Rustic Valentine's Wedding

This Valentine's wedding goes deeper than red, highlighting burgundy as the main colour. Burgundy is ideal for a rustic Valentine's wedding because of the deepness of the hue. Teardrop chandelier earrings are stunning on the bride, and cute bottles of bubbly are the perfect wedding favour!

What to Look for in a Venue for a Rustic Valentine's Wedding

There are a few possible avenues that you can explore when trying to find your dream rustic Valentine's wedding venue. Obviously, the leading phrase here is rustic. So, with that in mind, we’re not aiming for minimalist art galleries or hotels here.

Instead, we’re looking towards barn conversions, cottages, ruined churches, and any venue that has that old-world charm and multiple textures that really bring that rustic vibe to life. Of course, you also want that romantic, Valentine's aspect, but that can come later with some more thematic decor choices, building on the classic rustic bones of your chosen wedding venue.

Table Setting Style for a Rustic Valentine's Wedding

With a rustic Valentine's themed wedding, any decor is going to be two-fold. As you’re going down the less formal, rustic vibe, then your table setting style needs to reflect that. An approach that’s becoming increasingly common is to set up a long, community-style table made from reclaimed wood. This brings the rustic vibe but also brings everyone together so that they can get to know each other and feel the love.

You can add softer, more romantic, Valentine's notes with coloured linens and crockery that balance out the rough textures of the timbers. This contrast gives you the two sides of your chosen wedding theme in a cohesive way.

Budget for a Rustic Valentine's Wedding

Although rustic weddings have a more casual vibe that seems like it might be affordable, it’s not always the case. As they’re rising in popularity, venues are now getting booked up quickly and are able to charge more. Also, you might find yourself spending a small fortune on decor to transform your venue into something more along the Valentine's side of your wedding theme.

That’s not to say there aren’t ways to save budget with this kind of wedding. As it is less formal, you can have buffet style food or a barbecue that saves money when compared to the sit down meal approach. You can also save money on transport by having the ceremony and reception in the same rustic venue, or by taking one part outdoors.

Wedding Dresses & Accessories for a Rustic Valentine's Wedding

When you’re trying to find the ideal wedding dress to suit your rustic Valentine's wedding, you want to straddle the border between casual and free, and romantic. With this in mind, a good idea is to go for a floaty a-line dress that’s fairly simple or has a few lace details.

The key thing is that you’re going to want to be able to move around the barn, cottage or outdoor area without getting caught on a splinter or getting too muddy. That means trains aren’t ideal and you might want to swap out stilettos for either boots, block heels or flats. The romantic, Valentine's aspects come with the accessories and details.

Groom Style for a Rustic Valentine's Wedding

Similarly to the bridal outfit, the groom’s style for a rustic Valentine's wedding needs to be less formal than a traditional church or hotel affair. If you’re in a rustic wedding venue, a top hat and tails are just going to stick out like a sore thumb.

Instead, draw from the textural heart that comes with rustic themed weddings. Use natural materials like wool and linen to give another dimension to your groom's look and opt for a green, brown or navy instead of black to soften the look. Suits are romantic whatever colour or material they are, but in order to look cohesive, leave the penguin suit at home.

Bouquets & Boutonnieres for a Rustic Valentine's Wedding

The great thing about rustic weddings is that they’re often surrounded by natural elements. From differing shades of timber to hessian decor notes to the land around the venue, there are a lot of natural aspects to draw inspiration from for your wedding floral arrangements.

Consider the wildflowers that grow around your venue and try to integrate them into your bouquet. This way it’ll look like you’re one with your surroundings without it looking overly thematic. Remember to pair this with some romantic elements, like wrapping the stems of your bouquet in some sheet music or novel pages that mean something to the pair of you.

Wedding Invitations for a Rustic Valentine's Wedding

We’ve mentioned it a few times in this article, but when it comes to making a rustic Valentine's wedding really work, it’s all about the textures. This is definitely something to keep in mind when you’re designing your wedding invitations.

Try to go for an eco-friendly card that has that distinct feel to it as soon as you pull it out of the envelope. Use naturally occurring colours to tie it to your surroundings like greens and neutrals. Add romantic, Valentine's softness by using lace overlay on part of the invite itself. It’s all about giving your guests a glimpse of your big day ahead of time.

Wedding Cake Ideas for a Rustic Valentine's Wedding

So, onto everyone’s favourite part – the wedding cake! In terms of a rustic and romantic design, there are a few options to consider. You could go for a naked cake, showing the various layers of the cake, while softening it with floral decorations that bring in the Valentine's side of your theme.

You could also fully embrace your natural surroundings and have a wedding cake that looks like a tree trunk. This ties your wedding cake back to your chosen wedding venue as well as the decor moments that lie inside. Bring the Valentine's aspect with more of a whimsical woodland moment with your cake toppers or with sweet strawberries and cream as a filling.

Wedding Reception Music and Entertainment for a Rustic Valentine's Wedding

When it comes to choosing the music and entertainment for your rustic Valentine's wedding reception, it’s completely down to you and your new spouse’s personal preferences. With that being said, you are cultivating a specific atmosphere with your theme that could be enhanced with the right musical act. For example, an acoustic band might fit more with a rustic surrounding than say an Ibiza-style DJ.

Of course, it’s up to you, but as long as you have something less formal and fun that you can share your first dance to, that’s the main thing. It’s all about what soundtrack you want for your celebration.

Outdoor Wedding Ideas for a Rustic Valentine's Wedding

The overall rustic Valentine's wedding theme lends itself really nicely to having an outdoor wedding. With the natural textures necessary to pull off this theme successfully, having either a combination indoor/outdoor wedding ceremony and reception, or having the whole affair outside is a really good option.

Of course, you need to make sure that your wedding venue has all the amenities to deal with an outdoor wedding. Not having an indoor space at your disposal is great until you need to fork out for a generator or have to walk a mile to the nearest toilet. All fixable things, but things to consider nonetheless.

Valentine’s wedding #2

Sometimes, being that I live in Hawaii, I forget that in February much of the rest of the United States is cold, so I apologize for the bright summery inspiration boards I’ve been showing you lately and instead bring you this lovely rustic Valentine’s winter wedding inspiration (complete with snow and hot chocolate) for day #2 in our Valentine’s Wedding series. And what’s even better is that we have another fabulous and fashionable look from Dress For The Wedding to go along with it! I love how the deep maroon color plays so perfectly with the browns and reds in this inspiration board. And that ring! Wow. I’m in love!

Shop Ruche Hydrangea Burgundy Dress // Kenneth Jay Lane Teardrop Chandelier Earrings // Rosette Necklace Forever 21 // Violet & Red Madisyn Wedge Pump // Kate Spade Year of Color “September” Ring

Credits: photo credits: love lighted sign // scrabble tiles via Amelia Kay Photography on Etsy // hanging roses // cabin, winter bride, and tag on door via Green Wedding Shoes, photographed by Love Is A Big Deal // hot chocolate from The Sweetest Occasion, photographed by Emily Steffen // piano keys photographed by Jean Fan Photography // heart on window via Once Wed, photographed by Elizabeth Messina // red drinks from The Sweetest Occasion, photographed by Emily Steffen