A rustic style wedding is a timeless and popular choice for couples seeking a warm, intimate, and nature-inspired celebration.
Characterised by natural materials like wood, burlap, and dried flowers, this wedding theme brings a charming blend of simplicity and elegance.
The rustic wedding theme is easy to personalise, budget-friendly, and ideal for those who want an eco-friendly, laid-back event. But what exactly does a rustic wedding involve
Let’s get straight to the point
A rustic-style wedding is a nature-inspired celebration that emphasises simplicity, warmth, and eco-friendly elements.
Key features include the use of natural materials like wood, burlap, and wildflowers, creating a relaxed, intimate vibe.
Popular venues include barns and outdoor locations like fields or lakesides, while the attire tends to be laid-back and comfortable.
Rustic weddings are also budget-friendly and sustainable, with simple decor, homemade-style food, and desserts like naked cakes.
Personal touches like wooden arches, lanterns, and warm colours further enhance the cozy atmosphere, making rustic weddings a popular choice for couples.
Key Elements of a Rustic Wedding
A rustic wedding is often associated with earthy tones, simple decor, and a relaxed vibe. The use of organic materials and natural elements plays a huge role in setting the scene.
From the choice of venue to the decorations, every detail helps create an atmosphere that feels cozy yet chic.
Natural Materials and Decor
One of the standout features of a rustic wedding is the extensive use of natural materials like wood, burlap, and wildflowers.
These materials give the wedding a down-to-earth feel that is both stylish and homely. Natural wood, often used for signs, tables, or even arches, brings warmth and authenticity.
Dried flowers, wildflowers, and unrefined wood elements are frequently featured in rustic wedding decor, adding a sense of nostalgia and romance.
The Role of Disorganization in Rustic Weddings
Interestingly, the rustic aesthetic often embraces a bit of disorganisation. Unlike highly structured, formal weddings, the beauty of a rustic wedding lies in its relaxed and effortless look.
The seemingly haphazard arrangement of flowers or table settings gives a natural, dreamy vibe.
This sense of informality creates a more welcoming and laid-back environment for guests, which is why the rustic wedding theme has such widespread appeal.
Why Rustic Weddings Are So Popular
The popularity of rustic weddings has grown significantly over the years, and this trend shows no signs of slowing down.
The rustic wedding theme appeals not only for its simplicity but also because it can be easily tailored to suit any budget.
With a focus on using organic materials and simple decorations, couples can save on costs without sacrificing style.
Eco-Friendly and Budget-Conscious
Another reason for the growing popularity of rustic weddings is their eco-friendly nature.
By incorporating natural, locally sourced materials, you can make your wedding more sustainable. For example, using recycled wood, dried flowers, or vintage jars as decor can create an eco-conscious atmosphere.
This aligns perfectly with the current trend of sustainable weddings, making the rustic theme a great option for environmentally conscious couples.
Venues for Rustic Weddings
When you think of a rustic wedding, venues like barns, rural fields, and outdoor settings come to mind.
However, the beauty of the rustic wedding theme is that it can be adapted to a variety of locations. Whether it’s a countryside barn, a lakeside retreat, or a charming garden, the options are endless.
Barn and Farm Weddings
One of the most iconic settings for a rustic wedding is a barn or farm. These venues offer a perfect blend of natural beauty and vintage charm.
With their wooden beams, open spaces, and countryside surroundings, barns are ideal for couples who want to embrace the full rustic vibe.
Outdoor Weddings
Outdoor weddings are another popular choice for couples opting for a rustic theme. From forests to open fields, the great outdoors provides a stunning backdrop for a rustic celebration.
The natural landscape becomes part of the decor, with greenery, trees, and wildflowers enhancing the rustic ambience.
And for couples dreaming of a romantic lakeside wedding or a charming ceremony in the woods, the rustic style effortlessly complements these settings.
Rustic Wedding Attire
When it comes to rustic wedding attire, the overall feel is more relaxed compared to traditional weddings. Brides and grooms can opt for simpler, laid-back outfits that reflect the natural setting of their wedding.
What to Wear for a Rustic Wedding
Brides often choose wedding dresses with a relaxed fit, such as bohemian-style gowns, lace details, or flowing skirts.
Form-fitting necklines and slim skirts are great options, especially for outdoor ceremonies. Keep jewellery simple and minimal, allowing the dress to take centre stage.
For grooms, a suit may not be necessary. Linen suits, cotton outfits, or even a smart shirt paired with suspenders or a necktie can suit the laid-back atmosphere of a rustic wedding.
If the wedding is in colder months, wool suits work well to keep things warm and stylish.
Rustic Wedding Shoes and Accessories
When it comes to footwear, rustic weddings are all about comfort.
Brides can wear leather boots, flats, or even sandals, while grooms can opt for loafers or boots. The key is to choose shoes that are practical for the outdoor setting, whether it’s a barn or a field.
Rustic Wedding Food and Desserts
The food at a rustic wedding reflects the homely, simple aesthetic that defines the entire event. Think comfort food, fresh ingredients, and delicious baked goods that evoke a sense of warmth and nostalgia.
Rustic Wedding Cake Ideas
For a rustic wedding, the wedding cake is often decorated in a way that feels natural and unpolished. Buttercream frosting is a favourite because of its soft and less structured look.
Couples can also opt for naked cakes or semi-naked cakes, which show off the layers underneath, giving the cake a raw and organic feel. Add some edible flowers or fresh fruit to enhance the rustic look.
