Simple Weddings
A Return to Romance, Nature and Slower Living
Simple Weddings: Intentionally Understated
A quietly growing corner of the internet is devoted to the pleasures of a simpler life. Cottagecore, Grannycore and the emerging Gardencore aesthetic all share a love of a more intentional, slow way of living. Gardening, handwritten notes, baking and home-making crafts are wholesome pleasures, and simple weddings relate to the same idea.
We live in a world of constant notifications, online shopping, fast fashion and dating apps. We’re often rushing to be somewhere else or meet a deadline. So there is something appealing about imagining a different pace of life where pleasures are simple, surroundings are natural, and time is spent enjoying doing things rather than documenting them. This is the joy of simple weddings.
Nostalgic Romance
A renewed love of romantic novels and period dramas taps into something similar. Jane Austen, the Brontës and the pastoral world of romantic literature offer an imagined version of life where courtship was slow, clothes were made to last, and a simple walk in the countryside could be an occasion.
This nostalgic lifestyle is finding its way into weddings, too. For some couples, the appeal isn’t an elaborate theme. It’s the opposite. They want a wedding that feels quiet, personal, natural and intentional. A simple wedding day leaves room for conversation, time spent outdoors and the people or places that matter.
What Does a Simple Wedding Mean?
A simple wedding is more about what you choose to leave out. It might mean less formality, fewer decorations and fewer things competing for your attention. It might mean choosing a dress because you love the way it feels rather than because it follows the latest bridal trend.
A simple wedding day leaves space to be outside in nature together, sit down for a leisurely late lunch, and have enough time to talk to everyone who has come to celebrate with you. The emphasis is on shared moments and personal meaning.
Getting married outside in a stunning location was our dream
Bring Nature into Your Wedding
A connection with the natural world is at the heart of a simple wedding style. Rather than creating elaborate floral installations, let the landscape do some of the work. Meadow flowers, hedgerows, trees, woodland, lakes and mountains can provide all the atmosphere you need.
At Cote How, we’re fortunate to have four acres of private gardens in the Rydal Valley, surrounded by ancient woodland and the Lakeland fells. Rydal Water is just a short walk away, so you can spend part of your wedding day outdoors. Simple weddings can make space for a quiet walk (with your photographer at a discreet distance!), sitting beneath a tree, wandering through our gardens, or taking photographs while gazing out across the lake.
Make Your Wedding Feel Like Home
There is something so comforting about a setting that feels less like a venue and more like staying at a beautiful country home.
Antique furniture and mirrors, fresh flowers in simple vases, and objects with a story behind them bring warmth and familiarity. Cote How began life as a Lakeland farmhouse and is still very much a family home. Our history helps our spaces feel different from a traditional hotel or purpose-built wedding venue.
The Rydal Valley has its own literary history, too, with its connection to Wordsworth and the Romantic poets. The landscape has inspired people for centuries, so it feels particularly appropriate for a wedding inspired by old-fashioned romance and days gone by.
Choose Colours from the Landscape
Simple doesn’t have to mean neutral. Look to wildflower meadows for a palette of soft pinks, faded blues, buttery yellows and gentle greens. Or take inspiration from the landscape with the russet of bracken, the silver of lichen, and the muted colours of old stone.
These colours work beautifully with natural flowers and fabrics because they feel as though they belong together rather than having been assembled as a theme.
Such a warm and loving environment for our special day
A Sense of History
This is where the romance of Austen and the Brontës comes into its own. Delicate embroidery, puff sleeves, velvet ribbon, faded florals and tiny botanical details add a touch of nostalgia for a bygone age. A simple veil embroidered with flowers or leaves, plus a few fresh flowers tucked into a loose hairstyle, keeps the look simple and natural.
Look beyond traditional bridal shops, too. Vintage and pre-loved clothing can be brilliant sources of inspiration, particularly if you’re looking for something that feels individual.
Suits in tweed, wool or corduroy can sit perfectly in a traditional Lakeland setting, with a nod to Cote How’s history as a farmstead and to generations working the land. A waistcoat over a simple cotton or linen shirt keeps the look simple yet charming.
Nature inspired Florals
The beauty of a simple wedding is that flowers don’t need to look overly arranged. A loosely gathered wildflower bouquet, meadow-style buttonholes or small posies in jam jars can feel much more natural than formal arrangements.
You could use flowers grown in your own garden, or dried from a previous season, with natural greenery and herbs to craft a simple bridal posy.
It's what you choose to leave out
Choose Details With A Story
One of the easiest ways to create a simple wedding with personality is to avoid matching everything. Vintage plates, charity shop accessories, and treasured pieces gifted from family create a bespoke style, homemade even. A wedding doesn’t have to be curated from newly bought items to look beautiful. Things that have already had a life often bring more character and individuality.
This is also where a simple wedding can naturally become more sustainable. Buy less, choose carefully, reuse what you have, and give old things another purpose. There is something particularly satisfying about making an element of your wedding rather than buying everything ready-made. Create a dried-flower hair comb, write handwritten place cards, or embroider a lace handkerchief to tuck in a pocket – so much prettier than a paper tissue!
You could make small gifts instead of traditional wedding favours or collect favourite homemade recipes from family members to create a nostalgic little book for your guests. The point isn’t to give yourself another hundred jobs before the wedding. It’s to include a few things that are special and appreciated because you made them.
Put Down The Phone
Perhaps the most important part of a simple wedding is something you can’t buy. Time. Time to notice the weather, eat lunch without rushing, explore outside and talk to each other or your guests. Time to enjoy the precious moments in your first couple of hours as a married couple so that you will always remember how it felt. A wedding doesn’t have to be constantly documented, and while photographs are wonderful, there is something lovely about parts of the day that exist because you were there to experience them.
At Cote How, our weddings are deliberately personal and relaxed, with exclusive use of the house and grounds. Your wedding day can breathe a little, rather than being overly choreographed with a timetable designed for hundreds of guests.
Simple Wedding Doesn't Mean Ordinary.
This may be a common misconception about simple weddings. They’re not plain or unimaginative, and they certainly don’t have to mean compromising on what matters to you.
A simple wedding can be beautifully considered. The details may be small, but they can matter a lot. That may be why this return to simpler weddings feels so relevant now. When so much of modern life is fast, digital, and constantly demanding our attention, choosing a wedding style that asks you to slow down feels quietly bold.
So romanticise the everyday, keep things simple, go outside and notice the beauty around you. And on your wedding day at least, prioritise being together.
FURTHER INFORMATION:
If you have enjoyed this blog, please leave a comment to let us know or share it with someone who may find it helpful. More information about getting married in the Lake District is available from Westmorland Registrar Team.
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