Emma and Lawrence chose the effortlessly cool Guardswell Farm, Perthshire for their wedding venue. The warm, modern and clean-cut vibe that this glorious building projects was to be at the heart of the overall look and feel for their celebration. The couple embraced the darker more industrial features that really set the steading apart, including the impactful blackboard doors in the entrance space, the welcoming wood burning fire and the classic black metal dining chairs. We worked to help them make the most of these features and to incorporate the colour black, which can often be a daunting colour to work with, into their wider scheme to help elevate the overall design. The fun comes in using softer and finer details and texture to create balance so that the romance is not lost.
The stationery team were up first when it came to making the entrance pop. Using the large blackboard doors as a centrepiece, the couple’s pet names (well used by all the guests, we’re told) were added to playfully welcome guests and set the tone for the relaxed and informal day that they were going to be part of. The role of the signage throughout the day was to add a touch of modern romance in an unfussy way. This was achieved by using sleek monochromatic designs to amplify that contemporary look.
Talk About Texture
For Emma and Lawrence’s vows in The Granary, rather than cover up, we softened the rather wonderful stone wall backdrop with layers of long trailing romantic silk fabric. The delicate blush and creamy white silks added depth without too much fuss – keeping the design feeling simple and clean. These touches of blush and soft neutral tones were continued into their table styling and floristry, sitting comfortably against the more robust black features.
Soft colours make great tablescapes
The long trestle tables featured a beautiful mixture of soft fabrics, romantic light-touch floristry and elegant monochrome stationery. The almond, blush and cream tones from these details contrasted wonderfully with the black chairs while sitting comfortably amid the backdrop of the wooden cattle feeder. Highlights of the tablescaping included the statement placenames with large initials and black card backing, sitting comfortably (repeat word) balanced by pairing with delicate linen napkins. The cream monochromatic menus were flanked beautiful by our favourite Ester and Erik candles. We loved helping Emma and Lawrence find the harmony between the modern finish of the venue and the romantic softer aesthetic there had wanted for their wedding day.
If you want to achieve a look like this, our top tip would be to mix and match textures, for example we added layers of sheep skin rugs, rattan details, oodles of candlelight and even the glow of a neon for a soft romantic finish. This helped make the darker modern details of the venue feel very much part of the overall look.
Suppliers
Venue – Guardswell Farm @guardswellfarm Catering & Bar – Lov Events UK @loveventsuk
Styling, Stationery, Floristry & Linens – Gloam @wearegloam
Photographer – Claire Fleck @clairefleck
