While the weather has turned cooler and the days are growing shorter, we still have lots of couples planning their gorgeous summer weddings at Southend Barns. Following a season of absolutely beautiful celebrations here, we’ve narrowed down the very best summer wedding trends that are here to stay for 2024.
Summer offers incredible scope when it comes to wedding day décor. From ethereal Midsummer Night’s Dream styling filled with foliage, fairy lights and floaty chiffon, to an abundance of colour and flowers, simple paired back monochrome chic or textural natural tones, the choices are endless. Keep reading for the crème de la crème of summer wedding styling…
Look to the Skies
You’ve settled on the perfect tablescape, your floral arrangements are on point and you’ve chosen your dream menu, but don’t forget the rafters! Dramatic ceilings are a trend that is here to stay when it comes to wedding day cool. From billowing white drapes to swathes of greenery and jaw dropping floral installations to disco balls, couples are choosing to really make an impact and utilise the whole space as part of their wedding décor.
The ceiling of our Threshing Barn is already impressive offering incredible height and showcasing original 220 year old beams and exquisite chandeliers. However, if you are wishing to emphasise our ceiling even more, it lends itself beautifully to some gorgeous styling options including a twinkling Marquee style fairy light canopy or romantic drapes. Couples have also used our beautiful rafters to great effect to showcase floral installations, from garlands of foliage entwining the beams to the prettiest hoop of flowers hanging centre stage.
The Colours of the Rainbow
Gorgeous wedding day colour is here to stay! With no particular colour reigning supreme, we have seen thoughtful colour in a wash of beautiful hues adorn our barns. From stunning combinations of rust, yellow and cornflower blue, to tonal variations featuring every shade of pink, couples are embracing their own style and preferences for a day which is truly and utterly, them. Stylish black and white is also becoming an increasingly popular wedding day theme, for more inspo on how to go for a modern monochrome look, take a look at our recent styled shoot.
As well as beautiful block colours we have also seen a rise in the number of couples celebrating their special day with patterns. From the sweetest touch of floral print in a tie or handkerchief to extraordinary embroidery on a show-stopping gown and pretty patterned bridesmaid dresses, there are many ways to incorporate this charming trend into your wedding day.
Let them Eat Cake!
Gone are the days of a modest naked sponge cake, the extravagant wedding cake is back! Today’s brides and grooms want mouth-watering decadence from their wedding cake, but that doesn’t mean to say there has been a return to the traditional fruitcake, far from it.
From enormous cheese towers featuring a careful selection of the finest fromage, to multi-tiered, multi-flavoured beauties, these impressive cakes are decorated in a range of beautiful edible designs. From a trail of carefully crafted sugar flowers to fresh fruit and foliage, hand-painted details to incredible, structural cake toppers – the delicious world of cake confectionery is your oyster!
Cheers!
All hail the beauty of choice! A great addition to any wedding day that goes down a treat with guests, is the inclusion of an interactive drinks station.
In place of just the one signature cocktail, couples are opting for glorious choice in the form of a Cocktail Bar, Prosecco Cart, or Gin Station, letting their guests choose for themselves.
Another great option for post dinner drinks is our Espresso Martini Cart, offering a range of delectable Espresso Martini options including coconut, salted caramel and tiramisu, this is a great way to give guests an extra boost of dancing energy.
A Touch of Glamour
What says luxury more than a glittering tower filled to the brim with delicious sparkling wine. The champagne tower is back and we are all for it! As perfectly suited to sun-drenched summer wedding days as it is to winter soirees, this trend is as seasonally flexible as it is timeless. The perfect centrepiece and a great way to make a fun and luxurious splash (literally), a champagne tower is also a wonderful opportunity for some truly outstanding wedding photos.
The trend can be adapted to suit your wedding day décor. Why not choose a pretty blush sparkling rosé for a romantic twist, or alternatively go for classic opulence and old school glamour with golden tinged bubbly.
A Sustainable Wedding Day Haven
A trend which sits close to our hearts as a sustainably run wedding venue, is the rise in eco conscious wedding choices. Couples are forgoing just-for-the-night options like welcome bags and wear once bridesmaid dresses, instead choosing things that will continue to be used even after their wedding day has passed. From edible wedding favours to the use of living plants in the décor, we are seeing more and more planet-conscious couples drawn to our West Sussex wedding venue.
12 years ago Southend Barns Wedding Venue was created with an environmental focus in mind, and sustainability is still a huge part of how we operate. From the way we manage our buildings to growing a large portion of the produce we use in our menus in our own allotment and joining the local council in their journey to go net zero, we are constantly evolving with the environment in mind.
For more wedding inspo and advice, click here.
Photography credits: Ruby Roux Photography, Adorlee Weddings, Martin Beard Photography, Kelly Hearn Photography
