Welcome to my guide on planning the ultimate cottagecore wedding! As a wedding planner who has designed over 50 boho-chic and rustic weddings, I’m delighted to share my best tips and insights.

Finding the Perfect Venue Cottagecore Wedding

Finding a venue that embodies the beauty and charm of cottagecore style is essential for setting the aesthetic. Prioritize venues like barns, farms, gardens, or state parks, which offer gorgeous natural backdrops. Some of my favorite venues for my clients’ cottagecore weddings have been Flowerfield Farm’s sprawling wildflower fields, the vintage barn at Willow Tree Farm, and Lakefront Botanical Gardens with its cut-flower garden ceremonies.

When touring potential venues, ask questions about lighting options, power access for DJ equipment, catering capabilities, and getting ready suites for the wedding party. If having lodging on site is important, some bucolic inns and B&Bs can host both the accommodations and the event.

Outdoor tented receptions can also achieve a whimsical aesthetic. However, ensure the venue allows stakes in the ground and has a rain contingency plan—budget a minimum of $6,000 for the venue rental alone. Additional fees like catering, rentals, and staffing can add $15,000 or more.

Decor That Epitomizes Cottagecore Wedding

When it comes to cottagecore wedding decor, think flowers, greenery, wood textures, burlap, mason jars, and antique or vintage pieces. Visit local flea markets and antique shows to hunt for old window panes, vintage books, birdcages, and other unique finds to incorporate.

For DIY touches, craft signage out of wood slices and paint mason jars or terra cotta pots for table vases. Create a mossy flower wall as a ceremony backdrop, or hang wicker hoops with flowing fabrics. Choose colors like sage green, sky blue, and buttery yellow that feels fresh from the garden.

Set farmhouse reception tables with vintage lace runners, wildflower centerpieces, and candles in amber glass votives. Hang cafe lights and paper lanterns for a whimsical glow. Use vintage silverware to embellish napkins and accent tables with candelabras, books, and ceramic vases.

Cottagecore-Inspired Attire

The dress code for a cottagecore wedding is romantic and soft with a touch of wilderness. Brides should look for gowns with flutter sleeves, illusion backs, lace accents, or creamy satin in a slip-dress style. Some fantastic designers for cottagecore bridal style include Willowby, Grace Loves Lace, and Anna Campbell.

For bridesmaids, look for delicate chiffon or silk in pastel hues like lilac, peach, and sage. Consider having them carry wildflowers like dahlias or baby’s breath. The men can wear light brown or tan suits with suspenders and straw hats for a rustic touch.

Footwear should also align with the overall wedding vibe. Brides can wear flowing skirts with comfortable sandals or cowboy boots peeking underneath. For grooms and groomsmen, rugged boots complete the relaxed allure.

Menu and Cake

Cuisine for cottagecore weddings should feel fresh from the garden or farm using seasonal, locally sourced ingredients. Opt for family-style dinner service with hearty dishes like braised short ribs, roasted chicken, and heirloom squash salad.

Another fantastic option is signature cocktails incorporating herbs like lavender, rosemary, and mint. Serve pasta hors d’oeuvres during cocktail hour, like mini tartlets with edible flowers or cucumber basil canapes.

Also Read: COTTAGECORE HOME DESIGN

Instead of a traditional tiered wedding cake, consider a naked cake decorated with fresh blooms trailing down the sides. Alternately, serve smaller cutting cakes at each reception table for guests to serve themselves.

Capturing the Style in Photos

Photographing all the lovely details and romantic essence of a cottagecore wedding requires both wide landscape shots and intimate close-ups. Start the shot list with classic moments like the first look, ceremony, and reception entrance, then move into styled tableaus using vintage props.

Capture creative signage, ring shots incorporated into nature, and artful reception table scenes. Play with light during the “golden hour” before sunset and enjoy gorgeous venues like gardens and farms. Using camera presets can enhance the dreamy vintage mood.

Curating Music and Entertainment

Cottagecore weddings pair beautifully with acoustic musical acts like a solo violinist, guitarist, or pianist. Create a folksy playlist for the reception with tracks from bands like Mumford & Sons, Fleet Foxes, and The Head & The Heart.

Yard games like cornhole, croquet, and oversized Jenga offer active entertainment for guests during cocktail hour or reception. Also, consider fun photobooth props tied to the theme like flower crowns, tipis, and personalized stick horses.

Making It Yours with Personal Touches

While adhering to cottagecore style guidelines, infuse personal details that make the wedding distinctly you. Display family heirloom antiques like your grandmother’s doily collection or old love letters from distant relatives.

Select your wedding blooms based on their special significance – for example, peonies from your parents’ garden where you got engaged. Give favors with homemade jam or hot chocolate kits tied to childhood memories.

Read your vows beneath your favorite oak tree on the property that shelter your new life together. These personal flourishes bring deeper meaning to your cottagecore design.

Budget Breakdown

When budgeting for a cottagecore wedding, expect to spend an average of $30,000 for 75 guests. Here’s an overview of typical costs:

• Venue: $6,000
• Catering: $8,000
• Photographer: $4,000
• Florist: $3,500
• Attire: $3,000
• Decor: $2,500
• Music: $1,500
• Cake: $500
• Stationery: $350
• Miscellaneous (favors, rentals, fees): $1,000

Ways to save include choosing an off-peak date, keeping the guest list intimate, and looking for less expensive vendors. Some costs, like attire and rings, can also be reduced.

Finalizing Details

Two months before the wedding, finalize all design details with vendors. Schedule your final venue walkthrough to map out the ceremony and reception flow. Send invites 8 weeks out and order favor supplies.

Pick up rental items like chairs, tables, and tenting one week out. Reconfirm arrival times with vendors for set up and coordinate with your day-of planner to oversee everything behind the scenes. Enjoy your final dress fitting before the big day!

Conclusion

A cottagecore wedding is meant to be an ethereal escape where all the details work together to create a deeply personal, romantic celebration. I hope these insights help you craft your idyllic event inspired by the beauty and simplicity of nature. Best wishes for your upcoming nuptials from start to finish!