How To Plan a Festival Wedding: Expert Tips
If your dream wedding looks like live music, food vans and a bohemian marquee, then you'll love our expert tips on how to plan the perfect festival wedding
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A formal wedding isn't for everyone, and for some couples a Glastonbury-inspired wedding filled with live music, unique food and culture is nothing short of perfection. So, if you want to plan a festival wedding that’s entertainment-focused, informal and all about fun, food and flower crowns then you've come to the right place.
More and more couples are holding festival weddings – many stretching their celebrations out over a whole weekend, with guests camping at the festival site. From live music and performance to delicious food and drink, festival style nuptials throw the rulebook away in terms of format and allow a couple to really express their personalities. And, if your guest list is large, it’s a great way to make the most of your budget and still give the guests a great time.
We've done our research and put together the ultimate guide to planning a festival wedding - plus, we've enlisted help from an expert in throwing incredible festival weddings for their top tips and advice. If you're in a hurry, use the jumplinks below to find the section you need.
- Festival Wedding Venues
- Festival Wedding Outfits
- Festival Wedding Entertainment
- Festival Wedding Favours
- Festival Wedding Food
- Festival Wedding Decor
- How To Plan a Festival Wedding: Expert Tips
Festival Wedding Venues
If you’re having a festival wedding reception, it makes sense to have a relaxed ceremony that suits the tone. Licensed barn venues and quirky country houses work brilliantly (particularly if you can set up your festival style reception at the same site). You could introduce your festival theme by filling the ceremony room with hay bales and wild flowers, booking musicians to serenade you as you walk down the aisle.
For many couples, having a wedding in the right location is key to nailing the festival theme. A wedding in forest-like woodlands fits the bill, and there are plenty of forest wedding venues that can be tailored and customised to fit a Glastonbury-inspired wedding, so here are a few of our favourites.
Camp Katur - Yorkshire
For a whimsical wedding in forest-like woodlands, Camp Katur is the perfect forest wedding venue. Bohemian couples will love getting married beneath a canopy of trees and stars, before celebrating the night away in the rustic barn. Perfect for a sit-down meal or a food van arrangement, this is the ultimate spot for a Glastonbury-inspired wedding.
- Pricing: Menus from £45
- Capacity: 2-400
Higher Holcombe - Devon
A rustic wedding venue that’s all geared-up for festival style events is a smart choice if you want to save headaches over licenses and outdoor areas. Look for venues that have space and scope for tents and marquees and can accommodate live music, camping and adequate site lighting.
Higher Holcombe, situated in the rolling hills of Devon, specialises in festival style events. It offers a wide meadow and a camp site with the option of staying in glamping tipis or luxurious shepherds huts (plus, it even offers no-corkage!).
- Pricing: From £4,500
- Capacity: 20-80
The Compasses at Pattiswick - Essex
The right pub wedding venue can make the perfect setting for a festival wedding. Obviously, the beer is on tap, and if you select a gastro pub, you can delight the festival-goers with a gorgeous wedding breakfast too. Look for a country pub with grounds that can accommodate your festival-style celebrations.
The Compasses at Pattiswick is a countryside gastro pub with suitable grounds for marquees or tipis.
- Pricing: From £2,000
- Capacity: 30-120
Festival Wedding Outfits
Wondering what to wear to a festival wedding? Festival wedding dressing is a little different to dressing for a traditional wedding - allow yourself to be inspired by bohemian styles, earthy tones and Glastonbury-like fits. The perfect wedding festival outfit will be as formal as the dress code requires but - most importantly - comfortable.
From finding the ideal festival wedding dress to the perfect shoes, we've got you covered.
Wear Comfortable Shoes
At a festival wedding, the usual high heels and fascinators might not be appropriate, so plan ahead for the guests (as well as yourselves) by giving them a checklist of essentials that will help everyone to have a great time. This could include layers to put on (or take off) according to the weather, camping essentials and sensible footwear…and do forewarn them if you’ll be hiring a Portaloo!
If your festival is field-based, you could order bridal wellies – but a glittery flat wedding shoe will help you tackle uneven terrain while keeping up the glamour. We love these elegant embellished ballerina pumps from Next.
