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Bridal Wear

2024 Wedding Trends

Couple in wedding barn venue

2023 was awash with glorious Southend Barns wedding style as our couples expressed their love in lots of beautiful ways. Many of our 2023 couples chose to take advantage of our Styling Service, using our range of professionally curated styling options as a springboard to support their chosen wedding decor. But enough reminiscing, it’s time for us to share our projections for the very best wedding trends for 2024. Keep reading for the inside scoop…

What’s New with Wedding Décor?

This year wedding decor is bright, beautiful and above all personal. Glorious warm colours will be taking the stage, ranging from sunny yellow to hot pink and delightfully vibrant poppy red. Add to this a good dose of opulence and you have a celebration fit for royalty!

From enormous floral displays to fruit bowls spilling with delicious and exotic delights, the natural world will be a huge influence in wedding design. Reaching further shores than recent years, greenery will still be an important staple, but elevated with colour and texture, enveloping the senses like never before. Think billowing romantic drapes, ceilings dancing with fairy lights and your favourite candle infusing the air.

Wedding barn venue, SussexIf pared back sophistication is more your thing, then 2024 also brings a beautiful take on tonal wedding decor. Using one colour in various tones and textures creates cohesive and super chic styling. As well as being a visually striking way to style your wedding day, the tonal trend is fairly easy to accomplish and gives the wedding party greater freedom when choosing their outfits.

Brand new for 2024, our Amber Sunset styling option is bang on trend with a tonal palette of warm, sun-kissed shades. Highlighted with beautiful burnt orange and golden touches, this is deliciously rich, wedding day styling at its very best. With a sprinkle of Southend Barns magic, Amber Sunset succeeds in creating a romantic, dusky glow long after the sun has set over the West Sussex countryside.

Alternatively, our Boho Blush wedding venue styling option takes tonal texture to the next level. With sumptuous macramé touches, dried flowers and pampas grass all in soft neutral tones, this is a stunning option for those interested in romantic, blush wedding day styling.

Wedding venue dining hall

Wedding Day Dressing for YOU!

Gone are the days of prescriptive wedding gowns – for 2024 couples the world is your oyster, with brides and grooms opting for wedding wear which perfectly suits their personality. From glorious mini dresses to jewel toned wedding gowns, personal style is in!

Indian wedding dress

Black and White Wedding Day Styling

Monochrome is back for 2024, so if your dream day is to create a beautiful black-tie occasion, then we’ve got the perfect styling selection for you. Our gorgeous monochrome option features chic black and white, glass touches, white roses and elegant foliage as well as hints of gorgeous gold with items such as cutlery.

Super luxe styling doesn’t stop with dressing your venue either, over the top dress codes are set to be popular in 2024. Invite your guests to celebrate in extravagant attire, from black tie with a twist to your favourite glamourous theme. However, a note to the wise, try to keep it light and not too prescriptive, or you could run the risk of making dressing for your wedding a stressful experience.

Wedding meal table setting

The Personal Touch

Not a new trend, but one that has had growing appeal for quite a few years now. Your wedding day is all about you and your love, so what better way to create a timeless and beautiful celebration than by weaving moments from your love story through your day. From handwritten letters to homemade wedding favours or a cocktail which transports you back to that special holiday together. There are many ways to touch on important moments in addition to the anecdotes revealed during speeches.

Personal wedding service

Nostalgic Wedding Day Food

Many of our couples have been opting for food that takes them on a trip down memory lane. From Hunter’s Chicken or Chicken Kiev, our team of incredible chefs have given these childhood classics a creative twist to make them worthy of a wedding day menu without losing their nostalgic charm.

From decadent BBQs to mouth-watering plant-based options, our varied and diverse menus have something to sate any palette. You can browse our full menu here, and our Roots chefs are always happy to chat about any special requirements you might have.

Personal wedding service catering

Festival-Fabulous Weddings

Personality is everything for 2024 weddings, so if you are more of a laid back kind of couple why not opt for a festival style theme. Our rural setting is a gorgeous backdrop for a festival wedding, with surrounding fields, our Collecting Yard and pretty gardens – the perfect spot for games, stalls, drinks stations and pop up food stops! Our Roots chefs also do a delicious festival inspired menu with sharing platters, homemade pizzas in pizza boxes and more.

Our rustic Threshing Barn looks wonderful dressed with festival-fabulous disco balls, garlands and gorgeous big tonal balloons, and makes an amazing space for you and your guests to dance the night away to an awesome band or DJ.