Creative Dessert Options
Beyond the traditional wedding cake, rustic weddings often feature a variety of creative and delicious desserts.
Pies, pastries, and pancakes are popular choices, especially for a country-style or autumn wedding. For guests on the go, mini pies or pie pops are a fun and practical option.
Rustic-themed weddings also suit desserts like cupcakes, candied apples, or even flavoured kettle popcorn, which provide a nostalgic and charming touch.
Inspirational Rustic Wedding Ideas
If you’re planning a rustic wedding, there are endless ways to personalise your celebration. Here are some unique ideas to inspire you.
Hay Bale Ceremony Seating
For an outdoor wedding on a farm or in a rural setting, consider using hay bales for seating. To make it more comfortable, decorate the hay bales with quilts or blankets that match your wedding colours.
Wooden Ceremony Arches
A handmade wooden ceremony arch is a must for a rustic wedding. Decorate it with lush greenery and flowers to create a picturesque focal point for your ceremony.
Rustic Bouquets
A boundless bouquet featuring wildflowers and natural elements like vines, plants, and grass is a perfect choice for a rustic bride. Flowers like sunflowers, daisies, and roses add a touch of romance to the farmer’s market style bouquet.
Warm Colours for Decor
Incorporating warm colours into your decor can make your wedding feel more intimate and cosy. This works especially well for indoor receptions or late-evening celebrations.
Lanterns and Candlelight
Lanterns are one of the most versatile elements of a rustic wedding. Use them to light up your reception tables, walkways, or ceremony space, adding a soft, romantic glow. Candles, whether real or battery-operated, create a warm atmosphere perfect for a rustic celebration.
Conclusion
A rustic style wedding is a celebration that embraces natural beauty, simplicity, and warmth.
With the use of natural elements like wood, burlap, and wildflowers, along with an emphasis on a relaxed atmosphere, rustic weddings are perfect for couples who want a homely yet stylish event.
Whether held in a barn, an outdoor field, or a charming lakeside venue, a rustic wedding allows for endless personalisation, making it a popular choice for Australian couples seeking a laid-back and heartfelt celebration.
Frequently Asked Questions
What Is A Rustic-Themed Wedding?
Nature and the outdoors are huge components of the rustic wedding style.
Rustic weddings are often associated with rural locations, such as barns and other countryside venues, but you can pull off this relaxed aesthetic almost anywhere with the right approach.
Rustic wedding style typically combines farmhouse, vintage, and harsh elements, such as wood slices, burlap, baby’s breath, mix-and-match vases, barrels, and galvanised metal.
You can achieve a classic rustic wedding style by adding elegant details like chandeliers, greenery garlands, candles, and string lights.
What Are The Best Venues For A Rustic Wedding Theme?
The most obvious venues for rustic weddings are barns, ranches, and farms.
These venues easily lend themselves to rustic wedding styles because of their outdoor locations and pastoral settings. Vineyards, mountain lodges, and parks or campgrounds are also popular for rustic style and summer weddings.
Some barn or farm venues may close for the winter and early spring, especially if your area is notorious for heavy snowfall.
It means that you’re more likely to be limited to traditional indoor venues during the winter, and as a result, you may need more decor to achieve a truly rustic effect.
If you find a barn wedding venue or farm available during the winter, ask about the venue’s inclement weather policy, and don’t forget to create a “Plan B” in case Mother Nature has other ideas.
Lastly, barns can be very draughty in the winter, so ask the venue if they provide space heaters if necessary. If not, you’ll need to factor in the added cost to rent them so that everyone stays cosy and warm.
What Are The Best Rustic Wedding Colours?
One thing we love about the rustic wedding style is that it’s super versatile. It works with many different colour palettes, and each one can help you achieve a different look depending on the decor you choose.
Popular rustic colour palettes include yellow and navy, burgundy and orange, or coral and turquoise. However, stick with a softer colour palette of pastel hues for a rustic-chic look, such as blush, dusty blue, mint green, or even gold.
How Do You Decorate For A Rustic Wedding?
Rustic wedding style focuses on handmade details, rugged accent pieces, and repurposed vintage items.
However, before you start finalising your rustic wedding decorations, you need to decide if you want your wedding to be traditionally rustic (more on that in a second) or something along the lines of rustic chic elegance.
Traditional rustic decor goes heavy on the outdoorsy elements, like hay bales, twine, raw wood pieces, and antlers.
Burlap wedding table runners, mason jars, and baby’s breath are popular at traditional rustic weddings.
You can even add seasonal details, such as sunflowers in the summer or acorns and pumpkins in the fall, to play up the rustic theme. Rustic chic style is all about creating a laid-back yet elegant setting.
This twist on traditional rustic style keeps the fundamental elements but adds romantic and classic details-think loose greenery, whitewashed chairs, muted metallic accents, and essentially anything you’d see on an episode of Fixer Upper.
What Are The Best Rustic Wedding Flowers?
Rustic wedding style is all about creating a welcoming feel. So you’ll want the bouquets, centrepieces (see our favourite rustic wedding centrepieces here), and floral arrangements to have a loose, slightly undone look. In other words, nothing that feels too perfect or overly arranged.
Most types of flowers work well with the rustic style. Still, we particularly love sunflowers, hydrangeas, daisies, roses, delphinium, dahlias, poppies, and lots of greenery (imagine wildflowers you might see growing in a country field).
Of course, baby’s breath goes hand-in-hand with a rustic style, but Queen Anne’s lace, Craspedia, goldenrod, and even cotton puffs are other whimsical accents that look lovely.
