We doubt many “other halves” would argue that when it comes to your Big Day, the most important person at the wedding is the bride. For her it is the biggest day of her life so far. So much, time, effort, energy and cost goes in to making everything perfect, including how the bride looks and feels. Every bride wants to feel their best so that they can feel as confident as possible and enjoy the day. Many brides ask us to predict the impossible, the weather. Wedding weather and working with the outdoors is essential to the smooth running of any wedding day.
Here in North Wales we are blessed with some of the most stunning scenery and here at Talhenbont Hall, spectacular grounds, however, one thing we cannot place an order for is the weather. We have a motto that there is no such thing as bad weather, just the wrong clothes.
We have seen our outdoor terrace on a spring evening, a bright summer’s day, a blustery October afternoon and a crisp December morning and we have to say that it never fails to look beautiful. It would be a shame to miss out on the chance of an outdoor ceremony and time spent in the grounds as a result of poor weather preparation. We have a few tips that you can incorporate into your wedding plan, your choice of dress or outfits for your wedding party. You could even pass tips on to your guests at the same time as sending out our invites.
Handy Talhenbont Tips
With any outdoor wedding, the weather is an important consideration. Understandably, most outdoor ceremonies take place in the warmer months. This means that everyone needs to take steps to avoid getting sunstroke or sunburn. Often it is a good idea to include a hat in the outfit. If you really do not like them you could consider using a lace parasol instead. We have seen some stunning styling ideas on Pinterest that factor parasols into the wedding party.
However, you should never assume that it will be warm. It may rain or be slightly overcast. Therefore, you need to be ready for that eventuality too. That means including a wrap or jacket as part of your outfit. Winter weddings lend themselves to sumptuous fabrics, furs and feathers. Some wedding designers specialise in accessories of this kind. We have seen some brilliant options on the high street in the likes of Monsoon.
You also need to bear in mind the fact that it might be a bit breezy on the day. If your guests choose to wear a hat, they will need to make sure that they can use a hatpin with it to keep it securely in place. As the bride, you need to think about how you wear your hair. If you have long hair leaving it loose may make getting good photos difficult. Speak to your hairdresser.
We spoke to the brilliant Meinir from the award winning Moncrieffe in the nearby town of Criccieth. She works with her brides and knows that it is wise to have a backup plan, for example, a wide hair band or some dazzling clips that blend in with your outfit that you could use if the wind gets up. Her team suggest working with the weather and in the event of a surprise rain shower or windy day, a hair touch up before your photos or as you sit down to eat. They can work around the plans that you have for the day.
For an indoor venue, strappy sandals are fine for a summer wedding, however, there may be better choices for an outdoor wedding. In that setting, you would want to wear closed in shoes that would stop leaves and twigs from getting in. Our terrace is easy to access and we even have the option of a golf buggy to take less mobile guests down to the lower tiers, however, a damp lawn and a stiletto shoe are not the best combination! Make your guests aware of where the ceremony is taking place and a well-prepared guest could pop a pair of light and simple flats into a bag if needs be. They also come in handy when cutting wild shapes on the dancefloor later!
Regardless of the above, it is very important that the outfits fit in with the overall theme of the wedding. The brides dress, whilst is should remain a secret, should influence the look and feel of the styling. A great wedding planner, such as Alicia here at Talhenbont, would suggest that the idea is for the styling to complement the bride and groom. This certainly does not mean that the whole wedding party have to wear the same style suit or dress, but the overall look should fit in with the theme.
One of the very first weddings that we hosted here at Talhenbont was that of Jodie and Stuart. They opted for an outdoor ceremony on the terrace. The trendy couple has styled the wedding to perfection. The day itself was quite cloudy, however, as you can see from the gallery, their styling worked, and their brilliant photographer Kathryn Edwards captured the ethereal beauty and bohemian touches beautifully. The sky colour only complimented the styling further!
Whether you want to opt for an opulent wedding breakfast under the stars with feature hanging floral installations, floral filled table centrepieces and luxurious table linens or you’re looking for a more boho, rustic vibe with timber framing, macrame accessories and fresh foliage table runners then get to Pinterest and Instagram and start wedding planning because there really are no limits. Follow our pages to see our tips and advice. One of our chosen suppliers are the fantastic Anna-Liisa and her team at Springbank. They can offer styling advice based on years’ worth of experience and national awards for their event styling.
We work with our couples that we do not just have a Plan B when it comes to their wedding weather and working with the outdoors, we can also implement and Plan C and D if needs be! We also offer several flexible spaces so in the days running up to the wedding, we can plan accordingly. Call us to discuss the range of outdoor options that we have available. We know that you will love our suggestions.