Find the Perfect Bohemian Dress
Finding a festival wedding dress to match the day is key. Most nearlyweds will opt for a dress that is more bohemian in style, as it's likely that the celebration will take place outdoors. If this is the style you're going for, consider soft lace and ruffles, and fabrics like chiffon and tulle to create an ethereal silhouette. When it comes to colour, an off-white shade is often very popular for bohemian nearlyweds, like ivory or cream.
But like with shoes, remember that a festival wedding will probably be a little more active than your traditional wedding - so above all, comfort is key! Avoid stiff fabrics or tight corsets so you can relax and have fun with your loved ones. We love this ivory embellished wedding dress from Monsoon, which is available for £550.
Festival Wedding Entertainment
Music is crucial at a festival wedding, so make sure there is room in your budget. Ideally, you want a live band or DJ to help pump-up the atmosphere: setting up a stage also makes it feel authentic. Or if music isn't your top priority, there are so many other festival themed entertainers you can hire to make your big day a hit, from face-painters to fireworks.
Here are some of the top wedding festival entertainers to consider for your big day.
Moonchild Face Painting
If you don't have glitter on your cheeks and a rainbow across your forehead, then are you really at a festival? We think not. That's why we love Moonchild Face Painting for a fun, affordable entertainment provider on your big day. It's not just fun for the kids - everyone loves a little sparkle at a festival!
- Pricing: From £80
Fusion Event Services
A festival wouldn't be complete without fireworks, and a festival wedding is no exception. Finish your celebration off with a bang with Fusion Event Services, who pride themselves on putting on safe and spectacular firework performances for parties of all sizes and styles. Plus, Hitched customers get 10% off when they book through the app!
- Pricing: From £770
Northern Acoustic
This husband and wife duo will kick off your wedding celebrations in style. Whether you're after gentle acoustic melodies or late-night tunes, Northern Acoustic can do it all. Based on West Yorkshire, the pair travel all over the UK to perform for couples, parties, theatres, and even on television. With over 10 years of experience in the industry, they know how to put on a show and capture the magic of a festival.
Festival Wedding Favours
When it comes to executing the perfect festival inspired wedding, the key in the details. While the venue will do a lot of the heavy-lifting in terms of setting the tone, it's the little things that make guests feel like they're really at a festival. From wristbands to invitations, here are some of our favourite ways to make cool and simple festival-inspired wedding favours.
Shabby Chic Wedding Invitations
Set the tone for a festival wedding from the off with shabby chic wedding invites that reflect the event: ticket-style invites work really well. Festival weddings may involve lots of additional info, as they’re not usually as simple as “turn-up-eat-a-meal-have-a-dance” style receptions. From camping opportunities to facilities on your festival site, pack the invite with as much information as possible.
Eaton Cards and Stationery capture the mood with invitation motifs including a field, a tent, a retro camper van and strings of lantern lights.
Give Your Guests Personalised Wristbands
Festival wedding wristbands are a great way of setting the theme of the wedding whilst giving your guests a fun momento to remember the celebration. Once the big day is over, they'll be able to take the wristbands home and keep them forever.
We love these 'Wedstock' ones from WEDFEST - perfect for any fans of Woodstock, and they're only £1.25 each.
Mi Ink Tattoos
Temporary tattoos are a fun and arty souvenir for guests to take away with them after the wedding. Of course, these tattoos aren't permanent! Mi Ink Tattoos is there to enhance your big day by setting up their temporary tattoo stand for guests to visit throughout the wedding as and when they please. Filled with fun, romantic designs, it's the perfect addition to a festival wedding.
Plus, those that book with Hitched can get 5% off their booking!
- Pricing: From £200
Festival Wedding Food
A big selling point of having a festival-inspired wedding is the idea of having food vans on the big day. After all, fancy finger food isn't to everyone's taste, and what could be better than tasty cheeseburgers or sourdough pizza hot from the oven for a crowd of hungry guests?
To manage costs, try to opt for food vendors that can cater for a variety of diets - for example, pizza is easy to serve with vegetarian toppings, and some vendors will provide gluten-free bases. Alternatively, many barbecue-focused food vans will also have lots of meat-free options, so do some research. In the meantime, here are some of our favourites.
