To help steer couples in the right direction, Zoe Burke, leading wedding expert and editor of Hitched.co.uk shares the things couples actually need to think about before getting hitched at a festival this summer, as well as popular local alternatives for those wanting festival vibes without the stress.
Consider logistics (and legalities)
“Tickets to popular festivals always sell out quickly, so I don’t need to tell you to plan plan plan how you’re going to secure those first to make sure you can actually have the festival wedding you want.
“Once you have them secured, then it’s worth getting in touch with the event organisers to discuss your plans to make sure that you’re even able to pull off what you’re hoping to. While their approval is the ultimate goal, they may even be able to help you with logistics like accessibility and crowd density or special accommodations or designated areas should you need them.
“Then of course, a wedding like this isn’t legal in England and Wales, even if led by a registered celebrant, so you’ll either need to do the legal bit ahead of time or after the festival celebration. For those planning in Scotland, Northern Ireland or the Channel Islands, it’ll be up to your celebrant to determine if it’s a suitable location for a wedding.”
Keep it practical
“Given the festival setting, you’ll want to keep decorations portable and your outfits as practical and simple as possible to make sure everyone is safe and comfortable throughout the event.
“Fairy lights, colourful bunting and flags are absolutely the type of decor you’d likely find at a festival anyway, so I’d suggest you only bring what you can carry.
“And while wellies might not be what everyone dreams about for their wedding footwear, there’s absolutely no place for satin heels or white flats at a festival.”
Make it shareable
“Obviously, your guest list will be restricted to those friends and family who were also able to secure tickets to the festival, so think about ways your remaining guest list can still get involved.
“You could create a festival guide that they can enjoy from home, that includes timings and readings, and have a live-stream link available for those who want to tune in.
“You could also suggest those that can’t be there play a
certain song at a certain time of day to coincide with your first dance, or your post-celebration run to see your favourite band live.”
Capture the magic
“Given the nature of festival ticket sales, your dream wedding photographer might not be available to be there to capture your big day. Instead, why not use a personalised hashtag or shareable QR code to keep track of the candid pics from the day.
“That way even other festival-goers can get involved in the action and can share any footage they capture of your wedding day with you in a way that doesn’t involve swapping details or airdropping files in the middle of a field.
“There are some brilliant wedding photo apps available these days too that mean everyone can get involved in capturing the essence of your festival wedding.”
Embrace the novelty
“Whilst you’ll struggle to recreate a three-course wedding breakfast, I wouldn't recommend that anyway. Embrace the casual vibes and hit the food trucks hard - festival food has come a LONG way. It’d be wise to look up who’s catering ahead of time and see if you can arrange a pre-order - your group will appreciate that.
“As long as you go in knowing it’s probably going to rain, your outfit is probably going to be covered in mud, your wedding food will be served with disposable cutlery and someone’s not going to make the ceremony because they’re still on the cans from the night before, then I really think you’ve probably considered everything at this point.
“Festivals are unpredictable at the best of times, so embrace the spontaneity and laid back vibes and just focus on enjoying your day - and don’t forget your sun cream!”
For those unable to make it to their favourite music festival to tie the knot, they can bring their fave music festival to their wedding instead by choosing to host it at one of the UK’s popular festival wedding venues.
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!) - the perfect place for outdoor festival wedding inspiration.
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.
The Compasses at Pattiswick is a countryside gastro pub with suitable grounds for marquees or tipis, and can easily accommodate your festival-style celebrations.
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.
For more festival wedding venues, please visit: https://www.hitched.co.uk/wedding-planning/organising-and-planning/festival-weddings/