Keep the festival magic running into the night with our new luxury Bell Tents. Our six tents are situated in our pretty wildflower meadow and make ideal overnight accommodation for close friends and family to retire following your celebrations.

Wedding day drinks (credit: Kelly Hearn)

Wedding Day Drinks Trends

With a significant increase in people going teetotal, it is more important than ever to ensure you offer a great selection of non-alcoholic drinks for your wedding celebrations. Here at Southend Barns, we take taste seriously and have curated a wide range of the very best non-alcoholic drinks options. From the award-winning Wide Idol alcohol free sparkling wine, to popular non-alcoholic spirits, and of course our own delicious range of mocktails and spritzers.

On the subject of drinks, another trend here to stay is the gloriously decadent champagne tower! This throwback to roaring 20s style creates real wow factor as a centrepiece and is a fun addition to your big day. The tower can be filled with your choice of sparkling drink, and whether you choose one of our local Tinwood sparkling wines, Prosecco or a non-alcoholic option, it will be a moment your guests never forget.

Wedding trends can be fun to take inspiration from, but fashions come and go, the most important thing to remember when choosing styling, food and decor, is to pick what makes you and your partner happy.

Our whole team is dedicated to ensuring you have the perfect wedding day for you. A special day like no other which you truly enjoy, creating beautiful memories to treasure and hold dear for many years to come. We can’t wait to be a part of each and every celebration this year and we promise that every single wedding that takes place in our beautiful barns will be utterly and completely perfect.

If you are interested in booking Southend Barns for your wedding day, please do get in touch on 01243 641247 and our dedicated team will be more than happy to help.

Photo credits:
Ruby Roux Photography
Kelly Hearn Photography
Jasmine Andrews Photography

2023 Wedding Trends

Jade Jordan wedding bouquet

Each January we get together and discuss our wedding trend predictions for the year ahead. While we think a wedding should always be about the couple and their own individual tastes and personalities, its always fun to see some of the new ideas and inspirations that come around.

From bold colourways and a return to fine dining to a focus on sustainability, read on for our 2023 wedding trend predictions…


A Splash of Colour

Classic greenery and whites are always popular choices when it comes to wedding décor and flowers, but 2023 will see some extra splashes of colour. We’re loving the new shade of orange and pink for flower arrangements as well as brightly coloured candles and accessories.


Living Plants

Another up and coming trend is a surge in live plants rather than floral arrangements. Perfect for creating a botanical jungle, live plants are also a more sustainable and cost effective option as they can be taken home and kept or hired in and returned at the end of your day.

Bringing Sexy Back

From plunging necklines to ethereal sheer designs, catwalks have been featuring bridal gowns that are not only beautiful – but a little bit sexy too! However, if you are looking for a dress with a bit more substance, the timeless ball gown with full skirt and billowing sleeves is also back. This is the kind of dress which would have Cinderella weak at the knees.

Grooms are also taking their wedding look to new heights this year as stunning tailored suits in an array of sumptuous fabrics take centre stage. From velvet to silk, 2023’s groom is embracing luxury – and we are here for it!


Here Come the Girls

Whilst the trend for mismatched bridesmaid dresses shows no sign of slowing, 2023 brings a more tonal palette of earthy and neutral colours to the table. From wedding parties dressed all in white, to soft and stunning rusts, sage greens and sky blues – let nature be your guide.

The Conscious Touch

From flowers to food, sustainability is important to many of us. Over the years we have seen a definite shift in how couples approach their wedding day choices with many more interested in locally sourced food, local flowers and adding reusable elements throughout their big day. As an eco-conscious wedding venue, this is a trend we are definitely celebrating.


The Great Outdoors

With stunning countryside surrounding our beautiful barns, our wedding venue is the perfect place to embrace the trend to tie the knot outdoors. Our Secret Garden sits between the flint wall of our Dairy Barn and our alpaca’s field. Lined with elegant stone benches and surrounded by beautiful borders filled to the brim with greenery and flowers, we’ve created a stunning setting for outdoor nuptials.

Click here to find out more


Menus with no rules!

Couples are relishing a culinary world without rules. Over recent months our Roots team have seen an increase in fun, creative menus. From twists on retro classics like the Scotch Egg, Chicken Kiev and Arctic Roll (a childhood favourite of our Executive Chef), to mouth-watering fusion food featuring world-inspired flavours.