Well Kneaded
No wedding festival would be complete without a deliciously cheesy sourdough pizza, cooked in front of the guests from a woodfired oven. And thanks to Well Kneaded, that's never been easier to arrange. Set in a vintage pizza oven, the chefs specialise in Neapolitan-style pizza with a variety of fresh, organic ingredients.
Heralded as some of the best pizza around by TimeOut, ES Magazine and Observer Food, you can rest assured that your guests are in for a treat.
- Pricing: From £1,200
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Game & Flames
If true festival magic is found in an open fire, then Game & Flames is the caterer for you. Based in East Sussex, the team source delicious produce from across the UK and Europe to provide a wide menu of meat-based delicacies, from pigeon and pork to venison and wild boar.
And if you're catering for vegetarians, don't worry - there are plenty of meat-free and vegan options available too.
- Pricing: From £45
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A Festival Themed Wedding Cake
For the cake, go leftfield and choose a cheese stack, or look for a baker that can deliver a whimsical, organic and chic creation. Naked cakes smothered in fresh berries and flowers suit the occasion, as do tiers presented on a tree stump.
We love this one from Nicky Tesler Cakes, as the green foliage and touch of buttercream icing adds a light, summery finish.
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Festival Wedding Decor
When setting up a venue for a festival wedding, you need to consider everything from where the guests will relax and stay, to the colour of the bunting around the marquee. Everything about the decorations should say "festival", so think about your favourite elements of a festival set-up and try to replicate them in your own special day.
Here are some of our favourite ways to transform a venue into a festival wedding.
Festival Inspired Overnight Accommodation
For an authentic festival experience, you need a venue that can accommodate yurts, tents or tipis. Contemporary options are suitable in most weather conditions and, because you’re starting with – literally – a blank canvas, you can decorate the space however you want. Don’t forget to budget for extras like chair and table hire.
You can just hire your tipi from Bar Events UK in Leeds or use the company for a complete package including bar staff.
- Pricing: From £1,000
Opt for Sustainable Decorations
Festival décor can be bright, bold and (bonus!) affordable. Homemade, rustic accessories look great, as do vintage touches like wicker hampers as table centrepieces and fairy lights twinkling as the sun goes down. Bunting and giant paper lanterns look effective hanging from trees and tents.
For an eco-friendly festival wedding, add bright colour pops to your event with sustainable decorations from the the Scarlett Rose Events.
Festival Themed Sign Posts
The beauty of a festival is that there are lots of different activities to try. Carry this idea into your wedding and your guests will love having entertainment options – unlike a traditional wedding when you can be stuck at the same table, with the same people, all day and night.
To help guests shape their festival wedding experience, use simple wedding signs to point them in the right direction.
How To Plan a Festival Wedding: Expert Tips
Now, without further ado, onto the expert tips for how to plan a festival wedding! We asked Fiona Pardoe, Marketing Manager of Houchins Wedding Venue - a spot that has thrown some iconic festival themed weddings in the past - for her top tips on pulling off the ultimate festival wedding. Here's what she had to say:
What to wear to a festival wedding?
"A festival wedding really means you can wear whatever you feel most comfortable in - floaty and long, a colourful dress, or a boho top! And that look works perfectly at Houchins."
How to plan a festival wedding?
"Planning a festival wedding means keeping every element of the day relaxed and in-theme. Even the invitations could be in the style of a concert ticket.
"Flowers and props should be more natural and wild, and perhaps use a celebrant to personalise the wedding ceremony as much as possible. The wedding garden at Houchins is the perfect backdrop for this look - white roses and a pop of colour with lavender and pink roses is ideal.
"Obviously you can choose the style of music but then ideally you need at least one live band or two (or three!) to play your playlist.
"Food trucks definitely add to the vibe with your favourite styles of food available throughout the day for guests to try. We only ask that you use one of our excellent recommended caterers for part of the food for your day - be that a sit down meal or a festival food van style.
"A beautiful boho style wedding dress will obviously set the style for the day, and should be complemented by the bridesmaid dresses."
What is a festival wedding?
"A festival wedding is a more relaxed style of wedding along the theme of a Glastonbury or Secret Garden Party. Live music is essential and at least a couple of food trucks will complete the vibe. All of these work beautifully at Houchins and set the style and look of your festival wedding perfectly."
If you love the idea of a festival wedding day then a boho wedding dress will suit your style perfect, browse our top picks and find the perfect dress for you.
