The Design
Picnics are a great way of enjoying the sunshine, but they’re also a fabulous idea for a wedding celebration, especially if you want to break from formality and tradition.
As you can’t rely on the British weather, I would hire a marquee as a back-up for this type of reception, which could also then be used for the evening reception. If it’s nice on the day then I would hold the picnic outside, but if it does happen to be wet then I’d use plants and natural foliage for decoration, and bring the outdoors indoors to avoid soggy sandwiches!
Not only is this design concept quirky and fun, but it’s also great if you’re on a tight budget. With a bit of time and effort many of the decorations could be home-made, and because the design uses lots of different colours, accessories like tablecloths, rugs and china don’t have to match a fixed shade, meaning you can shop around for bargains in second-hand shops or markets.
For furniture I’d use fairly inexpensive folding chairs to re-create the outdoor picnic style, and add scatter cushions for colour and comfort. I love the idea of everyone lazing around on the grass, so I’d also fill wicker baskets with brightly coloured rugs for guests to use as they wish.
For refreshments I’d serve pitchers of cocktails alongside home-made lemonade, and have a classic picnic-style menu of sandwiches, salads and fruit – you could leave picnic baskets on each table packed with all sorts of tasty goodies for guests to help themselves. Instead of a wedding cake, I’m thinking of a table laden with sponges, cupcakes, meringues and fruit pies. Yum yum yum…
Photo Credits
Vase of flowers: Martha Stewart
Drinks: Snippet and Ink
Sandwiches: BBC Good Food
Bridesmaid dress: J Crew
Rugs: The Brides Cafe
Apple tree and Cake: Summer Picnic Wedding
Bouquet: The Knot
Reception setting: Style Me Pretty
Wedding gown: Mon Cheri Destinations