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One of the regular events deeply missed during the pandemic is the festivals – fun and enjoyable affairs where one can dress to the nines, enjoy live music, party with friends, and have the best time from sunrise until sundown. Now that we’re past that and getting back to the new normal, one of the ways people are catching up to their favourite festivals is by incorporating them into the most memorable moment of their life: their wedding day.
What is a festival wedding?
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Heavy on the boho vibe and rustic aesthetics, festival-themed weddings have a cool and relaxed appeal that free-spirited and adventure-loving couples connect and relate to. Festival weddings are colourful, quirky, and creative, with chic fashion, hip music, and loads of good vibes. The wedding can draw inspiration from different types of fetes like concerts, with Coachella being the most popular, art fairs, and even food-related holidays like Oktoberfest.
Festival weddings are ideally held during the warmer months of the year when it’s light and nice outside and the celebration can be taken outdoors. The summer and spring seasons are also ideal for the wedding party and guests to wear trendy and comfortable clothes, just like in actual festivals.
If you’d like to have your very own festival wedding, then we’re here to help. We have gathered a collection of elements that will make your big day groovy and exciting like your beloved festival. Read on!
Festival Wedding Element 1: Venue With a Festival Vibe
Choosing the right setting for your themed wedding can make or break the affair. The first thing that you should consider is if the location fits your vision and the festival look that you’re after. Next is the level of intimacy that you want, which is depended on the number of your guests. The final factor to take note of is if the venue has enough space for eating, drinking, and dancing.
Here are some of the routes you can take when selecting the festival wedding venues:
1.Earthly Excitement
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A grassy open space is probably the most reminiscent of real festival grounds and the best location to hold a festival-style wedding. You can put up a tent and surround the perimeter with string lights and scatter cushions and carpets all around the place where your guests can sit back and witness your special day.
2.Woodland Wonderland
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There’s nothing hipper than a forest venue for a festival wedding. There’s this touch of whimsy that magnifies the rustic and bohemian nature of the celebration. The woodland wedding also serves as a magical backdrop for your “I dos,” while the vivid hues of nature translate perfectly in photos. There’s also the sense of privacy where you will feel that it’s just you, your partner, and your nearest and dearest celebrating the most special moment of your life, away from the world’s hustle and bustle.
3.Beach Bash
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If you’re not a fan of the forest, then you can bring your big day to the beach instead! Let the warm sand, the calming sound of the waves, and the majestic view of the ocean elevate your guests’ experience. Say “YES” as the sun is setting, fill your venue with romantic lanterns, and dance your way to forever under the stars.
4.Joyous Joyride
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Travel back in time retro style by holding your wedding via a hippie van or bus. It’s an intimate way to celebrate your day as the space would be limited but it’s also flexible as you can take your wedding wherever you want to hold it. You may also rent out a food truck to serve your food and drinks.
Festival Wedding Element 2: Perfect Timing
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As mentioned in the introduction, a festival wedding goes well with the warmer seasons of the year as it is best celebrated outside and in nature. Choosing to hold your big day during the summer or in the spring is a fool-proof way to ensure that you will get good weather with lots of sunshine and bright, airy, and beautiful surroundings.
Festival Wedding Element 3: Bohemian Goddess
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For your festival wedding, channel your inner bohemian goddess by wearing a flowy wedding dress with a romantic and flattering silhouette. Choose a light fabric like tulle or lace. Add unique style elements to your wedding gown like a dreamy cape or a fairly long veil.
Festival Wedding Element 4: Hip and Handsome Groom
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The awesome thing about this type of wedding theme is you can be as creative as you want, including the groom’s outfit. Skip the traditional and go for something chic and comfortable. Don’t be afraid to go for prints and accessories. The groom can even walk down the aisle in shorts! The quirkier the outfit, the better!
Festival Wedding Element 5: Gorgeous Girl Gang
A wedding is not complete without your gang of girlfriends. Here are two ways how you can stylishly dress your female entourage for your wedding:
1.Traditional Temptress
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If you want to keep tradition in your wedding, you can have your bridesmaids dressed in classic long bohemian dresses in mixed and matched rustic colours. Add texture to their look by going for gowns in various silhouettes and fabrics.
2.Modern Muse
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If you’re after something unique and off-beat, have the girls walk down the aisle in their best festival attires like mini skirts, rompers, and sun dresses. Assign a common styling element to keep their look cohesive but give them the liberty to style their look to bring out their individuality.
Festival Wedding Element 6: Cool Dudes
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Just like the main man aka the groom, you can make a fashion statement at your wedding by also having the groomsmen attend in matching festival-inspired attire like denim shorts and printed floral shirts.
Festival Wedding Element 7: Unique Entry
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Give your guests the total festival experience by handing out wristbands as they enter your wedding venue. Hit two birds with one stone by printing their name, table number, and seat number on the wristband.
Festival Wedding Element 8: Romantic Ribbons
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One of the ways you can exude authentic festival feels for your wedding is by hanging ribbons in various shades at different corners of your wedding venue. This kind of decor will add a touch of whimsy to your venue’s vibe.
Festival Wedding Element 9: Sassy Signs
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Show off your witty personality through different signs that you can scatter around your wedding venue. You can also use these signages to map out the areas of your reception so your guests can easily find the buffet table, the bar, and even the powder room.
Festival Wedding Element 10: Colorful Scheme
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Festivals are well-loved for their stunning visuals and the best way to adapt that to your wedding is by experimenting with shades in your decorations. Use neon lights and bright string lights to illuminate your venue, go for various shades of flowers for your centrepieces, and hang vibrant streamers on the ceiling to complete your wedding festival's aesthetics.
Festival Wedding Element 11: Lovely Lanterns or Boho Balloons
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Another splash of colour you can add to your festival wedding is via pretty lanterns which you can hang above the dance floor. You can replace the lanterns with balloons, depending on the final style and look that you want.
Festival Wedding Element 12: Trendy Tablescape
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Treat your guests to an unforgettable dining experience by decorating your tablescapes according to your theme. Mix and match materials like wooden furniture with brass tableware and utilize off-beat decors like multicoloured candles and vintage glass bottle vases.
Festival Wedding Element 13: Sweet Treat
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Go for something unconventional for your dessert offering by skipping the usual table and installing a doughnut wall instead. Aside from being a visual treat, it also adds an interesting twist to the whole affair.
Festival Wedding Element 14: Fashionable Favor
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Mix fashion and purpose to your wedding favour by giving away awesome eyewear to your guests. You can give them out before the ceremony so your guests can wear them as they bear witness to your lovely outdoor wedding.
Festival Wedding Element 15: Hot Wheels
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Arrive in style at your wedding venue in a big truck or a hippie van. It’s cool, casual, and very much unique, just as your entrance should be.
Festival Wedding Element 16: Electrifying Activities
Level up the entertainment at your wedding by holding a vivacious series of games that everyone can join.
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1. Organize a round of tug-of-war between two teams. You can assign a team led by the bride and another team led by the groom. Make sure to ask the guests and the participants to bring a change of clothes just in case the game gets too intense.
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2. Hold different relay games where all the guests can take turns like bouncy races. Have the bride and groom lead their teams to keep things quite competitive.
Festival Wedding Element 17: Fairytale Music Festival
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It’s not a complete festival wedding without live music. Hire your favourite local live band to play your songs as a couple. Sing and dance your hearts out with your friends and loved ones. Have an open mic segment where you and your guests can take turns singing and enjoying your very own “concert.”
Do you need more wedding ideas and wedding inspiration? Check out our blog for more unique wedding themes!
