Finding your venue is only the start – it takes the right decor to transform a space into the perfect backdrop for your nuptials. In the second of our real life venue decor case studies, we spoke to couples who sought help from the pros
Get Knotted decorated Wedderburn Castle and Barns for Jade and Kamal Masood
Scotland’s weather is notoriously fickle, but that didn’t stop Jade and Kamal planning an outdoor ceremony at Wedderburn at Duns in the Borders. As the old saying goes: fortune favours the brave – they had a lovely sunny day. “I told Katie at Get Knotted that I’d like all-white decor for the ceremony – white seats (rather than seats with chair covers) and four large ornamental urns on pedestals bursting with white flowers,” Jade tells us. “She finished off the look with end-of-aisle posies of white gypsophila (later used on the beams in the barn). It was very clean and crisp and worked beautifully with the backdrop of the 18th-century castle.”
As for the barn, where the party moved for the wedding breakfast, the bride envisaged an intimate setting brought to life with sophisticated decor. “I loved the atmosphere in the room and this was all down to Katie and her knowledge of lighting, candles and layouts. She managed to create different layers of lighting around the room. The uplighters added warmth and brought out the beautiful stone walls, while the fairylights made the barn ceiling seem taller and showcased the beautiful beams.”
The bride notes that it can be easy to get carried away scrolling through Pinterest and Instagram for inspo: “Having a vision is good, but it is really important to think about the reality of the space you’re working with. Take the practicalities on board, such as making sure the tables aren’t so crammed with decor that there’s no room for crockery!”
Glenbervie House Hotel was decorated by LBS Event Design and Wedding Planner for Alannah and Christopher Cunningham
Seeing how amazing a friend’s wedding looked when LBS styled it, Alannah and Christopher asked the company to give their July nuptials a classic and elegant look (“give it the wow factor without it looking tacky,” the bride recalls saying). To achieve this, LBS placed mirrored plinths along the aisle in the ceremony room: taller ones with blossom trees and flower balls on them, and smaller ones with floating candles.
A floral bannister adorned the staircase and a flower feature was positioned at the top of the aisle. It was seriously elegant with all the wow you could want. A big ‘Mr and Mrs’ sign and an LED dancefloor were among the other photogenic additions.
“It’s important to have a vision, but be open to advice too,” is Alannah’s view of the experience. “For example, I wanted flower petals scattered along the aisle but after discussing it with Pauline at LBS I realised it could quickly look messy once people walked on it. I’d never thought of that, so her advice was helpful.”
Pauline and her team had styled the Larbert venue before, so they had lots of tips for what would look good. They suggested adding flowers to the bannister (which was a great photo op and went down a treat with guests) and knew the most effective arrangement for the ceremony seating. “Take a video of your venue so you know what you’re working with, but listen to the advice of your decor team too. LBS made my dreams a reality.”