Healthy, plant-based dishes and salads are also becoming requested lots more and in contrast to this there has been a return to full on fine dining.

Cheese wedding cakes are still going strong with couples opting to personalise them with carefully selected options that represent memories, places or family favourites.

Home Grown Flavours

With an increasing focus on local flavours and ingredients, we’ve changed the produce grown in our Roots Kitchen Garden to include some of this year’s trendy veggies and herbs.

Heritage carrots are particularly popular right now as they pack a punch in terms of colour and flavour. Spring greens and cavolo nero (black cabbage) have also been added to our seasonal vegetable selection while our herb patch is full of basil, coriander and plenty of oregano to top the wood fired pizzas, cooked in our new outside kitchen.

These are just a few of our predictions. We can’t wait to see what else this year has in store!

Photo credits:

Adorlee Weddings
Kirsty Mackenzie Photography
Ruby Roux Photography
Marcel Grabowski Photography

Guest Blog: Minster Bridal

At Minster Bridal Couture we absolutely adore helping our brides create the perfect look for their wedding day. Whether it’s a super classic traditional wedding or a glamorous black-tie event we love helping create looks that complement the styling of our clients’ special day.

The turn of the clocks and the return of the darker evenings has us dreaming of romantic mid-summer weddings with vows in beautiful rose gardens and sunsets over Southend Barns. For brides considering Southend Barns as their wedding venue we have selected some of our favourite looks, perfect for complimenting your chosen wedding theme.

One of our favourite wedding styles is’ Rustic Chic’. We love the outdoor, relaxed vibes of chic barn weddings which can be dressed up or dressed down to suit the style and vision for the day. As one of their special wedding styling options, Southend Barns offer the Boho Blush package. Perfect for a soft, romantic wedding look with a bohemian feel, this carefree look features beautiful boho touches including exquisite dried flowers, pampas grass and Macramé touches.

No one does modern boho better than All Who Wander in our opinion! The warm colour palette and beautiful symmetrical design is giving us serious modern boho vibes. We adore this gown which can be styled with arm cuffs for a boho look or accessorised with a veil and chic hair style for a more glamorous feel.

We also love the classic sophistication of a traditional wedding with modern touches. You can’t go wrong with a simple satin gown styled to perfection for the ultimate in class.

Talk about a modern statement! This elegant, clean, ball gown from Stella York gives a sophisticated edge with a unique but very flattering neckline. This gorgeous gown can be styled up or down with accessories to meet your desired look. For a traditional look why not try a tiara with a long veil, hair up, pearl earrings and a tight bouquet of roses. For a more relaxed look, go for some cascading wild flowers with plenty of eucalyptus, hair down and wavy and a bold makeup look.

This is a truly versatile gown that lends itself to so many different wedding themes. This romantic mermaid gown with floral embroidered lace, chantilly lace, and tulle, encapsulates the beauty of outdoor venues. The detachable drop sleeves add an element of drama and the fitted bodice is sure to make a bold statement on your wedding day. Pair with a short waterfall veil and flower crown or hair vine for a relaxed bridal look, or pop a petticoat underneath to exaggerate the fishtail silhouette, add a statement veil and neat low bun for a
more traditional but edgy look.

Whatever style you decide, Southend Barns is a beautiful backdrop which compliments so many different wedding themes – the options are endless. In addition to Boho Blush the barns also offers a variety of other styling packages to suit all tastes. Choose from options like Wild & Green, Elegant Ivory or Champagne Rose, or alternatively take your wedding styling into your own hands with a completely bespoke approach – the choice is yours!

Once you’ve checked out the inspiration above, head to our website to book an appointment at Minster Bridal Couture to find your perfect wedding dress.

Mousetrap Dress Boutique

Southend Barns logo

Mousetrap Dress Boutique is a luxurious bridal, prom and evening wear showroom, with the largest collection on the South Coast.

Mousetrap are proud to premier stockists of the Morilee bridal collection, with over 135 different Morilee designs in store. We pride ourselves on being a one-stop shop for all thingsbridal and beautiful and we can cater for your every need; from beautiful Rainbow Club wedding shoes to delicate Poirier veils.

With over 40 years of successful trading in the fashion industry, our wonderful team here at Mousetrap Dress Boutique have a trained eye for the latest fashions and know exactly how to make everyone who walks through our doors feel special!

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