrating an eco-wedding is quite interesting. To maintain style, you need to choose simple outfits made from natural fabrics. Tableware made from natural materials is suitable for table decoration. You should not use anything unnecessary that can harm the planet, that is, no plastic chairs, balloons, air lanterns, etc. You can read more about an eco-style wedding here.
Country style
Another interesting option is a rustic wedding. A lot of fabric, folk patterns and natural materials are used to decorate it. True, such a celebration should not be held in the forest itself, but in an open clearing. Young people should also choose from simple options for outfits. A fluffy princess dress will be out of sync with the intended style. You may also be interested in a wedding in a rustic or rustic style: soulful, simple and cozy.
Bride's bouquet for a forest wedding
The bouquet is an integral part of every wedding. In your case, it is better to make it up from those plants that are usually associated with the created environment. Wildflowers can be perfectly combined with ferns and berries, and they can be supplemented with pine cones and tree branches. Don't be afraid to go too big when it comes to bouquet parts. With the right selection of plants, this will only decorate it. Well, you can bandage the resulting masterpiece with something light, made from natural materials.
Bouquet
The larger and more voluminous the bouquet, the richer and more natural it will look in the hands of the newlywed. Freshly picked fern branches, wildflowers, twigs, berries, leaves - all the riches of the forest are combined into an elegant composition, tied with threads, ribbons, and leather cord. Avoid lavish decor - let the bride’s main accessory retain its naturalness and natural look.
Forest fairy tale wedding: dress code for guests
What is a wedding without guests? Help your guests blend harmoniously into the environment you have created by discussing the dress code with them in advance. A forest wedding involves natural colors and not too bright tones. It may be worth indicating in the invitations what style is expected at your celebration. Children, if desired, can be dressed up as fairy-tale creatures. This will only add a festive atmosphere to the wedding. Needless to say, how funny the photos can be when formal suits are replaced by more casual, but still festive and elegant outfits.
In field
When newlyweds want to create a feeling of flight and vast spaces in their photographs, they choose fields for shooting. Depending on what crops grow on them, a different atmosphere is created, and completely different poses are selected.
Ideas for photos on the field:
- A wheat field will ideally highlight wedding dresses and give a feeling of joy due to the golden color of the ears. Classic poses are chosen, the newlyweds look at each other, smile or kiss. The groom can take the bride in his arms and pretend to spin.
- If you choose a field with sunflowers, then the frames should be designed in a more playful style. You can use the idea of playing hide and seek.
- If forbs with wild flowers are chosen, then all poses should be freer. When the wedding theme involves classic outfits, then traditional poses are chosen, looking into each other’s eyes, or the groom hugs the bride from the back. If the style is more informal, and the clothes allow it, then you can choose more daring solutions. So, the bride can pick flowers and accidentally meet the groom; it is necessary to capture this moment with surprised and romantic looks. Or the newlyweds can lie holding hands and smiling dreamily.
The mood that the photograph will convey depends not only on the color of the plants in the field, but also on the angle from which the photographer shot.
If he was “above” the newlyweds, then the pictures will be more fun and informal.
When he sank almost to the ground, then everything around him will seem larger, and the feelings that the bride and groom demonstrate will be more significant.
Forest themed wedding invitations
It would be a good idea to use natural materials not only for decorations, but also for wedding printing. Improvise: decorations made from dried flowers, paper reminiscent of tree bark, images of plants and animals, handmade envelopes and many other creative things. All this is guaranteed to begin to set the necessary tone for the holiday even before the celebration begins.
Forest wedding: decoration
In this article, we have discussed several times the importance of using natural materials in decorating a forest wedding. Moss and berries, dried flowers and feathers can serve as excellent decorations, while wood cuts, for example, can be used to make some important decorative elements.
When decorating, stick to the initially chosen forest brownish-green palette of shades, but also take into account the fact that berry, burgundy, purple or sea blue are quite worthy of diluting it.
Don't forget about entertainment. If the celebration takes place outdoors, then it can be divided into thematic zones. For example, a handicraft master class, archery, photo zone. In the latter case, the necessary lighting can be provided by lamps disguised with natural materials.
In general, the main secret of decorating a forest wedding is a good combination of nature with modern decorations. Lanterns on trees, candles in themed candlesticks, colored ribbons and colorful garlands - all this will add beauty to your holiday venue. In an enclosed room or tent, the walls and ceiling can be complemented with figures, pom-poms or letters made of moss and other natural materials.
Lighting
Lighting in the forest plays a very important role, since due to the foliage the sun does not penetrate into all areas of the forest. And with the onset of darkness, the fair half of those invited in the forest may even become scared.
To illuminate the area, you can use garlands or hang many light bulbs on the trees.
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You can see the lighting of the area in the photo below:
In order to illuminate the wedding table, you can place small lamps or candlesticks with candles on it, which will create an intimate, romantic atmosphere as the evening approaches.
