Beauty in the visual: What is a ‘design-led’ wedding?
All over my website is the phrase ‘design-led’ wedding. Booking my full planning service means that I am with you from the very start, to not only sort the logistics and book suppliers, but to create a design proposal for your day that becomes the central guiding point for all planning decisions. Increasingly, personalised and individual weddings that are seamless and cohesive in design are becoming more and more popular. Remember the days of a white rose bouquet? The days of white linens, clear glassware and silver cutlery? Gone. Couples are celebrating their individuality and style and emulating this through their wedding design. And I am here for it wholeheartedly.
Venue illustration embroidered onto white ruffle napkins, layered on various textures to create a detailed and cohesive design.
What does ‘design-led’ mean?
‘Design-led’ means that the entire wedding is thought of holistically and cohesively. From the floral design, to the tablescape, to the guest experience - the entire wedding is designed. It means that every element has been carefully selected and thoughtfully considered. Using a source of inspiration that is reflective of you as a couple, I work with you to design a wedding that is utterly unique and authentic to you.
Creating your design-led wedding
Firstly, to create a truly unique design I must work to really get to know you as a couple. Before our initial consultation where I delve to know things like your wedding priorities, your likes/dislikes, shared hobbies and interests etc., I will have sent you a questionnaire that will give me an initial understanding of you both. I aim to get a unique source of inspiration, using the natural world to help guide my design process. Once the source of inspiration has been selected as a springboard for individuality, I create a design proposal where the colour palette, source of inspiration, examples of work, textures, patterns, atmosphere is all showcased. This will be used by the floral designer to help create impactful and unique florals to elevate the overall design. The tables are then designed, carefully selecting the right linens, crockery, glassware, candles and other design elements. However, all of this is reliant on the chosen venue. Working with the venue (or marquee) and its surroundings means that the overall design and concept is not jarring, but rather organic. The aim is to design a wedding that works harmoniously with the chosen venue (to understand more, read my Journal article ‘Venues: how do you pick where to get married?’ - https://www.freyacroisdaleweddings.com/journal/venues-how-do-you-pick-where-to-get-married ).
How to incorporate the design in your wedding
Table design
The most obvious way to showcase your wedding design is through the tablescape, which will be aligned completely with the floral design. Carefully selecting your tableware from suppliers that rent out beautiful and individual tableware elevates the entire look. Table linens are a great starting point - plain, patterned, textured? Napkins - matching, toning, contrasting? Napkin bows? Monogrammed napkins? There are so many options now to create a unique look and (a common misconception) does not have to add a huge price tag to your wedding styling. Similar to linens, glassware can be carefully chosen. Elegant glassware, maybe that’s coloured or classically clear, unifies the table design. Charger plates are also a great way of adding depth and another dimension to your tables. Even your cutlery can be specifically chosen! Every element of your tables can be hand-picked by you to contribute to a truly unique and design-led wedding.
Wedding Stationery
Whilst the tables and florals are an obvious way to evoke your wedding design, it is the wedding stationery that is the first thing your guests see. Be it a postal Save The Date or an e-invite, ensuring your wedding stationery is reflective of your wedding is incredibly important. It means that all the on-the-day stationery will align beautifully with the wedding décor and styling and echo the overall design process. Creating something that is unique and reflective of you that incorporates your wedding colours will help your guests get an instant sense of what the day will be like (whilst also keeping some surprises, of course!).
Lighting
Another way in which to reflect the design is through lighting. I will always advocate candlelight as it creates a warm and inviting atmosphere, but you could also consider small table lamps, fairy lights, uplighters on trees/the venue, chandeliers…the list is pretty much endless. Creating the right light helps to compose the intended atmosphere that is sympathetic to the overall design.
Attire
Your wedding attire should also be reflective of the design and atmosphere you are trying to create. For example, there is no point in designing a luxury wedding where impactful visuals are paramount and then wearing a dress or suit that is not at all in keeping with the overall look. Or designing a relaxed festival vibe wedding, but wearing a ballgown wedding dress with layers and layers of underskirts. You are the key element of your wedding - you should dress to reflect that. Additionally, it is common to set a dress code for your guests, but it is becoming increasingly more common to be quite prescriptive in this. Suggesting colours, patterns, even brands that align with the wedding design will ensure that the guests in your photos are also reflective of the design.
Entertainment
I could go on and on about the various ways in which your wedding design can be incorporated, but I will end with the entertainment. Similar to the wedding attire, you want your wedding entertainment to be reflective of the overall design. There are so many ways to incorporate different sources of entertainment: the music for the ceremony, drinks reception and evening party is an obvious starting point. But what about an illustrator during the drinks reception? Or singing waiters during the meal? Or a mirror man or fire breather during the cocktail hour? Or fireworks during the evening party? If entertainment is really important to you, then chat to your wedding planner about the many ways in which it can be incorporated in a unique and fun way.
To follow trends or not to follow trends?
I am a firm believer that weddings should be timeless. It may be an unpopular opinion, but I don’t like to look at photos and be able to instantly date the wedding because of the trends that were selected. Having said that, trends are a natural occurrence and are bound to inspire your wedding design a little, or even feature on the day. There are a few current trends, however, that I am a fan of. I firmly believe that bridesmaids all wearing the same dress will never date, but currently some brides are choosing to go against tradition and opt for the same dress in different colours, or different dresses in the same colour, or even giving their bridesmaids a colour or theme and say ‘pick what you want!’. This enables your bridesmaids to feel comfortable and more like themselves on the day, so this trend I am loving. Another trend I love is the single-variety bridesmaids’ bouquets. Each bridesmaid gets a different flower from the bride’s bouquet and has their own single-variety bouquet created. This is so pretty and a trend I think we will see a little more of next year.
My main piece of advice here is try to design a wedding that is timeless. By that I mean, if your wedding is a true reflection of you and your partner and not just a bunch of trends or cliches, then it will be totally authentic and unique.
A design-led wedding is an integral element of a wedding planned by Freya Croisdale Weddings as it allows for individuality and a wedding that is a true reflection of you as a couple. If the visual element and guests experience is a priority to you both, then I wholeheartedly recommend that you book a design-led wedding planner. They will work with you to design and curate your beautifully unique wedding that reflects your love story.