You can make the following candlesticks yourself:
Wedding in forest style: decorating the table
The table is one of the most important elements of the celebration, which means it should be decorated accordingly. The greens, acorns, berries, pine cones and wildflowers we already love on a wooden table go much better with ceramic plates and wooden saucers, so it’s better to refrain from using expensive, elegant tableware. And wooden chairs can be complemented with ribbons and garlands.
And, of course, don't forget about plants. Cut bouquets or flowers in pots are most suitable. The main thing is that the shades match with the rest of the decorations.
Walking in the park
If there is no possibility or desire to hold an event such as a photo walk in the forest among the pine trees, then choose a park area for this. If it is large enough, you can find wilderness areas that will be indistinguishable from the wild.
Ideas for a photo shoot in the park:
- The main element that is present in every park is a bench. You can create a beautiful shot when it faces the trees. To do this, it is necessary for the newlyweds to sit on a bench, throwing their arms over the back, connecting them to each other. Faces need to be turned towards each other and smile.
- Benches are also suitable for individual photos, but side and rear views are important here. Photos of the bride along with the bouquet look good, especially if it is large. Then you can put it next to it on a bench, with the cores of the buds facing the photographer.
- Even an ordinary walk in the park can become the basis for beautiful wedding shots. It is only important that there are no other passersby around, and that the trees and bushes look slightly neglected and wild. Pets will look very good in the frame, but if the newlyweds do not have a pet, you can rent a couple of dogs. Shepherd dogs, huskies or huskies are suitable; they have the most expressive faces.
- Taking photographs near fountains if they have unusual shapes.
- The most unusual and romantic shots can be created if the newlyweds dance. To do this, you will need to find a distant but wide alley and bring a player with you. It is best to create a selection of different compositions and immerse yourself in dancing.
The photographer can either not interfere, simply taking a lot of shots, or ask the newlyweds to freeze in a certain pose . With the latter option, this is necessary to change the shooting angle for the best shots.
Horseback riding cannot be ruled out, since getting married while simultaneously receiving positive emotions is a great way to relieve an exciting day.
Choosing a cake for a forest wedding
So, the last and at the same time the main treat on the wedding table is the cake. There is certainly room here for the implementation of a wide variety of ideas. All kinds of forest-themed decorations are perfect: from sugar figurines to chocolate leaves, berry compositions. Or you can simply make an interesting shaped treat. In any case, whatever you choose, a luxurious cake can be a harmonious end to the wedding, especially if you use a wooden slice as an original plate. Why not an idea?
Decor of wedding tables and chairs
It is best if the table for guests is made of freshly cut wood or treated boards. The simpler and more natural the wedding table looks, the better.
You can leave the nails connecting the table top to the legs visible.
The chairs can also be used wooden, as well as the table. Alternative options for chairs would be hay bales or hemp chairs.
The original design of the table in a forest style is shown in the following photo:
A buffet table at a forest wedding might look like this:
You can even sit on the ground, turning the feast into a picnic in nature.
In addition to dishes, you can put a large number of flowers on the table or put bright fruits, as in the photo below:
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Forest wedding: photo
If you decide to celebrate the ceremony outdoors, you should explore the surroundings with a photographer in advance, finding several picturesque places, choosing angles and noticing interesting details around. If you wish, try adding fog to your shots using a fog machine or using rented animals and birds.
Pros and cons of a forest fairy tale
A wedding in the forest has its opponents and supporters.
Let's figure out why some couples imagine their wedding only in the forest, while others deliberately refuse a forest fairy-tale extravaganza.
Pros:
- free rental of a huge banquet hall - the clearing is free, vast and awaits guests;
- the atmosphere of the forest - clean air and greenery on which the eye rests;
- plenty of free space for competitions, walks and photo shoots;
- a wedding ceremony outside the registry office undoubtedly has many advantages - no queue, no other couples, leisurely time, the opportunity to say wedding vows;
- there are no time frames - guests can party all night, and the banquet hall is rented for a certain period of time;
- amazing photo sessions and videos.
Minuses:
Depending on the weather - whether it rained or whether there was a strong wind - guests will feel uncomfortable. You need to think in advance about installing tents for guests, in which they can hide for a while. The location of the celebration location next to a recreation center or hunting lodge can also save the situation in bad weather. Insects - hordes of mosquitoes, wasps and bees that accidentally flew in on the smell of sweets, ticks
It is necessary to take precautions - use insect repellent sprays, burn incense sticks and do not choose clearings near swampy areas. Earth instead of asphalt - uneven surfaces can make it difficult to set up tables, dirt can stain guests' clothes and shoes, and women's heels can get stuck. The lack of electricity means that we need generators for lighting and equipment operation. Increased cost of on-site work for decorators, wedding hosts, and musicians.
